Pain after robotic assisted lobectomy: How long does it last?

I had a robotics assisted left upper lobectomy in November 2022. Acute pain subsided pretty quickly but like clockwork, I woke up with pain at about 2:30 AM. Nothing relieves it except oxycodone. I took 1-2 per night. The pain subsided 6 or so weeks post op. I have no discomfort now. Hopefully, yours will resolve soon.

I am 5 weeks post surgery, I have a constant cough. Dr is starting me on a short steroid pack

Just a note about my husbands cough from pleural mesothelioma/resolved pleural effusion being treated with ipi/novo immunotherapy. He was prescribed over the counter Zyrtec which resolves his cough for 12 hour or more. He takes one at night and sometimes one in the morning. He also uses Halls Breezer cough drops which can quiet the cough if it happens during the day. No RX cough meds helped. Might ask your physicians if it’s okay to try.

I don't have feeling if constant phlegm, just coughing. Sometimes worse than others. Thank you for responding Felix. Best of luck to you as well

I also had a lower left lobectomy in March 2022 and still have a feeling of constant phlegm in my throat and need to clear with a cough. Was told that it is common post surgery and that it should get better but may not go away completely. Have follow up CT scan at end of month and will revisit this issue. Good luck to you!

Thank you Lidja. Planning on talking to my oncologist about the cough but it helps to know it's not just me. Wish you well!

I have had two lobectomies, the first in December 2019 to treat a large single tumor (RUL) and the second (LUL) in March 2020 to treat multi-focal lung cancer that showed up six months after the first lobectomy. I had pain (pressure-like) and a persistent cough, especially when I spoke, after the first lobectomy. Six weeks after the surgery, I started acupuncture, which at first improved and then completely resolved both issues (appointments every week or two over possibly two or three months; I can't find my old wall calendar, which I was sure I had kept). I had read that acupuncture is commonly used in China for both pain and coughing after a lobectomy and I was lucky to know a talented acupuncturist (who had once successfully treated tendonitis in an ankle).

Oddly, I had very little pain (which resolved quickly) and no persistent cough after the second lobectomy (both done by the same brilliant surgeon). I guess practice (by the patient) makes perfect. Both surgeries were VATS.

I too had robotic lung surgery in February of this year. The top lobe of my right lung was removed. Fortunately cancer was stage 1 and all lymph nodes tested were negative. I exercise twice a week but thinking I need to do more. I'm guessing that will help with shortness of breath I sometimes get. High humidity definitely doesn't seem to be helping. I also am experiencing a cough at times that makes me nervous. Do other folks have a cough too? Hoping it will eventually go away

@kkckkjm

There are three different approaches that your surgeon can use to remove part of your lung: VATS, RATS, and thoracotomy. VATS stands for Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery. RATS stands for Robotic-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery. A thoracotomy is a larger incision made between the ribs, requiring rib spreading. A VATS and RATS approach are both considered to be minimally invasive with small incision sites made.

For those of you confused by all the different acronyms for lung lobe removal here is a good explanation:
https://www.marywashingtonhealthcare.com/our-services/medical-group/virginia-cardiovascular-thoracic-surgery/vcts-diagnoses-and-procedures/vats-rats-lung-resection/
Lung resection is the removal of a part or entire lobe of your lung. There are different ways that a lung resection surgery can be performed.

There is more than one reason for fluid to build up in your lungs after surgery.
Fluid around the lung (pleural effusion) is one. Pleural effusion occurs when fluid builds up in the space between the lung and the chest wall. This can happen for many different reasons, including pneumonia or complications from heart, liver, or kidney disease. Another reason could be a side effect of cancer.

Pulmonary edema describes when fluid builds up in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Most often, the buildup of fluid is caused by a pressure imbalance within the heart, but other causes can also send excess fluid to the lungs. If the fluid is arriving at a faster rate than the lungs can clear it, parts will fill, making it difficult—if not impossible—for the lungs to take in oxygen and deliver it to the rest of the body, as they are meant to do.

Did your doctor explain to you what he thought caused your need for the drain? Was it painful when they put it in?

They only related to me that some fluid is totally normal due to the surgery. Once the chest drain is removed, it has to accumulate until the body normally and gradually expels it.
When they do the thoracentesis and test, they'll have to answer your questions. Then they'll decide how to watch you in the future. Anyway, that's from my experience.