muscle tightness in back,heaviness on chest

[anonymous]

My wife has just recently returned home after a prolonged stay in the hospital for treatment for a pneumothorax.After the first week of treatment ,x-rays had shown the pneumothorax had diminished and was no longer present.The next 3 weeks she recieved IV meds,steroids and her standard "tune-up"meds and treatments.It was after the pneumotharax treatment that Shannon started to have severe tightness and a "burning"sensation throughout her back.She also has a" heavy pressure "feeling at her sternum.While in the hospital she was recieving nubain with some success however ,her doctors are unsure of the cause of the pain and have been un-
successfull at a presciption for home use to relieve these problems.Has anyone on this board experienced anything like this?If so ,what treatment have you recieved -Was there any success?Thanks in advance to all responces,Kelly

 

[anonymous]

My wife has just recently returned home after a prolonged stay in the hospital for treatment for a pneumothorax.After the first week of treatment ,x-rays had shown the pneumothorax had diminished and was no longer present.The next 3 weeks she recieved IV meds,steroids and her standard "tune-up"meds and treatments.It was after the pneumotharax treatment that Shannon started to have severe tightness and a "burning"sensation throughout her back.She also has a" heavy pressure "feeling at her sternum.While in the hospital she was recieving nubain with some success however ,her doctors are unsure of the cause of the pain and have been un-
successfull at a presciption for home use to relieve these problems.Has anyone on this board experienced anything like this?If so ,what treatment have you recieved -Was there any success?Thanks in advance to all responces,Kelly

 

[anonymous]

Hi Kelly,
My boyfriend (33 y.o. w/ CF) has also experienced the feeling of weight on his chest like you described. The doctor didn't have many suggestions, at first thought it could be a punctured lung or a cracked rib but those ideas turned out to be wrong. It seemed really bad last winter, and as spring arrived the weight seemed to ease off. I'm a little worried now that winter is coming again.
It did seem to temporarily relieve the pressure when I would use a massager with heat (Homedics brand I believe) on his back and also gently on his chest.
Anna

 

[anonymous]

Hi Kelly,
My boyfriend (33 y.o. w/ CF) has also experienced the feeling of weight on his chest like you described. The doctor didn't have many suggestions, at first thought it could be a punctured lung or a cracked rib but those ideas turned out to be wrong. It seemed really bad last winter, and as spring arrived the weight seemed to ease off. I'm a little worried now that winter is coming again.
It did seem to temporarily relieve the pressure when I would use a massager with heat (Homedics brand I believe) on his back and also gently on his chest.
Anna

 

[anonymous]

Kelly,
I'd like to talk to your wife sometime. I was hospitalized for 31 days for a pneumothorax this summer. It happend twice! I had to have two surgeries to fix the problem and had a total of seven chest tubes when it was all said and done. I came home at the beginning of Sept. and honestly, it was Halloween before I felt "normal". I experienced pain and pressure, in the same place. For a little while I was terrified that my lung dropped again. But I had follow up x-rays every other week for a while and it's not going anywhere. There is alot of soreness and tenderness. I had two procedures called a pleuro desis. The first was mechanical, I was under general anasthesia, they went in a small opening in my side with a scope and little brillo-pad thing. They roughed up the outside of my lung and chest wass so that scar tissue would form and hold my lung up.
After two weeks of parts of my lung falling, they decided to go back in an do a chemical one. They put me out again, and sprayed steril talc around in there. It caused a chemical burn and fixed the problem. The only draw back was that I was awake for most of the "burning" and it was very painful.
I left the hospital with ALOT of pain killers. Oxi-codone and valium were the best for treating my post surgery pain at home. After I stopped using the oxy-codone, I ocasionally used the Valium for tightness and discomfort at night. I often use heat packs. I hope she is feeling better. Please let her know that she's not alone with her pain.
Debbie
23 w/ CF
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