Top of right lung removed

judyr
judyr Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
5 weeks ago I had the top part of my lung removed, they took the limp node along side of the tumor and said that came up clean. How long after surgery are you out of the pain, I have never had surgery in my life so this was a real shock to me.
I will be seeing an oncologist on 4/16 and am pretty scared what they will find, cancer in my family seems to be what we die of. I have lost my sister to breast cancer, my uncle, cousins of colon cancer, another uncle of throat cancer. My cousin now is recovering from breast cancer and then me.
I am believing God for a miracle and this will be the last of the cancer.
I am in so much pain and most of the pain medicine they give me makes me sick.
I also am a smoker and am having a hard time giving up smoking. Does anyone have any suggestions out there.
thank you
JudyR

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    hi judy,
    Hang in there, I had my entire right lung removed 4 years ago. I know the pain killers that were given to me made me sick to my stomach, I found out by taking 600 milligrans of motrin two times a day was better than the vicodan. After your surgery did the doctor tell you what stage your cancer was? As far as smoking , I know it is extremely difficult to give up. Even today, I still sneak several cigarettes without my wifes knowlege. I did try a quit smoking clinic, but was one of several failures, however, someday I will quit..
    Mannyd
  • imagemkr
    imagemkr Member Posts: 34
    #3
    WHEN YOU FEEL THAT URGE TO SMOKE, JUST BREATH IN GOD AND I PROMISE YOU THE URGE GOES AWAY
    I GGET MY TWO UPPER RIGHT LOBS REMOVED THE 22ND, AND ADVISE?
    tERRI
    TDREAMFLYER@CS.COM
  • believe
    believe Member Posts: 5
    #4
    HAng in there. I had part of my left lung removed seven years ago. 3 years ago the doctor saw something in a cat scan he didn't like and suggested exploratory surgery. I said ok and removed the rest of the lung. There was nothing in that part. I've been ok since. As far as the pain goes, I would rather have the pain from the surgery I had than a toothache. That is the worst. At least for me. After the surgery, I took percocet. The pain lasted about two weeks gradually going away. Be patient.
  • believe
    believe Member Posts: 5
    #5
    unknown said:

    hi judy,
    Hang in there, I had my entire right lung removed 4 years ago. I know the pain killers that were given to me made me sick to my stomach, I found out by taking 600 milligrans of motrin two times a day was better than the vicodan. After your surgery did the doctor tell you what stage your cancer was? As far as smoking , I know it is extremely difficult to give up. Even today, I still sneak several cigarettes without my wifes knowlege. I did try a quit smoking clinic, but was one of several failures, however, someday I will quit..
    Mannyd

    I had left lung removed seven years ago and also sneak cigarettes. If you think your wife doesn't know, your wrong. She is probably not saying anything beacuse she supports you, just like my wife. We do need to quit, you now that don't you. Maybe we can do it together. Best of luck
  • antsynancy
    antsynancy Member Posts: 17
    #6
    I too had a lobe of my left lung removed approximately 5 weeks ago, March 1. The pain is pretty bad and my doctor told me it could hurt for 2-3 months. I thought I should be feeling better by now, but I guess I am being optimistic!! What type of meds are you taking and how often. I think someone should have explained the recovery process in more detail before you leave the hospital. They took lymph nodes from me too and they were clean. I don't have to have chemo or radiation. My cancer was just in the lump they removed. I hope they are not being too hopeful by not having me have chemo or radiation.
    It does get better but some days it sure doesn't feel like it does it. Do you have some good days and some bad days?
    I too was a smoker but quit about 9 weeks ago. I never would have quit but this was a realization of it does to you. I have used the patches and they did seem to help.
    Good luck to you
    Nancy
  • mbsurvivor
    mbsurvivor Member Posts: 18
    #7
    Judy
    The only way to give up smoking is to decide for yourself. I quit only using three patches. I tell myself that it will only take on cigarette to kill me and I make myself believe it. I do it for my family and myself. Haven't smoked in 23 months.
  • betty2
    betty2 Member Posts: 91
    #8
    Hi, I hope by now you are out of your pain. I too had 1/4 of my right lung removed (the top)I had large cell cancer in 1991 so you see I am a survivor. They went in under my arm and I don't remember being in that much pain but they dislocated my shoulder which I had thearpy on but to this day does not work right. I figure if that is all the problems I ever have I will just put up with it. I also had the top half of my left lung removed due to some other kind of cancer in 1987,and they went in through my chest like they do for heart surgery, and I will tell you that it took at least 6mos for me to recover from that.
    I was also a smoker but I really didn't have that much problem quitting and to this day I don't know why except that when they told me I had a small chance (13%) of surviving I decided that I would just not smoke again and I quit about a week before surgery. I can tell you that after all these years I still would like a cig every now and then.
    I have a lot of cancer on my side of the family too. In fact my Brother passed away a couple of years ago with colon cancer that was already in his liver and Lung befor they found it. I just try to think positive and laugh as much as I can. After you have survived cancer the little things are just not as important anymore as you probably already know. Most people don't understand this. (those that have never had a brush with death)
    I do hope you are feeling better by now and I would love to hear from you.
    Betty Jones jodnns@aol.com

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