Pneumothorax (Collapsed lung)- whos had one?

C

cfsucks

Guest
So I had a small pneumothorax in mid December, which was accompanied by subcutaneous ephysema (air bubbles in tissue).
Anyways was just wondering if anyone else has experienced one? I've read some stats on people with CF having them and they really freaked me out. I've also read things like avoiding weight lifting and running which I have been avoiding (just starting running on treadmill again) but I'm afraid of it happening again.
Can you tell me your experience with them?
 
C

cfsucks

Guest
So I had a small pneumothorax in mid December, which was accompanied by subcutaneous ephysema (air bubbles in tissue).
Anyways was just wondering if anyone else has experienced one? I've read some stats on people with CF having them and they really freaked me out. I've also read things like avoiding weight lifting and running which I have been avoiding (just starting running on treadmill again) but I'm afraid of it happening again.
Can you tell me your experience with them?
 
S

stillkickin

New member
Hi...Once you get one, the stats suggest you'll have another, but that isn't always the case. I had a brother with CF that only had one, and another brother who had numerous collapses. I've had 4 pneumos since 2008. My last one happened during a hospital stay in January. I had a chest tube in 2008. It was enough to make me never want another! Not the tube itself, the insertion or the removal...it was the year following that was painful...and full of wondering if the pain meant the lung was collapsed again. The lung was adhering to the wall.

I was given no directions on what to do and not. My collapses certainly have happened any time and place...without warning. The last time I was sitting on my hospital bed when it happened.

If you need more info...please let me know <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
S

stillkickin

New member
Hi...Once you get one, the stats suggest you'll have another, but that isn't always the case. I had a brother with CF that only had one, and another brother who had numerous collapses. I've had 4 pneumos since 2008. My last one happened during a hospital stay in January. I had a chest tube in 2008. It was enough to make me never want another! Not the tube itself, the insertion or the removal...it was the year following that was painful...and full of wondering if the pain meant the lung was collapsed again. The lung was adhering to the wall.

I was given no directions on what to do and not. My collapses certainly have happened any time and place...without warning. The last time I was sitting on my hospital bed when it happened.

If you need more info...please let me know <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
C

cfsucks

Guest
How has your overall health been since you started getting them? Has you lung function decreased significantly?
 
C

cfsucks

Guest
How has your overall health been since you started getting them? Has you lung function decreased significantly?
 
M

missT

Member
hi, I have had my right lung totally collapse. It was a very terrible experience and it really changed the way I look at this disease. I can say that it has taken lung function away for sure and progressed my lung disease.
 
M

missT

Member
hi, I have had my right lung totally collapse. It was a very terrible experience and it really changed the way I look at this disease. I can say that it has taken lung function away for sure and progressed my lung disease.
 
C

cfsucks

Guest
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>missT</b></i> hi, I have had my right lung totally collapse. It was a very terrible experience and it really changed the way I look at this disease. I can say that it has taken lung function away for sure and progressed my lung disease.</end quote>
Have you had a collapse since? how long ago did you experience it?
 
C

cfsucks

Guest
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>missT</b></i> hi, I have had my right lung totally collapse. It was a very terrible experience and it really changed the way I look at this disease. I can say that it has taken lung function away for sure and progressed my lung disease.</end quote>
Have you had a collapse since? how long ago did you experience it?
 
A

azdesertrat

New member
I've had numerous pneumo's... None too pleasant.
One was caused by a doctor when she punctured my donated lung during a bronchoscopy.
The first was the worst.
It was back in '94. I was 750 mi away from home delivering a load of copper.
I had to drive all the way back to AZ before I could get medical attention because I couldn't leave my truck in TX.
When I got home I told my dispatcher I had a collapsed lung; he told me I was full of s**t.
I wound up being off work for 3 weeks while recovering.
I never did get an apology from the dispatcher.
 
