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VATS approach for lung nodule surgery: How was your recovery? Pain?
I'm 71 years old and I have a 15mm ground glass nodular opacity in my RUL, toward the surface, not deep in my lung. I'm scheduled for surgical treatment with wedge resection VATS in 2-1/2 weeks. My thoracic surgeon told me surgery one day and discharge the next day after the drainage (chest) tube removal. He also said no chemotherapy, no radiation and very little pulmonary rehabilitation will be needed. I'm, of course, terrified about the surgery. Has anybody had this type of surgery? How was the pain after? How was your recovery? Did you need chemotherapy and/or radiation? Thank you for any help you can give me!
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@chubby55 Thank you for the reply, yes it helps. Wow, 6- hours, that’s a long time. Glad your last scan was good and continue to be.
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2 ReactionsHi Yes I recently had this type of surgery RLL. Had robot assisted procedure to remove malignant tumor Sclc early stage. 6 hours in theatre 3 days hospital came home with drain.. Im post op 6 months still pain as described by consultant and was expected. My last scan was no spread don't need further treatment obviously further scans for the future to keep an eye on things... Managing pain bit swings and roundabouts to be fair. But managing can take up to 12 months I was told. Hope this helps good luck for surgery hope all goes well.
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2 ReactionsMe....Surgery was easy
the road to recovery was simple//
keep using the breathing measuring apparatus
Probably forever and stay Warm
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2 Reactions@magwriter Thank you!
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3 Reactions@rcerwin3 you're most welcome - let me know how it goes. Merry Christmas!
@marylb NED means No Evidence of Disease. In other words, the cancer has not reoccurred as of that scan. Yay!
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3 Reactions@raffi Thank you for the encouraging words! Glad you’re doing well. I’m not familiar with the acronym NED, could you explain it please? Thanks.
Thank you! Looking into this.
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1 Reaction@rcerwin3 that is a lot of loss - sending you hugs! And good for you for asking for a chest x-ray - truly. For the study, you don't have to know the type of cancer. They have a screening questionnaire on their website. With so many family members having lung cancer, I think you qualify. You fill out the screening form - and then they email and call you if you've been accepted. If you have, they'll send a phlebotomist to your house and do genetic testing (for free). It takes a few weeks and then a counselor from their team will call and go over the results. If your results are positive, they'll also offer to test your family for free.
My Dad, his Dad, his Sister and his brother all died of lung cancer but I am older and they died at 69, 70, 67 and 65. I was diagnosed at 66. We have no way of knowing what KIND of lung cancer theirs was but it would sure be nice to know where this came from. I have never smoked and just at the end of my yearly physical asked for a chest x-ray because I knew I was inching toward the age my Dad was when he died. Mine was 2.3 centimeters so it had been growing awhile. Do you have to know the type of cancers all of your family members had to participate in this study? I would do ANYTHING to not fear I would pass this on to my children.
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