How was your pain after a lobectomy?

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 !

Hi,
Because of where the nodules were, he had explained it would be a small incision to reach and biopsy them.
If cancer was found, he would make a larger incision and spread two ribs.
As he explained it, it was like getting punched in the ribs but that in one to two days, I would be fine.
The incision was 20cm plus the ports for the chest tubes. But was told I would have one and it would only be left in for 48 hrs once the drainage stopped.
When I was discharged, his associate surgeon said I would still have some drainage but it would subside, it did three days later, hence I was sent home on oxygen and still require it when I walk more than 10 mins. I’m used to running and or walking 3-5 miles a day so o be this incapacitated is again something I never thought about.
I’ve read different experiences, this is mine. So far I have seen 6 doctors because of the after effects of the surgery.
Each ask the same question: why was I not told I had fractured 4 ribs two that were spread and one above and below the two causing pain that I wouldn’t even wish on my ex husband.
Please research and if the surgeon is vague about pain, aftercare etc explain, your not a surgeon who has done this many times, your a person who is putting your trust in their hands for the best outcome.

Take care

Thanks to everyone who wrote here. It was all helpful, both the good and the bad. I had my surgery last Friday and came home today, Wednesday. Coming out of anesthesia, I remember being asked for my number 1 to 10 and I remember I said "8" but I don't actually remember the pain itself. They had given me a nerve block and gave me oxycodone and fentanyl and I stayed in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit overnight. The next day I moved to a regular room and my pain was definitely down from 8 but my nausea was on the way up. The nausea got pretty nasaty but was helped by an anti-nausea med -- I don't remember its name. It was likely the oxy or fentanyl because once they weaned me off those, the nausea started going down. Tuesday they took my drainage tube out. I had felt anxious about that but it took two seconds and was nothing and such a relief not to have that gross box to carry around. I stayed one more night to make sure I was okay. Now I am happy to be home. They think I will do fine alternating between advil and tylenol for pain but gave me some oxy just in case. I am hopeful. Best, Elyse

Thanks to everyone who wrote here. It was all helpful, both the good and the bad. I had my surgery last Friday and came home today, Wednesday. Coming out of anesthesia, I remember being asked for my number 1 to 10 and I remember I said "8" but I don't actually remember the pain itself. They had given me a nerve block and gave me oxycodone and fentanyl and I stayed in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit overnight. The next day I moved to a regular room and my pain was definitely down from 8 but my nausea was on the way up. The nausea got pretty nasaty but was helped by an anti-nausea med -- I don't remember its name. It was likely the oxy or fentanyl because once they weaned me off those, the nausea started going down. Tuesday they took my drainage tube out. I had felt anxious about that but it took two seconds and was nothing and such a relief not to have that gross box to carry around. I stayed one more night to make sure I was okay. Now I am happy to be home. They think I will do fine alternating between advil and tylenol for pain but gave me some oxy just in case. I am hopeful. Best, Elyse

Thanks to everyone who wrote here. It was all helpful, both the good and the bad. I had my surgery last Friday and came home today, Wednesday. Coming out of anesthesia, I remember being asked for my number 1 to 10 and I remember I said "8" but I don't actually remember the pain itself. They had given me a nerve block and gave me oxycodone and fentanyl and I stayed in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit overnight. The next day I moved to a regular room and my pain was definitely down from 8 but my nausea was on the way up. The nausea got pretty nasaty but was helped by an anti-nausea med -- I don't remember its name. It was likely the oxy or fentanyl because once they weaned me off those, the nausea started going down. Tuesday they took my drainage tube out. I had felt anxious about that but it took two seconds and was nothing and such a relief not to have that gross box to carry around. I stayed one more night to make sure I was okay. Now I am happy to be home. They think I will do fine alternating between advil and tylenol for pain but gave me some oxy just in case. I am hopeful. Best, Elyse