surgery side effect

[Bigh4jc]

My wife had the upper lobe of her left lung removed due to Non-small cell cancer from smoking.

My question is a post surgery one. 7 weeks have gone by in her recovery, but she has a problem with pain throughout her left breast. The latest pet scan shows her to be cancer free and I'm curious to know if others experience this breast pain? and how can it be reduced/cured?

Thank you for sharing with us on this subject.

[Kasey]

I had the URL removed in Januaary '05. My surgery, I believe, was probably different than your wife's ~ since it was done from the front and more on the order of open heart sugery and even a bit more than that would be. I still have breast issues and, yes, pain. It is not unbearable as I hardly ever take any meds. For me, I think it was the extent of the surgery and where it was done.

I have received NED (No Evidence of Disease) checkups for almost 3 years now. So, hopefully, your wife will fare the same.

Welcome the LCSC, by the way. Good luck to you and your wife.

Kasey

[Heather_T]

Yes I still have it but it has gotten better over the months. The doctor said it has to do with all the nerves that are in your ribs that link and will give you through your breast. My kids always fall down on me right there and it hurts so bad. The doc tells me it gets better with time and so far it has so I hope the same thing happens with your wife.

[Donna G]

The pain from the Thorocotomy incision that most of us get from under the arm around to the back and up is painful. It gets better but for me I am still aware I was cut there and it is years later, as I hate the appliance (bra) for it sqeezes that area.

I can live with it though, I am NED for almost 10 years.

DonnaG

[recce101]

Welcome to the group!

Well, guys get that too. It's been almost 14 months since my right-side thoracotomy, and I still have a strange combination of soreness and numbness starting about an inch below the right nipple and extending down to just below the front of the rib cage. Oddly, the incision area itself feels about normal. During my post-surgery checkup the surgeon said the discomfort in the front was "referred" pain from where the nerves were cut on the side (essentially what Heather wrote) and that it may get better with time but might never go away completely. Since I don't have any kids jumping on me these days, about the only time I notice it is when I'm washing that side in the shower.

One more feature of our "new normal."

Aloha,

Ned

[nonni]

HI there...As you can see from the other post's this is quite normal after a lobectomy...I had a RL lobectomy and I had numbness in my breast for about a year with little 'zing's going across my chest...and being 3 yrs NED..it still happen's occasionly...Nothing to worry about and be happy happy that she was able to have surgery....She will be fine...God Bless...Nonni

[Nushka]

I had a left upper lobectomy in March 2003. When I cough, sneeze or lay in my left side for too long it aches. If I have an onset of bronchitis and cough frequently I end up taking something for the pain. Over the years the pain has lessened and I would do it all over at any time to get rid of that da*n cancer. Your wife is one of the lucky ones to be able to have surgery and I am sure the pain will be very tolerable soon.

Nina

[chloesmom]

I had an upper left lobectomy in 2003 and it was about 7 weeks later for me that I had a severe pain and numbness sensation from the incision area all the way through my left breast.

It felt like nerve pain (or at least that's what I thought nerve pain would feel like), and it did subside and go away altogether in a couple of weeks.

Cindy