Hi, this is new to me, as was Lung Cancer, I have had my surgery and now recovering at home, had 10 days in hospital recovering and now been home for a month.
Finding it hard to build up my lung capacity (had a bi-lobectomy) so not much left on the right side, keep walking every day and trying to tackle steeper bits as I feel like it, am I running before I can walk do you think?
Still waiting to have my post op appointment to find out whats next, chemo I expect.
That's due next Thursday next week.
Basically that's where I am right now.
Look forward to more posts as I learn to live with it.
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minustwothirds
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I have recently had some of my right lung removed too Because of lung cancer . Be patient and gentle with yourself keep up,the walking and it will slowly get better .the first month is the hardest .
I am on month 4 of the recovery and feeling fine. I had 4 rounds of chemo and just finished .
Hope this helps to put your mind at rest. I am in my 60,s
Patients who get regular moderate exercise tend to recover swifter. Be kind to yourself. A bilobectomy is a major, major surgery. There’s trauma to deep tissues and that takes time to heal.
I look forward to reading your update. Sending hope that it’s a super report.
Welcome to this forum, I'm sure you'll find lots of helpful advice here and will find that all members are happy and willing to share their own experiences.
I'm guessing your surgery was 6 weeks or so ago?
Did you have the upper and middle lobes removed or the middle and lower?
Was the VATS procedure used or a full thoracotomy?
It's good that you're up and about walking every day, that will obviously help with blood circulation and help build up lung capacity - do take it easy and "listen" to what your body is telling you, don't push yourself too hard just yet. Definitely no lifting (shopping bags; vacuum cleaner; children etc until the consultant advises it's okay to do so)
I hope your follow up appointment is positive and the pathology report & scans show that all the tumour(s) has/have been removed - I suppose your consultant can't make an informed recommendation as far as chemo is concerned until he has seen the pathology report and scan results and discussed them with you. Please do keep us all informed of how things go.
My own personal experience of lung cancer - I was "fortunate" in that a CT scan for another health issue also picked up a couple of suspicious lesions in the lower lobe of my right lung, a PET scan then showed that they were probably malignant and I had the lower lobe removed by way of a full thoracotomy in November 2019. The pathology report confirmed the tumours were malignant and caused by a genetic mutation in the cells. I was given 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (Cisplatin and Vinorelbine) to kill off any rogue cancer cells and so far my scans and blood tests look positive but I will be followed up every 3 - 6 months for 5 years. My thoracic surgeon is pleased with my progress, the remaining two thirds of my lung has expanded to fill the cavity left by the removal of the lower lobe and my lung capacity is improving day by day.
Ian, thanks for your reply, glad to hear your own situation is looking good, in answer to your questions, it was top and middle lobe and full Thoractomy to enable hand stitching of the brochial tube where limph nodes were removed.
Thanks for your response - after a procedure like you've had I would say there's a lot of internal healing going on (the remainder of the lung; the bronchial tube and the various muscles the surgeon had to cut through in order to open your chest - hence no heavy lifting until the Consultant gives the okay)
Each of us heals at different rates so it's not really a "one size fits all" when it comes to measuring progress - I do think it's a case of listening to your body and not over-doing the exercise regime.
Hi, I’m 49 and had a VATS Lobectomy in December and so far have had 2 of 4 adjuvant chemo cycles. Sounds like you are recovering well from surgery. As others have said, listen to your body but keep up the breathing and walking exercises.
Hi there, I had an open thoracotomy to remove half of my left lung in September 2016. I was told adjuvant chemo would be needed but post surgery told NO! as the tumour was just under the size where chemo - literally 2 mm or so under.
It took a while to recover properly tbh but I did recover gradually all the time and took part in all out and about family events over Christmas. Be kind to yourself. Walk daily but don’t push yourself. Just build it up gradually each day. I started by gingerly hobbling to the end of the road on the arm of a friend and was marching away on 4 mile urban hikes by December. Gradual steady increases are the key. I hung on to some pain relief a little longer than a lot on here too...Still under “surveillance” but fingers crossed, 3 and a half years out! Tbh I don’t like steep hills still but if I have to do them i can. Also build in plenty of rest, listen to your body and do both, walk and rest too. I got a bit militant with myself in the walking front and had to peel back and rest more too!
Not every day is the same -at your post op stage you can have a good run of 5 days and then feel tired but that’s normal and the meaning of “listen to your body”.
Yeh, pleased to hear things looking good for yourself now, everybody giving the same advise, (listen to your body and take it slowly) obviously the way to go.
