Pain after lobectomy (lung cancer) surgery: When will it go away?

@babs1956 No they did not. The lack of answers is frustrating. I am concerned there is more going on there. I have a lot of other recurring symptoms and several specialists but no real answers. In addition to the chest pain, numbness and tingling I have blurred vision, night sweats, heart palpitations, tremors (mostly in my hands but sometimes my whole body) the tremors are definitely worse in cold or heat. The list goes on. I have had a multitude of tests to no avail. My cancer survival doctor say that with my consistently elevated neutrophil levels I definitely have something undiagnosed and to keep searching. She is the only one. Everyone else just says we found nothing or minor things that add up to nothing. See you in another year. At this point I feel deflated. I can work through most of this stuff every day so I guess that is something. Just being able to talk about it without judgment helps.

I had robotic assisted upper right lung surgery back in May 2025 and I’m still suffering with chest tightness like a bra band a zillion times too tight or like being squeezed so tight it makes breathing somewhat difficult along with numbness under my right breast, poking and or knotted sensation in upper part of my ribs on both sides and feeling like a bulge in my stomach. I feel if I keep contorting my body to try to move the tightness and/or knot down (like adjusting your bra only mot wearing one) to get more comfortable but it doesn’t always work. Possible causes like acid reflux and gallbladder issues have been ruled out. There seems to be no consensus from doctors on whether this is a muscle or nerve damage issue and I’m left frustrated dealing with this very uncomfortable and sometimes painful situation on a daily basis. Although I’ve had several different test, the medical profession has basically just passed me on from one doctor to the other but no real advocate to help me to understand what this is and/or offer treatment options. I was on gabapentin for seven months and was told to stop taking it since it was no longer beneficial. I was referred to Physical Therapy who stated they didn’t know how to treat my symptoms. I’m finally being referred for a fluoroscopy and to see a Physiatrist but wondering if anyone else has gone through this experience.

@babs1956 what kind of workout helps you? Do you think its strengthening that helps, or more the mood boost?

@betty2025 , Oh this sounds miserable. It certainly sounds like you've been advocating for yourself and working your way through the medical system. Hopefully the Physiatrist can help. Have you been seen by a pain medicine specialist?

I hate to be the voice of doom and gloom, but I was having continued pain following a robotic surgery to remove part of a left lobe. I was diagnosed with nsclc stage 1b. Pain continued for months, and I was continually calling the surgeon's office, who told me some people just take longer to heal than others.

I had an oncologist keeping up with me, and ordering love those CTS every 3 months. Well it was coming up a year on the surgery, and something showed up on the loto CT. They sent me in for a PET scan which showed that I had progressed to stage 4. That's the stage I referred to as bend over and kiss your ass goodbye! The cancer was too small during the other CT is to show the cancer spreading, so it wasn't until it progressed farther along that it showed up on the low dose CT

You said they're running lots of tests, but has anybody ordered another pet scan on you? It can take a while for changes to show up on the low dose CT. In my next life, I'll make sure they do a pet scan earlier, and to stand up for myself a little better. Perhaps I could have been more assertive.

Anyway, good luck to you! And don't feel bad about bugging the doctors like I did.
Sandy

I hate to be the voice of doom and gloom, but I was having continued pain following a robotic surgery to remove part of a left lobe. I was diagnosed with nsclc stage 1b. Pain continued for months, and I was continually calling the surgeon's office, who told me some people just take longer to heal than others.

I had an oncologist keeping up with me, and ordering love those CTS every 3 months. Well it was coming up a year on the surgery, and something showed up on the loto CT. They sent me in for a PET scan which showed that I had progressed to stage 4. That's the stage I referred to as bend over and kiss your ass goodbye! The cancer was too small during the other CT is to show the cancer spreading, so it wasn't until it progressed farther along that it showed up on the low dose CT

You said they're running lots of tests, but has anybody ordered another pet scan on you? It can take a while for changes to show up on the low dose CT. In my next life, I'll make sure they do a pet scan earlier, and to stand up for myself a little better. Perhaps I could have been more assertive.

Anyway, good luck to you! And don't feel bad about bugging the doctors like I did.
Sandy

Hi @allstaff—two months out can be a tricky phase. As nerves wake up and tissues settle, many of us feel new zings, stings, and soreness around the incision, back, or shoulder. What helped me was staying consistent with breathing work and walking, but easing the intensity a bit. I kept moving—just gentler—and the discomfort gradually faded. If anything feels worrisome or starts limiting your breathing or daily activities, loop in your care team; they can reassure you or adjust the plan.

Sandy—thank you for sharing your experience. I also want to offer another perspective. I’m past the five-year mark since my stage 2b metastasized to my brain, and I’m still working full-time in a job I love, staying active in lung-cancer advocacy, judging BBQ contests, and living fully. Statistics are real, but they’re averages—not individual destinies. A hopeful, optimistic, and determined mindset won’t replace medical care, but it absolutely helps many of us navigate treatment and recovery.

To both of you: ask your teams what symptoms should prompt a call, what would trigger earlier imaging, and how your rehab/exercise plan should be paced. Advocate for yourselves, seek second opinions if you need clarity, and keep going. You’re not alone here—and there’s a lot of life to be lived while healing.