Recovering from lower left lobe removal in lung, advice appreciated.

Hi Baskinbanana and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I wasn't diagnosed with the same type of cancer as you but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list.

While you're waiting for replies, you could have a look through some of the recent posts and join in with some of the existing conversations.

If you have persistent symptoms, ie your dry cough, which doesn't get better then you should get in touch with your cancer nurse specialist (CNS), sometimes referred to as a keyworker or Macmillan nurse, to talk it through with her. If you don't have a CNS, then contact your consultant's secretary so that she can arrange for you to speak to the consultant.

Wishing you all the best with your recovery.

x

Hi Baskinbanana 

I'm afraid I am not able to answer your question but would like to reach out, I am a 27 F and I had my middle right lobe removed one week ago today via the open surgery. I have been home for a few days and seem to be recovering reasonably well, although I am still in a lot of pain. How did you find your recovery post op? 

Ro x 

Hi Ro29 

Thank you for reaching out! I'm pleased to hear that you're recovering reasonably well, all things considered. My recovery was really quite good on the whole. After about 2 weeks I was going on regular walks and felt like I was getting some autonomy back. I was also back at work after 3 weeks, but I work for myself so had no choice in the matter (although I work a desk job so was just tired for a while). 

I think the main thing that I wasn't prepared for is how exhausted i'd feel. I am now about 8 months post-op and only really started to feel like I have more energy (but still not as much as I have before). If I were to give any advice, it would be to make sure you give yourself lots of time and space to recover, my doctors said it would take a long while yet to start to feel 'normal' again. As you heal you might find some strange shooting pains (I did in my breast), but that will eventually go. 

Oh and one more thing! At about 1 month post op I developed a terrible cough (not as bed as pre-op but of course it sent alarm bells ringing. After speaking with the doctors, they said it's a really common side effect that he has seen primarily in women. Sometimes it goes, other times it lingers. I though it worth mentioning as it took me by surprise. 

I hope that helps a bit, and a hope you feel better soon! Please do reach out if you'd like to chat any more xx

Hey Baskinbanana, 

So I am very late to the game in regards to coming on here and looking for help and advice. I think I have been putting my head in the clouds and hoping for this all to just simply go away. Knowing now that this isn't going to happen I have accepted fate decided to try and prepare myself the best way I know how and that is asking for help from people that have gone through this all already. 

So I am also 33 F and last August I was diagnosed with an atypical carcinoid tumour in my lower left lung, right at the junction of my bronchi. I was told initially that this could be treated via bronchoscopies by debunking the tumour. Now I am 6 months down the line it's now time to have the lower left lobe removed and it is safe to say I am absolutely shitting myself over the fact. 

Add to this, I am a long haul cabin crew and it is my LIFE! I can't imagine doing any other job, traveling is the best thing for me. But this diagnosis has thrown my world on its head, literally and figuratively. I am so scared that when I wake up from the procedure that they are going to tell me that they have had to take out the whole left lung due to the tumour's positioning and attachment. If this was to be the case then I would 100% be unable to return back to the job I love. My surgeon hasn't been able to give me the reassurance that this outcome may not happen but I am honestly sooooooooooo petrified that I will lose my whole sense of self if this was to happen. 

How did you do mentally post op? Was there a lot of discomfort with the whole 'missing a lobe' ? Could you feel an emptiness in your chest? Activity wise, did you have to have a lot of help to do things once you was discharged from hospital? And I hate to ask this but what was your scaring like on your back?

Any help would be amazing as I am at a complete an utter loss with myself at the moment. 

Hope you are back up to some form of normalcy lately.

Thanks xxxxxxx

Hi Grounded,

thank you for your comment. I have messaged you back on chat. Let me know if you can't see it and I will pop it here instead  x

Hello, I’m Sara a 40 year old female. Just in the process of being diagnosed and resection being scheduled. Mine in lower left main bronchi also at the junction! Had rigid bronch last week, was absolutely fine but worried about the main surgery and how long it’ll take to get my normal life back! 
Glad to have found this forum as you all understand ️

Hi Sara, I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but pleased you've found this forum and this thread.  

I can certainly understand what you're going through and the worry. Before my surgery I read on here (although I can't find the post) that two weeks after surgery, the poster was having a slow walk by the beach. What I can say is that (for me anyway) going from post op to having a little walk felt really fast, the recovery in the first two weeks is hard but also rapid once that's over. Within a week I was having slow walks around the pond near my house, and after two months I was at center parcs going down water slides, although that probably wasn't the best idea just from a muscle pain perspective! But I wrote this to hopefully give you summary that recovery can be quicker than you expect. Do expect to be tired more easily for a while though.  

I hope this helps, please reach out if I can be of any support in any other way  you've got this!! ️️

Hi baskinbanana, welcome to the group! 
I have had an upper left lobe removal in 2019. I have had a dry cough which did worsen actually until I tried antihistamines . The lung nurse had told me I would be very sensitive to smells spray deodorant etc. I’ve had to ditch some perfumes I loved etc. spicy food can set me off too.  So inhalers didn’t really help me although I was given them. I think learning what my triggers were and avoiding them has been a help.

good luck x

Hi Lindasue, 

That's so interesting, I'm a year on now from my first post and luckily my cough has gone apart from then I eat spicy food it seems to trigger it. It's interesting to hear of other triggers like yours. 

when I spoke to the consultant about he he has said that a lot of women in particular get a cough post op which I thought was interesting and comforting for sure. Xx