thoracotomy

[schaner]

I had a thoracotomy seven years ago and still suffer from protracted pain. Has anyone who has had the same experience found any treatment that works. It has really affected the quality of my life! It's depressing. I am currently taking hydrocodone and cymbalta.

[AHeil]

I had a thoracotomy on left side in 2009 and on right side in 2010. Th right side feels normal and the left side is terrible pain. I have been on Methadone, (all it does is constipate you and it is hard coming off of) and also many other pain meds, the patches, neurotin and other meds. None of them seem to help. I am at lost and very depressed from this pain. I am 49 years old and ran two marathons before this surgery, now I have gained weight and just want to die. I wish the dr's would care about all of us.

[Lydia462]

I thought it was only me!! This pain is consuming my life. I had a thoracotomy 10 years ago, and have been going thru this hell all that time My pain is EXACTLY LIKE YOU DESCRIBED TO A T!!! My doctor just doesn't seem to understand the severity. He prescribed Fentanyl patches. Which work well for me at 200mg, but he won't go higher than that. Just will prescribe a 100mg patch and extra strength Vicodin which does nothing but constipate me, making the pain worse as my stomach bloats. I am SO depressed as regular activities can not be done. Not even going grocery shopping or preparing food for myself and my daughter. I had a pulmonary embolism as the reason for my surgery NO ONE told me that this could happen. At this point, I would have said to hell with it not have the surgery and let whatever happens, will happen. I'm not caring anymore.

[Lilkim703]

I had a thoracotemy about four years ago and have suffered pain ever since.  According to my doctor, I do not have typical post-thoracotemy pain, which he describes as shooting pains around the incision site.  My pain is muscular in my upper back and spreads to the muscles under my arms around my rib cage but is mainly on the side opposite of my incision site.  My doctor says my pain is myofascial but it is not fibromyalgia because it was clearly correlated to the surgery and is only in certain areas.  Basically, it feels as if my muscles are in big knots all of the time.  Are you symptoms similar or completely different?  Anyway, I was put on Lyrica about 3 weeks ago after years of seeking a solution and it has been working amazingly well so far.  It is similar to Neurontin which Tuckamore mentioned.  Some people experience pretty bad side effects from it (I have not yet) but the cognitive side effects of hydrocodone were worse when I was on that for a few months after the surgery.  The only other thing I have found that has helped me are back patches containing capsaicin (over-the-counter); in particular, Johnson & Johnson's Back Plaster.  I found that if I take hydrocodone once in a blue moon, it helps my pain significantly, but when I was on it for months at a time it did not prove to help my particular pain - it just created opoid dependence and crappy withdrawal symptoms.  Everyone is different though - my doctor did mention that if I required long-term painkillers that he considers methadone a good option, though I've never taken it myself.  Anyway, I've been exploring this for awhile now, so I'm happy to offer any experiences or info if you have any questions.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Schaner,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you found us  but sorry to hear about your pain.

Protracted pain is usually neuropathic in nature and accounts for a large number of patients that seek relief in pain clinics from chronic pain. Normally the nervous system functions to sound an alarm regarding tissue injury, in neuropathic pain the peripheral or central nervous systems are malfunctioning and become the cause of the pain. Many members have complained of this type of pain.

Week-ends can be a bit slow for responses. Is your pain controlled with your current medication regime? Have you tried neurontin? It is an anticonvulsant medicine that is used to treat nerve pain. Many ppl find these medications helpful.

Others may post. Please take care and let us know how you are doing. I hope you and all new-comers will become an active members of our forum.
Peace,
Tuck