drksolest wrote:Again, how did it happen the first time? n' isn't this something you can die from if not treated... u need to go to the hospital!
I'm severely defective. Actually, no doctor has given me a for-sure answer, but the theory is that it's because I'm so tall and skinny, which has an adverse affect on the mechanism by which lungs normally support themselves.
The only way to die from it is to loose BOTH lungs at once, and my left can't collapse anymore. I've had my left lung collapse twice, and went to the hospital both times. Had surgery the second time to prevent it happening again. The left lung is the workhorse, and when it goes it takes all your breathing capacity with it. It's hard to walk a few steps without having to stop. Plus it HURTS to breathe.Right lung has gone 3 or 4 times. It barely makes an impact on breathing but still hurts. I've never gone to the hospital for the right. I usually say "I'll see if it still hurts tomorrow" and eventually it stops hurting.
I hate being in the hospital for it. Tube sticking out of my chest for ~4 days, stuck in bed, uncomfortable, BORED, no driving, having to call a nurse to "unplug" my tubes just so I can take a leak...no thanks.