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Originally Posted by Eaglegurl
I am 41 years old. I had a lobectomy 5 weeks ago. To remove a non cancerous tumors and blood vessel. I lost half of my left lung.
I am wondering if I will ever get back to somewhat a normal life. I have numbness on the left side of my chest and back. I now feel tightness in my chest and I'm constantly out of breath. Sleep is a constant struggle because I can't get comfortable. Pain level isn't bad anymore.
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Yes, you will.
5 weeks is a very short time, after such a huge surgery.
You are young, which will allow you to bounce back even better.
Over time, you wont notice the numbness anymore. Some of the nerves will regrow and repair, but this can be slow. You may be left with a little numbness, but after some time you wont notice it. I promise you.
Pain will fade. Make sure you are taking what you need. Sometimes even just tylenol can do a lot.
What is keeping you from being comfortable during sleep? Pain? Breathing? Sometimes taking pain medicine right before bed can be helpful. Even tylenol, which can also help sleep. Try different positions for pillows around your body to help. Maybe sleeping on a wedge will help. Call the surgeon/nurse to ask for advice. Since surgeons often loose interest once the surgery is open, be sure to see your primary care doctor very soon so they can give you advice.
Finally, are you going to physical therapy/pulmonary rehabilitation appointments, to help you get back into an activity/exercise routine? This will help tremendously.
Remember, you have been through a big surgery. Your doctors are there to help. It is there job. Don't be shy about calling them, or scheduling an earlier follow-up appointment if you need help.