This is a message I posted a few months ago...

I've had this twice now in a span of about 10 months (the most recent being about 2 months ago). It was extremely painful both times. Each lung has collapsed once. The x-rays each time showed about 1-1.5 inches of space between the wall of my chest cavity and my lung. Both times it has happened my doctor has allowed it to heal itself gradually..just prescribing tyelenol-3 for the pain. The first time it took about 6 weeks to heal and a mere 3 weeks the 2nd time (slightly less severe collapse...due to my cautious breathing at the point of collapse).

A couple of days ago I felt dangerously close to a 3rd collapse. I was in some pain, and decided to just try and sleep it off. Fortunately it worked and the pain has disappeared, but I am afraid I may not be so lucky the next time.

I was wondering if anyone else has had experiences with pneumo-thorax, and if they might have any insight for me.. Things like how to prevent it, what causes it, how involved is the surgery to correct it...etc..etc.

Just yesterday my left hand lung collapsed again. I don't think it was very severe, but I haven't been to my doctor and had x-rays yet. If anyone has any insight... please enlighten me. Do I need surgery? What does it involve if i do?

I just read your post and just wondering how you could not go to the hospital if you think that you lung colapsed again.
Well this is my story i have had my right lung colapsed twice the first time was Aug 4th of 1999 and was on vacation in orlando at disny world woke up in the hotel room and felt fine got up to get ready for the day and all of a sudden it felt like someone grabed my chest and just squeezed i could not breath and had the most pain i have ever felt i really thought that I was going to die went to the hospital to find out that it was a collasped lung spent three days in the hospital with a chest tube in again very painful, the seconed time i had just woke up on a saturday morning feeling fine sat down to drink my coffie and felt the same pain again could not believe it this was on the past December 16, 2000 went to the hospital and had another chest tube in and spent four days in the hospital. Ok now this is what my docs told me, I had two choices i could have meds put into the chest tube that would irretate the lung and it would adhear to my chest wall or i could have surgery to do the same but first i had to have a CT scan this is what i would tell you to have your doc to do this for you to see why this happend to you. In my case i have what is called a Bleb on the top of my right side lung a Bleb is like a blister this is just something that i was born with and i have a 50% chance of this happing to me again, Now my doc wants me to wait till this happens again to do anything about it. I was told that there is nothing that i could do to prevent this from happening again if it is going to happen nothing will stop it from what i was told. If I was you i would talk to your doc so that you can get a CT scan of your lungs to see why this is happening to you. I hope my story was helpful to you let me know what you think

I am currently recovering from a spontanous lung collapse. As I am young, work a physical job and like to smoke. I am wondering when I can go back to my activities. I just had the chest tube removed for 3 days. I am also scared that it will come back since it comes back to a lot of people. Everytime I get some chest pain I am scared that it is the lung. Any advice on how to begin my recovery besides rest?

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I have had two and all i can tell you is that it does take time for all the pain to go away. The pain that you feel is most likely not your lung it is from the chest tube and it does take some time for it to go away, I have had a real hard time this time with Panic Attacks thinking that every time i feel a pain in my chest it is the lung but with time it is getting better and if this is the first time it has happened to you as my doc has told me you have a 50% chance of this happening to you again and i also smoke and like to smoke just take it easy for awhile and thing should get back to normal. I hope that this helps you but i bet that it does not. I have cut down on my smoking mostly because i am so afraid of this happening again. Well take care and I will check back to see if this helps you or not.

In what span were you two collapses? I certainly hope that I will not get another one because I lead a busy lifestyle and having to spend 5 days in hospital and 3 at home certainly sucks.

I hear ya there because i have two kids and it is really tough to be in the hospital for so long. My first one was in Aug of 1999 and the next one was this past December of 2000. I really hope to never go through this again!!!!

