After surgery

Hello Henny Penny,

I had a thoracotomy when my right lung was removed and experienced the same as you at first. I also had to sleep propped up for a week or two before I was able to lay down comfortably. You've had a major operation and it will take a while to get over it but you'll be fine when you do.

If this is troubling you too much and you're worried I'd suggest 'phoning the ward you were on to talk it through with them.

I hope you're soon feeling better.

Thank you for replying and sharing how it was for you.  I understand its major surgery, but the pain just doing the most basic of things is overwhelming, just getting in and out of bed has to be thought through.  Anyway, I hope like in your own experience, a couple of weeks will pass and things will feel less painful.  

Oh Henry penny poor you !If you were in so much pain that was very quick to let you come home!What sort of pain killers are you on !Do you have someone to help you at home ?Did you get the pillow support for your bed?Just trying to think of anything that will help you .I bought. Little. Heat pad from Amazon  and I still use it a year later so well worth the money .I think they go from £15-£20 depending where you have the pain If I can think of anything else I will come back to you Try and rest as well it’s very early days .I didn’t t have a bleed just air so I m not sure where your pain is 

Hi , I'd had a paravertable pain block which delivered local anasthetic to surgical sight through catheter.  When that was removed I saw the pain team who have me on cocodomol, gabapentin, and oxycodone.  These do help but still get a lot of pain getting around or just doing basic things.  I did get the support pillow which has been invaluable and comes to bed with me so I can stay propped up and comfortable.  Its just all a bit overwhelming right now, but I hope once I get used to it everything will feel easier.  Can you remember the medication you were given ? Was there something that helped you more than others ? 

ok not sure how much to say I had 10-11 days in hospital as a) my drain. Got infected as no one had examined it(no criticism) and b) could not get the air reading good enough to have the drip out afr 10 days So I started on morphine and it made me feel really bad and very sick so we moved onto oxycodone  which had to have a doctor sign off each time so the time could go up to a 6 hour gap and en the pain would be desperate and even with anti sickness tablets after 7 days I had yet to keep any food in me so my husband and friends starting bringing me up soup etc to try and get some weightn  I have to say and I am not recommending this as I do not lime taking tablets but the hospitals priority is to get you up walking for your lungs the first day I got ho e I stopped all the g drs and just took nurofen Iwas in pain but I made myself get up and do walking and breathing exercises and now started eating The doctor gave me cocodamol and everyone had warned me off it and I agreeerhaps not the best painkiller but it is dissolvable  Now obviously different tablets work for different people but asi explained to the doctor I would take the strong tablets when I needed them whi isn t always best! I they did give me a pain patch in hospital which was really good but you were not allowed it on for more than 12 hours Also as I got a fracture recently tge doctor gave me a paipatchwhich  stays on for 7 days and I think it’s really good —- it is a controlled drug as well It comes in 5/10/15 /20 strengths I am on 10 and tgey wanted to put me on 15 but I am resisting it’s called Butec transdermal patches sorry if you put one face in they jump all over your reply but they are all smileys !I don t know if this helps or makes you worse but just trying to help If you want / need any more info just tell me not sure how much you wanted to hear Have you family helping you? Keep strong —- hard I know

The pain team had discussed a pain patch, but as the pain I have is not in one place it would not give the benefit it would normally be in pain relief.  I must have been very lucky because the longest I had yo wait on a top up of pain relief which was oxycodone was 25 min.  I did not have morphine, however I'd had morphine in the past with a fractured ankle and was as sick as a dog , it did not agree with me.  I think uou are amazing for taking neurophen,  right now i would take any drug in front of me to take the pain away.  I just hope time really does heal . 

No the patches are specific to where the pain is they work the same as any drug so a slow release actually 10 micrograms/ hour over. Period of 7 days So each time I change it it goes on a different limb same with the one I had in hospital so it’s working tbewhoketi edits worth a try as you can take other tablets with it It’s not a patch only method but whatever you feel is best for you  go with it I am not  iamazing I probablysuffered more later but everyone is different how they cope .Also you need to be upright and trying to walk so if drugs help you so be it I remembe4 wishing you luck but how many days is it now for you

I had surgery seven days ago, got home yesterday,  I spent 3 days in high dependency then back onto ward.  I didn't really think this far ahead, I just wanted the cancerous part of lung removed. I suppose living with pain is taking my mind off waiting on the results of lymph biopsies.  I have been told these should be available within two weeks.  

Ah I did get mine and there was a stray lymph node and we talked about chemo but my op was in October 22 and I had to be better by Christmas for chemo but I wasn’t t sure I was well enough and then I got the fracture which affected my breathing and they said it was only for a 5 % better chance and I thought us it worth it but I wasn’t t well enough anyway and I had a wonderful oncologist from the. Marsden in Fulham who was absolutely lovely  so after leads if steroids to get me better I didn’t t have it and I was told 6 months ago no cancer so maybe be positive about that I didn’t t even realise they were testing for lymph nodes so it was a bit of a shock and I only joined these discussions which are so informative a lot later So please stay positive You have an appointment for your results?

I don't have an appointment to receive the results, the lung nurse attached to the hospital spoke with me to say it will be her who will call me with the results and it will be within two weeks.  The cancer was on the outer edge of upper lung so directly in touch with chest wall, so the surgeon scraped the inside of ribs as well as 4 other areas of lymph from neck down . I have been told if cancer cells are found then I couldn't begin any chemo or radiation for a number of weeks after surgery, so keeping everything crossed no cancer cells are found.