partial 8th rib removal surgery ...
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:22 am
Greetings 
I wanted to finally post about my partial 8th rib removal surgery and also the lung surgery of the same right side where nodules were removed and what helped and hurt me In hopes that the little I can share will help another patient not be In pain and heal faster I didn’t write this like a text document I wrote this like I would to a friend. So here goes
So many aspects of are treatments we have so little control over after we make the decision to have things done like a surgery and I feel that doing these things Involves you more in the process and It made It more mentally easy for me to go thru because I felt like I had at least some control in a diagnosis/treatment/outcome that at times makes every thing seem out of control and over whelming..
I hope this information helps someone feel more in control like I did.
Drugs are your friend
Norco 10mg x 2
*stopped after about two weeks and moved to *
Vicodine and Tylenol 5/500
Mortin 400 mg
*then after about a month off the vicodin*
Motrin 800 mg
At ten months I am mortin 800mg x 1 a day
My surgeon also did some thing with the nerves and I think someone else posted about this in the forums I can’t remember what it was called: /
I will try and talk to him soon and find out what it was and post it. But, ask your surgeon about a block I think it was and see if he knows what it is. If not post and I will find and ask my surgeon
Have your pharmacy phone number in the file for the pain med doctor. If you were not told that you are going to have a doctor for pain now before the surgery is the time to ask for this type of doctor and get there phone number.
If possible have all pain med's at home so when you get home you will not have to send someone out to get them.
Drink lots of water and eat really healthy the week at least before surgery.
Before surgery buy a body pillow and another pillow that is foam. I used the foam pillow behind my head and at a slant at times for support. You cannot lay on the side of your surgery and the muscles are in trauma and so the body pillow will help also support you The pain from trying to lay on my side was one that I cannot even describe even after a month after surgery.
A small blanket that will cover you yet not get you tangled In It.
In the beginning the first two weeks after surgery It will be a bit hard to move things like blankets off you. Plus, It Is a great excuse to go get a blanket that will make you feel snuggly
Don’t bring the pillows or blanket to the hospital it will smell like the hospital *YUCK*
Loose fitting tops. It is hard to put on and take off tops for the first month or so.
Wearing a bra I do not recommend talk to your doctor.
Both Still are hard for me at ten months with some tops and sports bras it is a war to remove them still…
Have an Ice pack and a heating pad.
Slippers you need to walk as much as you can...
Try not to get too hot or cold.
I had my surgery done in December in California so we all know it was not covered in snow, yet it was cold. About a week after my surgery I went outside and was standing bare footed on a cold surface. * I know I am a dumb bunny* I looked at my boyfriend he looked at me as I was shivering and teeth chattering and the core of my body felt frozen in less then two minutes! We rushed me to the heater and I had a blanket over me and after a few minutes I felt better. Please, remember that your body while healing from this kind of surgery is doing a lot of work to heal you and huge temperature changes can cause problems at times.
Buy stuff you love to eat and drink. I found that after surgery I did not want huge meals and it was easier to eat healthy snacks.
Ask your doctor if you can eat yogurt with your meds. I tried to eat a yogurt with my pain med's and other drugs.
I failed at doing this though and I had and still am having problems from the drugs and not enough water you do not want to go thru this so make yourself eat this stuff and drink and walk please...
Water and more water the pain med's you will be taking can cause constipation and more pain it did for me
Before you are released from the hospital I would request that at least twenty four hours before have the pain med's you are going to be taking at home started so that you will know If your pain will be under control. Pain after a surgery like this can create other problems and also slow healing. It is from what I am told one of the most painful surgeries that can be done and If pain med's are done right you will only be on and off in slight pain while In between med's times.
Make sure when you leave the hospital that you are NOT constipated! If you are have them treat it there before you are released. It is very painful!
Reading was hard it not impossible for me. The pain meds made my eyes blurry so reading books was not an option for me sadly. Maybe it would have worked with one of the new computer books they have out. If you have one give it s try…
Take the anti Inflammatory on time every day do not skip or miss these are very important! Do not stop taking these till you have spoken with your surgeon. I am still on and off them and it has been ten months.
There are going to be times when you feel like it just isn’t getting any better but it is and it is slow so understand that and try not to push yourself to hard .
Three months after surgery,
You finally start to really feel like you again!
You still have some pain and are taking it easy
You get sleepy easy and need to rest still allot.
Walk walk walk.. I gained 40 pounds *gasp*
Touching my rib cage in the inner costal spaces is very painful so no touching that and I grow to love loose clothing.
No big hugs
still fighting constapation and pain
Ten months after surgery I am dealing with…
I am back to work and I do not work a desk job so I stay very active!
Weekends now are for rest lol
I have Pain, from doing things like stretching and lifting to much.
Constapation is better .. but, still have some pain. They say also it is from the muscles that are healing and he nerves.
I still have Numbness from the right back side of my ribs to my front side of my ribs.
Inter costal pain is now a small amount better.
