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

Posted by allstaff @allstaff, Feb 21 8:00am

Two months out from lower left lobectomy and just started to feel better when pain started again all around the incision area and upper part of back and spine area. Almost like a stinging sensation. I have read this could happen. Has anyone experienced this?

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Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | May 7 12:40pm
In reply to @benicia "I am going for 3 and half years after my double lobectomy and I also used..." + (show)
@benicia

I am going for 3 and half years after my double lobectomy and I also used to ask the question, "when does it get better"? My Dr said that it should feel and get better (fully heal) within 2 years, BUT to be honest you just have to learn to live with the discomfort. Every day is different. Pain gets better but the discomfort will always be there. All we can do is be grateful that we got another chance at life and make the best of the situation. I know it sounds harsh, but that is all we can do. Be positive and believe that you will eventually feel better. Here I am doing gym and doing a lot of other activities and must say that I only started feeling better once I started being active again, like cooking, cleaning, driving (using the muscles). Just breath and believe. 😉

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Welcome to Mayo Connect @benicia. It looks you are jumping right in and being helpful for others. That's what we do best here! Thanks for joining us, I'm glad you are here.

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pb50 | @pb50 | May 8 7:27am
In reply to @babs1956 "Yes it’s by the incision I do not take any medication. I just called the doctors..." + (show)
@babs1956

Yes it’s by the incision I do not take any medication. I just called the doctors office today and I’m waiting for the nurse to call me back. It’s numb when I touch it and I feel like there’s something in there. I’m using Biofreeze for the burning but it’s constant burning.

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I believe gabapentin is pretty effective for nerve pain for most people. I wasn't one of them but my pain has improved over this year. Still tight on deep breaths, but only infrequent outright pain.

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pb50 | @pb50 | May 8 11:18am

If one has a cracked Rib would that show up in the CT I get every six months?

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2 replies
trudyhs | @trudyhs | May 9 8:25am
In reply to @jill7517 "I had an upper left robotic lobectomy 5 weeks ago. Although I am very mobile, I..." + (show)
@jill7517

I had an upper left robotic lobectomy 5 weeks ago. Although I am very mobile, I still have pain, mainly in my back and around one of my ribs on the left side (where the scar from removing the lung is). The pain is particularly bad when I sneeze and it hurts when I press on that rib. In fact, it feels like I have a broken rib. Is this possible? I am also noticeably swollen in that area. It is still too painful to sleep on my left side.

Should I just hope that it goes away? I mentioned the pain to my surgeon and he just said that it will go in time, but he did not examine me.

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Hi Jill,
I had robotic lung surgery 8 weeks ago and I totally understand what you're saying. I was concerned that I may have had a rib fracture too but I didn't. The nerves in the rib area have been severely jangled and that takes time to heal. I feel so much better today than I did at 5 weeks but I still have discomfort but not pain. It gets better but slowly. Use lots of pillows to be comfortable in bed and rest but also walk - keep moving. I can walk at my pre-surgery pace now but I sure couldn't at 5 weeks. My breathing is definitely different than pre-surgery but it's fine. You'll get there!
Take good care and know that it will get so much better.

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dougmck | @dougmck | May 9 10:48am
In reply to @pb50 "If one has a cracked Rib would that show up in the CT I get every..." + (show)
@pb50

If one has a cracked Rib would that show up in the CT I get every six months?

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I had a cracked rib and yes, it showed up on my CT. I was prescribed gabapentin and it took awhile to start working - I think about two weeks, if I remember correctly - but it completely eradicated the pain.

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pb50 | @pb50 | May 9 12:16pm

Well I've had a CT six months ago and nothing was mentioned. I’ve had rib pain on chest expansion - as in deep breaths - since my lower left lobectomy a year ago.

The only thing I can offer is that I was prescribed prednisone twice since the surgery because my RA was flaring. And both times my rib tightness and pain was immediately relieved. Once I stopped the course, the pain came right back.

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sjohnson60 | @sjohnson60 | May 11 7:50am
In reply to @babs1956 "Seven years ago I had my upper left lung removed. I’m still having pain. Will this..." + (show)
@babs1956

Seven years ago I had my upper left lung removed. I’m still having pain. Will this pain ever go away thank you.

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I was told by my thoracic surgeon that I could have pain rest of my life, had a right upper and middle removed 2020, still have pain definitely short of breathe on excertion. Now have burning sensation in the middle of chest that was out, possible nerve healing.

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1 reply
sjohnson60 | @sjohnson60 | May 11 7:51am
In reply to @babs1956 "Burning & tightness" + (show)
@babs1956

Burning & tightness

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I have that it is very uncomfortable

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denzie | @denzie | May 12 10:15am
In reply to @pb50 "If one has a cracked Rib would that show up in the CT I get every..." + (show)
@pb50

If one has a cracked Rib would that show up in the CT I get every six months?

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I have multiple cracked/broken ribs that have been mentioned on every CT for more than a decade.

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2 replies
jannam | @jannam | May 12 10:36am
In reply to @sjohnson60 "I was told by my thoracic surgeon that I could have pain rest of my life,..." + (show)
@sjohnson60

I was told by my thoracic surgeon that I could have pain rest of my life, had a right upper and middle removed 2020, still have pain definitely short of breathe on excertion. Now have burning sensation in the middle of chest that was out, possible nerve healing.

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I had VATS surgery to both lungs in 2020 and also still have pain. Pain management is going very well BUT I am breathless most of the time.

Are you on oxygen?

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