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Pain after Pneumothorax

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dee81927
dee81927

I am 28 years old athletic female.I have a very healthy lifestyle I eat well and work out 4-5 times/week.i had two spontaneous Pneumothorax 3 years ago on the left lung. I went under the surgery to fix the problem.I recovered well however I left with pain.I have sudden sharp pain on the left side it ysuly gets better after a few minutes I went back to see a doctor but they couldn't find any problem. Now I started to have pain on the right side the pain is very similar to the one during pneumothorax however it isn't as strong and it goes away within 5-15 min. I am scared if I will have a collapse lung in my right side as well now, not sure why I still have pain or if it is chronic pain. I also have chesty cough every morning for an hour or so. I don't smoke at all and I am wondering why I still haven't feel 100% after 3years.

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109 Replies

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  • gina33008
    gina33008 dee81927

    Posted

    Hi Dee, i had a spontaneous pneumothorax  5 years ago and I still don't feel 100%. I have sharp pains shortness of breath I'm tired all the time and sometimes have a warm sensation on my right side where the tubes were inserted I also ache a lot. I've been to the doctors numerous times but he listened to my chest and he said I'm getting enough oxygen in my lungs and says im ok I've had chest X-rays but I've not had a ct scan yet which would show better results than a normal X-ray I'm waiting for my doctor to refer me a ct scan on my lungs. Hope your doctor can help you xx it seems never ending for me as they don't listen unless your on the phone to your doctor every week.
    • andrea84741
      andrea84741 gina33008

      Posted

      I'm in the same boat ...literally the same! I don't want to waste my time being told I'm Ok so don't know if I need to be checked. I had 3 CT scans before the radiologist even realized my lung had been collapsed for about 2 weeks before surgery! Don't really trust those. Pregnancy and giving birth didn't make it hurt as bad as simple things now. What to do what to do!!??
  • teresa26305
    teresa26305 dee81927

    Posted

    Hello! I just had VATS surgery for a spontaneous pneumothorax a month ago. Prior to the collapse, I was running 25 miles a week and don't fit the standard for this at all, I am 5'3", in my 30's and 125 lbs. I have never been a smoker. After a week in the hospital, I was released and cleared with a follow up xray 2 weeks later. I started running again in 1/2 mile increments but the next day felt about 50% of what the pain was when I had the pneumo. Then it started hurting in my other lung as well! I got another xray and discovered my lung had dropped about 10%, but the pleuridis or whatever did it's job and my lung healed itself after rest. I still haven't tried running yet, and still have pain in my lung and back. My doctor said it is either scar tissue or the nerves healing themselves. I am hoping not to have these twinges for years, as it sounds like others have had! It is just a scary thing to not be able to prevent it from happening, and questioning every pain I have as to whether it is another pneumo. I am really hoping to be able to get back to my running schedule and any advice or encouragement or sucess stories would be welcome!

     

    • staciet85
      staciet85 teresa26305

      Posted

      I'm on the same boat I'm 5"3 139 lbs, 31 and before this I use to workout 4-5 times as well mostly weight lifting.

      I'm almost 3 months post-op form VATS surgery on my Left lung and gained 10 lbs. I'm expecting pain on my upper back and sometimes I feel pin like pain on my back sides and sometimes on my good lung I get so scared.

      I did go to the gym two weeks ago but I think I wasn't ready yet so all I'm doing starting tomorrow will be cardio. I hope things get better for us.

  • bamawife
    bamawife dee81927

    Posted

    I had the surgeries after a pneumothorax a year ago, still having problems. I went to a new dr  3 weeks ago, he informed me 1. they removed one of my ribs when they did the surgery (glad someone told me) 2. I'll continue to have these pains for about 3 more years. Apparently when they cut into all the muscles and nerve bundles, etc, it takes a long time to heal. I agree with Michellejo, the pain after the surgeries was excruciating.
    • gina33008
      gina33008 bamawife

      Posted

      Hi bamawife, I had my spontanious pneumothorax 5 years ago and they glued my lung to my chest wall and they said i would be uncomfortable as there may be scar tissue after the op so i will get pain now and again and they were right i have pain and i get tired easy. I've  never used an inhaler before but since the op I get out of breath easy after excercise or walks so I now have to take an inhaler I used to be fit before my operation and go to the gym 5 days a week I can't do that now just light excercise I hope your pain goes away soon.
    • bamawife
      bamawife gina33008

      Posted

      Hi there!

         The new pain dr I mentioned here, gave me epidural, in my torsal area of the spine, I felt the medication travel from my back along the nerves to my breast bone. I get one every 6-8 months as needed. NO it don't kill all the pain, but sure takes prolly 75% of it away. The shortness of breath is helped by my Symbacort and Sprivia inhalers. I've got lazy a time or 3 and the shortness of breath came rushing back. Now I used them religously. I have my pro air for rescue inhaler.

  • Guest
    Guest dee81927

    Posted

    Hi, a had a spontaneous pneumothorax a week ago (I did't have surgery) and I was released from the hospital yesterday, and I must say that the pain was excruciating. After reading all those comments about your experiences made me really scared about what it's to come. I will follow this discussion and inform you about any progress.
  • benji0504
    benji0504 dee81927

    Posted

    hi ive just had my op 2 weeks ago sunday op went ok and now been discharged but the right lung is still not fully inflated and i have to go back every week for xrays i have the same problem im in a hell of a lot of pain i know my op was only 2 weeks ago but the pain is very severe sharp shooting pain in the right lung and i find it hard to breath and the nipple area is so sensitive so i know how you feel my specialist said i may have to have another op and worst case lose the right lung im a postman also and very fit and healthy im just hoping the pain settles down and i can return to work but the hospital have asked my doc to sign me off for 12 weeks minimum fingers crossed i have good news tomorrow and i dont have to go through the pain of having a chest drain put in while im awake and no anathestic as i hurts like hell 
  • sensifari
    sensifari dee81927