I just went to the doctor for a checkup today. I have to get another X-ray to make sure that nothing changed. But, the really bad news was that I can't do physical work for 6 weeks. Doctor wrote me a note for work and told me not to lift things over 5lb and not to do anything straining. Is that what your doctor told you? Because the doctor that did the surgery only told me to take it easy til the end of the week.

Yes that is what my doc told me too what kind of surgery did you have or are you talking about the chest tube just wondering because i did not read in any of your post that you have had surgery, I only ask this because my doc wants my to have surgery if this happens to me again so that it wont happen again. Hope you feel better soon

Yeah, I had the chest tube for 3 days. This was my first time and i certainly hope that it doesn't happen again. The only good part is that I won't be able to work during reading week, so I'm hoping to go for a vacation.

I was just wondering what were you doing when your lung collapsed were you working doing some heavy lifting or like me doing nothing i had just woke up, and had done nothing.

Well, I was at work at the time. My work includes alot of heavy lifting since I drive a jigger and am an order picker. But when it happened I just bent over to grab a light box. I was ok., and then couldn't breathe. I finished off my order and realized that I will not be able to stay and finish off my shift. Told the supervisor and went home. Didn't realize the problem and thought that I'm just sick or out of breath and went to sleep. On the next day I still had the pain and went to the doctor, bam, collapsed lung. I really like my work and can't wait to go back.

sorry to but in, but the surgery is quite forward an your out of hospital in a bout a week. mine was to remove the piece of lung an it was extreamly painfull, i was treated with morphine an normall pain killers, i was out of action for about 4 weeks then i could take light work again. I know the feeling with the slightest twinge an ur painiking again an running back to doctors, but until you have the surgery, if u do, try an not let it affect your lives as hard as it not to, i had mine done when i was 16 an now only 17 so come on, if i can i'm sure u can as well?? let me know how it goes

Well just read your post and was just wondering what was the reason for a pice of your lung removed sounds just a little Painfull, did your lung collasp or did you have something else wrong with you and you did not but in at all the more post the better. Thanks for your post

read my post on basel resection an it will tell you everything i know, an still don't know whaaat caused it an if it is progressive, all i know is to stop smoking even though they cant pinn it on tht it dont help

I left the hospital 4 weeks ago and I started to feel better everyday, but a couple of days ago I started to feel worse again. I don't know if i have another collapse cause I feel really weird breathing and my scar hurts again. I am wondering if that happened to you too. I am going to get my x-ray in two days, I was suppose to have it doen 3 weeks ago, but I felt good so i didn't see the point. If it is a collapsed lung it is probably minor cause i don't feel as much discomfort as last time. Last time I could barely breath or walk in a straight line.

P.S. My plan to quit smoking didn't exactly work, but I have a pack for a fifth day now, so at least I am not a heavy smoker.

I would like to hear from anyone who has had surgery (bleb stabling) and/or pleurodesis for a spontaneous pneumo throrax. My son has had 2 pneumos and the doctor has recommended surgery. Specifically I would like to know if the surgery actually helped, how long was the recovery, would you recommend it. Any information would be greatly appreciated. My name is Tommy and my email is jtr613@aol.com.
Thank you

Well i was just gong to tell about the surgury because i have just had it on March 22nd so all i can tell you is how it went for me i had the surgury on thursday and was at home on saturday while i was in hospital the pain was under control and i was ok untill i woke up on sunday morning it was very painful i am not going to lie about that but in my case it was worth not having to worrie about the lung collasping again it happened to my right lung twice after the surgury i wont have to worrie about it again atleast not on my right side. So now i have had my lung stapled and the plura scraped up so the lung will stick to it so it wont collasape again well it is now tuesday and i am still on med for the pain so if my typing is not so good that is why but i will check in again tomorrow and see what you have to say i have to go lay down now.

