Hmmm, good question. I understand that part of the ling has to heal, does your doctor have the answers? Guess we will have to check this out. I'll get back to you if I find more info.....

hmm this had been my biggest burning question too. I too had a lot of lung damage, and my lung specialist that I see said that over a period of time most of the damaged tissue will repair its self and regenerate. but when it grows back it can be quite painful - I posted a similar reply on another post somewhere but cant remember which one! so sorry if im repeating my self!! he said its kinda like when a smoker quite and the cells in the throat regenarate and you get a saw throat when they start working again. The same things happens in the lungs which explains the pain in the lungs months after the PE. I still get twinges three month on, but apparently its perfectly normal and nothing to worry about!! It's just the lung repairing its self. He said that even though at the time I;d done serious damage, most of the lung will regenerate but maybe my lung capacity will be down by 10% for life - but he said that when you breathe you don't even use al your lung so a 10% damage will not even be noticable. And I've quit the fags since all of this so really, I think my lungs will be better than ever!! (well...)

I lost 5% of my right lung during my massive PE. My doctor said that eventually the lung will compensate for the loss and "should" start to function like a full lung.
It has been 2 years in November. It still hurts. Not as bad, but I still get pain when I work out too hard, walk stairs, etc. I also get shortness of breath, but some of that is due to the added pleuresy which was flared during the whole process. My pain pills help some. I hope the pain goes away for you.

I am having anxiety issues about this PE, but I wanted to ask , did everyone have chest pains? Where, in the middle chest, side? Mine was mostly my back at the rib cage and some under the right collar bone.

That is exactly where mine was also. It was worse than labor pain. And the harder it got to breathe, the worse it got. Did you just have a PE or has it been awhile? I guess I am wondering if you are just getting this pain.

I had a lung infarction in my left lung during my P.E. It was the worse pain I've ever felt in my life - I would give birth to 10 more kids rather than feel that pain again! I still have pains from time to time and if I bend a certain way it feels like my lung is cramping - that's the best way to describe it. My doctor said the lung will heal but you will never get full usage back.

Guys, What test do they do to identify a lung infarction. Do they follow up to see how much function you regain? I am scheduled for a V/Q scan on Friday, and am imagining that since it shows lung perfusion, that it would show if there was an infarction. Anyone know?

I think they can tell on the CT results. My clot was large enough to totaly block the blood flow from two lobes or sections of my right lung. I never had any other test yet. My blood clot isnt gone so I dont know what they will do later.

Hey, at my six month stage, when I am off warfarin (in about 6 weeks now, woo!) My pulmonogist has ordered a pulmonary function test to test for perminant damage to the lung. He says they wait 6 months, so that if any thing does show, its not from the actual PE itself still, but will be down to perminant damage long after the PE.

Basically they do all these breathing tests, I think they sit you in like a phone booth size box while you breathe through a tube and they measure it or something, thats only what I've found on the internet. Was told the tests will take a few hours and will also consist of more general breathing exercises.

Will post again when I';ve had the test and let you guys know what its all about... I'm very claustrophobic so not looking forward to being locked in an air tight box!! :(

My infarction showed up on the CT Scan. I do have pain in my chest off and on and shortness of breath. Mine occurred in April 2007. I never did have pain when the embolism occurred though? I am scheduled for a Sprometry test next month to assess my breathing. What fun huh?

Hi all, I already had pulmonary function testing once. No box though -hope not one for you Shyla- just doing different breathing exercises into a tube in your mouth with your nose clipped shut. A technition tells you what to do for each test, and cheers you on. A machine records each exercise, and then the results are given to the MD. It took 30-45 min. Not bad. After the pulmonologist got my results, he decided I needed a test for asthma called a methylcholine challenge. For this test, I had to inhale the methylcholine at different strengths, and then do the breathing exercises into the machine to see if there was any change. Needless to say I 1/2 failed with the lowest of 5 strengths, almost failed completely with the next strength, and totally failed on the 3rd strength. It then took 2 Alupent aerosols to get my breathing within 10% of my normal. Needless to say, I now get to add asthma to my list of medical problems. The beta-blocker that I take is in direct competition with the asthma medicine - lucky me. The one I am on -Attenalol, is more cardiac specific, so it is not supposed to affect the lungs as much. I have more chest pain now most days than i had been having. It seems like it coincides mostly with going back to work, and changing the inhaled steroid that I take from Asmanex to Pulmacort -both of which happened at the same time. Cleaning especially -a lot of bending over and up and down seems to make it worse. All I can do is slow down and take a lot of breaks, and have a little bit dustier house for a while. Thanks for all your answers!!

Hi all. I haven't had a CT scan as far as I know and i haven't had a test for pulmonary function. I have pain in my lungs since the clots and as it has been 7 years since the clots wonder if it is worth asking for the tests. Sometimes i get brwathless quite easily in cold or humid weather- also I cough quite a lot after having a sauna.
I live in the UK and from this site I realise that the treatment I received, the tests etc has been minimal.
Has anyone in the UK had these tests? Is is worth having the tests done?
Good health to you all
Paula
x

Hi Paula,

I had a CT scan in the USA, but they would not do one here? How did they diagnose your clot again? Was it the D-dimmer?

I think you should ask for the tests - just for piece of mind if anything. I find that in cold or humid weather that my leg is much more painful - this can happen to muscles so maybe its the ol costo back again. I wonder if anyone else has had costocondritus diagnosed? x x

My gramma had lung cancer and had something like half of a lung removed. After surgery she could barely talk as she had no breath. Within 3 months max she had NO problems and was active again. Not only can lungs repair they can also adapt.

I'm not sure? I currently have a lot of pain from my lung especially when I sneeze, cough or yawn etc and I'm short of breath at certain times. It's been over 6 months now since I was diagnosed and I have spasms forcing my head back whilst taking several quick breaths. Is this something you have encountered? I've been to see my doctor and he believes the spasms are due to my lung requiring more oxygen hence the quick breaths throwing my head back. These were really strong and persistant initially but they have subsided to a few a day now. My doctor has told me to monitor the lung pain, but it's still there and doesn't appear to be subsiding. I'm due to see my consultant soon and hope to have the pain/damage diagnosed? Does any of this sound familiar?