Post Thoracotomy Pain/Discomfort - 1260366

cheryldecker5953
Posts:8

It has been 8 months since my surgery. I had a lower right lobectomy. I recovered very well all considering. It is very uncomfortable to wear my bra some days, other days are better. Inside my chest many times it feels like a hard tightening of muscels(?) I explain it as a hard baseball in that side of my chest - after surgery for weeks it felt like a hard soccer ball - mostly it is not painful - very uncomfortable but not painful. I am not doing a very good job of explaining. Outside my body my surgery sight healed excellent - just uncomfortable from my bra. Inside very often it is like a tightening up ............my right breast is beginning to wake up (?) that has been numb all these months and that can somethimes be a sharp throbbing pain and wanes and waxes. I understand the breast becoming un-numb and the discomfort at surgery sight from the bra but what is happening inside my chest wall?????? for that sensation of tightening up - somethimes it can last for days and I want to stretch and loosen up .........(only way to descirbe the feeling) but that doesnt happen. I have had 3 CT scans all with no signs of further cancer. I am doing well. My only concern is the sensation at surgery sight inside my chest. Thank you

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Reply # - November 7, 2013, 06:55 PM

catdander
Posts:

Hi Cheryl, First let me welcome you to Grace and say congratulations on your surgery.

Post thoracotomy syndrome is a known complication from this surgery. It affects only a small percentage of people and unfortunately my husband is one. All your symptoms sound very familiar except the baseball and soccer ball though there is so much variability and I'm just one person on this forum. The good news is you're just 8 months out and the damage especially nerve damage takes a very long time to heal.

There has been lots written on the subject. Here's a link to discussions that may help you understand better others' experiences and what options may be available for better comfort.
http://cancergrace.org/search-results?q=post%20thoracotomy%20syndrome

Janine

Reply # - November 7, 2013, 08:19 PM

Dr West
Posts: 4735

Yes, plenty of patients describe a sensation of tightening/discomfort in their chest after lung surgery or radiation. This corresponds to scarring/fibrosis in the area. Just as a burn leads to tightening of the skin when it scars, radiation or surgery leads to a tightening of the tissue and a sensation of traction in the area for many people. Also, the contents of the chest shift after a surgery removes a significant portion of a lung, or an entire lung, so that shifting within the chest over the weeks to months after surgery can be uncomfortable.

Good luck.

-Dr. West

Reply # - November 8, 2013, 11:57 AM

double trouble
Posts: 573

Hi Cheryl. What you're calling a soccer ball we used to call an alien baby. :lol: And the discomfort wearing the bra is probably due to some nerve damage. The nerves regenerate, but it take a very long time, months to a year or so. Anything that touched my skin was just annoying. But it does get better. Hang in there.

The alien baby is still there, and I have no explanation other than what Dr. West said, things just get moved around during a surgery like that and you're feeling something that just wasn't there before.

Try gabapentin or pregabalin (lyrica) for nerve pain. It helped me. You can also look up Post Thoracotomy Pain Syndrome, but I would stay away from the forums. I like Wiki and the NIH sites for information. Good luck.
Debra

Reply # - November 8, 2013, 07:11 PM

sherrys
Posts: 212

Cheryl, I am a little over 4 years past VATS surgery. In the first year or so after the surgery, the breast on that side always felt extremely heavy and painful. In fact, immediately following the surgery, I asked the surgeon if he did something to the breast because the majority of the pain was there. That healed and even now, I will get what feels like a squeezing sensation in the area of the scar, directly below the breast on the rib cage. It can be quite painful, but will only last for a few minutes.

I never named mine. . .lol

Reply # - November 8, 2013, 08:47 PM

cheryldecker5953
Posts: 8

Thanks guys! I appreciate all your opinions and first hand experiences. I think I have been extremely lucky. Overall I feel great have most of my energy back ...... All but this thoracotomy pain. I love to know how things work and I thought that it probably wasn't the lung itself causing the discomfort but the muscles and nerves that were cut surrounding the chest from the back around to under the breast........in fact Sherry I agree with you.... Directly under the breast can be extremely painful. They told me my surgery was one of the most painful a person can have: and it was and has been for awhile. Small price to pay .

Reply # - July 1, 2014, 01:13 PM

sustyruss
Posts: 1

Hi everyone. I have been searching health forums for other thoracotomy patients. I went under this surgery in December 2013 to have a large spinal ganglioneurome removed. I've started a blog about the operation and the road to recovery. It's early days yet, I only started it today, but I have much more to write, particularly regarding my experience with recovery. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and to hearing yours. http://mythoracotomy.tumblr.com/

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