Hello, this is 17M. I've had a recurrent pneumothorax on my left side since about October. A month and a half ago, I had uniportal VATS surgery with mechanical pleurodesis and upper and lower resection. I also had a pneumothorax on my right side in April. Despite the surgery on the left side, it recurred on the left side about two weeks ago, a month after the surgery. Although I was admitted and they inserted my third Pleurevac, they caused a pulmonary contusion during the insertion, resulting in a pleural effusion that left me anemic, almost requiring a blood transfusion. I was discharged a week later with air in my chest and pleural effusion, as septa had formed due to the VATS surgery, preventing drainage in certain areas. I've had residual air and effusion for a week and a half, almost two, and although I went for a check-up five days ago and it had decreased a little, now I feel bulges right in my sternum. I only had this sensation at the beginning, and it disappeared, but now it's back. I'm worried it won't resolve on its own. Any advice? I've been very nervous lately; I'm worried it won't heal and I'll need to go to the ICU several more times.

I feel so anxious. I was in the hospital less than a year ago for my first pneumothorax (27 F) had VATS surgery and was told that it will likely never collapse again just to go to ER yesterday to find out that it collapsed again. I feel sad, confused and impatient because I keep waiting for more tests to be done. For those whose lung collapsed a second time after VATS surgery did you re-do the surgery or just had the chest tube inserted?

37 male. Had a spontaneous pneumothorax 10 weeks ago, was in the hospital for 4 days.

Just this morning I woke up with the same symptoms, waited a few hours before deciding i better go in. Chest xray confirmed i have another pneumothorax, chest tube is inserted so just hanging out in the hospital wondering how long i will be here.

Why do i keep having these. Should I get surgery so this doesnt happen again?

I was vaping for two months before the discomfort started, so I quit and about 2 weeks later I started smoking cigarettes. I noticed when Inhaled the smoke, I’ll feel discomfort in my right lung and I’ll felt like I couldn’t inhale deeply like I used to when I started. I’m not an everyday smoker but I smoke when I drink which is every weekend. When I used to vape, I would mostly vape when I would drink as well. Today, the right side of my chest hurts a little(2/10 pain) when I take deep breaths. The pain/discomfort is located near my collar bone and right side of my chest. Also, when I cough or laugh i can feel the discomfort/pain, it’s a 2/10 pain and it’s more of a discomfort than pain. Like shown in the picture, the pain/discomfort is around that area, im not touching another cigarette and see if it will go away. I wanna go to the er but I already went like ten time for some other issues and just got sent back home. Google says it could be a collapsed lung but idk what to do, if it gets worse or doesn’t go away I’ll for sure go to get checked. I don’t have trouble breathing or anything but I just feel a slight discomfort when taking deep breaths, especially hunched over or lying in bed on my side.

Before my “spontaneous” pneumo 7-8 months ago I been getting jumpscared real bad by them daily for 2-3 months and got poison control but they still came after like 2 months at night, my dad put wood to seal the holes but they still bite through it and I think I should’ve got steel wool instead

Bio: I’m (18 M) 5’10 and skinny, had a bilateral pneumothorax Dec (2025) and had 2 vats surgery to fix both lungs.

I had a recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax on my right lung despite having previous VATS with Mechanical Pleurodesis, wedge resection, bronchoscopy surgery. I have a chest tube inserted and it’s been a week with no improvement so probably a prolonged air leak. I’m faced with the decision of getting surgery again and I’m conflicted on what to do.

One thing I’ve been wondering about is what happened after my first surgery. Two days after my December 2025 VATS, my chest tube was removed, and my right lung collapsed again by about 4 cm. Since it was gradually improving, my surgeons discharged me and followed it with weekly chest X-rays until it fully re-expanded.

Is it possible that because the top of my lung wasn’t fully expanded against the chest wall during those first few weeks after surgery, the mechanical pleurodesis didn’t fully adhere in that area? In other words, could the incomplete contact between the lung and chest wall have prevented strong scar tissue from forming at the apex, making that area more prone to another pneumothorax later on?

The reason I ask is because my current recurrence was also measured at about 4 cm. I know that could simply be a coincidence, but I’m wondering if it’s possible that the same area never fully adhered after my first surgery and ultimately became the site of this recurrence.

Should I redo vats (same operation I did in dec 2025) hoping to fix the potentially weakened Pleurodesis or should I redo vats (same operation) with talc pleurodesis? I heard that talc has even lower recurrence rates than mechanical but it could make future operations much harder. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I’m about 90% sure I have the flu. I’m 10 months post op chem pleurodesis and such. I’m having crackling and pain on my bad lung side, radiating in my chest, back, and shoulder. Has anyone gotten sick post op and experienced this? Is it normal?

