Spontaneous Pneumothorax

[Hawkeye]

Though I may not have kidney problems I am not exactly healthy either and since you are all like family I thought I would share this with you.  I have hunted around for info on my problem much as you have all done to find this website.  Not sure how I missed it before, but I just found a web site similar to this one (though not even a million times near as active) for my health problems.  I have what is called spontaneous pneumothorax.  Here is an article from www.webmd.com to help fill you all in on the condition.

What is a pneumothorax?
A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) results from a buildup of air in the space between the lung and the chest wall (pleural space). As the amount of air in this space increases, the pressure against the lung causes the lung to collapse. This prevents your lung from expanding properly when you try to breathe in, causing shortness of breath and chest pain.

A pneumothorax may become life-threatening if the pressure in your chest prevents the lungs from getting enough oxygen into the blood.

What causes a pneumothorax?
A pneumothorax is usually caused by an injury to the chest, such as a broken rib or puncture wound. It may also occur suddenly without an injury (spontaneous pneumothorax).

Spontaneous pneumothorax can result from damage to the lungs caused by conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis, and pneumonia. Spontaneous pneumothorax can also occur in people who don't have lung disease. This happens when an air-filled blister (bleb) on the lung ruptures and releases air into the pleural space. (THIS IS MY SITUATION)

People who smoke cigarettes are much more likely to suffer a spontaneous pneumothorax than those who don't. Also, the more you smoke, the greater your chances of having a pneumothorax. (I"M AN EX-SMOKER)

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms depend on the size of the pneumothorax. In minor cases, you may not realize you have a pneumothorax. In more severe cases, symptoms will develop rapidly and may lead to shock.

Symptoms may include:

Shortness of breath (dyspnea), which may be mild to severe, depending on how much of the lung is collapsed.
Sudden, severe, and sharp chest pain on the same side as the collapsed lung.
Symptoms may become worse with altitude changes (for instance, flying in an airplane or going underground or underwater).

How is a pneumothorax diagnosed?
In most cases, a chest X-ray is used to diagnose a pneumothorax. Your health professional may also perform blood tests to measure the level of oxygen in your blood.

A computed tomography (CT) scan or ultrasound may be needed to diagnose the severity of your condition and help plan your treatment.

How is it treated?
A minor pneumothorax may only require observation by your health professional; in some cases, oxygen may be given (through a mask). More serious cases are treated by inserting a needle or a chest tube into the chest cavity. Both of these procedures relieve the pressure on the lung and allow it to reexpand.

Surgery may be needed if the original treatment does not work or if the pneumothorax returns. However, because no surgery is risk-free, most health professionals will suggest surgery only after you have had more than one spontaneous pneumothorax.

What are the chances that a pneumothorax will return?
If you have had one pneumothorax, you have an increased risk for another. Nearly all recurrences happen within 2 years of the first pneumothorax. If you smoke, quitting smoking can reduce your risk of another pneumothorax.

Spontaneous pneumothorax returns in about 20% to 30% of people who don't have lung disease. People with lung disease have a 40% to 50% chance of having another pneumothorax.

Just in case anyone is more curious the web address to the support site I found is www.blebdisease.com.  It is no where near as good as this site , but I have found it to be very informative and have gotten many of the answers I haven't been able to get before from the doctors or elsewhere on the web.

[goofynina]

Wow Hawkeye, i would've never known,  thank you for sharing that with us about yourself.  Take care my friend and remember we are here for YOU too.   

[Sluff]

I'm sorry you have this disease. I am very glad you shared this with us. I'm sure it is miserable. How often are your attacks?

Like goofynina said take care of yourself and know that we will  always be here for you.   

[Hawkeye]

I'm sorry you have this disease. I am very glad you shared this with us. I'm sure it is miserable. How often are your attacks?

I am one of the lucky ones at this point.  From some of the reading I have done on that site there are people who have had 9 or more collapses.  I fortunately have only had 2, one in each lung and it has been a few years since the last.  The problem with this is that you never know when and if you will have another collapse.  There is no warning or guarantees it just happens.  Because of this fact it hinders my life in many aspects. 

Here are some of the things I have been warned against doing because it could trigger another collapse.

1. No scuba diving or swimming to the bottom of even a 5ft pool.
2. No Sky diving
3. No Flying in unpressurized airplanes period and avoid regular planes (unpressurized are small private planes and most military planes, pressurized are you standard commercial plane)
4. No visiting  Colorado (to high above sea level)
5. Avoid driving through mountains and no mountain climbing.

Before the collapse I was an avid swimmer and liked do dive, but hadn't gotten into scuba diving yet.  I was also and adrenalin junkie and wanted to skydive.  I have done cliff diving, bungee jumping, and a few other numbskull activities.  The biggest kicker is the no flying thing.  My wife desperately wants to go to Greece some day, but has given up hope of that because of me.  After having read more on that site there are many people in the same boat as me that have flown so I believe that I may have no issues and will risk it for that trip.  I will of course continue to drive everywhere till then, don't need to risk it unnecessarily.

[breezysummerday]

Are you okay?

[PolarExpress]

I know this is an old thread, so I sure hope you've made it to Greece by now, Hawkeye. I've had pneumothorax four times between 2004 and 2008 and fly international flights every other week today. I have never felt anything at all during flights. Today, the general rule is not to fly the first 2-3 weeks after an incident. It's the rapid pressure changes that can potentially be dangerous, and that does not apply to commercial airlines, nor does it apply to driving or hiking into high altitudes. I've crossed both the Alps and the Pyrenees after my incidents.

The cause in my case, was the exact same as yours. Blebs on the lunges (always the left in my case) that burst. I've now had surgery and my left lunge stabled. Only warnings I have is not to sky dive or do any deep sea diving (so no underwater archeology). It does not affect my travels in any way.