Left VATS wedge metastasectomy recovery

How about chair exercises. There are a load on UTube. I’m thinking I may try learning a line dance indoors as well. I don’t know if you have a specialist cancer nurse or a Maggie’s nearby. They may be able to help or give you suggestions

Hope you’re feeling better soon love Daisy

Hi, I have a CT guided lung biopsy booked on Thursday. I don't really know what to expect during and after. We're you in much pain afterwards. I'm due to babysit my grandchildren 2 days after and he is a lively 18 month old !! 

Hiya, the biopsy wasn't pleasant, not going to lie. But as long as you keep on top of any pain you have you should be okay. I think it depends where they access it from. Worst bit for me was the start of the local anesthetic and then being told I couldn't speak for an hour after the procedure!

It's always hard with lively grandchildren, but try to plan things to keep him occupied like walking around the garden (weather permitting) or get him dancing to kids tv! 

Good luck, I hope all goes well for you.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'd prefer to know if it's painful. I had Bowel cancer 4 years ago and have had 3 operations but numerous scans and tests.

Colonoscopies are a lot more painful since my surgeries. I was told it is due to scarring.

They are doing the biopsy on my lungs  to see if the nodules are bowel cancer or some other cancer. This will effect the treatment.

I think I'll be watching lots of Dave and Ava on YouTube on Saturday !

You seem to have a journey not unlike my own, just different parts of the body! For my biopsy they went in through the front, so through part of my breast, which I think is why I found it painful. I took cocodamol initially then down to paracetamol. I have another condition which causes pain so was stocked up! 

I'm waiting to hear exactly what my lung invader is and what happens next. The location of my tumour was on the top outer edge of the lower lobe, which also helped the mechanics of the biopsy and also the wedge resection. 

Enjoy your 'kids' TV time' 

I have a consultant appointment 3 weeks after my biopsy. They have told me they will either do an ablation or surgery depending on whether it is a Bowel secondary or a lung primary. Three weeks seems a long wait as this all started with an abnormal scan in June !

• Have you already had your lung surgery?

Hi, I had a CT guided lung biopsy two year's ago. The most painful/uncomfortable part of the procedure was the local anaesthetic injections around the area on my chest. Mine was in the upper left lobe and very near the chest wall. But hand on heart, once the local anaesthetic kicks in I did not feel a thing. The lungs themselves don't have pain receptors, it is the chest wall that needs the anaesthetic .The Consultant too two biopsies for assessment. After the procedure I was wheeled back to the ward to rest for a few hours, then I had a chest x-ray to check the lung was fine and discharged.

Once home I felt ok, but the anaesthetic hadn't worn off. I went to bed as normal, but was woken about 2am with horrendous pain, I felt like I had been kicked in the chest by a horse. The act of trying to sit upright was really painful, but I got myself to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and had two Ibuprofen and spent the rest of the night sitting bolt upright in my armchair, sitting upright was the least painful position.

The following day, the area biopsied was tender to touch but the pain was manageable with painkillers. I only felt back to normal about three day's later.

Personally, I could not have looked after a toddler two day's later, I wouldn't have been able to pick them up or run round after them for a day. But that was my experience, I suppose everyone is different. 

Best wishes.

Ann

I had my op on 22nd August and was in hospital 4 days. I'm lucky my daughter was able to take a few days off to help when I first got home. I'm still waiting for results and my post op appointment. Mine is most likely to be secondary either kidney or breast cancer but I'm not second guessing at this point. 

I have a problem with dissolvable stitches and one of my wounds is still a bit weepy but the worst thing I've found is the nerve pain as things heal inside.  Also, as I only have one kidney now, there are certain meds I am unable to take so my go to is cocodamol of various strengths with extra codeine if I need a top up! 

My little lung invaders first showed up on a surveillance CT at the end of 2022 but as they're slow growing, have just been monitored. A couple have remained tiny but the one that's just been removed had started to grow - only a millimeter this year but enough to show. 

Best bits I bought in prep for my op were a seat for the shower, my triangle pillow as I couldn't sleep flat for a good few days, and pyjamas that have a button up top for ease getting them on and off. 

Gill x

Thanks for that. I might take prophylactic painkillers before the local anaesthetic wears off. Sadly mynodules are quite a bit bigger 10.5 mm and 6mm although I've been told these are still relatively small !

• My husband will be around on Saturday and loves playing with our grandson so he'll just have to do the nappies as well !!

Mine was 10mm on the last scan and they took it out as it was on the edge of the lung so could has caused other problems if left in. My others are very tiny and static at the moment. 

Just had my dressings changed as there's a slight infection in the biggest wound . 

You need to just direct on Saturday. You never know, you might feel OK but be led by your body and if it's saying sit and rest, that's what you'll need to do!