post thoracotomy pain

[hurtinginaz]

I had a thoracotomy on Dec. 20 to remove a tumor on the surface of my lung near my spine.  Luckily, the tumor was benign.  However, I'm still experiencing quite a bit of pain, especially near my shoulder blade and along the incision.  

Currently, I'm taking Ultram 50 mg every 6 hours during the day.  I'm scheduled to return to work a week from today, and I had hoped that I would be pain free by now.  I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon in mid March.  When I went to see him 2 weeks ago, he said some people have pain for a longer period of time than others and we need to treat my pain until it subsides.  That's when he gave me the perscription for Ultram.

I was wondering if anyone out there has had a thoracotomy and could let me know if it is atypical to have pain 6 weeks after surgery. I have read about post thoracotomy pain syndrome and I'm concerned that this is what I'm experiencing.  I sure hope it will get better because I can't imagine having to live with this pain for the rest of my life!  Any advice/information would be appreciated.  I'm especially interested in advice about long term pain management after a thoracotomy.  Thanks.

[teaandpencils]

Thanks for all the above posts. 3 weeks after surgery and after all the contradictory advice of specialists, I was drawing my own conclusion that I would probably just have to learn to live with the pain. Its discomfort rather than pain but the aching back and related tiredness I am determined to overcome. As someone who was very fit and active before the operation, I cannot imagine this restricting my life. Positive mental attitude I believe is the best way to overcome the symptoms. A friend has recommended to me Hypericum and Arnica, homeopathic remedies which help the body to heal its tissues, the Hypericum in particular helps the nerves to mend. As a 'hopeful sceptic' I am trying these together. After only 3 weeks, I am off all conventional medication apart from the odd Tramadol or Co-Codamol for the aches. If this pain ends up lasting a long time, I might as well learn to live with it sooner rather than later.

I try to remember that prior to the surgery, I had a large mass in my chest which meant I couldn't breathe properly. It had to come out and now I can breathe and have the possibility of running again. I try to think of the advantages and believe that I can live with the after effects of the surgery.
Good luck to everybody!

[ecweiler]

I had a right thoracotomy for something that has never happened before.  I had a mass in my right lung which noone could recognize from the x-rays, etc.  I underwent 12 chest x-rays, a bronchoscopy, 2 CT scans, a 41/2 hour heart/lung MRI, and finally a PET Scan.  Still, noone could identify what was in my lungs.  The doctors were afraid to biopsy this because they did not know how this mass would react, so...I had a right thoracotomy to remove this 3.5 centimeter mass in my lung whole.  They also removed a small portion of my lung.  After 6 - 8 weeks, I thought I should be just fine.  What a surprise to me when I wasn't.  It is now almost 4 months, and I still have quite alot of pain.  I could not tolerate oxycontine and quickly went off it.  I have been put on a newer drug - Tridural.  This is for long term pain.  I take one at night and it holds me really quite well.  I then saw my surgeon (he is wonderful), and he added Gabapenten (an antiseizure medications) which is known to help neuropathic pain.  I am on both, and I feel like I have my life back, but I would like to take no medications.  I try to go off the meds, but after about three days, I can barely move.   I certainly hope that this pain does subside, but I had to have two surgeries within 12 hours, and so I have been told that my nerve endings have been totally cut, and this takes a long time to heal.  Good luck to everyone...me included.  I just never thought that I wouldn't be perfect after the surgery.  The mass was not malignant...it was actually part of my heart (pericardial fat pad) that somehow got twisted and went into my lung.  My lung then killed it as it was a foreign body and what was removed was dead necrotic tissue.  So, I was one of the lucky ones...I couldn't imagine undergoing chemotherapy after this type of surgery.  

[jw123456789]

four years since my thoracotomy, still in some pain, but no pain pills, they don't help.  i don't understand how this all ties to shoulder pain, but i have found MOIST HEAT helps me relax... esp in the evening...  good luck all!  is there a doctor in the house to address our concerns?

[4dford]

i had a thoracotomy in july of 2005 to remove an empyema due to pneumonia that my primary care doc called allergies, cold, etc.., despite an x-ray that showed pleural effusion. here it is days away from 2010 and the only chest problems i have is occasional extreme cramping of the muscles under my rib cage on the surgery side. probably due to having one less rib on that side. BUT, the back pain from the trauma of having my ribs spread is with me continually, especially when getting up in the morning. if i'm in bed for any more than 4-5 hours it feels like someone is leaning on my t-6, t-7 spine with their elbow. have tried tramadol, oxycodone, hydrocodone, physical therapy, no exercise, moderate, and heavy exercise, over the years and have not seen any improvement in my pain level. am currently trying a transdermal nitro patch that my p.m. doc prescribed. if this doesn't help he's reccomending prolotherapy (old technique but still considered experimental). my sympathy to all of you, you are not alone.

[firemedic330]

(sorry I forgot this on my last post!)  Exercise made it worse before it got better - stretching muscles previusly injured / unused / etc.  Stay strong.

[firemedic330]

Stick with it!, you're not even a year out yet.  I feel at least discomfort every day!  Some days pain.  Bra bothers me also, and I didn't even wear one for almost the 1st year - compression tops are good.  I tried several styles of bras until I found what worked best for me.  Good luck.