If I were you I would not hesitate to go back to the Dr. for diagnosis. I am no expert and I am not a Dr. but I have had 6 SP's and two surgeries in the past 3 years. I am a young healthy female, with the exception of my lungs. I had two more collapses since having my second surgery. My last two collapses occured while I was pregnant.
I had the same attitude as you did when mine collapsed again and again--"just wait and see". My surgeon told me that it is very bad to do that regardless if you know what it is and how your body responds because 1. you could develop what is called a tension pneumo which if not treated pronto could be fatal. 2. once your lung has collapsed once or you have had surgery the longer your lung stays down the greater the risk of it not reinflating. That means that you could be creating unrepairable damage to your lung.
I hope that you will take my advice and have your lung taken care of. I also am no expert in surgery but I do know that there are several options for surgery. I also have been using steroid inhalers and broncodilators for the past 6 months sucessfully, I haven't had a collapse while using them. You should also discuss that with a specialist or a thoracic surgeon. If you are only seeing a GP for these questions I would recommend asking that you be referred to a specialist afterall, without your lungs, there isn't really much left to sustain you is there?
If you would like to leave me a message my e-mail is zapper@goldcity.net. I may be able to answer somemore questions for you.

I just have one question, i had mu lung collapsed about 11 weeks ago, and i still get pains in the lungs sometimes. Has it happened to all of you too. If feels weird sometimes, but for the most part I am ok.

Well it has been 5 weeks since my surgury and I am just now starting to feel like a real person again the pain was alot worse than I had thought it would be, but if it keep the lung from colapsing again it was worth it, I thought I would get out of the hospital and i would be fine was i wrong, the pain meds in the hospital were the best thing but once i was home and had to take pills it just did not do that much to help but it help enough that i could sleep i slept for the first week that was about all i could do it is just alot of pain and i really had no idea it would be that bad, But i do not regret it at all i can now get on with my life without worring all the time.

My son is 17and suffered from a spontaneous pneumo thorax 4 mo. ago.
after a CT scan the doctors felt he had multiple blebs that could lead to further occurences. Surgery was suggested and is scheduled for the last of May. The surgery planned would be to staple off these weak areas of the lung. If anyone has had htis type of experience I would appreciate your comments.After many questions this seems to be my sons only option other than postponing surgery and risking another pneumo thorax.

I have had this done for me because I also had a ct scan and found blebs on my right lung but this was only done after I had two collapses and I could not deal with the thought of going through another so I had the surgury on March 22nd all that I can say is that I do not regret having it because I dont have the panic attacts any more and I can now get on with my life I hope this has helped, I would like to say that it is a tough recovery but like I said it was well worth it now I can play with my kids again, one more question does your son smoke just wondering please let me know what you decide to do. Good Luck

Thanks for your reply to my message. My son does not smoke but is tall and skinny which is characteristic of this problem. The docs have told us that recovery will be painful but after a couple of weeks our son should be able to resume normal activities. Is this similar to your recovery?
Thanks again

Well, It took a little longer than two weeks for me to start feeling better but your son might do better than I did, It was not till the fourth week that i started to feel better but like i said it is a tough recovery but not having to go through another collapes again it is well worth it, just make sure that you get pain meds for when you get home while I was in the hospital the pain was well under control was surprised how great i felt while in the hospital it was not till I was at home the next morning when it really hit me, but i had the surgury on thursday and was home by saturday afternoon i think that I should have stayed in for another day, But i wanted to get home. I do not want to make it sound worse than it really is because everybody is different all i can say is that it was worth all the pain and it does get better I hope your son does well Please let me know how it goes for him and Good Luck.

This is actually the Squid...

I had a spontaneous pnemothorax on March 1993, and celebrated in January of 1996 with yet another reoccurance. I'd like to tell you about both experiences.

On March 18th, I woke up in the late afternoon from a nap, and couldn't breathe very well. I could breathe, but not take deep breaths. Thought it might have been from partying all night (no I don't smoke), so I tried to ignore it, and went outside to throw the football with my brother. It was then that I felt my lung pulling downwards in my chest. I went to the ER, and was diagnosed with a 40% collapsed right lung. After admission, I spent the night under observation, and the following morning, right after breakfast, the doctor came in and stuck the thoracotomy tube into my right side, near the 5th rib. I spent the next 3 days in the hospital on oxygen, respitory therapy (the worst part) and suction to remove the air and blood from between my chest wall and my lung. I was released and recovered rather quickly.

