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Pneumothorax (lung Collapse)

J

jfarel

New member
How do you know if you have a pneumothorax/lung collapse? How is it diagnosed by the doctor and what are your symptoms?

John
 
J

jfarel

New member
How do you know if you have a pneumothorax/lung collapse? How is it diagnosed by the doctor and what are your symptoms?

John
 
J

jfarel

New member
How do you know if you have a pneumothorax/lung collapse? How is it diagnosed by the doctor and what are your symptoms?

John
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
When I had mine last year my symptoms were:

Blood streaked sputum
Severe Shortness of breath (I couldn't speak continuously through 1 sentence without being out of breath)
I had been very tired - I would sleep 10-12 hours and wake up feeling hungover and groggy and I would end up napping through the day as well.

I called my doc and they got me in for a chest Xray and breathing test.
I wasn't able to even do the breathing test completely and the Xray showed a blockage and subsequent collapsed portion of my lung. That is how the doc diagnosed it.

I was taken in for a bronch - as the lung wasn't fully collapsed I didn't need chest tubes or anything. During the bronchoscopy my doc cleared the blockage that was causing the collapse and removed some mucus from other congested areas of my lungs as well. I was on oral antibiotics for a little over a week after that. I went back had another Xray and everything looked to be reexpanded.

I noticed improvement with my breathing the same day as the bronch occured.

I will say that I am assuming that a lung collapse is usually painful - I however did not have any pain with mine. The doc and nurses and everyone else I have spoken to about it indicated that they are usually painful and seemed surprised that I didn't experience any pain.

Lindsey
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
When I had mine last year my symptoms were:

Blood streaked sputum
Severe Shortness of breath (I couldn't speak continuously through 1 sentence without being out of breath)
I had been very tired - I would sleep 10-12 hours and wake up feeling hungover and groggy and I would end up napping through the day as well.

I called my doc and they got me in for a chest Xray and breathing test.
I wasn't able to even do the breathing test completely and the Xray showed a blockage and subsequent collapsed portion of my lung. That is how the doc diagnosed it.

I was taken in for a bronch - as the lung wasn't fully collapsed I didn't need chest tubes or anything. During the bronchoscopy my doc cleared the blockage that was causing the collapse and removed some mucus from other congested areas of my lungs as well. I was on oral antibiotics for a little over a week after that. I went back had another Xray and everything looked to be reexpanded.

I noticed improvement with my breathing the same day as the bronch occured.

I will say that I am assuming that a lung collapse is usually painful - I however did not have any pain with mine. The doc and nurses and everyone else I have spoken to about it indicated that they are usually painful and seemed surprised that I didn't experience any pain.

Lindsey
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
When I had mine last year my symptoms were:

Blood streaked sputum
Severe Shortness of breath (I couldn't speak continuously through 1 sentence without being out of breath)
I had been very tired - I would sleep 10-12 hours and wake up feeling hungover and groggy and I would end up napping through the day as well.

I called my doc and they got me in for a chest Xray and breathing test.
I wasn't able to even do the breathing test completely and the Xray showed a blockage and subsequent collapsed portion of my lung. That is how the doc diagnosed it.

I was taken in for a bronch - as the lung wasn't fully collapsed I didn't need chest tubes or anything. During the bronchoscopy my doc cleared the blockage that was causing the collapse and removed some mucus from other congested areas of my lungs as well. I was on oral antibiotics for a little over a week after that. I went back had another Xray and everything looked to be reexpanded.

I noticed improvement with my breathing the same day as the bronch occured.

I will say that I am assuming that a lung collapse is usually painful - I however did not have any pain with mine. The doc and nurses and everyone else I have spoken to about it indicated that they are usually painful and seemed surprised that I didn't experience any pain.

Lindsey
 
J

jfarel

New member
Thanks,

My doctor doesn't do many x-rays or ct's unless really needed. I'm pretty sure my SOB will go away when I go off the TOBI (today) I've just felt crappy since last January and am wondering if something else is going on. Until this year I never felt that bad, despite my cf and low pft's.
 
J

jfarel

New member
Thanks,

My doctor doesn't do many x-rays or ct's unless really needed. I'm pretty sure my SOB will go away when I go off the TOBI (today) I've just felt crappy since last January and am wondering if something else is going on. Until this year I never felt that bad, despite my cf and low pft's.
 
J

jfarel

New member
Thanks,

My doctor doesn't do many x-rays or ct's unless really needed. I'm pretty sure my SOB will go away when I go off the TOBI (today) I've just felt crappy since last January and am wondering if something else is going on. Until this year I never felt that bad, despite my cf and low pft's.
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
I will say that for me the tiredness was for a few weeks before I went to the doctor but the shortness of breath and the bloodstreaked sputum was the day of the appointment. It was a very sudden onset of those symptoms.

I don't know what your lung function is at now - but mine was at about 45% at the time of the collapse. I actually was out playing softball the night before I went to the doc and found out I had the blockage/collapse. I was fine the night I played softball - a little short of breath with running but okay - whereas the very next morning I couldn't walk 15 feet without huffing and puffing.

