Had lobectomy in 2020 still having radiating severe nerve pain.

Hi @currancl, Welcome to Mayo Connect, I'm glad that you found us. I'm sorry to hear that you are still experiencing this pain. I'm hoping that others here, like Pam (@pb50, who's always helpful!), make you feel like what you are feeling is real, and unfortunately not all that uncommon. I can't image living with this type of chronic pain after 2 1/2 years. Has your doctor had any suggestions?

No. I have had breast pain, pain under breast, pain in ribs lateral to breast. Shooting pains across breast and upper abdomen. Mostly that subsided except for the random electrical shooting pain that is usually fleeting. That’s what gabapentin is for but that drug and I don’t get along. Now six months in, I get a random brief jolt but infrequently.

My pain feels like it’s my breast. I had the lower right lobe removed in Feb 21 I thought the nerve pain was over. I started with clothing or anything touching my skin & now mr right breast & under stem ache terribly. Am I crazy?

I know we are all unique but have you been placed on prednisone anytime in that time? I was put on it two weeks ago for a coincidental RA flare and was shocked to find it helped my rib and diaphragm pain - a lot. It has only been a two week course and low dose at that (20mg for the first four days and then stepping down from there) but I just thought I’d mention.

I had an upper left lobectomy in 2022 and still have what feels like strangling tight pain. Gabapentin helps. I originally took 900mg three times a day. I’m down to 300mg twice a day. I have a feeling I will never be pain free but at least it’s now manageable. Good luck to you.

You’re very sweet. It’s been six months since surgery and it is better. I’m sure it will be better yet in four more months. I have RA and I’m accustomed to chronic pain. This is just a new one.
On my better days I easily keep pain relegated to background noise. Some days not so much. 🙂
I tend to not deal with limitations well. Shocking I know. 🙄

@pb50, Ouch!, that all sounds very painful. Four months seems like a long time, I know you won't hesitate to reach out to the pulmonologist office if the pain isn't getting better. Hugs (light delicate hugs). 🙂

Well pulmonologist says of course I have scarring - They had to cut pleura to get to lobe they removed.

Says sometimes they bruise ribs getting instruments in etc.

Improvement from Prednisone for unrelated condition suggests neuromuscular inflammation (normal Sed rate notwithstanding)

You know, it could be RA related.
(When in doubt blame it on RA)

Let’s see how you are In four months.

Yea. It was completely an unexpected benefit since I was taking the prednisone for an RA flare. I already have infusions every six weeks of a biologic immunosuppressant (Remicade) for my RA, so I can’t stay on Prednisone long. I took 20mg for the first 4 days and I’m stepping down now. The benefit on my rib/diaphragm has worn off by end of day each day and now that I’m stepping dosage down, it’s not that much relief even in morning. But those first Four days were awesome!!!

Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking About , but if prednisone helps,’it must be inflammation. So sooner or later that has to resolve. A girl can hope .

Your comments are interesting. I had VAT surgery, so they push instruments between ribs and that interrupts the nerves. In fact, I had fractured rib. My nerve pain is gone (6 months), but I feel stiffness and hardness when I take significant breath and a numbness like a belt under the breast. I am currently on Prednisone (40mg for 2 weeks, then 30mg, 20mg for total of 6 weeks) and it has not taken those sensations away. It does help me to breath for suspected alveolitis (am learning to spell/misspell lots of words now)
Prednisone of course lowers immune system response so need to be cautious to avoid contagious disseizes and also in a few months it can significantly impact bone density.