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How was your pain after a lobectomy?
I'll be having a lobectomy (lower left) in early May and am very anxious about the post-surgery pain. Many years ago (about 35) I had a hysterectomy and remember being in tremendous pain when I woke up -- like nothing I had experienced before. That eased up while I was in the hospital but at home I had a lot of pain again. I think things have changed, the surgery itself as well as the approach to pain, but I am scared. How has it been for others?
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@lls8000, Hey. My recovery is pretty much as I expected. I am still sore - example last night in bed I couldn't get comfortable and my right side (where they went in) was REALLY tender. My oncologist when I met with him, told me "we will get through the first CT and talk about it then". I got the idea he wasn't going to budge. I have a friend who had this same surgery and stage but she went to DUKE, and they scanned her every three months for 9 months and then graduated to every six months. I don't know if her tumor was bigger (can you believe this? She can't remember the size. I will never ever forget 2.3 cm. Also she probably didn't got over her pathology report line by line like I did and how my daughter helped me do.).
I got another piece of information that now has me worried again. On my PET/CT, there was a small "uptake" in the upper part of my esophagus. My internist said very likely from my acid reflux but my surgeon and oncologist kept reminding me to go get it checked out. So at my appt. yesterday, the ENT wants to do a sedated endoscopy with potential biopsy. I can't even describe how hearing the word "biopsy" triggered me. Both my surgeon and my oncologist don't think it has anything to do with the lung cancer but I am so afraid of what it is now. My internist said it could simply be from swallowing during the scan but after hearing cancer, how do you allow your head to think positively.
I will keep you all posted. Not sure when my surgery will be as I am waiting for the scheduler to call me. Happy Thanksgiving Renee. I really didn't want to go to the ENT before Thanksgiving as all of my children and my two grandsons (ages 2 and 8 months) are coming from Colorado and Ohio and my son who lives in the same town I do will be spending a lot of time here also. I hope I can not think about it while they are here but I am not good at not worrying and really don't have a good track record.
Anybody ever had this?
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1 Reaction@rcerwin3 s
Surgery done and I must say I am in much less pain than anticipated. I can say that it is less than VATS, pain on the scale of 0 or 1. Most awful part is how slowly time passes.
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1 Reaction@janar SO GLAD!
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2 Reactions@rcerwin3 Pain is now worse but its because of lobectomy, not because of open surgery. Was given some morphine and its getting better. Tubes come out tomorrow
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1 Reaction@rcerwin3, Please try to remember that 'uptake' on a PET can mean many things. It's usually inflammation or infection. The doctors want to be careful and not leave any doubt. Having the biopsy and knowing what it is can be looked at as a good thing. But I also understand how triggering it can be. I'm convinced that we all come out of a cancer diagnosis with at least a bit of PTSD. Try to remember, 'deep cleansing breaths'. 🙂
Your thanksgiving plans sound wonderful! Try to focus on your family.