Hello,
My Dad had a VATs Lobectomy earlier this week. He is doing well physically and is home. However, he is experiencing strange feelings in his chest which make him feel very anxious, making it difficult to sleep. He is not breathless, his lungs are clear and his movement/ walking is really good.
Has anyone experienced similar sensations? I’d welcome any advice. Thanks v much!
Hi, pleased to hear your dad is home doing well. Is the feeling more like a flutter rather than pain?
I had very odd feelings not pain just weirid ....I had a need to go back to hospital and while there showed me xray the lung thats left gradually expands to feel the vacant space once thats complete feelings went at least for me it felt so odd at the time
I experienced just the same! Extremely difficult to describe because like nothing else. My consultant said does it just feel 'weird'. That just about sums it up! Lasted a couple of months or so but went away completely eventually.Good luck to your Dad
Great to hear your dad is doing well.. yes I had strange sensations after my procedure and it was explained that things move around to fill the gap that has been left - it did subside after 3 or 4 months in my case - post op anxiety isn’t nice though - tell him to keep positive take things gently if he’s had some physio input follow their advice and he’ll do fine - have everything crossed for him x
Hi! Thank you very much for your helpful replies which are really reassuring. It makes sense that the lobes that have been left are expanding into the new space available. He says the weird sensations come in waves, not a flutter.
It is great to know that the odd feelings settled for you all! Thank you
Good that your dad is recovering well. We often experience strange sensations after a lobectomy - it can be the nerve endings recovering after all that disturbance, muscle rebuilding and even anxiety. As others have said, it will settle down in time.
My open thoracotomy in Dec 2010 felt similar - although not having had any surgery since my tonsils out aged 3.5, I had nothing to compare it to and was just grateful to be alive. Having become involved in cancer research in 2013 and learning how few are detected when surgery is possible, that made me even more appreciative.
Keeping active and building up some stamina each day can help physical and mental recovery - start with some walking around the house, garden. My surgeon told me that my recovery was up to me that if I was active, the lung would develop to fill the space but sitting/lying around may prevent the remaining lung developing as it could. I went onto swim much further than the distances I'd done regularly beforehand.
This surgery booklet - only just updated - may help explain other milestones/experiences to him/you - it has clinical , surgeon, chest physician, nursing and patient input. good luck to you both.
Thanks very much! Booklet has lots of helpful information
In my case, I felt as though there was a constricting band around my chest, like wearing a bra two sizes too small. I was also very short of breath. It has been 8 years since my VATS surgery and most of those symptoms have resolved. It takes time. Depending on where the incision is made May determine what symptoms a person has.
I wish your father a fast and full recovery. It sounds as though he is willing to put in the work to become as active as possible.
Jean, what you're describing I've had many times with severe chest infections that have hospitalised me including chest infection (2015), pneumonia (2016), pseudomonas (2017) and RSV (2019) and weren't related to my lung surgery for lung cancer in Dec 2010.
Well done on being 8 years out - as you say, the type of surgery (open vs keyhole) can impact as can the level of health the person had beforehand and how active they may be. I find swimming helps 'open' up such feelings of tightness and stretching the torso in the water also helps me. Others do yoga and pilates for such stretching without the strenuous activity and all help improve breathing.
hi, I’m experiencing the same 4 months post x
Hi JN2023
Sorry to hear about your Dad but glad he is at home, doing well. I see you have had excellent advice and support from others on this forum. Chest pain or strange feelings can be unsettling and can be related to all sorts of things including the surgery he's just had and also additional beats or abnormal heart rhythms. We would always advise discussing new symptoms with your medical team so they can be assessed properly.
I see JanetteR57 has sent you the link to the surgery booklet. This link may also be helpful about managing symptoms
roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...
All our information leaflets can be accessed here: roycastle.org/help-and-supp...
These range from diagnosis, staging of lung cancer, treatments and living with lung cancer.
If there is anything else you would like to discuss you can email ask the nurse at lungcancerhelp@roycastle.org or call our free phone nurse led helpline number on 0800 358 7200 Monday to Thursday 0900-1700 and Friday 0900-1600
Hope his symptoms improve quickly
Best Wishes
The Roy Castle Support Team
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