 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
I'm not a skier (or boarder) just yet, but I'm interested in learning.
My problem is that I suffer from spontaneous pneumothoraces (one of my lungs collapses every now and again). I know I have to avoid unpressurised flight and can't scuba dive due to the pressure changes, but can I ski down a mountain?
Does anyone here have the same problem as me, and have you found the pressure changes at altitude to be a problem?
Cheers,
Andy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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AndyPandy, I am not a sufferer - but am a quack who did a bit of anaethetics back in the day, and had to learn a little respiratory physiology.
Most commercial aircraft pressurise to about 8000 feet, which is about the top height of many European resorts, although some go up higher (Zermatt up to about 3850 meters - ie about 12000 feet). Your rate of climb/descent skiing is unlikely to be that much greater that on a commercial jet.
Have you posted a question on www.blebinfo.co.uk ? although some of the posts over there about pressurisation look as though they don't really understand it though...?
Have you considered pleurodesis?
[oh - and usual T&Cs/warnings apply - please ignore this post as it is probably incorrect - get information from someone who knows your particular clinical circumstances - all snowHeads - to which welcome  - may well be 14 year old WoW players with borderline personality disorders etc etc]
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks for the reply stoatsbrother. I posted on blebinfo, albeit not on this exact topic, but it doesn't seem very active there as I've yet to get any replies!
For what I can tell logically it shouldn't be a problem, but I'm a little concerned that if it did happen then I'd be stuck on a mountain at high altitude, miles from a hospital, and with very thin air! I guess I was hoping that there'd be others with the issue that could alay my fears.
I've never been offered any treatment (the NHS was meant to send me to a clinic once but never did) and I've had a chest tube, needle aspiration and simple observation for my last 3 occurances in that order. The thought of elective surgery is a little worrysome as I'm all too aware of the pain involved!
(A little comedic background - My girlfriend is currently in Val D'Isere and I'm stuck at home with a 10% collapse  )
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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AndyPandy, I think your girlfriend is already a snowHead: see here. 
Sounds a pretty nasty condition to have. Maybe best to stick to a low-ish resort. E.g. Megève is pretty extensive, but no higher than 2,300m.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hehe, that's not her but I wonder if she is a member here, I'll have to ask! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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There is also plenty of skiing in Scotland no higher than 1000m,
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arv, good point!
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AndyPandy, I know nothing about your condition (and am not a WoW player or a doctor so will offer no clinical advice) but if staying at lower altitude would be better for you, there's loads of choice. Very near Megeve, the Espace Diamant has 185km of pistes with only one point (easily avoided) over 2000m. Some Austrian areas are even lower altitude. Just tell the GF she'd need to give Val D'Isere a miss. I imagine you'd be completely safe in one of the UK snowdomes - you can learn the basics of skiing or boarding in a day, just to see if you like it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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what about trying the scandinavian resorts which are low generally with short vertical, very snowsure, with good instuction in english, downside is the price of liquid refreshment
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Thanks for the replies all; I was planning on learning (well, re-learning) at the Milton Keynes snowdome, and then hopefully the one in High Wycombe if/when it reopens.
I like the idea of low altitude resorts, I hadn't even thought of that! She who must be obeyed may take a little convincing but at least it's an option!
Cheers,
Andy
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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AndyPandy, I had many years of recurrent Pts. mine were always caused by impact or movement rather than pressure differences and I did a lot of relatively high altitude walking and scrambling without any problems. Eventually the scaring caused a permanent weakness and I had to have a Pleurectomy (and very timely it was too for other reasons) If yours are caused by a congenital weakness or defect rather than injury then you need to talk to your doctor.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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She who must be obeyed may take a little convincing
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If she won't be persuaded away from Val D'Isere in order to accommodate your special needs, you'll find there are plenty of Snowheads who will be happy to ski with you.
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Hi Masque, mine are idiopathic (no known pathology). The next time it goes down in style I'll be asking for pleurodesis as a chest tube will already have been jammed between my ribs. Nothing like a little talc on the lungs eh?!
pam w, I don't think I can claim to ski just yet, but I'll tumble next to the best of them 
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You know it makes sense.
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talc pleurodesis looks like good option for you. May pinch a bit but should render you less likely to get idiopathic pneumothorax. 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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AndyPandy,
If you are worried the sensible thing is to go and ask your doctor for an appointment with a respiratory physician.
However the problem with a pneumothorax is not altitude as such but changes in ambient pressure.
If you have a closed pneumothorax at low altitude and ascend it will expand as you ascend due to the lower pressure in the air. descending should shrink it. Changes in ambient pressure in ski resorts due to lifts are much lower than in diving and as you ascend in diving you are creating problems but descending in skiing you are resolving them.
Most ski resorts will have a pressure difference of about 5000 ft which is equivalent to an approximately 20% change in atmospheric pressure. If you are particularly concerned the answer is to go to a resort with a short vertical range.
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Poster: A snowHead
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empinky - this is a quote from a medical website: Pleurodesis certainly reduces the risk of recurrence and may be used routinely to prevent a second occurrence but it is a very painful procedure. There are no RCTs to assess the optimum timing of pleurodesis.
I'm not loving that statement right there! My often misguided mind is hoping that scaring will occur naturally as these things happen - don't burst my bubble (pun intended)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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AndyPandy,
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So if I'm reading this right, the resort isn't so much the problem as is the drop in altitude of the pistes?
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Yep or at least the increase in altitude on the lifts. The altitude of the resort could have an affect when driving up but less so than going up in a plane and medical attention is readily available.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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AndyPandy, Not quite as painful as the 14" scar on my back
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