General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Collapsed Lung, anyone? Rss Feed  
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2008-11-13 2:26 PM

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Folsom, CA (Sacramento Area)
Subject: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
As I am still recovering from a previous injury i have been confined to swimming only.
On tuesday I was swimming my regular 500 yards warm up and in the last 25 yards I felt a weird pain in my chest and back and started having a hard time breathing deep enough to continue swimming. I left the pool and concerned that the blood clots I have been dealing with may be the cause of this pain I went to see my doctor. After X rays the doctor diagnosed a 60% Collapsed long and sent me to the ER where I had a Thoraxic Vent installed on my chest.

Has anybody dealt with this issue and /or this type of hardware in your chest? How was recovery? Right now I am still in a lot of pain but I will see the specialist tomorrow and do not know if they are taking this vent out or not

Thanks
Mauricio



2008-11-13 2:30 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Expert
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New York
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
Wow. I'm not a doctor and I don't have any advice, but that sounds pretty awful. Your lung just spontaneously collapsed? Scary. Does your doc have any theories on why that happened?

Wishing you a super speedy recovery.
2008-11-13 2:40 PM
in reply to: #1806944

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Folsom, CA (Sacramento Area)
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
Thank you. The docs just say that they just happen for no reason. The medical name of these things actually say it all "Spontaneous pneumothorax" which means to me that they just happen

You would think that athletes have strung lungs.....ha...

Edited by MrSolis 2008-11-13 2:41 PM
2008-11-13 5:30 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Master
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Chapel Hill, NC
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
So sorry to hear of your lung. I don't have any advice, just wanted to offer wishes of good healing.
2008-11-13 7:06 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Royal(PITA)
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West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?

Bet you're a tall skinny kinda person.  It's called a spontaneous pneumothorax....happens a lot.....PSUguru had it last summer--twice.  He's still recovering.

Sorry to hear you're sidelined with this one.  No easy answer other than letting the lung heal and rebuilding base.

2008-11-13 7:34 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?

Im not a doctor either but work in a medical profession.  Lets  forget about the spontaneous pnuemothorax for a second; did you get an ok to exercise if you are dealing with blood clots? Im not thinking thats a wise idea for some reason...Ive seen some fatal results from one popping off and landing in the wrong spot.

 



2008-11-13 7:46 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
see the specialist and get this cleared up before proceeding
2008-11-13 7:55 PM
in reply to: #1807528

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Folsom, CA (Sacramento Area)
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?

Bet you're a tall skinny kinda person. It's called a spontaneous pneumothorax....happens a lot.....PSUguru had it last summer--twice. He's still recovering.

Sorry to hear you're sidelined with this one. No easy answer other than letting the lung heal and rebuilding base.



I am actually a clydesdale, 6 feet tall and 243 (I was about 233 in early sept before these injuries started happening)
It sounds like PSuguru is still recovering, I hope I don't take as long.


trirific10 - 2008-11-13 5:34 PM

Im not a doctor either but work in a medical profession.  Lets  forget about the spontaneous pnuemothorax for a second; did you get an ok to exercise if you are dealing with blood clots? Im not thinking thats a wise idea for some reason...Ive seen some fatal results from one popping off and landing in the wrong spot.

 



My doctor knows I am a Triaathlete and he sidelined me for about 5 or weeks. i just got cleared to go back to swimming about 3 weeks ago and this week I got cleared for biking but it is all out the window now.

it is frustrating, but I know I need to follow the doctors' instructions.
2008-11-13 10:12 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?

Wise idea..listen to your doctor.  Sorry I can't help you with info about thoracic vents Im not even sure what one is.  Just curious when they diagnosed the collapsed lung did they do a CT or lung scan given your history of having clots?

2008-11-14 4:17 PM
in reply to: #1807896

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Folsom, CA (Sacramento Area)
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
My doctor, who was familiar with the blood clots from the beginning, did an Xray right away and consulted another doctor but he did not order a CT scan or lung scan. Every doctor I came in contact with I mentioned to them that I was dealing with blood clots and I am currently taking Warfarin (Coumadin) but none of them were concerned. maybe it was because my clot were on the veins and not on the arteries.

There is a picture on the vent on my album
2008-11-14 6:47 PM
in reply to: #1806930

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Royal(PITA)
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West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?
I never saw that port before.  Cool they can do that and let you go home with follow up chest xrays and you aren't attached to a chest tube and wall suction.


2008-11-14 8:22 PM
in reply to: #1809441

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Connecticut
Subject: RE: Collapsed Lung, anyone?

Your veins are where clots can start, usually in your lower legs is where they occur. They   can break off, travel through your heart and end up in your brain or your lungs via your aorta. Its called a pulmonary embolism or a brain embolism. Im a little surprised neither a CT or a lung scan was ever ordered.Maybe you had a negative D-dimer blood test ( a test that indicates a clot has broken down)? Honestly at  this point if you have the pneumothorax, the test would be indeterminate for a p.e. anyway. ..although a baseline might have been helpful in hind sight.

 

**btw Im not a doctor, just a Nuc. Med. tech...just throwing stuff out at you that might be of interest.



Edited by trirific10 2008-11-14 8:25 PM
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