[Closed] Does anyone on here ride a bike with only one working lung or.....

No lungs on my bike at all!!!

Eek! Hope it turns out OK for you.My guess is that one fit lung is going to be a lot better than two half-killed with nicotine!!

F*** my boots!

Shit dude! Hope everything goes ok, fingers crossed for you!

Can't offer any help or advice though I'm afraid.

Eeek indeed. Hope work don't give you a stage 3.... You might even manage to squeeze a couple of Weeks on light duties with that....(post office humour before anyone jumps on me)...seriously tho good luck with the op, hope it all goes well ...

Getting my head around it all, it was only picked up on an xray after cracking two ribs after a fall no sypmtoms but now I know something is in there its a bit of a head**** Surgeon was a serious guy came out of the consultation pretty shook up but I will live hopefully 🙂 not found many cyclists with one lung on google 🙂

My mother in law had only one lung, used to ride up the alps every year on the back of a tandem. Hard to tell how much power gets put through the pedals by somebody on the back of a tandem, but she was pretty resolute.

Whoa, good luck with that buddy! One lung has to be a whole lot better than none. Do they do transplants?

daftvader they had me on indoor work after my fall now I have serious news I,m looking @ 6 mths RnR 🙂

Hope all goes well! I can't offer advice, can only send my best wishes from one Kendalalian to another. 🙂

There you go, you know at the very least you can get on the back of a tandem. Give TJ a shout

My uncle has lived most of his adult life with one lung (now in his seventies). He was a surgeon and worked all over the world. He always told me that so long as he avoided infections/inclement conditions that he was fine. I would imagine that cycling will keep your good lung even better. But avoid stressing it when it needs rested. Good luck and stay positive about what you enjoy doing in life.

But will I be able to where a helmet? 🙂

Good luck, guess falling off your bike is good for something!

Leffeboy is your man, I think he's still going on a lung and a half. Good luck with the op.

He always told me that so long as he avoided infections/inclement conditions

Damn does that mean I have to move away from the Lakes !

Light duties suck! I was at Swindon MC for 4 months and a load of the Thames area offices after falling over and tearing the cartilage in my knee... Get an x box/PS/ds helps relieve some of the boredom.

FFS! Good luck mate

Fwiw went through a similar sort of thing at the start of the year. X-rays found what appeared to be something nasty on my lung and no other test managed to contradict it so I had an operation to remove a lung. Fortunately the surgeon had decided to only remove the suspect part initially, go for a coffee while they test it and then finish the job if it was really dodgy. Fortunately he didn't need to so I only lost a part of the lung.

Obviously not nearly as serious as what you are going for but what I find is that my heart rate rises much faster than before when I push it so I have to take care and watch what is going on. If I don't then I definitely get out of breath on big climbs and it's easy to push it to a point where I am in trouble. I tend to pay attention to what I am doing now rather than going as hard as possible.

Going through it all I found at least one person I knew who had had a lung removed a long time ago and I would never have guessed.

On another note I found it hugely helpful to look up a lot about the operation in advance. You wake up with a shitload of cables and tubes connected but if you know in advance that is going to happen and what they all are it really removes a lot of the stress (or at least it did for me)

Good luck, especially with the preparation and getting your head round it. And of course you will need a new bike to help 😉

Think of the weight saving 😉

[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/what-does-dvt-feel-like#post-5467661 ]As always, we've had this before[/url] well nearly - 😯

Hope you get sorted soon

Hope it all goes well for you Rich. Maybe get a pub ride in this week?

I can't offer any advice but I hope it goes ok. A friend of mine occasionally used to get a collapsed lung on one side which would slow him down a bit but he still managed to get about.

Wow, that's some niche. 🙂

Fingers crossed, hope all goes well.

Very best of luck with that mate. They always have to give you the absolute worst case scenario with these things and fingers crossed you won't come close to it.

My old mans lower 2/3rds of one lung collapsed permanently.

So yeah it can be done and thank your lucky stars you caught it on a routine scan for something else. 😐 Can you expand on malignant thymoma? Do you mean your average thymoma or something worse? 🙁

You're in good hands now though mate, get well soon. 🙂

A guy who I ride with occasionally only has one working lung. Still does most things we do, including a trip to Morzine in July. He gets out on the bike pretty regular, although obviously he isn't as fast as he used to be, he just does his biking at a slower pace.

One imagines that they're aiming to remove the thymus - and nothing else. Any other damage would involve unintentional side effects and he will have been warning you about that. Ie it's a risk not a foregone conclusion!

