Just got back from a 2-mile run. I had some slight pain in one of my lungs about half way through, so I walked for a minute and then ran the rest of the way. Feeling great!
I've started running three to four times a week and have experienced no ill side effects.
Does anyone else experience lung pain while running or other aerobic exercise? Has anyone run any half or full marathons since their pneumo?
I had a spontaneous pneumothorax in 2000. The chest tube didn't reinflate my lung so I had to have the surgery to repair it. I believe it's called mechanical thoracoscopic pleurodesis. Needless to say it wasn't a good time. About five years or so ago I decided to take up running again determined that nothing would hold me back. I have ran one half marathon and will hopefully do another next year. I had an ankle fracture a couple months ago so that held me back significantly for this year. Before the injury my comfort run was about 5-6 miles. That was the shortest distance I would run and this would be at least 4 days a week. Now it's more like 3, but my injury had made it to where it seemed as if I was starting over. Anyway, I frequently experience lung pain while running. When this occurs my run is generally done. I'll get sharp pains followed by nausea. Usually I would have a significant amount of mileage down before this occurs, like 5 miles or more. I always contributed it to the major scarring the surgery caused to my lung. I also experience bouts of pain several times a month. It is usually associated with exposure to certain irritants like smoke, fumes, etc. It typically occurs at nighttime and will wake me up. I will have severe pain that feels like someone is slicing my chest open and then lighting it on fire. It usually incapacitates me and can last anywhere from fifteen minutes to forty five or until I pass out from the pain. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this before? My doctor claims it is pleurisy but it doesn't sound anything like the conventional definitions of pleurisy I have heard.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
DeleteI(and I know others do as well) experience pain several times a month. The regular pain I experience is not quite as severe as you describe - at least not anymore. Shortly after my pneumo and associated surgeries, the pain was much more severe. However, the pain is still a daily battle. That said, the pain has slowly improved over the last 10 years - so hopefully that means good things on the horizon for you as well!
That's fantastic that you are able to run that distance! Hats off to you. I too experience frequent pain....somewhat of a daily battle. After over five years since my last Pneumo I'm to the point where I don't notice the pain unless it's significant. There is a constant dull pain I deal with 24/7.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever have pain that is eerily similar to the pain you experienced when your lung collapsed? The first few times this happened to me it freaked me out a little to say the least. I thought for sure my lung had collapsed again, went it for an x-ray and found out that everything was OK.
Yes, 1-2 times a year I experience pain very similar to that of a pneumothorax. That is always a followed by a few hours of panic(and anger:) while I discover if it's an actual pneumo or just my annual "episode". I'll write up a post about this...
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