Spontaneous Pneumothorx!

[Black Rider]

Hi everyone :lol:

I've been complaining of chest pains/discomfort for at least a month and after being persuaded to go to the hospital it turns out I've got this condition called spontaneous pneumothorax (pronounced: NEWMOTHORAX).

I'm quite an active person and love trying out new sports. This year I went to La Plagne, France - Skiing for the first time! My friends have been before and have made it into an annual trip (I jumped on the band wagon for the 2nd trip). I loved it! It was a really auxillerating sport and I loved the feel and technique required. I had planned on making it an annual event in my callendar until...

Recently I have also started a canoeing course. I like a challenge and it's something different but I have had to stop going on the course because...

I have played the trumpet in a marching band (3rd Davyhulme Scout & Guide Band [Lostock]) since I was 6 and go to practices at least once a week. We have lots of events/trips and recently went and played in Birmingham at the Outdoors show and in Edinburgh for the Easter Festival. We have got events in Gilwell and the option of playing at 1 of 3 festivals that all fall in the same week. BUT i can no longer take part in the playing side of things as...

Spontaneous Pneumothorax is a condition where the alveoli on the outside of the lung have rupturred allowing air into the pleural cavity. This air then takes up space in the chest so the lung cannot inflate fully!
Has anyone else had/heard of this before?
The hospital have said that I am just to take it easy and they will monitor it (I will have to keep going in for x-rays).
After my lung has fully inflated it has got to be 6 weeks before I can fly (due to air pressure) and I have a holiday booked for 11 weeks time. Hopefully I can go :smt102
I want to know if anyone has recovered from this and been able to go to high altitudes, (skiing) and under water (scuba diving) without it rupturing again. :roll:

[Carsick]

I think it's pretty standard for the doctors to say no more scuba diving. Not sure about the rest, though.
Somebody over on VD mentioned that they'd suffered the same thing.

edit: here's a thread discussing collapsed lungs in general. http://www.visordown.com/forums/showthread.php?t=264994&highlight=collapsed

[Swiss]

My Bro had it only a tad worse. He was in hospital for 10 days and they had to operate to close the hole.

It would depend on which doctor you spoke to as to what response you would get in regards to full recovery!!!!!!!

[Black Rider]

Cheers guys, i'll let you know how it goes

I'm still getting my bike in a couple of weeks though!! :lol: :D
It's not too strenuous! :shock:

[JakeRS]

Join the club my friend!

I had one of them the other month, walked around for 3 days before getting seen to! I wasnt allowed to fly, so had to get the train to Spain as my holiday was 3 weeks after it happened!

It could be because of a crash I had before where my lung was punctured or it could be totally unrelated...

Oh and by the way after being seen by various doctors, stabbed with huge syringes to get rid of the excess air, going to Guys in London, have been told to get better by myself and come back if it happens again to get patched up!

Apparently they go keyhole style and deflate the lung, then remove any cysts on the lung, and blow some talcum powder style stuff into the lung which sticks it to the ribcage, and prevents it deflating any more!

[Biker Biggles]

If it's not injury related it tends to happen to tall thin people,and is not uncommon.

[JakeRS]

Tall thin young men apparently, myself being one of them..

[Nick762]

ISTR it's one of the conditions you get taught about if you're learning scuba diving (or did, dunno if they still do now). If you don't beathe out properly when you're coming up, the compressed air in your lungs expands and your chest explodes :shock: