Pneumothorax (Collapsed lung)
 

Hi guys, my brother recently had a collapsed lung - he went through a small operation a week ago to pump it up. Since then he's complained incessantly about constant pain, he has trouble sleeping and is generally feeling very depressed and frightened about the whole affair. My bro is a bit of a drama queen, he totally panics about the smallest of things, so it's difficult to judge just how bad the situation is and he's got himself into a bit of a state. I was wondering if anyone else had experienced a collapsed lung before - are there high chances of a relapse? And most importantly, how long did it take to feel 'normal' again? It's been a week and he doesn't seem to be feeling any better. Cheers.

If the pneumo was not caused by trauma, the usual cause is the existance of small "blebs" on the lung- areas of weakness which can rupture. The vacuum left by a collapsed lung often fills with fluid and must be pumped out via a chest tube. The lining of the lung cavity(pleural lining) is very sensitive, and the whole episode often causes moderate pain that can last for several weeks. There are possibly more blebs so a recurrance is not unusual. Have him ask his doc for some anti inflammatories, which often help.
BTW, a feeling of dread or anxiety after this type of episode is common, and I don't blame him- think how awful it must be to suddenly lose half your ability to breathe and not know why!

yes I experienced what gonadman describes.
it's pretty much as he describes it.

It took me several months to feel decent after a
collapsed lung. Had the same kind of reinflation
minor surgery.

nick