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  • Pneumothorax – anyone had one?
  • muzzle
    Free Member

    Friday afternoon I got floored by horrible chest pains, long story short I did the typical male thing – telling myself I’m only 40, it can’t possibly be anything serious – and waited until Monday to get it looked at. Rang GP for an appointment Monday morning and they told me to go straight to A&E. An hour later at Chesterfield A&E*, and I’m having ECGs, blood tests and chest X-rays and they eventually diagnose a small pneumothorax.

    Has anybody else has had one of these and if so, how long before you were back to full fitness on your bike…? I managed a gentle 5-mile commute this morning without any ill-effects, but would really like to get out into the Peak on the mountain bike in the next few days. Trouble is, I was so relieved when the doctor told me it was nothing serious and I could go home as these things generally clear up on their own, that I completely forgot to ask if I was OK to push myself on the bike straight away. Any advice appreciated, ta.

    * I should add that the sheer speed at which the system leaps into action when somebody walks into an A&E complaining of chest pains is something to behold, and makes me realise just how lucky we are to have the NHS.

    floki
    Free Member

    A few years ago I had three ribs badly broken resulting in punctured lungs / pneumothorax (climbing accident).
    I think it took me about 5 weeks until I got back on the bike.
    And it was about 7 or 8 weeks before I was riding off road.

    acehtn
    Free Member

    Bit different.

    Had a dose of pnemonia.

    Spent 3 days at home puking, decided maybe best to see a doctor.
    Instant “can you get yourself to Musgrove Park Taunton” dad was sat outside in the car as i couldn’t get myself to doctors.
    1 hour later in hospital, doctor said grab an over night bag, they will keep you in overnight for tests.
    That was early monday evening, i thought it was dicky food upset.
    Tuesday morning, doctors round, they tell me i have Pnemonia, treatment had all ready started in the night, 12-48hours and most people are going home.

    At 36 hours medication was ramped up, and i became an interesting patient, as i was having an odd variation of pnemonia that they don’t see often.
    Spent 7 days in hospital, doc reckoned 1 week for each day in hospital, so expected recovery is 7-8 weeks.

    This was 3 1/2 weeks ago. Came out of hospital 2 1/2 weeks ago.

    Week one could hardly do anything. Start of week 2 i could walk about 500m then done, by end of week, could do short trips in car, and walk about 2 miles with a rest halfway (home to super market and back)
    Week 3 having a go at work, overdone it first day, so doing half days, getting stronger ever day, but taking it easy, will most likely do half days next week as well.
    Hopefully by week 5 should be nearly normal, but still taking it easy.
    Around week 6 should have another chest x-ray to check if lungs are clear.
    So best skip the Fort William DH enduro and the Klunker classic piss up deathtrapbikes event 🙂

    It’s taken a while to sink in, but it really is going to take several weeks to bounce back.

    I would take it easy, you don’t want to flake out mid ride in the middle of nowhere and need mountain rescue or air ambulance.
    Double check with your GP first.

    Nurses and Docs at Musgrove Park also top notch, strangely getting into hospital was easier than getting out….. couple of people did runners…. not self discharge, did a runner ? seeing what the nurses have to put up with, but still finish a 12 hour shift smiling, was well impressed.

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    nick1962
    Free Member

    Ppp-pneumothorax is a word that is long.
    They’re just trying to put the pun back into punctured lung

    tang
    Free Member

    Yes I had one when I was 30. Small enough to not need draining but hurt so much. Have to admit it freaked me out a bit! I had a spontaneous one, which is common in men built like Chris Froome(me). I was very tense in the area for a while but all good really after a few weeks.

    jivehoneyjive
    Free Member

    I broke my ribs being gnar and punctured my lung, which resulted in a significant pneumothorax with a chest drain (well 2 in the end after they muffed the 1st one up)… I was back on the bike within 5 weeks, and the 6th week was spent shredding in the Alps on a hardtail~ I had an appointment with the doctor in the 8th week and he informed me I would now be safe to fly; he looked aghast when I explained I’d flown back from the Alps 2 weeks prior 😆

    muzzle
    Free Member

    Christ yes it hurts! Mine is also of the spontaneous variety with no further treatment needed, just a follow up X-ray in a few weeks. Spoke to my GP this afternoon, apparently I can go out in the hills whenever I feel I’m up to it, but I have to try to avoid falling off the bike!

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