Pneumothorax :: Collapsed Lungs X4, Two Lung Operations, One Sealed, One Stapled - 20 Years On
Sep 2, 2014
I had all my lung drama in the 1980s, two collapses on each side, then followed by each a major lung op, one side using a blebectomy (I think it was called) which was a partial lobectomy that was then stapled back together. The other was a filler where they used some seal to fill the space between the lung and the pleura. So many years later, I survived without needing other operations but heres what happened to my lungs...!
Not sure exactly, but my chest cage, lung cage, shrank relatively suddenly - the doctor noticed the xrays looked as if they belonged to different people. Then I experienced permanent shortness of breath, I have now lived with this for six years. It was accompanied by permanent elevated adrenaline and heart pounding, none of which has been diagnosed by the doctor who always say 'everything is within normal range'. I exercise as much as I can to keep my breathing in as good a shape as possible but I feel like if they opened me up they would find an awful mess in their. I cycle a lot and swim as much as possible - I was always super active - but my breathing capacity in exercise is so much less than it was. I am 50 now and know that damage is also due to binge smoking throughout my life but I haven't smoked for a long time. I'd love to know if other people have had this or varied reactions from their lung op history and what they did about it, especially what their solutions have been. MY SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN variously holding my breath under water for as long as possible to try and expand my lung capacity - not for the pre-op pneumo people!, Yoga, Stretching, breathing in a spine stretching folded position, meditation, cycle till you are out of breath, Buteko methods of CP and green juicing for best method of getting positive amount of super nutrients to the brain and blood stream oxygene. This might have helped someone, it helped me but it took me years to discover all the different methods I now incorporate. My condition puts me in a state of constant panic that I need to daily manage.
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Back in April 2014 I had an operation on my lung to fix it to my chest wall. (Pleurodesis) (VATS).
I used to smoke about 6/7 a day for 3 years before that.
I'm 20 years old now and it's been 16 months since I had the operation.
Basically I miss being able to smoke with friends at the pub or when I'm out etc.
Would it hurt me or would there be bad results if I were to smoke 1 or 2 a MONTH. Literally only 1 or 2. (I barely go out)
I don't want to hear the "Smoking is never good." blah blah blah. I just need to know whether 1 or 2 a month would have catastrophic issues on my lung.
It will be tobacco also (Roll ups) not cigarettes.
Dan
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Sunday was the first day of my period. I woke up in the morning with some bad but tolerable cramps. Had some yogurt, took an aleve, and ran myself a hot bath. The hot water helped for a bit, but soon the pain was back. While I was getting dressed, I got hit with this sudden, intense wave of nausea. I quickly popped a Zofran, but it didn't seem to be helping, so I ran to the bathroom. The nausea calmed down a bit but I felt like I had to poop, so I sat down on the toilet. And from there the cramp pain intensified tenfold. It was so bad that I could barely move. I was shaking and soaked with sweat, the room was spinning, I thought I was dying. I called for my roommate and asked her to bring my hydrocodone because I couldn't stand it. I took a pill and finally managed to get myself off the toilet. As I was walking to go back to bed, another intense wave of pain hit me and I basically collapsed onto the floor. My roommate was just picking up the phone to call 911 when I started puking violently all over the carpet.
So they took me to the hospital. I threw up three more times and they gave me nothing for the pain. I sat in a chair squirming and groaning in agony and dry heaving for about an hour and a half, and then finally the pain just suddenly stopped and I felt a million times better. I ended up waiting about 9 hours to be seen. They did a pelvic ultrasound, a pelvic exam, and a urinalysis. All normal.
I don't see how this can be normal. It was sincerely the worst pain I've ever felt in my life, but the only advice they could give me is to take aleve around the clock when I start my period. I don't know what to do other than set up an appointment to see an obgyn, but am I the only one who's experienced this? Could they have missed something?
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I have only been taking it for less than 3 weeks and only managed to get to 300mg a day but the side effects are awful. I have now found out what is causing my nerve pain in back and leg ( my L5S1 disc has collapsed trapping nerves) and GP says that I would need a very high dose of gabapentin to ease this nerve pain so I might as well come off it ( waiting to see neurosurgeon). Today I dropped down to 200mg ( 100mg morning and then I was going to take other one before bed). I would normally have taken another one at 5pm. This evening I have had a bad headache around my eyes. like shooting pains. I have now taken the second 100mg tablet to see if this stops the pains.
My Gp said " oh you can just stop taking it after such a short time" but I said I have read it gives back withdrawal if stopped suddenly and he didn't disagree!
So could the headache be withdrawal?
After no advice from GP I was thinking of dropping to 200mg a day for a week then 100mg a day for a week then 100mg every other day until I stop - does this sound good?
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Ever since my spontaneous pneumothorax I have had a lot of trouble with exercising. All the doctors have given me a clean bill of health and yet I can't run a 1/4 mile without being completely out of breath. Has anyone else experienced this? I need help because I am trying to be a peace officer and it is what I have been working toward for years. I have to be able to run for this job and right now I can't.
