Right Upper Lobe Lesion - lobectomy advice and experiences?

Hello Garviv,

I'm sorry to hear you are facing a lobectomy after all you've been through already.

As far as your lung surgery is concerned I expect they will carry this out via keyhole surgery? Surgery for lung cancer is very successful indeed, mine is an example having survived over 12 years now without recurrence following complete right lung removal via open surgery. We're on our third trip this year to the USA and will be back again for Christmas and New Year, so it doesn't hold you back too much.

You'll be given exercises to do after surgery and if you stick to these I expect you will make an excellent recovery (looking at your profile I imagine you'll be keen to do these to aid your recovery).

Golf might take a little while to get back to, but with winter fast approaching that might be the best time of year to give it a little rest. I was also a golfer and resumed playing after recovering from my surgery.

I wish you all the very best for a successful outcome,

Derek.

Hello Derek, yes apparently robotic, keyhole surgery. Than you so much for the information and insight in to your treatment. Sounds like you’re fit and active after your surgery. I think you are right about the golf. I will keep you informed about my treatment. Stay well.

Hi Garviv

It's a worrying time but you will be in great hands.

Not the same as your operation, of course, but I had a lobectomy of the lower lobe of my right lung 5 weeks ago today. That's roughly 51% of my right lung volume (apparently!). Robot Assisted keyhole surgery.

I was signed off by the surgeon this week, wounds are healed although there are the very annoying scabs and a stitch that won't lie flat! I'm walking around 3000 - 6000 steps a day.

It was 4 nights in hospital as my chest drain had to stay in an extra day.

Honestly, I had little to no pain and am just accepting that I can only do limited activities for a few more weeks. No cycling for maybe 6 months and I can't carry my camera yet, so hobbies are limited.

Please remember that everyone's journey is different, you may take longer than I to recover, you may get better faster.

My top tips? Do your breathing exercises; get out of the hospital bed as soon as you are allowed; have a cushion in the car to protect from the seatbelt when you do get to go home; don't walk up the stairs too fast; walk as much as you can but "don't overdo it" (I'm still trying to work out exactly what this means, but you will know it when you do too much!). I'm no doctor remember, but these tips worked for me!

Good luck and take care of yourself and loved ones.

Phil

Splendid reply Phil.

Thank you Phil for your kind words and top tips. I am so pleased you are recovering well. I have received my procedure date of 10th of November for robotic- keyhole surgery. Stay well.

Hi I had the same operation VATS two years ago on my right lung here’s a quick summary on the morning of the op I was seen by my surgeon on the ward . I was first down which was amazing no time to sit and worry. Woke on the ward and wanted to get out of bed and sit in the chair which a nurse helped me with . I felt good not in pain .my family arrived a few hours later and were shocked to see me up dressed in my own pjs I was still attached to pain meds and had a drain . They took out the pain meds infusion and left in the drain . Next day I was walking around the ward going loo. .my family arrived and took me in a wheelchair to the cafe had a coffee back on the ward the surgeon said he could see no reason why I couldn’t go home the next day . So after two nights on day 3 I went home with the drain in . The worst thing to me was that drain was in for 10 days before my appointment to go back to hospital to have it removed I was then under the district nurses who looked after the wound. It was hard walking outside I soon got out of breath so had to go short distance I’m now two years on and now 10,000 to 20,000 steps if I push myself. I’m 74 II have had 3 scans in the two years all 3 no new cancer detected hope this helps you 

Hello Dito, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me. You did make a marvellous recovery and 3 all clear scans is wonderful. Stay well

Hello - I need the same op, a right upper lobectomy, if I have understood my surgeon correctly. I am supposed to lose around 30% capacity in the right lung. Does anyone have experience of singing after this operation? I am in four choirs and don't do much else! All advice gratefully received, and good luck to everyone.

Hello TBL ,

I'm not a singer, in fact I could empty a room in no time at ll if I started. However, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to continue singing post surgery and recovery.

You will probably find that with exercise, once the immediate after efffects of surgery have improved, your remaining lung capacity will gradually expand. I lost my entire right lung and the left did increase in capacity (I've seen it on an x-ray).

Did you know that Richard Tauber, Al Jolson and Serei Lemeshev continued to perform after each lost a lung? 

I hope your surgery is a complete success (mine was over 12 years ago now) and you're soon back singing.

All the best, Derek.

Another question - have people experienced a lot of pain? There seems to be a lot about pain relief on the hospital websites. Am I likely to have trouble writing/ using mobile phone/ reaching for things/ picking up the kettle, as the op is on the side of my dominant hand? And (if anyone here knows) will I ever wear a bra again...?