A

azdesertrat

New member
I've had numerous pneumo's... None too pleasant.
One was caused by a doctor when she punctured my donated lung during a bronchoscopy.
The first was the worst.
It was back in '94. I was 750 mi away from home delivering a load of copper.
I had to drive all the way back to AZ before I could get medical attention because I couldn't leave my truck in TX.
When I got home I told my dispatcher I had a collapsed lung; he told me I was full of s**t.
I wound up being off work for 3 weeks while recovering.
I never did get an apology from the dispatcher.
 
M

missT

Member
i have not have a lung collapse since but I can tell you that I think about it often...especially if I am going in a plane or I am far from home. It happened in 2009. It was extremely painful...I cant even describe how painful. My sister drove me to my cf clinic and I was doubled over the whole time.
 
M

missT

Member
i have not have a lung collapse since but I can tell you that I think about it often...especially if I am going in a plane or I am far from home. It happened in 2009. It was extremely painful...I cant even describe how painful. My sister drove me to my cf clinic and I was doubled over the whole time.
 
K

kgfrompa

Guest
I have had 19 chest tubes and then got chemical pleurodesis it solved my problem My first one I was 29 years old and my last one was in 2010 .Like one posted it was not pleasant.
 
K

kgfrompa

Guest
I have had 19 chest tubes and then got chemical pleurodesis it solved my problem My first one I was 29 years old and my last one was in 2010 .Like one posted it was not pleasant.
 
S

stillkickin

New member
First off...I fully believe they're different for everyone. After my first collapse, I definetly lost lung function...but was still functional in life. That was a quiet before the recent storm. First lung collapse was June of 2008. I spent the next couple of years sort of fearful of when it would happen again--knowing it could well happen anytime.

Fast forward to 3 years later--May of 2011. I was at some normal pre-transplant testing and after a chest CT scan was informed my lung was collpased. I'm pretty sick, so I totally thought I'd notice when my breathing was worse! I didn't notice. Then it happened again 2 months later...and then again this month--Jan 2011. My doc gave me a stat that after a person has a right and left lung collapse...median survival is 5 months. Good news--half of people live longer than 5 months and there's people 20 years later still living just fine <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

I believe my lungs got sicker, and then the collapses came. I'm sort of paranoid to sneeze or blow my nose hard. I fully expect it will happen again before I'm transplanted. As my surgeon said, "It's easier to get a collapsed lung out since it's smaller." I guess he can see the bright side!

I totally expected to be in horrible pain with all of the collpases, but it wasn't too bad. My nurses were freaked that I didn't want pain meds with the chest tube, but I didn't think it was bad. More than anything...you're stuck sitting there with a tube coming out of your side hooked up to a box. I still did my chest percussion treatments. People process pain differently. Getting your expectations in line with what's coming...is a good idea. The unknown is more scary than anything.

There is life with pneumothrorax! The secret is to just fully live your life <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
S

stillkickin

New member
First off...I fully believe they're different for everyone. After my first collapse, I definetly lost lung function...but was still functional in life. That was a quiet before the recent storm. First lung collapse was June of 2008. I spent the next couple of years sort of fearful of when it would happen again--knowing it could well happen anytime.

Fast forward to 3 years later--May of 2011. I was at some normal pre-transplant testing and after a chest CT scan was informed my lung was collpased. I'm pretty sick, so I totally thought I'd notice when my breathing was worse! I didn't notice. Then it happened again 2 months later...and then again this month--Jan 2011. My doc gave me a stat that after a person has a right and left lung collapse...median survival is 5 months. Good news--half of people live longer than 5 months and there's people 20 years later still living just fine <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

I believe my lungs got sicker, and then the collapses came. I'm sort of paranoid to sneeze or blow my nose hard. I fully expect it will happen again before I'm transplanted. As my surgeon said, "It's easier to get a collapsed lung out since it's smaller." I guess he can see the bright side!

I totally expected to be in horrible pain with all of the collpases, but it wasn't too bad. My nurses were freaked that I didn't want pain meds with the chest tube, but I didn't think it was bad. More than anything...you're stuck sitting there with a tube coming out of your side hooked up to a box. I still did my chest percussion treatments. People process pain differently. Getting your expectations in line with what's coming...is a good idea. The unknown is more scary than anything.

There is life with pneumothrorax! The secret is to just fully live your life <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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