You can breathe without your phrenic nerve since there are lots of other muscles besides the diaphragm in action. If you lost any lung capacity from a hypothetical phrenic nerve injury, my estimate would be that you might lose 10-15% of total lung capacity (FVC). I'm sure someone has done a study - but it might be worth re-approaching your surgeon if you're unclear on these sorts of questions.

I can't offer any constructive info. but I can send you my good wishes - I hope everything goes as well as it possibly can.

Very lucky find on the xray. Hope it goes well with the surgery!!!

Rachel

A Friend in the Cycling club has a lung disease that left him with about 30% of original lung capacity....
He rode up Ventoux and a load of other tour climbs last year, running the London Marathon next year 😯
He just has to listen to his body.
still whups me on a bike whenever I ride with him 😳

Good luck with the operation too, lucky find on the x-ray !!

What are you going to do with the vacant space inside your chest? Fit a Camelback?

Hope things god well and speedy recovery Rich.

Ian Pendry of AA has half a lung missing i believe.

Good luck Rich, sorry to hear about your situation!

He doesn't post on here often, but Shergie had something very similar happen to him a while ago. He had a 4lb malignant tumour removed from one of his lungs, and though it took him a while to recover, he has since gone on to compete in various 12 and 24hr races solo, including a 5th place at Bontrager 24/12 last year.

So hopefully all is not lost!

Hi guys sounds promising reference the riding 🙂 the tumour is quite large its been there for years and its roughly 11X9 cm surgeon says its strange that I have not had a problems running up to the fall, I complained of chest pain 4 months ago whilst doing the Lakeland 200 and doc had me in for a heart test on a running machine which came back ok and probably said it was angina!!! and prescribed me aspirin :-(.
Planning on finishing work on Thursday just to get a lot of stuff done and mothball my bikes for a few months.
Looking on the brightside I will miss the heaviest part of the working year.
Thanks for all the info and the good luck messages
Rich

royal mail has a Christmas policy.... Total denial tilll we're in the brown stuff..... Good luck and enjoy missing xmas pressure...

Rich,it may slow you down a bit,but it won't stop you.Good luck in theatre and a speedy recovery.

PostieRich,
I had pretty much what your describing - well a tumour where my lung should be anyway.
Id had it since birth as it had grown with me, not knowing about it I had just seemingly had to work harder than everyone else to achieve the same results.

By some bizarre twist of fate a near fatal crash was the only way the tumour was discovered (If it had been left undiagnosed another 6 months I'd have been 'Up sh*t creek' to use my surgeons words) and taken out.
I was still doing fairly well (Top 10ish) in the marathons and the odd 24 solo so yes it is possible to ride/race/win the odd thing with one lung.

If you want any more info or more details please give me a shout, I'm at pains to go into to much detail here. And besides its home time, my emails on here somewhere or I think we have a mutual friend in RiggsyB.

Cheers for now
Jonathan

Jonathan just the sort of news I wanted to hear thanks for that info I,m getting on a bit now but like to think I,m pretty fit might just lay off the singlespeed whilst on rehab 🙂

That must have been a bloody shock Postie Rich. Wish you all the best for the surgery!

J

Rich not been in touch for ages sorry dude prob since I left RM 4 years ago! Anyhoo good that you have the same outlook as me . When I found out about my crushed vertebrae in my spine and subsequent Osteoporosis all I wanted to know was could I still carry on riding ! Nowhere near as serious as your situation I know but here's to you mate , all the best for the future t

Good luck dude.

Never met you but enjoyed your posts over the years, so good luck with it all.

Body's are hopeless sometimes aren't they? Glad it sounds like it was discovered in time and that you're sounding positive about it. Hope it all goes well!

Use your cumbrian superpowers, itll be reet

Chin up dude your girls will keep you well looked after,ditch the singlespeed and take it easy. Hope all goes well youll be back in the saddle before long , listen to your body rest when needed , feet up on the cold winter nights crack open some quality scotch. All the best Chris sports shop Lich.

Bloody Hell Rich, that sounds a bit of a shock.

But knowing you, you'll soon find single-lunging is a bit tame and you'll want to go fixed lung.

All the best mate.

PostieRich,

I live on top of a hill and our postie rides his bike with only one lung - well, that's what it sounds like when he reaches the top 😉

Seriously, though, Chin up, and soldier on.

You take it steady mate and you'll be right.

