Spontaneous Pneumothorax

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I am currently suffering from one, apparently. anyone else out there had one of these?

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:16 (twenty years ago)

I've had several times but seriously only once - and you don't want it to get too serious!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

My doctor says it's probably very mild, though I have to go to casualty to get an x-ray to confirm it this afternoon. Is it the kind of thing that recurs alot? thank fuck I gave up smoking!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:21 (twenty years ago)

What is it precisely? Air in the chest cavity?

― nathalie's body's designed for two (stevie nixed), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:24 (twenty years ago)

I think so, as far as I can recall from the doctor's explanation.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

I'm imagining you're probably young and thin (like wot I was once (*sniff*)) and as you get older and fatter it becomes less common. I used to find myself prone to the occasional aches + pains in cold weather, like some old geezer with the rheumatics but not so much now.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:26 (twenty years ago)

Does it hurt?

― nathalie's body's designed for two (stevie nixed), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:26 (twenty years ago)

... only if you're young, thin and beautiful

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:28 (twenty years ago)

No it's not hurting but my breathing is very restricted, which is kind of scary and very uncomfortable. I think in some cases it hurts alot, so said the doctor.

I am such a drama queen but I just want them to tell me in hopsital it's nothing serious and I'm ok! and I don't need an operation, as the doctor predicted....

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

But, seriously, it hurts like mutha when it gets to the serious stage

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:29 (twenty years ago)

Ronan, join the club, I had one a couple of years ago, a horrible and frightening experience see:

being ill suXor

Thankfully yours seems mild, and hopefully it?s a one off, but you?d be wise to gen up on them just in case, for the future. I found ?the spontaneous pneumothorax patient netwerk?a good source of information:

http://www.blebdisease.com/sp/portal.php

The fact you?ve already stopped smoking is a plus but I?d wait a while until you step into any airplanes, and would abandon any lingering ambitions to go parachuting or deepsea diving.

I was alarmed to recently come across research suggesting being exposed to high volume, low-bass sounds can trigger off a spontaneous pneumothorax (something that crossed my mind once or twice during the Michael Mayer set last night). Since undergoing surgery I haven?t had one (fingers crossed), but I wouldn?t wish this on my worst enemy. Its not life-threatening, but if it recurs you may need surgery. All the best Ronan.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:45 (twenty years ago)

Get Well Soon DJ R

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:47 (twenty years ago)

whoa could it be caused by DJing/working in a loud music environment I wonder?

I'm meant to go to gf's sisters wedding in Aberdeen in a few weeks, maybe I'll travel by boat just to be sure!

there is no chance I'd ever go parachuting or deep sea diving anyhow!

thanks for the info btw Steve and Dada, it's been a scary few days, not being able to breath right is so disconcerting, I've had trouble sleeping too.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:50 (twenty years ago)

Wow Ive never heard of this :/ Be well Ro! You rock!

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

not being able to breath right is so disconcerting, I've had trouble sleeping too.

I can appreciate that not being able to breathe is pretty worrying, but the key is not to panic, as this makes it even more difficult to breathe.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:52 (twenty years ago)

jesus after reading that thread I am scared!

x-post yeah I've been doing my best to stay calm, am anxious to get to hospital asap but not so keen to drive myself or take the bus, just feel a bit too weak/dizzy to take the chance, it's about 40 minutes away by car and much longer on the bus.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:54 (twenty years ago)

No need to be scared, if it had been really serious it would have happened very quickly and you'd be in hospital right this minute

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

Dada OTM, I'm sure if it was serious the doctor would have you in the hospital before he'd finished explaining what it was.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:56 (twenty years ago)

yeah I guess so, just having googled it all the diseases it said it can be related to freaked me out a bit, cancer etc, but yeah I'm sure I'm over-reacting!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

No, he'd be in hospital because he couldn't walk!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:57 (twenty years ago)

I'm getting twinges in the old right chestal region just reading this thread!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

Yeah but most diseases can be in someway linked with most other diseases, so I wouldn't worry 'bout that. Consider how a side effect of aspirin is potential headaches. It's kinda like that.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

xpost of course

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 18 July 2005 09:58 (twenty years ago)

Ronan, sorry, perhaps I shouldn't have posted that link as yours sounds mild, I did't want to alarm you, and operations usually only happen when the collapse is serious and its recurred a few times. I don't know what body-type you have but men between 20 + 40 are especially at risk, espec, slim built men, but there is in all probability nothing else wrong with you. Most SP victims are otherwise perfectly healthy, and go on to make a complete recovery.

Fingers crossed for this afternoon.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 18 July 2005 10:04 (twenty years ago)

bloomin eck, you poor love! I hope your mind gets put at ease soon

― Vicky (Vicky), Monday, 18 July 2005 10:05 (twenty years ago)

so glad to have a beer gut now, I knew I'd have the last laugh over those t-shirts.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

yeah I guess so, just having googled it all the diseases it said it can be related to freaked me out a bit, cancer etc, but yeah I'm sure I'm over-reacting!

One word of advice: NEVER EVER google for symptoms and/or diseases, you'll ALWAYS find you'll have cancer or some other grave disease. 99,9999 percent of the time it'll be nothing. I am sure now it's the same. This is advice I always give but never follow.

― nathalie's body's designed for two (stevie nixed), Monday, 18 July 2005 10:16 (twenty years ago)

get well Ronan!

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 18 July 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

Yes, get well soon.

I'm sorry I read this thread though because anything to do with breathing makes me conscious of mine and then I feel I can't breathe and start to hyperventilate. I've a paper bag on hand just in case!

― Penelope_111 (Penelope_111), Monday, 18 July 2005 11:20 (twenty years ago)

well, the surgery is reserved for really serious/recurrent cases. the first time this happened to me i spent the night in the hospital on oxygen, and then the doctor put a small plastic ventilator in my chest to help empty out the air. it's a non-surgical procedure, just a small hole, local anesthetic. then i went home and had to wait a few weeks to recover. the second time was less serious, and i just spent the night in the hospital on oxygen. they said we should consider surgery if it happened a 3rd time, but this was 10+ years ago, and i haven't had any recurrences since then.

the best thing is to just get someone to take you to the hospital and get those x-rays.

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Monday, 18 July 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

Hopefully Ronan will check in sometime today to let us know he's ok.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 18 July 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

hey everyone.

just back from hospital, where they have diagnosed me with.........nothing! I'm not sure if that's good or bad, they did blood tests and an x-ray and said I'm fine, and speculated maybe it is just tiredness or stress that is making me feel short of breath, or that maybe I was freaking out a bit much if I was out of breath for normal reasons.

still feel a bit off which scares me a bit after them finding nothing but they did say take a few days off and rest (I have not had a hectic time of things recently I didn't think). my doctor did say they may find nothing in hospital and it could be just a virus of some kind.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 16:15 (twenty years ago)

thanks for all the kind comments, was very worried really! still am a bit but alot less since coming home. also my arm hurts from blood testing!

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 18 July 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

I'm very happy for you that it wasn't an SP Ronan, hopefully the rest will do you some good. Take it easy.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 18 July 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Hurrah, take care.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Monday, 18 July 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

So apparently I'm fine, medically, from the tests etc, but I still feel the same. it's really horrible, my doctor did say "maybe in hospital they'll find nothing and you just have a virus which we can't pick up" but nonetheless it's freaking me out being short of breath and dizzy, especially when it gets bad. why can't I just feel better!

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 20 July 2005 10:31 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.