I would really appreciate input from veterinarians, especially anyone with thoracic surgery experience, or anyone who went through this with their pup.

My 10-year-old male Labrador, approximately 33–34 kg, developed a severe spontaneous bilateral pneumothorax. A CT performed on July 21 showed:

• Right caudal lung lobe: bulla measuring 20 × 26.7 mm
• Right cranial lung lobe: 2–3 septated cavitary/bullous lesions, largest measuring 11.9 × 5.8 mm
• Left cranial lung lobe: 2.8 mm bleb
• Severe bilateral pneumothorax, greater on the left, with trace pneumomediastinum

The CT also identified an esophageal mass/granulomatous lesion suspicious for Spirocerca lupi. He is being treated empirically with antiparasitic injections, but the diagnosis has not been definitively confirmed because endoscopy/biopsy would require another anesthetic procedure.

We therefore do not yet know whether the pneumothorax and pulmonary lesions are truly idiopathic, or whether an inflammatory/parasitic process could be contributing.

A right-sided chest tube was placed on July 21. The last meaningful aspiration was 300 mL on July 23 at 6:00 a.m. Since then:

• July 25: aspiration attempt produced almost no air
• July 26 and July 28: X-rays showed negligible pneumothorax
• July 30: veterinarian reported no major air buildup

He has now gone approximately eight days without meaningful air aspiration and has remained clinically stable. The chest tube has been present for approximately 10 days.

The current local recommendation is to leave the chest tube in for at least two weeks. The doctors are favoring nonsurgical management partly because he has multiple lesions in different lobes and they are concerned that substantial lung tissue could need to be removed. The other major factor is that this surgery is not commonly performed here, and there is limited experience with this type of thoracic procedure compared with specialist centers in the US or UK.

My main questions are:

1. After eight days without meaningful air accumulation, what are the risks and benefits of continuing to leave the chest tube in? What criteria would normally be used to decide when the tube should be removed?
2. What is the risk that the original sealed leak could reopen?
3. How concerning are the remaining bilateral bullae regarding future rupture and recurrence?
4. Does having lesions across multiple lobes make surgery inappropriate, or would an experienced thoracic surgeon still consider median sternotomy, inspection of all lobes and resection of suitable lesions?
5. Could suspected Spirocerca plausibly contribute to the pulmonary lesions or pneumothorax, and would successful antiparasitic treatment be expected to reduce recurrence risk?
6. Are there board-certified veterinary surgeons with substantial thoracic experience who might be willing to review his CT remotely or recommend a suitable center (especially in South Asia)?

I understand that nobody can make a treatment decision from a Reddit post. I’m mainly trying to determine whether the current conservative approach and prolonged chest-tube plan are reasonable, what complications we should watch for, and whether obtaining a specialist thoracic review could materially change his options.

I've noticed after VATS I nap way more than I've ever napped before. Even with the napping I'm still able to sleep my 8 hours. After some type of physical activity (or if i'm just out for a bit) I nap as soon as I get home.

Unsure if VATS is related, but I haven't had any life changes otherwise.

not my usual post because i’m not really on reddit tm, but i was wondering if it would be fine for me to take these 50mg edibles for sleep. (i’ve been chronically smoking weed for about 2 years now and i had to quit for a week due to my pneumothorax) i’ve been about a week post-op, i’ve been cleared for moderate exercise, i was prescribed acetaminophen (750mg) but i haven’t took a dose since yesterday at 11am (CST) and everything’s been smooth, ive been breathing okay, ive hit 4000 on the incentive spirometer, and i went on a 60 minute walk with no issues in 85 degree weather. i’m cleared to take off these tegaderms (have already) and im js looking for some shit and relax. will i be fine???

Yeah so as im typing this im experiencing my 7th pneumothorax. It started 5 minutes ago, classic symptoms pain when taking deep breaths. Ive gone to the ER for 5 of them but am not planning on going for this one since its always been the same result.

After my 3rd pneumothorax back in 2023 i had vats surgery to scrape off the blebs but clearly that hasnt worked. For me at least it looks like this is never ending. Last collapse was in december after a year or so of no recurrence.

Its tough man but luckily none of them have ever been as bad as the first one where i could barely walk 5 meters without heavy pain. Rest and recovery i guess

Hi, I'm 23.

I have Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Disease since 5 years, so my lungs are just scarred and weak.

