Living with one lung

Having one lung is not my case, but I know someone who is in that situation. It is my friend who had her lung removed almost 15 years ago. She says, in numerous occasions, that she is leading a perfectly normal life, except for the physical activity. She only takes walks, she is not capable of hard exercises. Then again, considering your father's age, that would not be a problem.

Sorry to hear of your fathers health problems and your concerns. Yes, it's possible to survive on one lung, but life as it WAS is over for him. Good news though- It's like being able to start over. New attitudes, new pastimes and hopefully- new ways of tackling problems: Ah, those 'pesky stairs' you say, being exhausted after taking a shower - I know. Things will never be the same, so forget the past and embrace the future. There's more than one way to solve the problem. If you are the caregiver, be patient. If you're the patient, learn patience. Good things happen to good people, in good time. Good luck!

my brother is only 20 and after getting treated of lung cancer hes surviving with one lung, hes still going through the treatments haven't started his normal life , i just wanted to know how hard it'll be for him. he'll be able to play with his kids? work as many hours as normal person can? please inform

I feel sorry about your father..But it a good thing he stop, BUT now he have to stay away from smoking, and all the other stuff I have one lungs AND was born with it

I am Carl DeForest and i am 18 year old. I was born with one lung. if you don't belived me it alright, my real mother was/is drug addivct with cocaine. I have not seen her for 18 year. but let me get back to the point. At frist it a HUGES problem.. have to breath harder, have to be a machine to breath.. it might take year.... i got use to it and look at me now I am doing everything as a normal as a person with two lungs. would do... I run track, lift weight, play basketball, i do all other stuff to prove doctors thatone lung is not dangous only for breathing but you will get use to it.. P.S. I am going to write a book about my life.. (it is very sad,mess up life)

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My son was born with one lung. He is now 20 years old. He was on an apnea monitor for the first 6 months of his life. I was told he would be prone to pneumonia. He has never had pneumonia and is very seldom sick. Never has problems with shortness of breath. He has no restrictions with activities other than not being allowed to play contact sports. I thank God for my healthy son.

I have been living now for 18 years with the use of only one lung. I was born with the condition. I belive that the effects of living with one lung differs from person to person though there will always be affects common to all such as shortness of breath at times. I am a very active person. I played basketball in highscool and still do every now and then. For the most part i am very healthy and no one would ever suspect that i have one long unless i told them.

My 73 yr old father had his left lung removed 2+ weeks ago and feels like he can't get enough air. He tests well for Oxygen, but has anxiety about not being able to breath. I'm looking for info also for him, but it is difficult to find. You can also try Huff and Puff Forum for feedback. I hear many people live with one lung, but it is an adjustment. I'm thankful his cancer was found and that he had the option of removal. It's scary and a life adjustment, but I'm hoping with time as with your family that it will get better for him.

I am 29 I had my left lung removed about 1 year ago and I am doing pretty well however I do get short of breath easier than before. The side that I had my surgery on still gets sore once in a while but other than that everything else is pretty normal

I have found the information shared by others living with one lung most encouraging. Thank each of you so much for sharing. Lee

In May 2004 I had two lobes of my right lung removed owing to lung cancer. As I had early stage emphysema the surgeon was afraid that I would be a respiratory cripple following surgery as I failed all lung function tests. Fortunately I had learned of a breathing technique (Buteyko) which helps enormously. I am now sixty, cancer free, very active and only rarely need to use an inhaler. I would recommend that anyone undergoing a lobectomy should keep fit, eat healthily and have a positive attitude although accepting at the same time that one will not be able to run the five minute mile.

Thank you all for this wonderful information and personal stories. My father-in-law is having his one ling removed in the morning and we're all worried of losing him to the operation but it seems that most recover well. Thanks again and godbless you all.

The Plante Family.

i just went through the same situation ,it was last year when they discovered a solid rigid tumor 3 inches Dia interfering the lower and the middle lobe of my right lung yet they had to remove it all . now it s been a year for me and i m living a healthy life never better than before. im 31 now never smoked athletic and the only bad thing is that seeing people destroying their life and its quality by having such habit , specially friends whom i care for. hope sharing my experience would ease the situation and believe me its all about self-belief .

well my story is different i have a baby with one lung and it is really hard for him and me. He gets sick very much cause it is easier for him to catch any kind of virus. his growth physically is slower but he is doing very good mentally. he cant do some of the things that kids with two lungs can. I hope that this will help in some way.....

My heart goes out to each one of you who has had a lung removed due to anything. It is different from those who have been born with one lung than those who get one taken out.

I can tell you everything from what I have read about having the one lung to live with, I have been there and still am. Like the father who thinks he can't get enough air. That is true because our brain doesn't quite get it yet. I went thru the anxiety, thinking I can't breathe. But once I just took a slow, deep breath and slowed down my walking,ect, your finally giving your brain a chance to catch up. Then and only then did it seem like I was breathing normal and I got use to it even though I wasn't.

But you are daily reminded when you try to take on activities you once did. Again, your body and mind gets use to it.

However the flipside is if you had some type of chemo or radiation like I had and NO rehab then you can add a BIG Plus onto your end results. Plus as adding more to your problems...

No one told me the side effects of radiation treatment and I have been going to doctor to doctor, phycial therapy after therapy and many pain mangement centers for 20 years.

The plan truth is there is often long tern side effects that come with radiation. A doctor just know told me 1 year ago that it can show up 20 years down the road. So in other words if you are not one of the lucky ones then be prepared ahead of time and do your research on long term side effects of radition. Have it ready for your doctors so you won't be going around in circles like I have the last 20 years in pain.

I do believe I am very blessed and thank God everyday for me being alive. In the beginning I fought the effects of meds. the doctors put me on for pain. I kept going and even though I had upper muslce and nerve damage I would push to my limit till I had to lay down. I tried to work after surgery but the pain and spasms were to much and still are today.

Now that I have been unactive, not working for 20 years I have gotten a new list of diseases to add to the list. Some of which I have been told is related to surgery and radiation. The other part is probably herditary and age 54, wow that is still young..

I have been diagnosed with osteopeonia in the hips and have taken IV bonvia for 1 year, degenerative disc disease with ongoing pain in back and neck, low thyroid, COPD and have to use a bi-pap at night along with oxygen which made a big difference in how I feel. I use to get up in the morning and could barley catch my breath and it seemed it took all morning till I could function. This bi-pap made a BIG difference on how I breathed during the day. I would suggest anyone who thinks they can not get enough air espicially when waking up to go to a pulmunoary doctor and suggest to do a sleep therapy.

The main thing I wish I had was a doctor who would of gotten me the right kind of help I needed and get me into rehab to get back into shape. However that didn't happen and I didn't know things like I know now.

It is really too late but if I can get feeling better I will try to get some form of excersie. If you don't stay active you will be in more pain than you started out with. Hey I am 54 now so its still not too late...

I may have to go to the Mayo Clinic or the John Hopkins to get down to getting some doctors to fix me. I hope sharing my experiences have helped someone. I am not saying being born with one lung is a piece of cake but at least you had your whole life to get use to it and for most they can carry on normal activites and they know how to cope. To all God Bless and have a Blessed Day! :-) :-)