Jan 17th, 1996 while I was laying my daughter on the couch, I felt my lung roll (no, no pain or knowledge of my chest bothering me up until this point), and I KNEW what it was. I went to the ER, and told the receptionist I had a spontaneous pnemothorax, and the stupid woman wanted me to fill out forms. I walked passed her, and into the ER, found a doctor, and told him what I had. He sent me right back to X-ray, and after confirming that it was indeed collapsed (60% this time, same lung), the gave me demorol and novacain, and in no time, I was choking the intern, who inserted the tube through my pectoral muscle, and was actually digging around on my scapula (shoulder blade). 2 days later (go figure), they had to remove THAT chest tube, and install another, because that one somehow got obstructed and wasn't working. On day hey did a CT scan, and informed me I had these "blebs" as well. I opted for the surgery... a transpleural thoracoscopy with pleurodesis. They sent a probe in through my back, just under the scapula, and after surgery, and recovering enough to get that damned cathader out of me, I noticed not one, but 2 tubes in my side, one for air (aimed up) and the other for blood, and there was a lot of that. 4 days I laid there, "recovering"... moreso enjoying the morphine drip they allowed every 3 hours for pain. It was a rough recovery. Every night at 2am, the respitory therapist came in and gave me a breathing treatment. During the last few days (I don't remember exactly which one), I asked the attending surgeon how much of my lung was removed due to the blebs... you'll never guess his reply. "None, we didn't see any blebs", and he was looking (with confusion) at the other doctor who was in the operating room with him and Captain Foley. I felt like a lab rat at that moment, and the only thing I wanted to do was leave. I convinced myself there was no pain, and always made comments about being ready to leave after that.

I was discharged on the 29th, and spent the next 24 days at home, on Tylox (with codine). It was ROUGH, but I managed. I also had the panic attacks, followed by a racing heart BEFORE this, but afterwards, had only one other episode, and none since 1998.

I wish your son luck, as well as anyone else who has to undergo this surgery. It's comforting to know it won't ever happen again, yet I wouldn't wish what I had to go through on my worst enemy.

I still get panic attack and I had my lung collapse about half a year ago. I had no Ct scan because it was my first one, but if it is going to happen again I will want the surgery because it is worth to go though a couple of weeks of pain, than getting panic attacks or getting more collapsed lungs. Just get it over with.

Hey...im a 20/m from Providence, RI. I kno exactly how you feel. Both my right and left lungs spontaneously collapse on their own. More my left then my right. I live in fear if the next time its going to happen b/c it is so painful, theres nothin' you can do. You can't sleep, walk, nothing. Even walking down stairs i could feel my lung bouncing up and down in my chest. I've been in the hospital before where they inserted a tube into my left lung. It was painful but i felt it had to of been done. I thought it did the trick b/c my lung hadn't collapsed in 2 yrs! But then..the dreadful day came where it happened again. It happened quite a few times and got better by itself before i actually decided to go to the hospital. When i went, my left was a 25% collapse. I talked to the surgeon about my options, i had three of 'em.
1. Go home and let it fix itself
2. Get a tube inserted
3. Get a pleurdesis
I figured i would go for the most painful one considerin' a tube doesn't help in the long run. I chose the pleurodesis. I was admitted to the hospital on a Thursday morning (6-7-01). The actually surgery didn't take place until Friday morning(6-8-01) at about 10am. I wasn't back into my hospital bed until about 4pm. Very painful, i couldn't even move. I was in the hospital recovering slowly until they pulled out the tube adn released me on the same night, Monday 6-11-01. So i didn't spend too much time in the hospital. As you can see, i only got out of the hospital last night but i am able to type, walkaround, do pretty much normal things. the surgeon said i will be out of work for about 2 weeks. (im a cook). so in light of your question, your best bet is to get surgery that will FIX your lung PERMANENTLY, not a temporary fix like a chest tube. with my lung the way it is...theres a 95% chance that this will never happen again. i like those odds. SO even as painful as it is, pain is only temporary and ts better then living in fear for the next time your lung is going to collapse. by the way, i was in Rhode Island Hospital and my Sergeoun was Dr. William Feng.

