Pain after lobectomy (lung cancer) surgery: When will it go away?

I just had a CT scan on Friday. I’m waiting for the results. Are you feeling better? Are you having less pain now?

Your CT scan results not yet posted?
My rib healed and pain got better. They gave me gabapentin which helped. I still have a little numbness in the area, sometimes a twinge, but not a big deal. Nerve pain can take up to a year to go away or it can be permanent

Hello
I'm not sure if this is the same or not, but had wedge resection on lower left lobe in 2021 and surface healed nicely. A couple months afterwards I felt something slightly moving inside near one of the incisions. This could happen when getting out of bed , deep breath, etc. It wasn't painful., though. The Doctor couldn't explain what it was and eventually this movement feeling went away. My opinion is that after surgery there is scar tissue on the lung surface as well as scar tissue and nerve damage at the incision site. During chest movements and breathing, the lungs normally are moving a bit inside the chest cavity and i think those scar areas were maybe rubbing on each other or the scar on the lung was rubbing on the chest wall and that is what I was feeling. I just don't know but also at that time I still had some "post surgery" chest fluid (pleural effusion) and I don't know if that was making it easier for things to move around. As I said, that went away and most other pain went away, After a year or so the left side felt pretty normal.

I also had upper right lobectomy in 2019 and still have some surface skin/nerve numbness and still feel some chest tightness on the right side when I take a deep breath.
Hope it gets better for you.

I'm calling my doc on Monday because I had right lower lobectomy in January. Everything has healed nicely except by the larger incision by ribs under my right breast. It feels like something moving when I cough, blow my nose, strain having bowel movement, carry bags etc. Then it's sore & then mid back pain. I was thinking gallbladder, but also wondering if possible hernia there. I'd like to hear what you find out too. Has anyone developed a hernia by incision area?

Hello
I'm not sure if this is the same or not, but had wedge resection on lower left lobe in 2021 and surface healed nicely. A couple months afterwards I felt something slightly moving inside near one of the incisions. This could happen when getting out of bed , deep breath, etc. It wasn't painful., though. The Doctor couldn't explain what it was and eventually this movement feeling went away. My opinion is that after surgery there is scar tissue on the lung surface as well as scar tissue and nerve damage at the incision site. During chest movements and breathing, the lungs normally are moving a bit inside the chest cavity and i think those scar areas were maybe rubbing on each other or the scar on the lung was rubbing on the chest wall and that is what I was feeling. I just don't know but also at that time I still had some "post surgery" chest fluid (pleural effusion) and I don't know if that was making it easier for things to move around. As I said, that went away and most other pain went away, After a year or so the left side felt pretty normal.

I also had upper right lobectomy in 2019 and still have some surface skin/nerve numbness and still feel some chest tightness on the right side when I take a deep breath.
Hope it gets better for you.

Did you get back pain & did that discomfort seem more so when lifting etc too? I thought scar tissue also. Thank you for your thoughts. Stay healthy & be well!

I had a lobectomy on the last day of September 2023.

I still have pain and it sounds like yours. It moves around a bit, any gardening/bending activity stirs it up. Mine is under my left breast. I had a lower left lobectomy. It moves and radiates around my back as well. I think it is just nerve damage and that is why it comes and goes and moves. I am meeting with my surgeon this month. I am going to ask for PT- I figure a good PT might help. Lidocaine patches help a little for me.

I'm calling my doc on Monday because I had right lower lobectomy in January. Everything has healed nicely except by the larger incision by ribs under my right breast. It feels like something moving when I cough, blow my nose, strain having bowel movement, carry bags etc. Then it's sore & then mid back pain. I was thinking gallbladder, but also wondering if possible hernia there. I'd like to hear what you find out too. Has anyone developed a hernia by incision area?

I have been working out for 45 years of my life now I can’t work out anymore because I’m in a lot of pain. I’m just wondering if I aggravated it. I stopped working out for about two weeks now let’s see what happens

Did you get back pain & did that discomfort seem more so when lifting etc too? I thought scar tissue also. Thank you for your thoughts. Stay healthy & be well!