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Long haul flight after Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum/Pneumothorax?

Posted , 3 users are following.

aslicebrownpan
aslicebrownpan

I was diagnosed with Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in July this year, I am hoping to fly to Australia on a 22 hour flight in 2 months but I am worried that it will happen again.

I am aware that this is very rare but has anyone else had this? Or has anyone flown on a long haul flight after Pneumothorax?

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • jonathan123
    jonathan123 aslicebrownpan

    Posted

    Hi sorry to hear you had a pneumothorax. I have had quite a few and had a tension also before. I have had vat procedure and live London and have since flown to Thailand,  New York etc with no problems. If you are concerned you can always have an X Ray the day before and they should verify you are fine to fly. 

    Hope this helps. 

    • aslicebrownpan
      aslicebrownpan jonathan123

      Posted

      Hi,

      Thanks for your reply smile

      I have not had any surgery as I was told that it wasn't neccessary. I was treated in Belgium as that is where I became ill, the healthcare was brilliant and since I have been back in the UK I have had one appointment with a consultant and two X rays and now left to get on with it. Is this normal?

      I didn't actually have a Pneumothorax, I had Pneumomediastinum which is where the air leaked from both of my lungs which filled my mediastinum surrounding my heart and lead to subcuteous emphesyma as a result. (My head was like a balloon lol). As this condition is very rarely seen they haven't been able to tell me much which worries me and have put it down as a medical mystery.

      Did you have anxiety leading up the flights? If so how did you manage this?

      Thanks smile

  • jonathan123
    jonathan123 aslicebrownpan

    Posted

    Hi again

    Well the good news is that they don't think you need surgery. That means normally it is less likely to happen again.

    You shouldn't worry about flying because if the lung isn't leaking then you are fine. Obviously if you had pain then you wouldn't fly and get it checked. I sometimes just have a drink to calm my nerves but you should be able to fly with no problems.

    Jonathan

  • Bogdan
    Bogdan aslicebrownpan

    Posted

    Hi,

    It is usually recommended that you don't fly for 6 weeks because of most airlines' policy. My doctor offered to write me a note so I can fly after 2 weeks if I chose to.

    That being said you're only eexposed to a risk in case of cabin depressurisation, in which case you have worse things to worry about smile

    Other than that, the cabin is pressurised so you have nothing to worry about - at least that's what my surgeon told me.

    I have also had surgery (I understand that you haven't) and flew 2 months later without issues.

    Hope this helps,

    Bogdan

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