Hi
My husband rode with one slightly impaired lung (post amputation of his arm- he lost some of the supporting muscles on thatside for breathing) and one third of an operated-on lung.
The surgery and recovery was quite hard on him and he rehabilitated by using the turbo trainer so he didnt have to move about too much. At first he was pedalling for just a few minutes but he a stubborn and determined man and was riding outdoors again after about four months.
Good luck with it all. Glad it was picked up and you're on the path to being fixed.

Oh, hubbys partial pneumonectomy was from the side rather than the front. I guess that may have different implications for recovery but the prospect for resuming riding will be similar.

Hope all goes well and your back on your bike soon.

Rich, trust surgery goes well and you recover quickly. Looking at other posts seems that all will be well long term.

Hi Rich

Sorry to hear about your situation. I have a condition that basically results in loss of lung capacity as I get older. I've ridden bikes all my life, everything from BMX, MX, MTB, Trials, Road. These days I don't compete, I just enjoy riding my bike, with friends or out on my own. I don't get too hung up on my situation. FWIW i would advise.. apart from taking good care of yourself and eating well, practice yoga. Find a good Iyengar yoga teacher to show you how to have good posture and maximise the lung capacity you will have. I practice every morning for about 20 mins and it's changed my life. It's also given me a better understanding of my body, helping me avoid injury. Don't bother with all the yoga fads that are around just find yourself a good Iyengar teacher, they are by far the most scientific and aware in their approach. This may help [url= https://www.iyengaryoga.org.uk/about-iy-uk/uk-institutes-and-affiliates ]LINK[/url] All the best.

Nothing to add beyond my wishes for a successful op and a speedy recovery.

I've never met you, but read loads of your posts on here - especially remember the extreme baby trailer one! - all the best with your surgery and recovery. I'm sure you'll be ok!

Any news of Rich?

he got married today......good lad.... 8)

8)

If what that there Ton says is true...good lad indeed. 🙂

And healing vibes for tomorrow Rich.
The best postie Lichfield ever had.
Took me a while to figure out why all my parcels came with graffiti. 😀

I missed this thread 1st time around, hope you're doing well Rich! Might have to get rid of the SS and get an e-bike for the Lakes 8)

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Ooo, I thought it had to be happening around now. Good luck with the operation and for the recovery, I hope that both are straightforward, that life in hospital doesn't drive you mad and that your riding is affected as little as is possible. I'm always massively impressed with the folks on here and what they keep riding through.

Good luck

Good luck Rich.

Can we arrange a forum ride for Rich for when he gets better? That would be nice

Hi guys got discharged yesterday after my op on Tuesday and so far its all good news! The tumour came out with ease and was not attached to any of my lung or nerve, the surgeon says in his 13 years of taking these out he has never had one of this size not attach its self to any other organs. Tests are being done on the beasty so until further news I am @ home taking it easy. Chest feels empty 🙂 but skin very tight.
Thanks for all your posts a few pics, the ruler end to end is 16cm I,ve lost a bit of weight 🙂
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/11148845675_b15134d614.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7295/11148845675_b15134d614.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/11148845675/ ]DSCF4172[1][/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/11148961566_ac3435f2ff.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/11148961566_ac3435f2ff.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/11148961566/ ]DSCF4173[1][/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

*motorboats*

*gets stubble rash*

Can't believe you're out so soon, all good signs. Gonna be a cool scar

Did they let you keep it?

Good luck with the healing and remember chicks dig scars!

made sure I was visible and walking lots on the ward and jumping on the exercise bike,they got the message :-)supposed to be in for 8 to 10 days 🙂
Loooks like my left breast needs an implant!

Steak and Kidney pies for tea?

Good to hear your up & about Rich. 😉

Does that mean they took the lung out or just the tumour?
Sorry if thats a stupid question, glad to hear you are up and about already 🙂

Best of luck with the healing Rich!

****..ing...hell!
mrs spesh who knows a little about these things was impressed.

Happy trails.

just the tumour 🙂

Cool! Will the affected lung regain function?

Frying that up for dinner ?

It never lost function it was pressing against my heart and right lung but the CT scans were unconclusive on how it was attached and an mri was not an option because of loose metal in my arm!

So a full recovery is on the cards then?

What an ace Xmas present 🙂

It's is truly one of those "oh blimey, there but for the grace of god, etc" stories to a proper yeeharr!

I've no idea who you are OP but I wish you all the very best and am extraordinarily happy about this outcome!

wow! Only just seen this. Glad you've come out of this ok Rich. Home you're up to speed again soon.