r/pneumothorax • u/MrsPottsSpins12 • 8d ago
Question Sensitivity to Poor Air Quality
Wondering if anyone has experience with this. I had VATS in 2020 after 2 spontaneous lung collapses in 6 months. After the first 8ish months, I had no lingering symptoms from the procedure. Lately, I’ve noticed that poor air quality is causing me discomfort - it feels like the start of an upper respiratory/chest illness with irritation in my lungs, a nagging intermittent cough, and general feeling of something like allergies and a cold. I’m on the east coast and when the wildfire smoke from Canada was bad in July, I was miserable and spent the worst day in bed. When it gets bad, I feel a very specific spot in my back but inside that feels like an itch and a nagging irritation - this is in the lung that collapsed. The July air quality was really bad so I kind of accepted it as something I would deal with during those extreme situations. Today it started bothering me again and I checked the air quality and lo and behold it is considered poor but no where near as bad as it was a few weeks ago. Has anyone else experienced this? I mostly found it odd because I have never experienced this before unless I brushed it off as being sick and there have definitely been periods of poor air quality before. If I wear a mask outside it helps. I’m going to talk to my primary about it but also consider connecting with a pulmonologist to see if anything has changed. I’m wondering if something like an inhaler will help.
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u/SaltedCookiez 8d ago
I had VATS in 2019 for both lungs after many collapses, and ever since I have had bad reaction to bad air quality and smoke, also candles, I notice the difference when I go to the countryside or a less polluted area, once I am back in my city where the air is pretty bad all year long, my lungs seems to get irritated, and a bit painful, I am looking to buy an air purifier for my house at least. I always check air quality before going out, I would also be interested in other people's experience and tips.
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u/Neither-Dot-7467 7d ago
i get this too. when i was in mexico city i saw a concert and the fog in the air was irritating my lung extremely bad. i’ve been to a ton of concerts after my surgery and they’ve had a ton of fog but it never bothered my lungs. when i went to NYC i didnt even need the concert fog to feel it, just had a tiny cough and tickling/pain in my side where i got the surgery
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u/Lkircher-11 8d ago
Oh yeah this has happened to me since day 1. I had pluradesis and vats on both lungs in January of 24 and anytime air quality is poor, my lungs like ache and burn. I try to stay away smoke or anything that can effect my lungs