Worried about my lungs

Good everyone, I am new to this forum and I would like to comment on an incident that has me worried. A few days ago while I was cleaning my face mask in the morning, I noticed that a 7mm piece of sharp plastic that was part of it, had come off during the night, while I was sleeping. The detached part is right at the air outlet, right in my mouth, so I have certainly swallowed it. I'm not worried about swallowing it as I'll just flush it down the toilet as normal, but I am worried that it has got into my airways because of the air pressure. My question is, can something get into your bronchial tubes/lungs while you are sleeping and you don't realise it? The object was small, but I think it should have had some kind of reaction, has anything similar happened to anyone?

Another detail, in the cpap sleep report there was a significant air leakage throughout the night session, but it is also true that where I live it is very hot and humid and I move around a lot in bed at night.

GregoryFM wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 6:26 am

A few days ago

If you have had no symptoms in this amount of time, it is very unlikely that you swallowed or breathed anything harmful.

I agree with Chicago Granny about the odds, but there's a small chance that the object could cause infection or inflammation, even if you're not having symptoms now:

https://www.mountsinai.org/health-libra ... ct-inhaled

You might be wise to consult with your doctor to see whether some imaging would be advisable.

Sometimes when drinking, water has come in through the wrong side and I've ended up coughing. What surprises me is that I haven't noticed anything while I was sleeping. But I also have 40 apneas per hour and I don't realize it. If I have no symptoms, the doctor will not pay any attention to me. They are NOT going to do x-rays for a simple suspicion.

I’m really sorry to hear that your doctor is so unhelpful. Did the drinking problem start after you swallowed the object?

Miss Emerita wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 2:54 pm

I’m really sorry to hear that your doctor is so unhelpful. Did the drinking problem start after you swallowed the object?

Not a "drinking" problem, so much as a swallowing problem.
This happens to some of us once in a while for no reason, to others as a side effect of stroke.
X-rays would show nothing, as cpap masks are transparent to x-rays.
Our reflexes make us swallow objects, so I would not be concerned
unless I developed a cough.

Miss Emerita wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 2:54 pm

I’m really sorry to hear that your doctor is so unhelpful. Did the drinking problem start after you swallowed the object?

No, it has nothing to do with it. I put it as an example because sometimes when drinking, the liquid has entered from the wrong side and I have ended up coughing. It has happened to me many times throughout my life, perhaps because I breathe badly. But the other day I was sleeping and if this adverse event occurred, I was not aware of it. My doubt is if this is possible, since when sleeping the muscles of the neck and throat relax and a foreign object can enter and not cause coughing or suffocation. The object was small, less than 1 cm.

Regarding the doctor, in my country we do not have the same health care that you have in the USA, which I suppose will be a private insurance to which you can resort in case of need or any doubt. Here you go to the doctor when you have a health problem, not when you suspect you may have a health problem.

GregoryFM wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:53 am

Sometimes when drinking, water has come in through the wrong side and I've ended up coughing. What surprises me is that I haven't noticed anything while I was sleeping. But I also have 40 apneas per hour and I don't realize it. If I have no symptoms, the doctor will not pay any attention to me. They are NOT going to do x-rays for a simple suspicion.

I occasionally do the same thing, take a drink of something and a small amount 'goes down the wrong tube' and it makes me cough a bit. I never gave it a second thought and I'm certain that it has nothing to do with apnea as my wife does the same thing once in a while and she doesn't have sleep apnea.

GregoryFM wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 6:26 am

so I have certainly swallowed it.

Not certain at all

GregoryFM wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 6:26 am

but I am worried that it has got into my airways because of the air pressure

CPAP pressure doesn't cause things to blow into ones lungs.

GregoryFM wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 6:26 am

there was a significant air leakage throughout the night session

Then there is increased likelihood that the item blew away from you. The source of the leak could have created a path of higher airflow that could have carried the piece of plastic away.

GregoryFM wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 02, 2023 11:53 am

They are NOT going to do x-rays for a simple suspicion.

Depending on the type of plastic it won't show up well or at all on the x-ray.

When a drink "goes down the wrong way", pay attention
to what position your body was in when it happened.
For several months, I had to be sitting straight up to prevent this.
Since I have lost a few pounds (not as much as I'd like), it seems to not be happening.

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 03, 2023 9:16 am

Depending on the type of plastic it won't show up well or at all on the x-ray.

<snerk>

I love this. She handled it with as much aplomb as anyone would. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9yR6J8jkc