r/lungcancer • u/Most-def-dope-1 • 1d ago
My experience upper right lobe lobectomy.
Non small cell lung cancer - upper right lobectomy. Robotic assisted thoracic surgery. Cancer was Stage 1a
Preop 6am: preop nurse inserted IV in arm. Anesthesiologist gave epidural shot in back (uncomfortable prick, but no painful). Talked to anesthesiologist and surgeon. Breathed in sleep potion once rolled to surgical room.
Day 1: woke up with 1) IV in arm 2) IV in artery front wrist. 3) IV in back of wrist 4) urine catheter 5) chest tube 6) 4 incisions plus chest tube incision. Placed me in room and chair. . Took chest xray in room. Stayed in chair until morning.
Day 2:. Morning. Removed artery IV. Removed urine catheter. Later. Took chest xray in room. Removed chest tube ( surprised didn’t hurt). Walked a little. I checked off all boxes. Took off all IVs and sent me home.
Day 3: sat up in recliner at home. Back burning and itch pain. Incisions fresh - pain. Walked and did breathing exercises.
Day 4: husband realized bumps along my right side and back -same side as incisions. Sent pics to doctor. Said come in right away. Have shingles too! Pain of shingle is rising. Day 5-14. Shingles pain went to #9 and incision pain blended in with shingles. Shingles trumped the pain.
Day 15-22. Shingles are clearing up and itch and pain is at a #2. Now I can feel my incisions healing up instead of shingles pain.
Day 23 (now). I feel like I am on my way to the rest of my healing journey. Now able to lay in bed. I have energy. Just able to put on bra 2 days ago. Cloths don’t bother me as much. Looking forward to brighter days.
Pathology. No cancer found. Lungs are inflated properly. Chest xray looked good.
Thought I’d contribute to community. I read countless experiences prior to my surgery and it helped me.
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u/bluestar1971 1d ago
After the op I was feeling slowly better, pain reducing, shortness of breath getting better etc. After about a week, one night I was sat on the sofa and the pain started to get a lot worse, especially when breathing in. I had to do very shallow breaths to try to manage the pain. Also shortness of breath got a lot worse
That night I could barely walk upstairs to to to bed. Before that I had managed to walk about half a mile. Went to the GP who missed the pneumothorax, said it was just probably the effects of the operation.
I went for my follow up with the Thoracic surgeon the following week and they did an x-ray and picked it up. It was four cm which is quite big I think. However as I was getting better by then they just left it. Took about 5 weeks to heal completely
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u/Most-def-dope-1 1d ago
Oh yeah. Day 1 before I knew they were going to remove chest tube. Breathing bothered me a little. I could feel something rubbing on inside of my chest when I breathed. When the removed chest tube, it stopped. So must have been chest tube.
Also been coughing since day one. When I did postop a couple days ago the said coughing not associated with lobectomy. So not sure why still coughing.
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u/bluestar1971 1d ago
If they found no cancer, did they still do the full lobectomy ? I had a similar story. I was told it was more than likely I had stage 2b after a pet scan lit up. I had a lung wedge resection and biopsy during my operation. No sign of cancer so they didn't carry on and do the planned lobectomy. Post op biopsy confirmed no sign of cancer. They said it was necrotising granulomatous inflation, possibly caused by an old tb infection
I had a fair few complications after the op. The first was an infected wound that took 6 weeks and 3 lots of anti biotics to clear up. At the same time I had a partially collapsed lung (pneumothorax) and then have had pneumonia that took a month of anti biotics to get rid of.
4 months later finally feel on the mend and very grateful no cancer was found.
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u/Most-def-dope-1 1d ago
There was cancer. However after they took out the right upper lobe they do a pathology report to see if any cancer in lymph nodes, microscopic cancer that got out or other places. It’s that report that says the lobectomy was curative and no more cancer found.
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u/nursdine 1d ago
What were your symptoms of pneumothorax? I have been coughing since I have been home. Had no cough prior, post op PA said it's normal. Albuteral does not help. At least phelm is no longer thick globs.
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u/bluestar1971 4h ago
For about a week then pain and breathlessness after my operation had been getting slowly better. Then one evening I was sat on the sofa and the pain in my Chester and breathlessness started getting a lot worse. I found breathing in, very painful and could therefore only take very shallow breaths. I went to the GP next day who missed the pneumothorax. He said it was probably the effects of the operation.
It was discovered about a week later when I went to a follow up appointment with the Thoracic surgeon. They did an x-ray and the pneumothorax showed up on that. It was 4cm. By that time as I was getting better, they decided I didn't need any treatment and monitored it with more chest x-rays. Took about five to six weeks to get better
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u/nursdine 1d ago
Just had wedge resection. On the 18th. How did you find out you had participle pneumothorax? Thankd
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u/Day1StayingStrong 1d ago
Thank you. I am going into Memorial Sloan Kettering 9/15 for Upper Right Lobe lobectomy. Robotic Assisted Thoracic Surgery. Have 3CM nodule and lymph node lit up some so they are taking them with removing the top right lobe. Scared to death of course, so thank you for sharing.
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u/Anon-567890 1d ago
They sent you home at the end of the second day?!? You’re a rock star! I’m so sorry you developed shingles so quickly after the surgery! What a horrible, unexpected complication! Glad it’s resolving and you are healing well! Thank you for sharing your story. It will really help others! How were you diagnosed at such an early stage? What a blessing that is!