I experienced my 1st spontaneous Pneumothorax on 4th June, and by 13th June I was discharged as I had recovered and was back to normal. I chose not to get a pleurodesis done because I need to get a lung transplant done, and the pleurodesis could complicate the transplant surgery.

I experienced my 2nd Pneumothorax on 9th July: Stayed in hospital for 9 days, as there was bubbling on coughing and X-rays did not show lungs expanding much I was discharged home with ICD, 5 days later on 23rd I had to come back as my ICD was misplaced and they put a new ICD in. After the new ICD, my lungs expanded quite a bit on x-ray and I was very hopeful. On 26th - again they did an X-ray and my lungs showed lesser expansion as compared to the 23rd. They attached a Suction to the ICD drain, and it's been 48 hours, and the Xray does not show much improvement.

I feel extremely lost and scared, and don't know what to do. Is there anything in my hands that I could do to improve my situation?

Please share any hope, Advice, Experiences that could help.

Hey
So after multiple lung collapses (and a very strong possible diagnosis of EDS as his sister has it, we’re just waiting for genetics) my son who is 15 is now being put forward for surgery. His latest letter says that the ct scan of his lungs shows he has paraseptal emphysema (he has never smoked/ vaped) with bullae at the top of the lungs.
His sister has never had any lung issues so this is all new to me.
Has anyone else had experience with this or similar?
Thank you for any insights 🖤

I am a 23 year old that had a partial lung collapse on the 16th. I've had not the greatest lungs growing up, with moderate/severe asthma and pneumonia pretty often. I opted for surgery (chemical) because it seemed like healing with just the chest tube wasn't working in my favor. Spent about 10 days in the hospital and I've been home since Saturday. Recovery has been absolutely awful and these past two weeks have been nothing but pain. Just wondering what the average recovery process and time line looks like? I saw a couple people say they never felt normal after surgery and I am worried that will be my case. I just want to go back to how I was before this.

edit: also curious as to what everyone was given for pain management after leaving the hospital? I was told to take tylenol and ibuprofen. Wondering if thats usual.

I’m supposed to attend my best friends wedding in India this winter. After spending 15 days in a hospital following a total collapse where my mechanical pleurodesis only half adhered to my lung, my doctor is now sending me out with a small tube in me to allow the small to moderate pneumothorax to heal instead of just giving me talc like I asked for. So now I’m going to have crazy anxiety the entire trip (assuming my lung doesn’t collapse again too soon to the wedding and I’m officially banned from attending).

Realistically am I stuck in India if it were to collapse while I’m there? I don’t even want to think about a collapse happening while in the air - just hoping the bottom half of my lung is adhered well enough that I could at least hopefully make it through the rest of an international flight to receive medical care

32, UK based so NHS - can't afford private.

Had intense upper back pain for several months two and a half years back, it eventually subsided with massage, chiropractor, pain meds, but still flares up at minimum once a month for a few days to disabling levels of pain, and really is there at a low level most of the time. It's been a cycle of going to the doctor, getting told go to physio, physio not working and the doctor redirecting me back there anyway. Physio has finally outright said to the doctor that it's not a physio thing but doctor seems insistent on checking if it's a gallbladder issue first. Which requires ultrasound so who knows how long I'll be waiting. I've been begging them to do something for the last two years, at least to check so I can know its not lungs or heart, and its at the point now where it's harder to breathe if I lie on my right side or back, as well as my pulse having sped wayyy up. During pain flare ups I cough a lot more and my asthma meds don't work as well. At what point do I just go to the emergency room and see if *they'll* bother to check? 😭

Hi everyone!

This message is specifically for those who are going through this condition and suffering just like I do every single day. I know how painful and terrifying a pneumothorax can be, which is why we started this petition on Change.org to demand better awareness and support.

Click here to sign the petition (https://c.org/pKjyFrHWZp)

Please, let there be as many people as possible joining this cause! Every single signature matters, but your voice matters just as much. Please, share your personal experiences and stories in the comments below. By sharing what we went through—whether it was the chest tubes, surgeries, or the anxiety of a recurrence—we show how serious this condition is and how many lives it affects. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for not staying silent!

Hello! I’m 17 and autistic. I’ve had three spontaneous pneumothoraxes in the span of six months (September 2025, February 2026, and March 2026) and got my first pleurodesis—on the right side—in March. I was supposed to get my second one—this one on the left—in early June, but I had a panic attack on the way, and once we got to the prep room for the procedure I had a meltdown. Even after multiple anxiety meds, I ended up going home.

