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Post Surgery Pain


kiams

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Last week was the one year anniversary of my surgery. While generally, I feel pretty good I am still having constant soreness in my ribs and pain in the upper portion on my back in the general area of my incision. Are any of you are still experiencing pain post-surgery? The soreness in my ribs is not really bothersome, but whenever I do something with my right arm, even as something as simple as chopping vegetables, I get this burning in my upper back. Standing for long periods also bothers my back. I've been working with a physical therapist the last few months, and the exercises help, but not significantly. I'm just curious if any of you have had similar experiences.

Thanks,

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I am coming up to the 2 year mark of my surgery and still have pain at times, or a better word would probably be soreness. For me, it is more on my side, and under my breastbone although my back does get "weak" after standing for a long time. I went back to the doctor probably about 3/4 months ago complaining of rib pain and he gave me an anti-inflammatory shot which sort of helped. For me, my pain/discomfort seems to go in cycles and I have convinced myself that as my nerves regenerate, and the numbness goes away, I experience stronger pain for awhile.

My surgeon had explained the surgery by saying that alot of your nerves are severed. The nerve damage causes pain and even more so when those nerves start "sparking" and trying to reconnect. The nerves send messages to the brain that there is something wrong and to help, and of course the only "SOS" messages they send is pain.

I have gotten progressively better, and my numbness is being replaced slowly with feeling. I think the key word is patience, this is huge surgery we had and the complete healing takes a long time. From being on the board, it seems most of us have had residual pain.

I also suggest that if you haven't, just to be on the safe side, have your doctor check that area out. I'm sure that it is just our normal aches and pains, but its best to rule anything else out first.

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I just want to chime in with Debi about this pain issue. I too am approaching the two year mark, and still find sneezing really something I don't want to do.

I feel like my ribs are 'sprained', not really pain, and not constant, but it just doesn't feel like it did before.

I just think it's a lot of things were cut and pulled and strained, and things may never go back to what they used to feel like.

There was about a two week period about 2 months after surgery that I had a constant, searing pain and numbness all around the incision area, across my breast and to my sternum. Nothing helped, I had it checked out and the doctor did a chest x-ray which was normal, and gave me muscle relaxers because she said she thought it might be a strained muscle. I never really thought that was the case, but it went away after a couple of weeks and never came back, so maybe it was after all.

However, I am happy to report that after this amount of time, any thoracotomy-related pain is really very minor for me, and very manageable.

Why don't you run this past your doctor just to be on the safe side though? I think (and hope) that you'll find that Debi is right--we had some very major surgery and it takes a while to fully recover.

Good luck,

Cindy

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I too have pain in my back it comes and goes depending on what I am doing. Also have numbness on my right side from the operation. Also breathing deep I feel discomfort, I am thinking this is because of the radiation I had. I had PCI which ended on march 14, which was 2 months ago, still feel some fatigue from that, It feels like I am in a fog and I need to snap out of it, I hope this to will go away with time. But I am really starting to worry that my hair will not come back. I am still bald as a baby. Anyone know how long it will be before I see any signs of life up there? One more worrie I have, I had a pap test last month which came back funny. My doctor said I need to have a Coloscoepy(not sure if that is the right spelling)done. So I went to a specialist who she recomended. This doctor says that on my pap test there was no signs of HPV(I think that was the name)and that I should wait 4 months and have the pap done again. They said that sometimes chemo can alter the cells some to give you a bad pap result. And without the HPV showing up I need not worry. My oncologist agreed.But I feel some cramping in my adomen sometimes and wonder what is causing it. Probably just me thinking about it too much. Any input would be most helpful. You are all so brave. Bev

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I am also nearing my 2 year mark. I still have pain now and then. I usually can't lay on my right side (left lung removed). I think it is because the nerves get touched in a certain way. Are you confused yet...I AM. :roll:

Anyway, boy do I remember the burning part around my back. Mine was linked to heartburn and indigestion. I thought doc was crazy but the way he explained it was that the indigestion would hit a nerve and it would travel around.

Back to your question. My pain did seem to all but diminish in about a year. I suppose we never will get back to old normal.

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Thank you all for your posts. Its good to know it's not just me. I just have to keep reminding myself that my life is different now, and the pain is unfortunately, just something I'm going to have to continue to deal with.

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Hi Kevin..

Just wanted to congratulate you on your year of survival. You are doing a bang up job! Good to see you post..not good to see that you are having pain (which seems to be the way of that kind of surgery).

How 'bout a beer? I knows you likes your beer!

love, Cindi o'h (the barkeep)

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I had some discomfort and numbness going into my third year, and still have a little stab every now and then. I think any major surgery causes permanent damage but the body seems to be able to adjust to it. It is our new normal. It doesn't stop me from doing anything and is less of a problem then my old knees. :lol:

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Hi All,

Went to see surgeon for my post op checkup yesterday. Everything wnet well and I do not need chemo or radiation. Staged 1a. Right lower lobectomy. Surgery was on 4/20/05. He said for some of us the post op pain never completely goes away and others it may take a year or two depending on the individual. He told me to relax for at least three months....no lifting over 5 pounds, no physical work and to take the pain meds as necessary and I should be ok. He did say the pain will subside or completely go away in time. I had gallbaldder surgery in 1988 and I remember the pain lasting almost two years before it went away completely.

My pain is somewhat subsiding after almost 4 weeks but I am still quite sore and do have some difficulty sleeping the whole night unless I take a Xanex. They really help me for sleeping the whole night.

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I have had 2 thoracatomys (the smiley face variety). The first one was a year and 4 months ago. The second one was 10 weeks ago. I have no post op pain to speak of other than I feel a little twinge now and then. I had physical therapy after the first one, but not the second one. I think I had a good surgeon.

Don M

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