Hi, I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. I’m scared because I don’t know what to expect. On Friday, I had a Spontaneous Pnuemothorax (Colapsed my left lung). People usually get these from some sort of trauma…I had none. Just happened out the blue. I’ll skip the painful hospital strories to get to my point (it was funny however to see doctors, nurses, and e.m.t’s tripping out on my low resting heartrate though). So, my doctor says this can just happen and is more common in tall lean males. Got my chest tube taken out yesterday and now can sleep better, but, the doctor said it may or may not happen again. Sure, I have to take some time off to get well, but then what? To be honest, I’m kind of scared to train again. Will it happen when I push myself or when I’m 80 miles from home on my bike? I always felt strong and invincible. A good surfer and a succesful triathlete, ironman, the whole bit. Every triathlete needs good lungs and it’s not like I’m going to quit doing one of the things I love most in life. I know it’s not the end of the world and I know it’s not a terminal illness, but still. Anyway, my question is, “has anyone ever had a similar experience?” What can I expect. Thanks for listening (reading) to me vent! See you all at the starting line…soon I hope. Darren
Hey Darren–That must have been frightening. Did you Google it? I did. I’m sure you know what it is, but I found the causes kind of disconcerting:
“There are many factors that may predispose a person to developing a pneumothorax. These include trauma (in the area of the lung, like a broken rib), vigorous exercise, flying, scuba diving, many lung infections and lung diseases, asthma, cigarette smoking and having a tube in your lungs to assist with breathing (usually an in hospital procedure).”
You may have to face some life altering decisions. Backing off and reassessing what is important. Consider Greg Welch’s situation when his heart condition manifested itself. Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.
SP can be life threatening, but it sounds as if they got the chest tube into you and everything came out all right. Vigorous exercise, sometimes, can be a cause, and it most often happens when the pleura (the thin membrane around the lungs) separates from the chest wall and the lung collapses in on itself.
By definition, because it’s spontaneous, there’s no reliable way to predict if it’ll ever happen to you again, but I can tell you that I’ve observed cases where sedentary, slightly obese people, or a normal, everyday Joe (like you or me) just throws one. Anoxia (lack of oxygen) and a spike in harmful blood gases (CO2) can lead to acidosis and a whole chain of other harmful actions that the body experiences as a result of a generally vain attempt to keep itself in homeostasis. Again, there’s just not that much you can do to either predict or prevent it from happening, so I say just go on as normal, after the recommended recuperative period.
Tony
Darren,
Sorry to hear about your lung as I suffered the same thing (complete collapse of my left lung) last may. The main differences are that I’m female and because of my job I had surgery to have the holes wedge resected (yes, I had 2 holes). The recovery problem for me has been an inability to go anaerobic now and maintaining consistency with my training. Six weeks after the surgery I was training for 1-2 hours easy a day but I now realize that may have been a mistake as my lung function tests are showing problems on exertion. Once you do start training again you will have periods of breathlessness and sudden fatigue so I keep my training near my house just in case it doesn’t go as planned. Swimming was the most difficult to return to because of the pain on inhalation but it also seemed to help the most. Hopefully, since you didn’t have the surgery your recovery time will be much less but, for me, at 8 months out I’m still recovering. Good luck to you in your recovery and feel free to e-mail me if you want anymore info about what to expect.
Don’t panic. It’s no big problem.
years back (16yrs ago, when I was 23) I had 3 spontaneous pneumothorax’s within a 6week period. On the 3rd time the doctor’s operated. 1st one was a 100% collapse. The doctors originally told me there is a number of reasons that cause a spontaneous pneumothorax, generally it’s caused by a thin or weeker spot in lung wall and as the lung is inflated up against the chest cavity it moves or slides against it as you breath, if it doesn’t slide smoothly (ie:lubrication is not so good) it can basically tear that week spot allowing the air to escape in the wrong direction. Another reason is that there is another cause such as a cyst (which is what I had). The catch is the problem soesn’t really show on an xray, so it’s not until they operate that the proper cause is located.
At the time of my pneumothorax I was racing motorcycle’s not quite as physical as tri’s but physical non the less. It didn’t hinder me at all.
Basically after the treatment you have received ie:drain tube. once it’s out more than likely you feel fine and as if it never occured. Thats how I felt. You can go about anything as per usual. After the 1st, the doc told me that I would have a 30% chance of it occurring again. Which it did within 1 week after discharge from hospital. So back in I went. After the 2nd they said up to a 60% chance off reoccurance & if it does they will operate. Of course it went again within a couple days after discharge. The operation showed the cause of the pneumothorax. A cyst on the lung, which would burst creating a hole, therefore allow air out into the chest cavity which in turn collapses the lung. They cut out the cyst and stitch up the lung and after that your as good as gold. The only thing they said that I couldn’t do was fly (at altitude) in an unpresurised aircraft or scuba dive and theses for only a 5yr period, given no problems.
After the operation your chest is obviously a bit tender and sore. Heavy breathing, coughing, sneezing can be a bit on the painful side. But after a couple of weeks you feel much better & stronger.
I don’t see any need for any life altering circumstance as some of the others mention, that sounds a bit melodramitic. What you will have to be aware of though, is a reoccurance. No doubt after the first one you will now be able to recognise the warning signs. Of course the warning signs only occur once the pneumothorax has occured. Shortness of breath, a lump in the throat (this is caused because the other lung working at full capacity tends to pull the trachea (windpipe) to one side) plus there is a strange feeling in the chest as soon as it occurs, can’t describe it but you probably know it now yourself anyway.
Admitedly I was a bit paranoid of it reoccuring for quite a while, so if I strained any muscles in the chest which gave a light ache I would be thinking Oh No not again 
but was never a problem.
I took up playing squash within 6 months of my pneumothorax operation. Squash can be a very high intensity sport and works those lungs overtime. Never had a problem. I took up racing 1/2IM’s and IM tri’s 3 years ago and never a problem. of course my pneumothorax was 16yrs ago
Given you’ve just come out from your first one, I would give a some time before venturing to far. How long that will be up to you basically. Maybe if you want to clock up a few bigger kilometres then do circuits or loops that are around your home area. Preferably do your rides with a friend, so if a reoccurance does happen they can give you a hand.
Don’t panic a Spontaneous Pnuemothorax to one lung will not kill you. It will though restrict your movements serverly. I walked 30-40metres with a complete collapse of one lung and felt absolutely knackerd to the extent of feeling sick. (lack of oxygen) Sitting down or lying down is best as you don’t need so much oxygen that way. Thats where riding with a friend can help, they can either go get some help or call for a pickup etc. I would bet though that if you have 50% collapse and your close to home you can plod your way home easily enough, if on your bike, if your out running then that will be somewhat harder.
Take a look at the below website for heaps of info about Pnuemothorax’s and the many different variations of them. (Spontaneous being one of them)
http://www.pneumothorax.org/pneumo.nsf/SBH?OpenView&Count=1000
Hey trinfly, thanks for sharing your story with me. I had a question about your training and type of surgery you had done. I wanted to emial you but couldn’t locate your address. Please click on my user name to get my email address and send me yours. Thanks, Darren
I want to thank all of you for replying to my post. Trev, your story is very interesting and gives me hope. Thanks for the information link as well. Hey Big Kahuna, I know you live in HI, i just forgot which island. Anyway, my parents live in Kona and I’m supposed to go over this summer. Any idea how long I should wait until I fly? This is the first time my body has failed me and given me a real scare, so, once again I thank you guys for time and responses. Darren