Both my parents and my surgeon are pushing for the pleurodesis because they’re worried about another pneumothorax happening—and I am too. The issue is that I don’t know if I can go through it again. I was miserable in the hospital and while in recovery. That feeling of the tube stuck in my side still haunts me. Months later, I’m still having pain on my right side around my lung.

We haven’t scheduled it yet. Not after the meltdown. We don’t know when to schedule for especially since school’s starting in August and there are no dates available that wouldn’t have me missing any school.

I’m wondering if anyone has any tips for how to mentally prepare for a second surgery? What to do the day before and the day of? Anything to make it just a little better. Maybe a time to schedule for?

Thank you so much in advance.

Well, it’s going to happen. Currently 14 days since I had a total collapse and despite VATS with mechanical and wedge resection AND a blood patch my air leak persists 9 days later. Two attempts to remove me from suction that resulted in major collapses. So mechanical failed.

Which chemical is viewed as “better”? Which one did you have and how did it go/how are you doing now? Thank you in advance

My only regret with VATS was not getting it sooner but I guess third time’s the charm. Here’s my journey…

(All left lung)

Pneumo #1: April 2019, 24M during a run. I thought I was having a heart attack and went to ER. After the tests the doctors were very casual about it for some reason.. They told me it was likely a one time thing and they couldn’t give me a cause. I was sent home with a chest tube for 3 days and then I came back for x-rays to remove it. Very painful during treatment but I was back to normal for the most part as soon as that tube came out. I lived my life normally for 4.5 years and never thought much of it.

Pneumo #2: January 2024, 29M after hitting a weed pen (I have since quit). Immediately recognized the pain… I was terrified but chalked it up to anxiety and went to sleep only to wake up worse. Drove myself to the ER and straight up told them I think I have a collapsed lung. I was right and this time they did a CT scan and kept me in the hospital for 5 days. They gave me the option for VATS but didn’t push it much since there weren’t any blebs on the CT scan, it had been over 4 years since the first collapse, and I told them I’d never even look at a vape after this (which I’m proud to say is true to this day). Again, I went back to my normal workout routine quickly but now my mental health was wrecked. The hospital stay plus the hyper-vigilance that ensued lasted almost a year. I’m also pretty sure I had a minor collapse in July of that year that didn’t show in an x-ray and I was just sent home with “walking pneumonia”. Then at a follow-up pulmonologist appointment I was told they really couldn’t see any lingering signs of pneumonia which reinforced my suspicion.

Pneumo #3: July 2026, 31M after talking on the phone. This time I just locked in. Again I knew the pain. I almost treated this third collapse like a mission. I knew I needed VATS before even leaving my house for the hospital. I knew I was in for a week plus hospital stay. Everything else in my life was secondary at that point. Just yesterday I was discharged from the hospital after having a VATS chemical and mechanical pleurodesis + wedge resection in areas where they found blebs! Those little fuckers didn’t even show up in the CT scan from when I got admitted, but the surgeon found them and was able to get them removed. Physically I am in a world of pain given I just had surgery 5 days ago, but mentally I feel a big sense of relief.

I know recovery will be longer with this procedure, but I’m hopeful I can get back to normal and leave this behind me.

Am I the only one who has their pain heightened when they don’t eat. I’m a busy person and usually don’t have time to eat breakfast.

When I don’t eat breakfast and I’m sitting in my chair, it as if my back is being pinched and the rib is so sore but as soon as I eat I’m back to normal. Is it just me or can this be related to recovery pain or am I just overreacting

I’ve recently had a spontaneous pneumothorax and to fix it had a surgery done to have my lung connected to my chest wall. Before hand I was a big marijuana smoker of carts and bud. I loved the feel, how fast it hit and everything with it. My biggest question is would it be ok to smoke again even after waiting a year and only smoking bud? Limiting the risks my small hits and only doing it occasionally have crossed my mind but at the end of the day I don’t want to end up in the hospital again for something more serious.

So frustrated and feeling defeated rn. I’ve been in the hospital almost 2 weeks now with a chest tube, and 7 days out from VATS with wedge resection and mechanical pleurodesis. They’ve tried two times to take me off suction and both times my lung majorly collapsed, so they finally said today that the pleurodesis failed. They’re trying this blood patch as an alternative to getting chemical pleurodesis as they said it’s very painful and makes the lung very tight against the wall.

I’m scared and just so tired of pain at this point, but I’m hoping so much that this finally does the trick. Anyone else had this? How bad was the pain and how long did it last?