WOW.. Thanks a ton for all of the responses. I completely forgot I started this thread 5 months ago.

Well, a little has changed for me since then. I saw my doctor the next day, and he set me up for some x-rays and tyelenol-3.. After 3 weeks of x-rays and a little pain, I was back to near 100%. We didn't really talk about a specialist much. He didn't really feel it was necessary considering the mild nature of each of my 3 pnuemo-thoraxes (25%, 10%, 15%). I wasn't too anxious to see one, either, because I assume the pain from major surgery will be a LOT worse than a measley (haha!...in relative terms of course) pneumo-thorax.

Well, its 5 months later now, and 2 weeks ago I had my 4th pneumo-thorax.. Judging by the pain, I'd say it was a 20% collapse or so, and it was my left lung once again (score is now 3-1 in favor of my left lung). I decided to not see my doctor for this one since I had plenty of left over painkillers, and I'm between health insurance providers at the moment. After reading a couple of the posts here, particularly the one from JennM, I'm beginning to regret this decision.. Fortunately, though, everything seems to be on the right track and after 2 weeks almost all of the pain is completely gone.. In another couple weeks, I feel like I'll be back to near 100%.

The pain hasn't really been an issue for me, fortunately. Its always been really, really bad for a couple of days, but not unbearable. ...And its always been nice to get a prescription for a lot more painkillers than I need once a year or so http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif. After reading some of the horror stories here, I get the feeling I'll be seeing a specialist ASAP, though. While none of my experiences have been all that horrible, I'd just assume avoid the things I've been reading about.

Once again, I want to thank all of you for all the responses.. Its really gotten me thinking, if not a little worried.. That's definitely a good thing, though, as I feel I've been taking this far too lightly since day 1.

My history is not that far off from yours except they found blebs on both lungs.

They scarred my entire left lung and only 2/3 of the right.

Do ever have phontom pain or pain you feel may be collapse?

I am having reoccuring pain in the 1/3 that wasn't scarred - note: my surgery was 12 years ago and the pain just started coming and going about 4 months ago.

Advice or encouragment from anyone?

Hi, i'm 39 years old & was diagonised for spontaneous Pneumothorax of my left lung. No particular symptoms as I don't smoke & a regular gymer. I was running on the treadmill (i generally run for 20mins at 10.1) & just couldnt run any longer, felt breathless. Next day, I went for a chest xray & realised that my Left lung had collapsed 70%. Doctors told me that it must have had collapsed atleast a month back & I was not even aware. No major symptoms but general fatigue & feverish feeling. I was admitted to the hospital & a tube was inserted. Thankfully, my lung came up & plurodesis was advised & completed. I was discharged ..but exactly after one month from the first episode, my lung(same one) collapsed again. Need to tell you that even after the plurodesis, I continued walking on the treadmill after permission from my chest physician. It used to be painfull after the walk but I took it in my stride. May be this was the reason for my reccurence???
I was operated this time & the bullae's were removed. They have sprayed talc as an adhesive. The surgery was very painfull & I will completing just over a week from the surgery.
My worries are - Can Pneumothorax reccur even after the surgery? I checked with my surgeon & he told me that there is 0.0001% chances that it may reccur. That too, it will be locally & tube insertion may not be required.

Some bullaes / blebs can be seen on my right lung too. What are the chances that my right lung will collapse? Is it so that if it happens to one lung the other lung would also get affected?

