Duration of Severe Pain Following Robot Assisted Upper Left Lobectomy

Hello, I had 2 robotic surgeries, one RLL and then a left lung wedge resection, about 3 months apart. @mrnootz asked if some doctors are better than others and their patients have less pain. I had my surgeries at 2 different centers, 2 different surgeons. I can say the second was much easier because my surgeon used a nerve block as part of the surgical process. This made a huge difference in how much easier it was to get moving post-surgery. Both doctors had me discharged within 24 hours, walking within hours of surgery. I kept up the walking and am back, one year later feeling as good as new. Soreness remains near my breastbone and wearing a bra can be very irritating! But worth being cancer-free (so far!). On Tagrisso for at least 3 years as a preventative measure.

I am driving three hours from Ames, but it is worth it. Janani Reisenauer and her team are the best in the Mid-West...

The nerve block comment is very interesting. I visited my surgeon yesterday. I am 2 weeks after surgery. I was on Tramadol and Tylenol and took oxycodone for breakthrough pain. Took the Oxy maybe once during the day and once before bed and once in the middle of the night when the pain woke me up. I was on Gabapentin in the hospital but was not given a prescription for it when I was discharged. The surgeon gave me a prescription for it yesterday and was surprised I was not on it. Someone dropped the ball on that. I took 600 mg (2 tabs) before bed last night and the pain was gone! I slept for 10+ hours. My conclusion is that my remaining pain is nerve pain. Be sure to take the nerve blocker medication - gabapentin after surgery. it really helps.

Gabapentin sounds great. Is it normally prescribed after surgery for most lung patience at most hospitals? I wonder if I should get on the Mayo Clinic portal and send the Thoracic surgery team a message reminding them to make sure I have a scrip for Gabapentin. I had Shingles 12 years ago and it was misdiagnosed for 6 days with the wrong meds. I have never been in so much pain for so long, a repeat scares me. I don't want to go thru that again because someone forgot to give me the right meds.

Yes you can get on the portal and message your thoracic team. I did that a lot before and after my surgery! There are always questions that we forget to ask. My team got back to me within a couple days most of the time. If it wasn’t the surgeon it was their assistant.

I was not on Gabapentin in the hospital (just Oxycodone) and Tylenol and Ibuprofen as far as I know and for the first few days after leaving the hospital. When the nerve pain developed a few days later I let them know it REALLY HURT so then I was prescribed Gabapentin. You are right about people dropping balls. One has to follow things closely!

I am on Gabapentin and they told me it is the "go too" prescription for when one has severe nerve pain. My first VAT surgery I had very mild nerve issue so no need for anything. In fact, I stopped all pain meds five days after my surgery. (They sent me home with a few days of Oxycodone and Tylenol, Ibuprofen). Unfortunately, not this time. I don't know why, same surgeon, same procedure, just different lung. But incisions are not the mirror opposite.
I called into the Dept and also sent message through MyChart telling them I had significant pain, and the nurses have been responding promptly. They sent prescription to my pharmacy so I could pick it up. You could wait until after surgery when you are in the hospital, especially when you are being discharged. They will send you home with something for the first few days of pain. But I don't think they prescribe Gabapentin unless one has significant nerve pain.

Hi Vic- I agree. You almost have to be your own doctor. Before any procedure, you should know what is supposed to happen and discuss your medications with your doctor. Ask why you are prescribed one thing over another. Sometimes it can take several tries before the right one is found for you.

No matter what kind of surgery is done, be it steel or flesh the topography of your chest is being messed with, and there will be many changes that you won't see. After my LUL was removed one of my muscles contracted for months. And it still quivers every now and then. lol

Hi Merry. You are so right! My own clinical profile is now so complicated I have to be sure they don't miss something when prescribing.
You will have read that I did my second VAT which has been much more difficult than the first (that was a walk in the park).
I am waiting to schedule radiation for another nodule that has been growing. It is considered another adenocarcinoma; they just want it a little bigger. Then there is another nodule, but it is small and quiet, so I hope that after the upcoming radiation, I get a rest for a while.
There is the issue of STAS - Spread Through Air Space - that was present in the last surgery. Have you encountered that in your experience? The nodule sheds cells into the air space? I know that it is only from 2015 that it became an official way for cancer to spread. But how lung do such cells live without a blood supply and where might they settle? Not much written on it. Less than multifocal!!!! I have just been put under "close observation." STAS is considered to worsen one's prognosis. So now it is included in Pathology Reports. I was still a Stage 1 but now with STAS.

Vic- That's a great observation. I have just sent the term to my radiologist to see what he says about STAS. I forgot the term when I saw him. After my lengthy journey with lung cancer, there is no staging. We go from one nodule or gg to another. I do have three places that they are keeping an eye on, but for now, stable is the word. And I love it.