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What to expect during recovery after robotic lobectomy

Hi, all. I was diagnosed with lung cancer last September, a 6.1cm tumor in my upper right lobe; it had not spread to any other organs, and was not touching anything in the lung. After four rounds of chemo and a robotic lobectomy surgery in late March, I am cancer-free. I was very fortunate, what my surgeon is calling a medical miracle, but I tend to chalk it up more to his rock star surgical skills! I was concerned about a numbness combined with a tingling sensation on my right side after the initial soreness from surgery wore off, and was reassured by seeing in this forum that many others were describing similar side effects. In my case, that is still the case. Now though, eight weeks after surgery, I have something else going on, and hope that I can find any mention of a similar issue. In the past several weeks, in addition to that numbness and tingling, there is the feeling that my insides are shifting around inside of me (I can actually see the movement in my chest by the way my scars move around), and feel the change just by looking at my side. For this period of time, I have been having stabbing pains on my top right rib section from inside, often so sharp that I involitarily cry out in pain or wake myself up with a loud cry in the middle of the night. I joked to my husband that it felt like I was carrying a kicking alien baby, but then decided it felt more like the evil spawn of Edward Scissorhands! I'm starting to get concerned, and wonder if anyone else has had similar pain? Any response would be much appreciated! Many thanks, Karen Watkins

  1. Oop! Typo alert! Should read "involuntarily"above.

    1. I had my thoractomy (full fledge open thoracic surgery) 21 years ago. I still experience some numbness, but minimal. However, I sometimes feel like my insides are moving inside behind ribs, similar to what you described. I had an MRI, sonogram, CTs, etc., one doctor swears it is my thoracic scoliosis (you cannot see it from the outside, I don't have a hunch or anything but I'm twisted inside). Another doctor says it is from costochronditis. No one really knows, so as long as it is not cancer and doesn't happen often, I've been dealing with it because no one really knows. You are the only other person I have heard this happending to! Thanks for sharing, we can keep each other posted if we learn anything knew! All the best, Alisa, LungCancer.net Team

      1. Oh wow, please let me know as soon as you know, I did not have the stabbing pain, but I do have the feeling of an alien moving inside behind my ribs at times and some other symptoms you mentioned, can't imagine that with stabbing pain. Will be thinking of you! Warmly, Alisa

      2. Thank you for your good wishes! My surgeon agreed the pain is likely adhesions, which he says will dissolve within a year or so. In the meantime, he prescribed Gabapentin, 100mg three times a day. It has helped...to some degree! Hope you are well, Karen

    2. Hi, I am 6 yrs., post lobectomy. NSC 1A. I still have some general numbness in area where drain tube was but less so now after 6 years. At times I do feel a tugging sensation which I figured its adhesions since I also have adhesions from a hysterectomy over 30 yrs.ago. No stabbing pain. Adhesions dont show up on xrays and all rays and CTs have been fine.

      1. Hi , it's great to hear all your scans have been fine and although you do have some tugging sensations, your pain is not stabbing. Thank you for taking the time to share with our community. All the best, Alisa, LungCancer.net Team

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