numb at surgical site

[Disinclined]

After lobectomy my side is numb, will that go away?

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

I had my vats for something different but I experienced numbness also. My doctor managed the numbness with gabapentin. It took awhile but the cold, numb pain did drop quite a bit. I still experience it from time to time (11 years later) but it is manageable. I was onl on the Gabapentin about 1 year. Exercise made the most difference. Also massaging it.

[JanetteR57]

Yes - it will but it can take time. was your surgery open or keyhole? I had open surgery in Dec 2010 and it took a while but I do think resuming my swimming helped stretch and move my body in a way to reduce things other people have commented upon.

Occasionally I still feel a twinge if I bend down in a certain way but I'm still appreciative I was able to have surgery all those years ago. this booklet may help explain some of the expected milestones but we're all different so these are guidelines. good luck with your continued recovery - keeping active can make a big difference.

roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...

[Disinclined in reply to JanetteR57]

thank you!

[Dollybrad]

I had a lobectomy 8 years ago and still have numbness.

[Disinclined in reply to Dollybrad]

thank you!

[RavishingRed]

After joining more than a decade ago and never completing the process until just a few minutes ago, this will be my first post. My right lobectomy was performed back in 1999. Surgical techniques have vastly changed since then. Some things don’t change. Your body has just endured one of the worst assaults possible. Although in my experience it will never go back to “normal”. it will improve but there may still be some loss of sensation . It takes a very long time for nerves to regenerate and the numbness to subside. Also, we are all different and depending how tuned in you are to your body, you may eventually not feel any substantial difference between pre and post surgery sensation. I am always in the “1 percent”, but even at that, it’s doable most of the time. Good Luck!

[Disinclined in reply to RavishingRed]

thanks!

[Pessa]

I had 2 lobectomies, 2013 and 2015. I still have an area of numbness on the side. No pain.

[Chickadee-13]

My open vats surgery was 7+ years ago. After surgery, I did PT that included massage that helped a lot with the healing process. I still have numbness and once in a while a weird twinge but it is manageable and I’m grateful every day. I’ve also taken up a daily (mostly) yoga practice that’s been so very helpful not just with stretching, but breathing too.

[Sallyness]

I had my lobectomy in 2009. The numbness does get much better over time. Occasionally, I will become aware of the numbness still, but nothing bothersome. Also, I will also occasionally get slight nerve pain twinges.

[Melly_Mel]

I had mine 10 mos ago, and it has improved. I had a course of acupuncture which helped with neuropathy pain. Now I have no pain but still increased sensation and numbness at the same time, but much less so than 10 mos ago. Massage therapy has helped, and I think if I had started doing core muscle work maybe 2-3 mos after surgery it would have been better, I waited longer than that. It seems like that is also improving the situation for me.

[Disinclined in reply to Melly_Mel]

Thank you for your reply, I have had two massages since May, fewer than I would have prior to surgery. One was an oncology massage and one a deep tissue. I am only on surveillance but have been cautious about too much bodywork. the Oncology specific made me think that I need to know more and if that is needed. I like deep tissue much more. I 'm not sure it makes sense anymore I have had good and not so good results w accup. may try it again. Tx again!