Lung Surgery

It takes time. It becomes less painful over time. For me, it was the cuts and scar healing more so than the lung. There were five cuts total with each around an each for my surgeon to do his thing. I had my upper right lobe removed. For some reason they didn't want me to get mine wet for around a month. At around three months, since I quit smoking right before the surgery, I was gaining weight and it was stretching the stitches/cut/scar. I started using palmers cocoa butter and it helped reduce scaring and that funny feeling from stretching. The only place I couldn't reach is a little puckered. (on my back) One cut in front took forever to not hurt. I think they went through more nerves right under my breast.

I'm trying to keep up with exercise and walking but I can tell I've had a lobectomy in cold weather and freezing winds. It's harder to breath. Need a scarf covering mouth and nose.

I had my surgery 12-19-22 so I am at one year recovery.

For me it's been 4 months, and I also had robotic lobectomy, upper right lobe. After about 2 months I was able to sleep in the bed instead of the recliner, as the incisions became less painful. The heating pad is my best friend, since much of my pain was in my back. I also used a small warming pad for my breast, which is still painful and partially numb. Got some new larger, looser bras too, but only wear them when I really need to. The only respiratory therapy recommended was using the Spirometer. But I found a YouTube series that I like, Breathing Easier with Elizabeth. Stamina is slow to return, but I try increasing my step count a little each week.

I also had stage one lung cancer (lower left lobe). I also had robotic lung surgery on 12/20/23. The removed the cancerous nodule, nine clear lymph nodes, and some lung tissue with good margins (a wedge resection). It has been seven months. I felt it took me five months to get my strength, stamina, and breathing capacity back while the surgery pain subsided in 5-6 weeks. I haven't been able to exercise like I used to with sciatica/hip pain developing right after surgery. I still have odd sensations in my back, down my side, and into my abdomen. It isn't really pain, more like tightness, numbing, and prickly sensations. My pulmonologist said that might take a year or longer to go away. I feel I was left with some weakness and lower energy from the process. I am 77 and that might be expected at my age. However, I was pretty active before the surgery. I will have CT scans every 3 months for two years, then every six months, then yearly. Mine is a great outcome compared to many. And I am very grateful. I was told I have 3-4 nodules that could become a problem so they need to be watched, and more than 100 very small nodules at the bottom of both lungs. I wish I wouldn't feel I'm living around these CTs (anticipation, worry, relief, repeat) which is leaving me tense and not living as positively as I would like to think I would with a promising outcome. Despite being a positive and typically resilient person, I'm not moving on as I'd like. How do you handle the natural concern and keep it in perspective?

Thanks for your reply. I am so sorry you have received a second cancer diagnosis (and unrelated to your first one). You have a wonderful attitude following your lung surgery. I am hopeful you will have a simple recommendation of treatment for your recent report. I wish you the very best and will be thinking of you. Susan

Hello Cher

I am sorry you got diagnosed with a different cancer! If it means anything, I am on my second cancer...

Breast cancer was my first cancer and I was diagnosed with it in my early 40s. Both my sister and my mother were diagnosed with same, with my sister also being in her early 40s and mom around 80. I went with my daughter to do the bracha (sp?) gene testing because this suspiciously looked genetic. Discovered it was not genetic. I personally believe this indicates environmental exposure. We lived on a farm growing up and my sister and I would play in the fields. Yeah, we went through puberty in this environment and I think that has an effect of developing breast cancer earlier. No one ever considered the hazards of treating fields with chemicals back in the 70s. Mom, however did not do this but was still exposed from the drift. It took her longer to get breast cancer.

This too is survivable!

Hopefully they caught this cancer early and it is treatable with a lumpectomy. Those are great and not nearly as invasive as lung surgery making recovery quicker and easier. I think I had more of an issue with the ultrasound placement of a pin to mark the spot for removal than I did with the actual lumpectomy removal. I then did followup radiation. I do not think this was necessary. The tamoxafin was not tolerable to me and I only made it 1 out of the five recommended years. I am a 15 year survivor. After me and sis, mom just had the lumpectomy. I don't thing the add-ons are necessary on the early (stage 1 or 2) breast cancers. But. All cancer is individual. Your type of BC may be a different variety than my type of BC. Your mileage may vary. ;) Whatever decision you make should be based on your doctors recommendations. But do ask questions. Ask about how the extra treatments adds to your odds. I was told that surgery is 84 percent and the radiation added an extra 10 percent. I sometimes wonder if the radiation contributed to development of the lung cancer.