LVRS Info

[Deleted]

Everyone,
My name is Cathy and I am 46 yrs old and had lung reduction surgery on August 14, 2006. I was in the hospital for 18 days mainly because of a small air leak on the right lung after the surgery. I was on oxygen only at night before the surgery but after the surgery had to be on O2 for about 7 weeks total. Not bad they tell me. The surgery and recovery was a lot more difficult than I expected but overall I am more than pleased with the outcome. I'm not sure if the recovery is different for a man versus a women but my biggest complaint would have to be the numbness and tingling around my mid-section (under the breasts). This is from all the muscle and nerve endings that were cut during the surgery. Three incisions were made on each side of the chest. If I remember correctly, before the surgery, my FEV1 was around 37%. Six months after surgery the number was around 51%. I'm just going on memory but I will double check with my doctor to be more accurate. This is just a quick recap of my experience but will be more than happy to answer any questions that anyone might have. I'm sure I've skipped a lot. Till later, have a great one.

[maryaz]

Cathy, I remember you. Your posting were something that really was unfortunate to lose when the forum went down. I am glad things are getting together for you.

Hope the pain lets up yet. I don't know anymore than what you post. Sounds like you got improvement just maybe not as smooth as you thought. It is the end result that will really matter.

Really good of you to post again. I am glad it is coming along okay.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Hi Cathy;

Wow! Quite an improvement on your FEV1! I take it you'er not on O2 at all now?

Q: When they do LVRS, do they wedge pieces from both lungs, or just one lung or trim them both down or...... (forgive my ignorance, I've just never "read up on the LVRS proceedure itself) I'm assuming "both" since you said the incisions were on both sides of your chest.

Also it sounded like a VATS type proceedure? How large/long were the incisions?

Also; what's your exercise capacity like now vs before?

Congratulations BTW!

[Deleted]

Hi Blossom,
I'm no longer on oxygen and pretty much feel great most of the time. If I have any complaints it's usually the lingering numbness or other parts of my body giving me grief. . My breathing improved almost immediately after surgery. Even though I was on oxygen I did not feel "out of breath" all the time. It was the VATS type of surgery and they removed approximately 30% of each lung. I can pretty much do anything exercise wise that I want to. My problem now isn't the breathing issue, it's the "I don't want to" issue.
I would recommend the surgery to anyone who has gone thru the testing and has their doctor's blessing. I don't think now a days they would do the surgery if they didn't think the outcome would be good. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Take care, Cathy

[cheryl]

Cathy,

I was wondering where exactly is your numbness located?

[Deleted]

The numbness is on the right side around the rib cage. I guess it's from the chest tube being in for 17 days. It does get bothersome but all in all it's tolerable. The left chest tube was only in for 4 days so that side isn't nearly as numb. If it gets too bad then I take a pain pill and it puts all the nerve endings to sleep.

[cheryl]

Cathy, Do you get any pain when you press gently on the bottom of your rib cage?

[Deleted]

I don't really have a lot of feeling there because of the numbness so I would say no. I can push on it and know that I'm pressing but I can't really feel it. It's very weird. What I do have is tingling, especially if I exercise or concentrate on holding my stomach muscles in.

[cheryl]

Thank you Cathy.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Cathy did they have any idea why the one lung took so long to seal?

How long before you were able to do things like drive, walk comfortably etc.

[Deleted]

They don't know why the right lung was being difficult but after 17 days they decided that the air pocket or whatever they called it was not going to close up any further. At that point they took the chest tube out and let me go home the next day. I drove in about a week and half after getting out of the hospital but only to rehab then back home again. I live about an hour and 15 minutes from the hospital so that was plenty for me. I was pretty wiped out the first few weeks home from pain medicine and being on the oxygen, I didn't really feel like doing anything. The lungs were better but my body had been through a major operation and it was letting me know to take it easy. After 6 weeks home I went back to work (desk job) for half days and gradually worked my way back to full time. If I had to do it again, I probably would wait a bit longer before returning to work. At the time I thought if I pushed myself to get back to work I would feel better physically quicker but that's basically all I did because it took a lot more out of me than I thought. I went to work, came home and pretty much rested the rest of the day. So to anyone out there thinking about or getting ready for this surgery, my advice would be; don't rush the recovery process.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Thanks Cathy.
When did the other lung finally seal?

P.S. Cheryl; if you're seeing this did you go through something similar (From the sealing process)when you had a collapsed lung? Seems to me you had a problem, albeit different from Cathy's reason from same situation.

[cheryl]

Jackie,

My lung took 7 weeks to seal. The Surgeon said it was because the lung was badly diseased. Like Cathy, I also am numb around the rib cage, underarm and upper arm. The area where the lung hasn't expanded into yet is also a touchy spot for me.

[Deleted]

Hi Cheryl,
Since I don't know your history, I'm kind of making the assumption that you too had the LVRS. Do you notice that as the day go by that you feel as though your mid section swells a bit? I realize that eating and drinking will do that too but I've noticed that by the time bedtime rolls around I look like I could be 7 months pregnant. When I wake in the morning I'm back to looking normal. I'm far from thin but I can definitely see the difference from going to bed and getting up in the morning. I was just wondering if with all the maneuvering that was done on the inside if a lot of my "bloatness" is actually some swelling. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[LindaNY]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. The information is invaluable.

[cheryl]

Cathy -- yes yes, my stomach also seems larger at night, but I just assumed It was from eating. Why would there be swelling in the abdomen? Although come to think of it, haven't I read that a larger stomach does have something to do with all this?

Anyone???

[Deleted]

It's not even really just the stomach that seems larger but around the rib cage too. It just dawned on me this morning that maybe it's from the surgery. I think I may measure myself one night (I have to remember) and then again in the morning to see how much of a difference there would be. I'll post it when I do it.

[John]

Cheryl : I'm not sure of this , I read somewhere that we can get a larger stomach, when we eat we tend to swallow air thus causing swelling. I think I remember Phil writing that we should exhale before we take a bite and that will stop us from swallowing air and also allows us to eat more and it stops the bloating Phil wrote about this in his article about eating & copd. One can find it on (COPDCANADA.com )website in the tribute to Phil sec

[maryaz]

Cheryl and Cathy; This is what John was referring to I think.
www.copdcanada.ca/eating.htm

There are just so many little things that can help living with this disease. Phil was good about looking beyond what he was just told and finding better ways that work. God Bless Him and I sure miss him.

[John]

Thats it Mary , Thank You

[cheryl]

Thank you John and Mary,

Now that you remind me, I do remember reading about that. I'm all for any method that allows me to eat more. ;D ;D

[John]

I love it ;D

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Cathy I'm like that too at times....some days more pronouced than others. I go from looking 4-5 mos pregnant in the am to about 7-8 mos at nigt. BUT; it NEVER really goes "down" to normal.

Apart from the exhaling, eating & trapped air, I also "think" it's from (or in conjunction "with" one's lungs spreading out ,more. Just a thought.