My elder brother had episodes of Spontaneous Pneumothorax some 8 times till he was operated for both the lungs. He is fine now. How come both of us got it? Is this heriditary?

Would really apprecaite if somebody can help me in this. Thanks!

Please,stop smoking.You don't know me from Adam,but,please take my words and quit smoking,the sooner the better.I was a very active and strong carpenter,now,I am a frail and very weak man with 12% of my lungs left.Do you want to know how I feel breathing?Take in a deep breath and hold,now let out more than 3/4 of it,hold it,now,breath in.The feeling you are experiencing is how I breath 24/7/365.PLEASE STOP,IF NOT FOR YOU,FOR YOUR FAMILY THEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi my name Rob i have had two operations for pnuemo thorax. once on halloween in 02 and the second on new years 04 well you know the usual story im tall and skinny i wasnt doing anything physical at the time of the collapse either time, and it sucks when it happens after the first two attacks i decided to have the surgery well now it is 2007 and i still have panic attacks when i get a pain in my lungs. ive been to the er twice now after the surgeries and both times they say nothings wrong and send me home. well i want to know if anyone has tips on breathing or eating habits or exercise routines that they do to stop these pains. I get them about once every two months. i want to take up running or biking but seems like i cant, everytime i start to run i get the same pains and the panic attacks. is this a mental thing? my necks starts hurting then my shoulder blade then my arm gets fuzzy and my chest hurts. i can skateboard most the time but i cant get more physical than that. i thought that maybe if i exercise more frequently my lungs might get stronger and no more attacks but this is my theory that i am working on. any tips? oh and when i went to the er they said theres a muscle on your side that can cause similar pains to a lung collapse if it gets pulled or strained. this is what they blamed my pains on last time i went to the er but i wasnt doing anything physical before hand.

im a 27 year old female i came out of hos two weeks ago after haveing op. Im scared of it happening again it happend out of the blue iv had to give up smoking i hate it even tho the doc said my lung cant collapse again cause of the op im still scared.kel

NO SPEED LIMIT.
Just telling my own story in order to expand this good bank of information.
In 1969 when I was tall, ( 195 cm ), young ( 18 ) and lightweigt I woke up after a good sleep after some partying and freezing during last evening-night and in the moment I was putting my feet at the floor and raising from the bed I felt that something severe happened at my right lung-side. I had pain and couldn´t make full breaths. I made it througt that day and the day after I went to hospital where I was found having some 50 % collapse in my right lung.
They tried to suck the air out by using large needles but there was a puncture with a big hole in the lung so the air was back at once while checked with X-ray. I then got a rubbertube inoperated and that one was connected to a air-lowpressuremashine( Bülow) so the lung could expand and I was hospitalized for 3 long weeks. I had some respiratory training in order not to use the "bad" side and that helped me a lot with the pain and after some weeks the lung was fastened in the normal position and I could leave. I have never ever since had any problem with my lungs. As a good bonus I ended up smoking during that time at hospital because I was not able to reach the smokers room. Before the collapse I was smoking some 30 cigarettes/day and I am sure that the stopped smoking have saved me from a lot of troubles, and maybe even more collapsed lungs, even if nobody can say what the trigging mechanism to the spontaneous pnemothorax was. I also think that a bonus was that the collapse was big so the entire area collapsed was strengthed by the irritation of the inoperated tube. That was a theory I got from the doctors.

I have never ever since made any limitations to my life due to this besides that I was not allowed to go scubadiving. instead I made nice and pretty deep snorclings and I have had an active life with windsurfing, and other sports. Professionally I have been in the mercant marines and policeofficer since 1969, still on duty but not in streetpatrol since 1992.

Right now my son, 17 years has got a genetic load by having his first ( and hopefully last) lungcollapse, but his is smaller ( about 5 % at the top of the right side) I have learned that a case like mine nowadays will be fixed by new surgery where the hole is closed by some glue. I will visit him at hospital now.

Being tall and beautiful has a prizetag.:)