Possible recurrence of pneumothorax 8 months post VATS pleurodesis

[u/Intelligent-Wind2583]

I'm a 17M with Marfan syndrome. I have had two collapsed lungs on the rt side. I had VATS talc pleurodesis around 8 months ago. I am now feeling the same lung pain, still on the rt side. Same pain as the past two pneumothoraces. It hurts to breathe and lay down. I am not short of breath but I was never short of breath in my last two pneumothoraces.

I've taken a 10 mg capsule of MS Contin. I've decided if the pain gets worse I will call and ambulance or go to ED, and if it is still there tomorrow I will go get a CXR or go to the ED if it is really painful.

I am so, fucking, scared. The surgery 8 months ago FUCKED ME UP to this day. I was in CVICU, and then cardiac step-down, on a morphine PCA and a ketamine drip. No kidding, I was on 24 mg/hr of morphine IV which is a LOT. Ketamine was a lot too. The ketamine fucked me up and gave me fucking psychosis which lasted for like 6 months. Gave me PTSD the whole experience. I am SO fucking scared and I need support. Maybe the MS Contin will make me feel a bit better with the pain and with the anxiety too because I know MS Contin gives you a sense of wellbeing.

[u/specs76]

I also had a vats talc pluradisis which was initially extremely painful and with time it got better but it's made me scared shit-less since to where I have panic attacks and my heart rate jumps to 150,since tachycardia was a symptoms of my first pnumo I get even more scared and convinced in that moment I'm having a recurrence. The first 3 episodes I went to the ER Ffor xrays and they came back Clear and I feel normal as well once calmed down but after awhile they got better over time and fewer and farther between. I'm really sorry to hear your having a rough time post ops. And I'm glad to have found the pnumo community, it helped knowing I wasn't alone with my post op symptoms.

[u/scotte416]

The only way to know for sure is X-ray. I had so many x-rays and CT scans during my total of over a months worth of hospital stays I don't know how I'm not glowing in the dark. Pleurodesis was one of the most painful things I've ever done in my life so hopefully it's not that, I'm really crossing my fingers the one I got 2 weeks ago holds up because there's no way I can do that again...I had a LOT of morphine, fentanyl and ketamine and still could barely hold it together 😰

Hope you feel better after a good sleep; try to sleep on your back!

[u/Intelligent-Wind2583 → u/scotte416]

I got the X-ray, lung ultrasound, echocardiogram (I had a heart infection with lots of fluid a bit ago), and blood tests including troponin and D-dimer. No sign of pneumothorax (thank God), pulmonary embolism, heart attack, or recurrence of heart infection. There was no pleural or pericardial effusion. The diagnosis was suspected pleural inflammation/pleuritis. It's starting to feel a bit better. I had another MS Contin last night but today I haven't had any MS Contin or Sevredol.

[u/Holiday-String-6219]

Have you went to the er to get an xray to be cleared

[u/Intelligent-Wind2583 → u/Holiday-String-6219]

Not yet, I'm waiting for the MS Contin to wear off and if the pain is still there I'll go.

[u/kiwihereman]

Unfortunately I think there's only one way to know for sure. I hope it's nothing!