Athletics After Lobectomy

[pwest]

Hi, Due to a stage one neuroendicrine carcinoma nodule I am exactly three months post surgery for a lower left lobectomy. This was found in a scan and I had no symptoms. I am a triathlete and started training as soon as I could. Both my surgeon and pulmonologist told me to do whatever I could. I participated in a sprint distance triathlon at seven weeks post thoracic surgery. I am not thrilled with my cardiovascular range and due to post surgery clots in both calves I am on Xaralto which causes leg and arm pain. I really struggle running.

[JanetteR57]

Firstly congratulations on your activity post surgery and good news this was found early. My own experience was that I was regular swimmer (130 x 25m lengths per week) and this time 9 years ago experienced symptoms unusual for me (difficulty swallowing, sore throat - had tonsils out aged 4 so not had this before, sudden onset cough, etc) and went to A&E - chest x-ray revealed a 'lesion on left lung' but was discharged after 7 hours. Long story short - over six weeks later, had CT followed by rapidly arranged PET scan then appointment with surgeon who told me I had to lose half my left lung (upper) and remove whatever the mass was then determine what it was for any follow on treatment. I had surgery in Dec 2010 (I was just had 52nd birthday) and told in Jan 2011 that a 7cm tumour (adenocarcinoma) was removed with upper left lobe. As I had no surgical history, think I overdid physio and with showering every day, my wound started to open. As a result I didn't pick up my swimming until i saw the surgeon again in the March - he told me it would be painful due to the muscles/nerves/ribs that had been cut through. It was but little by little I rebuilt it so by the time I saw him in the June that year, I was back to 130 lengths but I had little lung capacity for normal walking if carrying/speaking or stairs. Over the next 18 months or so the situation remained the same, in the pool, steady swimming increased to 360 lengths in one session and 980 miles that year and 989 the following but still, stairs and regular walking if carrying/speaking remained an issue.

Almost 9 years on, I can tell you that I recovered my pulmonary function completely and then some - but an emergency admission for chest infection in 2015 resulted in further surgery (for a trapped nerve in my elbow) and have struggled with recurrent chest infections (average annual stay in hospital since) but this year various tests have shown that some of my difficulty which this year has been really bad, could be related to how I'm actually breathing. I'm about to start pulmonary rehabilitation with a speech and language therapist at a respiratory tertiary centre and do hope this will enable me to improve my everyday breathing.

My swimming is back to over 200 lengths 3 times a week (but not back to my 'mega levels' of a few years ago) as I was in hospital again in January.

Patience, breathing training either with yoga, pilates, rowing or swimming have all been recommended to open up the lungs but as I wasn't a runner beforehand (never been able to get rhythm going properly), unable to comment about your triathlon issue.

However what strikes me is that particularly in the never smoking lung cancer patient community is that many of us were particularly fit prior to diagnosis so struggled to be taken seriously by medics who are more used to seeing very wheezy breathless older people with lung cancer. The evidence is that younger people are developing lung cancer and NETs.

I guess the upshot is that finding a new normal or a new way of training so you don't lose your fitness maybe a bridge until you can return to your more strenuous running. Is your cycling ok? I'm thinking that as it's non weight bearing, these sport aspects are easier to build up whilst your pulmonary capacity redevelops.

Give yourself time and well done so far on your determination to get back into physical activity.

[Feelingblessed2013]

Congratulations on doing as well as you are for being only 3 months post op. But give yourself time to heal, you have put your body through a lot, it needs time to recover.

[Spainy]

Hang in there! Your athletics are amazing. Glad you dug in further to get some breathing work. Sometimes we just have to keep digging and be our own advocates to achieve the best quality of life.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

Welcome! I wish we all had your strength. Your body has experienced a major trauma and it can take a while to heal so be easier on yourself. You’re leaps and bounds ahead of others here already.

We know that regular exercise won’t prevent cancer but it does help speed recovery. I hope someone else on Xarelto checks in soon.

Best hopes.