I think it would be something a bit more sudden and not gradual as for the shortness of breath, but I may be wrong about that. I hope you start feeling better once you get off the TOBI and the breathing goes back to normal.

Lindsey
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
I will say that for me the tiredness was for a few weeks before I went to the doctor but the shortness of breath and the bloodstreaked sputum was the day of the appointment. It was a very sudden onset of those symptoms.

I don't know what your lung function is at now - but mine was at about 45% at the time of the collapse. I actually was out playing softball the night before I went to the doc and found out I had the blockage/collapse. I was fine the night I played softball - a little short of breath with running but okay - whereas the very next morning I couldn't walk 15 feet without huffing and puffing.

I think it would be something a bit more sudden and not gradual as for the shortness of breath, but I may be wrong about that. I hope you start feeling better once you get off the TOBI and the breathing goes back to normal.

Lindsey
 
C

coltsfan715

New member
I will say that for me the tiredness was for a few weeks before I went to the doctor but the shortness of breath and the bloodstreaked sputum was the day of the appointment. It was a very sudden onset of those symptoms.

I don't know what your lung function is at now - but mine was at about 45% at the time of the collapse. I actually was out playing softball the night before I went to the doc and found out I had the blockage/collapse. I was fine the night I played softball - a little short of breath with running but okay - whereas the very next morning I couldn't walk 15 feet without huffing and puffing.

I think it would be something a bit more sudden and not gradual as for the shortness of breath, but I may be wrong about that. I hope you start feeling better once you get off the TOBI and the breathing goes back to normal.

Lindsey
 
H

Hermit

New member
Hi,

I've never had a full lung collapse before aka pneumothorax, just a portion.

When that happened it was very painful, but I just assumed it was a shoulder injury because I'd tweaked my shoulder a few weeks earlier rock climbing.

As Linds said, it was very painful, it felt stiff, I was more short of breath than usual. It just didn't feel like air was going in there.

They did a bronch and tried to re-inflate it but it didn't work. Hope you don't have this happen, because I lost quite a bit of lung function that I'm still getting used to.

Take care,
Chris
 
H

Hermit

New member
Hi,

I've never had a full lung collapse before aka pneumothorax, just a portion.

When that happened it was very painful, but I just assumed it was a shoulder injury because I'd tweaked my shoulder a few weeks earlier rock climbing.

As Linds said, it was very painful, it felt stiff, I was more short of breath than usual. It just didn't feel like air was going in there.

They did a bronch and tried to re-inflate it but it didn't work. Hope you don't have this happen, because I lost quite a bit of lung function that I'm still getting used to.

Take care,
Chris
 
H

Hermit

New member
Hi,

I've never had a full lung collapse before aka pneumothorax, just a portion.

When that happened it was very painful, but I just assumed it was a shoulder injury because I'd tweaked my shoulder a few weeks earlier rock climbing.

As Linds said, it was very painful, it felt stiff, I was more short of breath than usual. It just didn't feel like air was going in there.

They did a bronch and tried to re-inflate it but it didn't work. Hope you don't have this happen, because I lost quite a bit of lung function that I'm still getting used to.

Take care,
Chris
 
A

Angel

New member
hey jfarel,

I have had a couple of pneumos of different severity. The fact you say this has been going on since january is reassuring (well in the pneumo department anyway, still must be crappy for you!) as I would think it would either have been picked up on or would have resolved on its own by now.

My symptoms varied with each one, one for example I had loads of pain but no SOB, another I could hardly breathe at all but no pain! I think general symtoms to look out for are pain/acute pain in one area, and SOB.

The only sure way to rule out a pneumo is an X-ray, so if you are very concerned do probe your doctor a bit more. I hope you dont have one and feel better soon <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
A

Angel

New member
hey jfarel,

I have had a couple of pneumos of different severity. The fact you say this has been going on since january is reassuring (well in the pneumo department anyway, still must be crappy for you!) as I would think it would either have been picked up on or would have resolved on its own by now.

My symptoms varied with each one, one for example I had loads of pain but no SOB, another I could hardly breathe at all but no pain! I think general symtoms to look out for are pain/acute pain in one area, and SOB.

The only sure way to rule out a pneumo is an X-ray, so if you are very concerned do probe your doctor a bit more. I hope you dont have one and feel better soon <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
A

Angel

New member
hey jfarel,

I have had a couple of pneumos of different severity. The fact you say this has been going on since january is reassuring (well in the pneumo department anyway, still must be crappy for you!) as I would think it would either have been picked up on or would have resolved on its own by now.

My symptoms varied with each one, one for example I had loads of pain but no SOB, another I could hardly breathe at all but no pain! I think general symtoms to look out for are pain/acute pain in one area, and SOB.

The only sure way to rule out a pneumo is an X-ray, so if you are very concerned do probe your doctor a bit more. I hope you dont have one and feel better soon <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
J

jfarel

New member
Off the Tobi today and SOB is improved. At least now I know what to look for. Thanks for the input.

john
 
J

jfarel

New member
Off the Tobi today and SOB is improved. At least now I know what to look for. Thanks for the input.

john
 
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