    Posted

    i had a minor collapse yesterday, only a small air bubble formed so they couldnt operate, the initial pain was terrible but subsided over a few hours. im the classic type to suffer a collapse ( skinny and a smoker) iv swapped to e cigs and feel a improvement just the cold weather seems to cause me the most trouble. but iv stared taking serrapeptaze enzyme which breaks down scar tissue, iv only started today but have read many positive reports hope this may help xx
  • nicola778
    nicola778 dee81927

    Posted

    My collapses and surgery was on the left lung. I had 1-4 years of doctors appointments and x-rays to figure out why I still got sharp, stabbing pains in my chest, it was found that I had a tiny Pneumothorax on the top of my left lung, but it eventually healed itself. However I had pains still and pains that were appearing in my right side, which didn't make sense as the surgery only happened on my left, BUT AMAZINGLY I figured out with a physiotherapist that the muscles that are connected to your spine, when they are damaged/tired/over stretched, this pain will actually be felt at the front of your chest. This was life changing for my pain, as I started doing yoga (GREAT for training your breathing again) and stretching out my back (as I started hunching my shoulders in with my pain) and the pain does release! If you get a pain, try not to panic and do some very SLOW and nice stretches with your arms to release tension in your back...you should notice a HUGE difference...

    Hope this helps!

    God Bless

    Nicky

    • jack_m
      jack_m nicola778

      Posted

      Your advise about slow and nice stretches really works !  The pain didnt go away ( pain on my left chest)  , but for sure is much better now ;p 
    • nicola778
      nicola778 jack_m

      Posted

      Hi Jack! 

      Really glad it is helping to ease some of the pain! My op is coming up to 7 years ago now, and I get pains almost every day, but i find rolling my shoulders back slowly, breathing (not too deeply) steadily, and rubbing the area in cirular motions to ease the muscle tension, helps, and helps within minutes. Also drink plenty of water - the lungs are made up of mostly water, and when they start to dehydrate, they dry, and this is not good for people with our condition as the lungs need to keep as fluid as possible, to ease discomfort. 

      I have attached a picture of a pillow I have when pains are really bad, I prop my self up slightly with this triangle pillow, as it raises my chest off the bed slightly, which prevent my chest from cramping all together too much. Every so often I need ot sleep with this pillow, and it does ease the pain over the night.

      Let me know how you get on Jack!

    • james93572
      james93572 nicola778

      Posted

      This is the most helpful information I have ever seen I thought to myself that after this long why is it that I still feel this awful pain in my chest then your comment mentioned that it could be the muscles attached to your spine and to do a SLOW arms movement. My chest was in pain while reading your comment and I thought to myself this will never work but I said to hell with it I will try it and it actually helped I couldn't believe it. Thank you for sharing!

    • nicola778
      nicola778 james93572

      Posted

      No problem James! Just really happy this is helping you! Keep going with the gentle arm and back stretches! 
    • andrea84741
      andrea84741 nicola778

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice!!! I am 4.5 years post pneumothorax surgery and still have pains. Recently more than anytime in 2 years. Mine is more the lung cramping and I can't even unfold my body or breathe, but sometimes very sharp in the chest. This is great info to know WHY for once! It is scary but I think I need yoga! Have thought about it before but got lazy I suppose.
    • nicola778
      nicola778 andrea84741

      Posted

      Glad the advice is helping! Really sorry to hear you have these pains, but you're not alone! Its 7 years post op for me, and I still get these pains. I really strongly believe it is all muscular related, as the lung was attached to the chest wall, or tampered with, so the body is not quite the same. There is a lot of nerve damage, hence why it is so numb for so long, and still is in areas for me. Also if you have staples in your body, they will get 'caught' from time to time, which is just simply eased back, with slow stretches and slow breathing (but not too deep!). 

      I too do get lazy with yoga, but can't deny the brilliant results. But if a position hurts, or over stretches, don't push your body. I just find if I am too lazy for yoga, rolling my shoulders back the most helpful, and anything which stretches them backwards, as I found that your shoulders curl inwards with this condition (perhaps in protection?). Also just simply lying straight on my back and stretching my arms up over my head, is really nice. Just concentrating on my breathing.

      Just the little things, make pleasant differences! If things get a bit too much, and you find anxiety kicks in, a lot of water, and a little bit of lying on your back and breathing calmly with meditation music, is very relaxing, and can ease the pain a lot!

      Hope this helps!!

    • Heavenschild
      Heavenschild nicola778

      Posted

      Hi Nicky, thanks for the stretching idea. I'm going to try that tonight! I am alway having pain at night between my shoulders and on my right side especially, which is where my two pneumothoraxes were. Caused by a t-boned traffic accident, broken ribs pierced my lung.

      Drs. fixed the lung then it collapsed again.

      I read on the internet about a woman who flew 3 years later and she suffered a pneumothorax. I haven't flown since.

    • nicola778
      nicola778 Heavenschild

      Posted

      Hi! No problem - I really hope it helps you. I've had to find numerous ways to try and find the best things for my situation. I actually find it easier sleeping with higher pillows, as it just keeps the pressure off my chest. 

      Really sorry to hear about your accident, but glad you are on the mend. Its a slow process this lung business, but once you manage to develop ways to deal with it, it eases up. A lot is mind over matter too!

      I have decided not to fly, until air crafts can handle pressure more, because its the air pressure which causes the collapses, and in some cases, this can get very serious, if experiencing a tension collapse in the air. Som doctors have said, its ok, others, not sure. So I am deciding to take trains and boats for now, until I feel more comfortable!

      Hope this helps!

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