Golf ball mass upper left lung lobectomy offered

[Huffnpuff73]

Hi everyone hope your all ok sorry not been on for a while head a bit cabbaged.

Ive had ct,pet ,biopsy bronc and another broncosvopy 7 needle biopsies as mass and chest lymphs lit up and they still dont know ug its cancer. It is a cavity and they want to perform a lobectony. Is this normal as they dint know uf its cancer or apergilious fungus. I though they used specific antibiotics or cancer shrinkage treatment before op. Dont undestand as breathing good apart from blood in morn. And how does a lobectony affevt your bresthing?

If anyone coyld help or direect me to the correct forum that would be appreciated.

Take care all.

[casper99]

Hi Wartonk, I can't answer any of your queries, I just thought I'd say good luck on your operation. xx

[Sohara]

I had both of my lower lobes out , the first at 15 the second at 16, unfortunately it did not completely remove the bronch that I had and it came back....but even many decades later I still get about fine. I cannot run or climb steep hills or stairs without a rest. but there is nothing to fear from the op itself

Which lobe do they want to remove?

[Huffnpuff73]

Thanks casper and sohara.

They want to do a vats or thoracotomy and frozen wextion biopsy and proceed to a upper left lobectomy. From What i can see the upper left lobectomy is a bihger section removal than the right. Whats sttange is apart from the blood in morning for three weeks I can still workout on bike and treadmill thought with a golf ball size cavitating mass this wouldnt be possible.

[Jaynair]

Hi Wartonk, I had an upper left lobectomy in Jan 2013 (I had sqamous lc) via traditional surgery. Before the op I couldn't image how I was going to manage to breathe normally without such a big part of my lung but was surprised to find I could do just that once effects of operation had worn off. (After the op, they get you coughing asap to clear and expand the lungs - and within 4 days, I was able to get out of bed and walk around a little). Like you, before diagnosis I was using my treadmill and doing strength exercising several times a week - although I had noticed a change in my breathing. Now, even though I've been diagnosed with moderate copd and have asthma on top of the lc, I still manage to go on the treadmill and am able to continue with the strength exercising. One thing I was amazed about is that after the op, the remaining lobe expands to fill the cavity of the lobe that was removed - isn't the body a never-ending wonder! x

PS I wish you the best possible outcome for whatever lays in front of you x

[Huffnpuff73]

Many thanks jaynair!!

Im a anxiety chicken when it comes to major surgery and am already worried of morbid complications during the surgery stupid i know. Its when i seen the size of the upper left lobe compared to the upper right it looked like a full lung removal!!

Many thanks to everyone this site has helped me so much and I know i dont post much just been a feww crazy months.

Many thanks again and have a great day

[Sohara]

I re-read my reply to you and I think it was misleading. When I said 'there is nothing to fear from the op itself' I meant that it does not seriously impact on how you can breathe afterwards. I was only young and I could play sports and run around exactly like any teenager once I had recovered from both the ops. Jaynair is correct both my lungs on xray now have filled up my whole chest cavity, the reason I have trouble now breathing is the many many years of infections , usually about 6 a year each one taking their toll on my lung function.

I cannot lie to you the actual operations were Major ops.....I had them done at the start of the NHS and antibiotics weren't in use then. So methods were no where nearly as good as they are now. But they were NOT easy operations to have . But if you need them they should not be feared