Diagnosed with lung cancer Oct. 22/18. Wedge resection done Nov. 27/18. No cancer. Lung infarction. Killed part of lung. Infection. Later found precancerous cells.
Having serious pain on left surgical side. Sensitive to touch. Feels like ribout if place. Have a wide tight “band” around torso. Get so tight it is restrictive to move and very painful. Surgeon says not related to surgery. Family doctor has no idea. Nurse practitioner gave me anti-anxiety meds. Anyone have a similar surgery and have same thing after nearly 5 months?
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Glouie1
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Mine isn’t exactly the same but starting experiencing pain about 11 months after. More of a burning intermittent pain on the right breast. Due to a left lumpectomy which is how I found out about the stage 1 lunging the right , I went right to the breast surgeon! She didn’t feel or see anything but did send me for a breast mri which was normal. I do see the surgeon in 2 weeks for my 6 month CT. Breast surgeon said it could be scar tissue related I am nervous of course it is coming from the lung- keep asking questions.!
I had a VATS surgery for a talc pleurodedis (failed) and a cardiac tampenod. I had the exact pain you’re talking about- like a vise squeezing you around there or wearing a bra 4x too small. Mine was diagnosed as nerve damage and I was given gabapentin to manage the pain and it helped. My doctor gave me an rx for 3-300mg daily. I did fine with 2-100 mg daily. There’s a nerve that runs along each rib and it may have been damaged what they did the surgery. This is fairly common.
The pain does get better but it will take time. Nerves heal slowly. 8.5 years out I still have some pain and discomfort but I can tolerate it now without meds.
I worked in or managed many a restaurant/bar in my day. I know just how physical it can get. Not sure how the increased gabapentin will make you feel but if it doesn’t work or makes you dangerously sleepy ask about Cymbalta or other alternative. Not certain I’d want to be moving kegs about half asleep. 🤭
Another nerve-damage person here. Denzie is right methinks...sounds like nerve and the body prioritizes the nervous system so doubt it’s permanent. Wish you luck with that! Watch for any triggers or to verify it’s random.
I honestly don’t know. When I went into surgery, they were still convinced I had cancer. I did not know what surgery I was having. Expected a complete thoracotomy.
When I woke up, they had removed part of my lung and the infection that appeared to be a tumor on my PET scan. Pathologist later found pre-cancerous cells on resected piece. That’s all I know. I have only seen the surgeon once for a very brief visit since my surgery. I have called a couple of times regarding my symptoms but the only person who calls me is the nurse. My surgeon said that the symptoms I have are not from the surgery. I asked about the nerves/muscles around rib cage. He said he never touched any of them.
I am almost three years since the surgery and yes I still have a lot of pain in that surgical area where the scar is they move a lot of your nerves around when they do surgery so it's kind of like nerve damage but yeah I know mine's not getting better it feels the same everyday sorry to tell you that but I just take one pain pill in the morning one pain pill at night and it seems to help I don't think you need to go through such major surgery without having some kind of side effect my scans have been clear every time so I just thank God and take the pills
I guess if this is my new normal, I will have to get better meds to manage pain. I’ve been trying not to take too much. I need to be alert and I am petrified of getting an addiction.
As the people above have said, there is nerve damage whenever nerves are cut. In thoracic surgery such as yours and mine, many nerves are cut. The pain and tight feeling are "normal" after surgery. I'm four years out from my surgery and still have occasional pain in the incision and chest tube sites as well as that sense of having a tight band around my chest. As Denzie described it's like wearing a bra several sizes too small. It does get better with time. You might find gabapentin helpful.
I hope your symptoms resolve soon. Be patient. This all takes time.
I lost my upper right lobe as well as some lymph nodes a year ago, still have some occasional pain on that side, especially the chest tube incision. that one was the last to heal, and gave me the hardest time and my ribs are still sore to the touch. CT scans are all clear, no reason for the pain/discomfort. Give yourself time to heal.
Surgeon called today. CT shows all is good. No explanation for the symptoms I’m having except maybe I am one of “the unlucky few” his words, that don’t tolerate disruption of nerves.
Sending me to a pain management clinic and I am going to try acupuncture on Friday.
Someone mentioned physical therapy. Any idea what, if anything, I can do at home? I am about 3 hours away from all these appointments and they are costly.
You updated just great. So glad the CT was good. (Unlucky few my patootie!). This link will take you to a series of exercises develop for patients with lung cancer and COPD. Donna Wilson who created them is a pulmonary critical care nurse. They mirror many of the exercises we did at Livestrong at the YMCA but without the resistance equipment.
Is your closest hospital also 3 hours away? If not you could probably get pulmonary rehab at your local hospital.
We have a small hospital a out an hour away but services like that are done by private practitioners so quite costly.
When I had my surgery, I did meet the physical therapist in the hallway. She said she would be in to see me. I got released from hospital only two days after surgery so never did see her.
I have not tried Neurontin. I have in the last few days tried 1:1 cbd/thc cannabis oil. Was suggested .1mg
Nothing
Upped to .3 mg 3 times daily
Maybe slept a little better last night but not significant enough to be sure yet. Do not notice any effects at all other wise but will continue experimenting.
As you begin the CBD OIL, YOU HAVE TO BUILD UP A LEVEL IN YOUR BLOOD. THIS IS PER MY PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTOR AT THE COMPASSION CENTER. THEY HOLD CLASSES THERE TO EDUCATE US ON ITS US . DOSSAGE IS VARIABLE FROM PERSON TO PERSON.
I had similar pain for three weeks after my operation. At times it felt like a really bad chemical pain and other times it felt as if a rib was out of place. Fortunately, my family doctor diagnosed it as nerve pain and put me on 300mgs of gabapentin. It worked within a week and I stopped taking the gabapentin. No pain since then.
my doctor and my nurse practitioner are both away right now but when either of them is back to work, I’m going to see about my gabapenten dosage. Maybe need to make some adjustments. My surgeon says he’s never heard of this band I talk about. He’s been a Thoracic surgeon for 20 years. Knowing what I know now, that seems bogus.
Sorry if this is repeat. I keep losing what I’ve typed.
Update: went to physical therapy yesterday. He said that as my lung was dying, the cavity was likely shrinking and has continued to do that since surgery. He gave me some exercises to do. Just some stretches. Not sure what they will accomplish but can’t hurt.
He also gave me some exercises to do for my hips. Hip problems causing knee problems. Can barely walk and have a huge Baker’s cyst. Good grief!!
I’ve been so down in the dumps because all this is taking so long.
It’s costing us a fortune for extra staff to work my shifts and for all the therapy and travel expenses.
I am so grateful to be alive and not battling the cancer I thought I had but I’m still really frustrated.
Thanks for letting me vent. Honestly, I feel like everyone is looking at me and thinking “ what the hell is wrong with you? You don’t have cancer!!!” and I feel like that should be the case but I am really struggling!!
You have all been so helpful and kind to me here. Thank you a million times.
I am 7 years later after having the surgery and I'm still in pain I have to take pain medication but I'm still alive so that's a plus but yeah ever since the surgery I've been in pain
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