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How was your pain after a lobectomy?
Lung Cancer | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (69)Comment receiving replies
I had 1/2 of my right upper lobe removed, resected, and about 6 lymph nodes. All done robotic. The cancer was removed . Surgery was about 4-5 hrs. . I awoke from anesthesia in horrible pain . I was sent home 4 hours later after chest tube was removed. (My surgeon said he found patients did better if they went home after surgery. The only pain med I was sent home with was tramadol and hydrocodone. 5 days later, I ended up in the ER. I couldn’t walk from one room to the other without giving out and short of breath . O2 level dropped to 74 while taking a shower or walking as advised by my surgeon. Smaller hospital sent me by ambulance to the large teaching hospital. I spent 5 days in the hospital , on oxygen, 24/7. U entered the hospital for my surgery with O2 levels of 95-98 on average . I wasn’t able to shower without oxygen and I was in panic mode while doing so. A resident came into my room late at night and said he thought I was having anxiety. Fast toward , 3 weeks later , my follow-up with my pulmonologist , he prescribed Xanax . I was in his office attached to my oxygen tank, crying my eyes out. After my second dose, I could actually breathe without oxygen. Diagnosis was that my pain was not controlled , so I wasn’t breathing as I should have which caused my shortness of breath. Whether that is true or not , I still don’t know. It has been 16 weeks since my surgery and I’m so fatigued, I do nothing . I do not take pain meds unless I’m miserable and I still have sharp pains in my chest. If your surgeon says you will go home a few hours after surgery , find another surgeon !
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@mmga
How horrendous. Please tell your primary you cannot see that surgeon again after such treatment but you need someone to see for follow up visits.
My journey:
I had my left lower lobe removed for a Stage 0-1, 14mm Adenocarcinoma in 2023. I stayed in hospital a few days before they yanked the chest tube and sent me home. But I still had massive drainage so i refused to leave until I had a case worker and documentation of the condition I was leaving in. . I couldn't reach the wound, so asked home health to come change my dressing.
I don't do narcotics and can’t take Ibuprofen. Gabapentin was worthless. So I finally convinced them to give me old fashioned Flexoril - a muscle relaxant and that was the only reason I got some sleep.
To this day I have excursion pain when I take a deep breath. Prednisone - which i rarely take for RA Flares - is the only drug that eliminates the rib pain. That would suggest it is inflammation pain. It is more background pain now but is never gone.
So even under good circumstances it is still a journey with ups and downs. Get a good doc you have confidence in and don’t give up until you do.
Best wishes. Post when you need a shoulder or just to vent.
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@mmga I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. Though I'm sure it happens, I have never heard of someone being sent home the same day as their surgery for removal of a lobe/part of a lobe! I think your experience was extreme and terrible! I would get another surgeon for check-ups if I were you! Also, they told me if my oxygen level dropped below 90 to go back to the hospital. Of course you were anxious and panicked! You weren't getting enuogh air!
I was told I'd be in the hospital three to five days. I was there five days, the fifth being optional because I was (psychologically) uncomfortable after the tube was removed. I never experienced high level of pain. They gave me oxy when I left but I didn't need it. I did the tyelenol/advil rotation and was fine pain wise.