Lung surgery recovery

hello Laura ,though i cannot comment on radiation i can give a little insight into lung surgery ,and recovery ,I am 65 and underwent lung surgery in july ,they removed the middle lobe of my lung ,the first day of surgery was tense ,and though i was nervous the staff were really good and reassuring ,after surgery the first few hours i cannot remember much as i was given pain relief ,ii soon came around and realised i was attached to a chest drain ,i learned that ths had to get to a certain level ,i was given pain relief while in hospital ,and because my chest drain did not get to a certain level i was sent home with a portable one ,they do advise you to get up and walk around as much as you can ,as it helps ,once home i took all the advice i had been given ,i took my pain killers only when i needed them ,i walked around in my garden ,carrying the chest drain ,i slept when i felt the need .the chest drain was removed 10 days after the operation .the actual surgery site scar which is about 2 inches ,felt sore and tight for a few weeks and i had breast pain that was similar to mastitus for at least 4 weeks .All these months later ,i have no pain at all ,i have no breathing problems ,and i dont have any problems with energy levels .I have to have follow up scans for 5 years and fingers crossed they all will come back clear .I did have a nodule on my lung that was 19 mm ,after removal they told me 20% of it was cancerous ,but they also removed a good surrounding margin and the lymph nodes which were both clear .I hope it helps your mum in a little way

Hello Christie, thank you so so much for sharing your experience! I'm glad you're doing so well currently and i too hope all your future scans will come back clear and you will enjoy a healthy life from now on!

May I ask a couple of follow up questions if you don't mind? Please feel free to not reply if it's too much of course.

May I ask what was the type of surgery that you got done? My mom has been recommended a robot assisted surgery so trying to understand if that's the same as yours or something else?

Also, is the chest drain necessary for all patients or was there something in your specific condition that required it?

And lastly, how would you describe your breathing easiness level from right after the surgery and how long did it take you to get back to normal?

Thank you again so so much for all you've shared and if you find it appropriate to reply to these questions as well.

Have a lovely evening and tons of health! 

Hello again ,my surgery was VATS ,which is similar,it means my surgery was video assisted ,i had a lobectomy ,which is the removal of a part of the lung ,I am not sure if the chest drain is used for all lung surgery ,but every person that i was on the ward with had a chest drain ,most had it removed before they went home some after 3 days some after 5 ,some like me were just awkward and it would not get to the right level so i had to go home with a portable one and return a week later to have it removed .I had no breathing problems at all afterwards ,i did have problems with sneezing and yawning which give a strange feeling ,not pain .my levels of breathing before surgery were normal ,and after i found the first few weeks a little different but i just took my time while out walking ,till i got my strength and confidence back.I think i found that i had lost my confidence in doing things at first and it scared me a little ,but once i realised that i could breath properly and i was not pushing myself i was of and running (not literally) .And just to make it a little easier on your mum ,i had surgery friday morning first patient down ,and was home the following wednesday ,would of been home sooner but for the chest drain ,the first day passes so quickly ,because you dont know much ,so it only felt like 4 days

Thank you so so much! Your experience is very reassuring, I'm sure my mom will be happy to hear about it.

If your mum has anymore questions no matrer how silly just ask take care C.K

Hello, i’m 19 and exactly 5 weeks ago today (the 8th December) I had to have a lobectomy to remove the lower lobe of my right lung. I got diagnosed with lung cancer and had to have this surgery to get it removed. I’d say my experience with recovering post operation has been different because of my young age, and so I have been able to recover faster than the average lung cancer patient, but I’d still like to help out in any way i can and to hopefully give a bit of insight for your mum!! the first 48 hours after surgery is very rough because of pain and reactions to medications and stuff, and breathing is a little difficult at first because of breathlessness, but I honestly would go through it again over and over if it meant I could be better. Your mum would probably have to have a chest drain for the first few days which is only a bit annoying, but the nurses make the whole experience so manageable. also the women on the wards are incredible and are going through the exact same situation as your mum would be - I’ve met some amazing people in these wards and i’ll remember them forever. energy levels are low for a while after coming home and it takes a while for appetite to come back, but the worst part for me was the constipation I got after being on morphine. but as long as she has a good support system around her (which I can tell she does :) ) then she will be fine. now my breathing is so clear and easy, it seems crazy that I went so long with it being terrible before surgery!! and I am going back to work in a few days, so know that it does not necessarily mean that recovery will be never ending.

I hope this has been in some way useful and I am sending you and your mum all my love and support. good luck xxx

Hi Jess, that is amazing that you are going back to work so soon after major surgery. Well done you. What pain relief are you still currently taking? What’s the next plan of action from the oncology team ? What cancer type do you have and what stage? Sorry for all the questions but it will really help anyone else in your situation x 

thank you so much, and thank you for your message! I was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumour in my right lung, it was 4 1/2 cm in length and completely blocking the airway to my lower lobe and restricting the middle lobe. i’m currently only taking ibuprofen because I am having lots of trouble with pains in my muscles from getting back on my feet. I think I stopped taking liquid morphine and codeine about a week/ a week and a half after my surgery and haven’t had anything since then. and i’ve just found out that the surgeons got all the cancer out, so I thankfully don’t need chemo and they are happy enough to not see me again (other than regular scans over the next number of years), so I am very relieved and thankful!! 

I hope this was helpful, and I hope you are okay!! xx

Hi Jess you have done so well.i also had trouble with constpation after they did give me medication for it to come home with but once i was home i stopped taking the luquid morphine as i just felt so spaced out .i never had any symptoms before the op .so i refused to feel ill afterwards .i am now walking everyday about a mile with no breathing problems and i had all the middle lobe removed 

That’s amazing, well done!! I can’t wait to get back into walking distances. How long ago was your surgery? I hope you are well xx