Sounds as if you're doing well and I'm guessing from your post that you're not used to sitting around and being inactive. I had open thoracotomy and upper left lobectomy in Dec 2010 and was back at work and swimming by 31/3/11. Diagnosed 13/1/11 and tumour was 7cm mucinous adenocarcinoma. The specific type I had didn't respond to chemotherapy so all my follow on treatment has been is 'vigilance' - i.e. regular chest x-rays/scans and so far so good. I was a regular swimmer before the op - 3 x 130 lengths per week but as I showered every day post surgery (nobody told me not to) and the wound started to open up (think a combination of overdoing physio exercises and getting it wet) I didn't swim until after I saw the surgeon on my first check after diagnosis at the end of March. He told me it would be painful as the muscles and ribs had been cut. I remember crying the first time that I'd never swim again but with perseverance, increasing it little by little, by the time I saw him in the June I was back to 130 lengths. I went onto swim far more than before - in single sessions and throughout the year to raise funds for Roy Castle. I did 360 lengths in one session (over 5 hours) and 980 then 989 miles throughout two consecutive years. At the first appointment post surgery he said that recovery was up to me - if I was active the lung would redevelop to fill most of the space (never filling it completely) but would be like a balloon i.e. inflating it would result in a thinner surface even if larger but if I wasn't active, it wouldn't recover fully and breathlessness more likely. Between the December and the March like you I walked - a little further each day doing a circuit of a local park at the back of our house (that I'd never previously stepped in despite living here for 18 years at the time!) Sounds as if you're doing well but do listen to your body and rest when needed. There is some really clear advice about the surgery and anticipated recovery milestones in the newly revised 'my lung surgery' booklet on the Roy Castle lung cancer website (under treatments, surgery, 'my lung surgery'). good luck with your recovery.
Thanks for your story, and you are quite right I dont like to sit around and do nothing, usually water ski in the summer months, but will be boat driver this year I think.
The wound has healed verry well so far but still verry numb around the front and getting mild stabbing pains occasionally, that I am told is normal.
So back to the walking around the village on a daily basis, dont Think I will not be back to work for a while yet as I am a carpenter specialising in staircase renovations.
sounds like you're approaching it sensibly - you're right the numbness takes a while to go - bending can still wind me so fully understand you not returning back to work just yet. I found having a target in mind for returning to swimming helped spur me on - so taking on a fundraising challenge to raise funds for charity in memory of a dear friend we lost whilst I was recovering from my surgery was a good incentive. At least you'll still be involved even if the boat driver and can aim to be back water skiing before too long. good luck and keep active.
Hello, I am 7 years post surgery and just wanted to say, whilst it is very difficult at first any amount of walking you can do now will have positive benefits as you go along. My daughter used to take me for a walk every day..at first it was literally only a few yards, but we built up a little further each day. My consultant is amazed that my oxygen is at 98% and the remaining lung has actually stretched to fill the space of the missing lobes. Don't do more than is comfortable and build up very slowly..after my first hill I had to sit on a garden wall for 10 minutes, but take comfort that it is helping your recovery. I wish you all the best xx
Welcome to the forum where as you can see from the responses, there is valuable support and encouragement for you. Sorry to hear of your lung cancer and hope your recover well from your surgery.
Everyone is giving the right advice on pacing yourself as to how your body feels each day, it does take time and you are still in the early weeks from surgery.
This link will take you directly to our booklet on lung surgery which provides detailed information on after care and what to expect:
If you wish to discuss anything you can either email us at lungcancerhelp@roycastle.org or you can call our freephone nurse led helpline number on 0800 358 7200
I'm minus two thirds too. Had op just over 12 months ago, then 4 months chemo. You are doing all the right things so keep doing them. The stronger you get you will get through the chemo. Build yourself up as much as you can, small gradients will strengthen your lungs. I'm 77 and I must say walking every morning to capacity has really helped me. Waiting for results of my latest ct scan and hope all ok. Good luck to you, keep strong.
Hi again Dave. Gosh, I had forgotten about that weird numbness. Yes, mine was numb for about a year. It was odd , but not nasty at all . Completely numb in one area for months but then a bit like a dental anaesthetic wearing off really really slowly. Be well. Sounds like you’re doing ok x
Well been for post op meeting today, all seems well, got to have chemo but not sure what or how until app with Oncologist, found out today both my Macmillan nurse and my consultant have been on self isolation for the last two weeks, (they are both Italian).
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