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I am a woman of 42 very energetic but one morning I woke up with the most severe pain in my right shoulder and pain down my arm I started crying because I was scared my husband told me to get an ambulance but I said I would be ok, I got dressed for work I dropped the twins off at school then went to work, I walked down to the hospital that is where I work and my boss took one look at me and told me to get to a&e, I went for the x ray then was taken straight to HDU and they told me my lung had collapsed and they needed to put a tube in god I have never felt pain like it, I cried and screamed all the way through, after that I was put on the ward and 6 days later it had not healed up there was a hole in it so they had to transfer me to leeds where I could have the operation done, I had a tiny bit of my lung removed and it was stuck on to my chest wall with irritant powder it helps the lung stick better, when I came to after the operation I was in so much pain and the tablets were not helping they were trying all sorts to get it right, I have been home nearly two weeks and the pain is still there but not has bad its more my ribs and across my stomach and that is what is worrying me and the chance that I might have to have it done again and also there is a 40% chance it can happen to my left lung, I am so scared to do anything in case it happens again, but I am glad I had it done, but it goes to show it can happen to anyone.
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I have been diagnosed with Endometriosis in the lung. I was wondering if any one else out their had this condition? It's such a rare condition doctors don't know what to do...
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I had this procedure the beginning of January 2012 under general anaesthetic, and afterwards it was one of the worst pain/uncomfortable experiences of my life. I didn't know what to do with myself afterwards. I couldn't walk, sit or lay comfortably, and was in constant pain. And forget any ideas about going to the loo.
I now have some idea of what childbirth must be like after I finally managed the 'two the loo' for the first time after five days, horrendous. Thank god I'm not a woman.
Never again, hopefully.
I would also add, according to my surgeon, it can take up to three months before everything is back to normal. Although you will feel alot better after the first two to three weeks.
I don't know how the information sheet (link below) can say that you can usually return to work around a week later after this particular procedure. As far as I was concerned, not a chance. I'm now nine weeks in and feeling OK. Internally healing is still going on, and am still having the odd day with regular visits to the loo. But I am told this will settle down.
Some tips that will help with recovery.
Apart from painkillers and drinking plenty of fluids I found warm baths help give relief (albeit for a short while) from the pain, discomfort and that constant feeling that you want to have your bowels open. I was sometimes having up to three baths a day for the first two weeks just to give me some relief. And if you are prescribed Co-codamol pain relief, come off them as soon as you can or you will suffer with constipation, and that isn't good I can assure you.
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I went for a CAT scan for my heart and it was discovered that I have two nodules measuring 4mm in each lung. I haven't seen the doctor as yet. Has anyone experienced this and what was done for it? I am quite anxious.
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i had the op 5 days ago, has been 5 horrible horrible days. Lots of very bad pain, etc.
now I have had traces of blood in all my stools. And have kept myself regular with movicol. But today, I had to 'push' ever so slightly nothing major, I couldn't stop it. Wasn't a major push ,etc and out popped a tiny more condensed poop.
its about 4 hours later, and was back on the pot, and was feeling like I needed to go, it felt watery again, and it was again a small bit. But this time a lot of blood. Before there were just streaks but this time it's was just blood instead of the mucous fluid with traces in.
is this normal, ? Due to the earlier little push. I was shocked as it's the most blood I have passed. Should I gear up for more of this and not be worried.
i have stopped the codeine yesterday and just on a ibuprofen . I'm in less pain which is good, but worried I might have torn staple or stitches etc hence more blood and less pain.
i'm waiting for my next bm , but have hardly eaten since the opp, today was a small bowl of all bran this am, I have dropped about 7lbs since opp. I'm going to eat a decent slab of salmon tonight, but worried with the consequences.
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Three months post stapled hemorrhoidectomy. Still experiencing terrible pain throughout rectum and butt cheeks. Feels like someone crushed glass, poured alcohol on it, then smeared it inside me. Symptoms indicate prolapse as well, but surgeon has examined multiple times and says that is not the problem. No hemorrhoids present and surgery has healed normally. He does not know what to do though. I did have similar pain for many years before the surgery, but more like sand paper was rubbing against my skin and rectum and only half as painful. Anyone else with this experience?
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On March 13th, I had a hysterectomy along with a Hemorrhoidectomy. The hysterectomy was performed first and then the Hemorrhoidectomy.
I haven't seen the hem surgeon since my initial appointment. He didn't come see me during pre-op, nor did he visit my family to let them know the results when the surgery was over. He didn't even come see me for discharge. I have received nothing from him, which means I have absolutely no idea what occurred during my surgery, nor what to expect during recovery.
Exactly one week to the day of my surgery, I developed what I think is a hemorrhoid. It is swollen, painful, stings, burns and itches just like one. I called his nurse, alarmed. She basically brushed me off. She said I could see him in another town on Wednesday, go to the ER, or see him at my scheduled follow-up appointment on Friday. She didn't even address my concerns that I have a hemorrhoid right after the surgery to remove them.
Can anyone please clue me into the recovery expectations from the stapled Hemorrhoidectomy procedure? I plan on letting this man have it when I see him at my follow-up appointment.
