I have had a sinus infection for a week or ten days. It was caused by a virus that's kind of run it's course through the region over the past 30 days. For the most part, I have recovered and just had a little dryness in sinuses and an irregular cough. Earlier this week, I awoke in the middle of the night and couldn't breathe. i was suffocating and couldn't seem to get an airway open. My nose was stopped up and somehow, opening my mouth and attempting to breath through my mouth didn't work. It was a loud wheeze. i was somewhat in panic, because i could get perhaps 1/10th the amount of air into my lungs as i needed. The episode lasted for about four or five minutes. Unfortunately, I was in a hotel room in Bermuda and could do little except unbolt the door and try to dial front desk. Of course, i couldn't speak and could only produce a very loud wheeze sound, like someone who couldn't get their breath.

I have had this happen two other times in my life. The first two times, were when i was awake. Each attack was separated from the other by five or ten years. i am 50 years old an in good health, with regular check ups. Each time it has happened, it's been on the backside of a sinus infection. It seems as though my airway is flapped as if i am breathing through my nose, but of course that passage is blocked. I can't seem to regain control and breath through my mouth.

Each time, i have gotten to the point of falling down and almost passing unconcious, when suddenly and slowly, i can regain the ability to breath. over the course of a few minutes, i can return to regular breathing. Of course, the fear and some panic of what just happened remains.

Is this perhaps and asmatic condition? is it just an enlarged and inflamed sinus? Could some form of inhaler reopen the airway?

It's disturbing and the last thing I want to do is die over something like this. I can tell you that suffocation is not fun.

Any thoughts?