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Breathing difficulty after radiation for lung cancer

Posted by fontspec @fontspec, Dec 11, 2023

Has anyone had difficulty breathing after radiation? I've had a double lobectomy, chemo, and radiation on left side. Since radiation, breathing walking up a flight of stairs, I get really winded.

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vic83 | @vic83 | Mar 18 9:30am
In reply to @fontspec "I had Radiation on left side, and yes a cracked rib which turned into a break..." + (show)
@fontspec

I had Radiation on left side, and yes a cracked rib which turned into a break over time. It has consequently healed but overlap-if that makes sense. When they took out 2/3 of my left lung it crack rib #5, eventually breaking when my lung. When they took out by lung, they also removed the muscle which is located between ribs. So yes it heals, but it is uncomfortable when I sit back in a chair or car.

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My 7th rib was cracked at time of VAT surgery on left lung, and the next CT scan picked it up. I had more nerve pain with this surgery than my first VAT on the right. Fortunately, it got better, and I just have a little numbness still on the left.
When I had radiation on the right some months later, they advised me that radiation weakens the bones. And I guess being older with thinning bones is also a risk factor.

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fontspec | @fontspec | Mar 18 5:09pm

That's interesting, I was told--because I asked--if radiation will do any harm other than where the cancer is, the response was no. Now I'm being told, by breathing issue is due in part to the radiation.

Thanks for the input

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trfb | @trfb | Mar 19 1:51pm
In reply to @fontspec "That's interesting, I was told--because I asked--if radiation will do any harm other than where the..." + (show)
@fontspec

That's interesting, I was told--because I asked--if radiation will do any harm other than where the cancer is, the response was no. Now I'm being told, by breathing issue is due in part to the radiation.

Thanks for the input

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I have found that the doctors may not be completely forthcoming prior to the treatment. The radiation oncologist said that rib pain was less the 1% from SBRT radiation. Now, looking at some research on the NIH site I see that it may be as high as 25%.
My chemo oncologist has referred me to physical therapy specializing in oncology and the first session taught me how to protect my fractured 7th rib while moving and sleeping. This helped as last night was the first night I have slept in several weeks.
We must be proactive, do our own research (on .org and .edu sites) and hope the physicians accountable.

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