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I fractured my left ankle, the fibula, on March 1st. It was classified as a lateral malleolus fracture. I was put in a splint in the ER and saw an OS two days later, who put me in a fiberglass cast for 4 more weeks. After two weeks, he re x-rayed and said all looked good, so he told me to start putting weight on it over the next few days until I was full weight bearing. It felt better every day and I was sure I was on the path to recovery. At the 4 week point I went back in to hopefully have the cast removed and transition into a walking boot. The cast was cut off and my ankle was x-rayed again to make sure all was still on track. My OS came in a few minutes later and informed me that he did not see any signs that the bone was healing, in fact the area between the break had increased, which he showed me on the x-ray. He said my fracture appeared to be a delayed union and I needed it to be surgically repaired. Not the news I had expected and definitely a setback mentally and emotionally.
I had a plate with 5 screws placed on the outside of my fibula, a compression screw placed up through it and a bone graft done this past Monday, April 6th. I was told I would wake up with a splint on and would most likely be casted or put in a boot at my post-op this coming Thursday, April 16th. When I awoke from the surgery I immediately noticed I had a boot on instead of a splint. I questioned it and the nurse told me my OS thought I would recover quickly and this way I could shower, etc. in a few days. I have 10 staples in the side of my ankle and the rigid side of the boot lays right across my incision. I called my OS's office Wednesday and explained to a nurse that the boot was pressing on my incision so hard that it was almost unbearable. She spoke to my OS who said to assure me that the discomfort is just a normal part of the recovery process and it will get better. I'm now 6 days post-op and have showered, changed bandages, etc. My incision looks great and does not bother me at all until I put my darn boot on, which I am supposed to wear at all times to keep my Achilles tendon stretched. I have tried adding extra padding over my incision under my ace wrap, but the boot still presses hard right up against my incision and causes burning, stinging and just overall discomfort. Has anyone else dealt with this?
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I was told way back in August of 2013 I had copd. Smoked for 33 years. Started when I was 13. Did stop smoking in October. Now on 12 meds daily and get out of breath doing just about anything. I own a lawn mowing biz but getting harder and harder to do my job and getting ticked off clients because I cant keep up. Have been getting real depressed about everything. Someone told me to keep a daily blog about my life with copd. Started that about a month ago. Its somewhat therapeutic, it at least lets me get stuff off my chest so to speak. And maybe someone will read it and go hey i'm going through the same crap. In my case its hard to find folks going through it or those that do who even want to talk about it. So if your getting depressed i would recommend doing a blog. No one may ever read it, but you will be able to get out all the stuff you want to say. Thanks for listening and i hope you find what you're looking for.
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Is there a medication to remove the scar on my right lung?
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I am a 49 year old woman and I have a 8mm noncalcified nodule in the middle lobe of my right lung. For some reason, it does NOT show up on an X-ray but it was found on a CT. Shouldn't it show on an x-ray also?? The ER found it by accident...they thought I had a blood clot that had travelled to my lung...nope! It's a nodule. It was found 51 weeks ago and I did have another scan 2 months after it was found and there was no change in the size. But, since I don't have health insurance, I have been unable to have another CT scan as recommended (every 3 months). My husband makes too much money for us to qualify for any financial assistance but we can't afford a pulmonologist or scan. I have been a smoker for 30 years and I do get backaches and I can't do much without getting short of breath but that doesn't mean it's cancer. My main question is why is it not showing on an X-ray...I've had 2 since they found it on a CT scan so unless it mysteriously disappeared, I don't understand. I have been checked for histoplasmosis and other things like that and they were all negative. Can anyone tell me why it's not apparent on a chest x-ray???? Thanks!!
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I had a Mri scan for back pain, result found 2 small nodules in lung. Seeing specialist in July, I get a little short of breath and a little wheezy at times nothing to alarm myself, but I have terrible fatigue also have red lumps on forehead chin and buttocks. Worried this could be sarcoidosis my father had this sadly died 26 years, I have read different views on this being hereditary, so worried seems ages till July I am female age 55 & a smoker, any thoughts ?
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I have had a problem with excess stomach acid for the past 3-4 months which seems to finally be going the right way now. The thing I struggle most with now is some sort of respiratory problem that occurred about a month ago. Whenever I take a deep breath and blow out as much air as I can it hurt at the top of my lungs near the center of my body. It feels like my lungs are tight.
At the same time I have this odd gas-like air at the bottom of my lungs. When I blow out air I can feel the last bit of air is gas like and taste like gas from like a stove or something. Anyone got any idea what is?
6 doctors have diagnosed me with excess stomach acid and I have been tested for just about anything and there seems to be nothing wrong with me, except for the fact that I'm having these problems. My EKGs are also great and so are my blood tests. I've never smoked and I never get drunk.
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I've been sick a long time and only recently learned about reactive arthritis and think this is what i have had all these years! I haven't had all the symptoms of reactive arthritis though.
I have had a lot of burning-like symptoms and now getting it in my lungs. Anyone the same?
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i was lying down on my back last night and suddenly felt my whole chest (lungs maybe)inflate. Does anybody know why this happened as its happened quite a few times recently? This left me really gasping for breath.
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I would like to know what could be causing the burning in my lungs. This has been going on for about four months. Right side.
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