Things are now starting to re generate again with the nerves and wow that doesn’t feel good at times. But, at least I know they are now trying to come back so it makes it worth it.
Cheers YaaaHooo for weird shooting into you like a lightning bold nerve pain that makes you stop breathing for a second and gasp in public lol
I feel at times like I have walked fast and this is when haven’t walked fast. Almost like asthma but this is manageable. Maybe it is the 40 pounds *shakes head*
I now feel almost 85% better
Still no big hugs they hurt
Some have told me “It takes a good year and then you will feel 100%”
I am so impatient *sigh*
Two more months left so they say till I am me again, an I am holding them to there words
May you heal fast and be happy and may you not do the silly things as I did while healing <3
I wanted to finally post about my partial 8th rib removal surgery and also the lung surgery of the same right side where nodules were removed and what helped and hurt me In hopes that the little I can share will help another patient not be In pain and heal faster I didn’t write this like a text document I wrote this like I would to a friend. So here goes
So many aspects of are treatments we have so little control over after we make the decision to have things done like a surgery and I feel that doing these things Involves you more in the process and It made It more mentally easy for me to go thru because I felt like I had at least some control in a diagnosis/treatment/outcome that at times makes every thing seem out of control and over whelming..
I hope this information helps someone feel more in control like I did.
Drugs are your friend
Norco 10mg x 2
*stopped after about two weeks and moved to *
Vicodine and Tylenol 5/500
Mortin 400 mg
*then after about a month off the vicodin*
Motrin 800 mg
At ten months I am mortin 800mg x 1 a day
My surgeon also did some thing with the nerves and I think someone else posted about this in the forums I can’t remember what it was called: /
I will try and talk to him soon and find out what it was and post it. But, ask your surgeon about a block I think it was and see if he knows what it is. If not post and I will find and ask my surgeon
Have your pharmacy phone number in the file for the pain med doctor. If you were not told that you are going to have a doctor for pain now before the surgery is the time to ask for this type of doctor and get there phone number.
If possible have all pain med's at home so when you get home you will not have to send someone out to get them.
Drink lots of water and eat really healthy the week at least before surgery.
Before surgery buy a body pillow and another pillow that is foam. I used the foam pillow behind my head and at a slant at times for support. You cannot lay on the side of your surgery and the muscles are in trauma and so the body pillow will help also support you
The pain from trying to lay on my side was one that I cannot even describe even after a month after surgery. A small blanket that will cover you yet not get you tangled In It.
In the beginning the first two weeks after surgery It will be a bit hard to move things like blankets off you. Plus, It Is a great excuse to go get a blanket that will make you feel snuggly
Don’t bring the pillows or blanket to the hospital it will smell like the hospital *YUCK*
Loose fitting tops. It is hard to put on and take off tops for the first month or so.
Wearing a bra I do not recommend talk to your doctor.
Both Still are hard for me at ten months with some tops and sports bras it is a war to remove them still…
Have an Ice pack and a heating pad.
Slippers you need to walk as much as you can...
Try not to get too hot or cold.
I had my surgery done in December in California so we all know it was not covered in snow, yet it was cold. About a week after my surgery I went outside and was standing bare footed on a cold surface. * I know I am a dumb bunny* I looked at my boyfriend he looked at me as I was shivering and teeth chattering and the core of my body felt frozen in less then two minutes! We rushed me to the heater and I had a blanket over me and after a few minutes I felt better. Please, remember that your body while healing from this kind of surgery is doing a lot of work to heal you and huge temperature changes can cause problems at times.
Buy stuff you love to eat and drink. I found that after surgery I did not want huge meals and it was easier to eat healthy snacks.
Ask your doctor if you can eat yogurt with your meds. I tried to eat a yogurt with my pain med's and other drugs.
I failed at doing this though and I had and still am having problems from the drugs and not enough water you do not want to go thru this so make yourself eat this stuff and drink and walk please...
Water and more water the pain med's you will be taking can cause constipation and more pain it did for me
Before you are released from the hospital I would request that at least twenty four hours before have the pain med's you are going to be taking at home started so that you will know If your pain will be under control. Pain after a surgery like this can create other problems and also slow healing. It is from what I am told one of the most painful surgeries that can be done and If pain med's are done right you will only be on and off in slight pain while In between med's times.
Make sure when you leave the hospital that you are NOT constipated! If you are have them treat it there before you are released. It is very painful!
Reading was hard it not impossible for me. The pain meds made my eyes blurry so reading books was not an option for me sadly. Maybe it would have worked with one of the new computer books they have out. If you have one give it s try…
Take the anti Inflammatory on time every day do not skip or miss these are very important! Do not stop taking these till you have spoken with your surgeon. I am still on and off them and it has been ten months.
There are going to be times when you feel like it just isn’t getting any better but it is and it is slow so understand that and try not to push yourself to hard .
Three months after surgery,
You finally start to really feel like you again!
You still have some pain and are taking it easy
You get sleepy easy and need to rest still allot.
Walk walk walk.. I gained 40 pounds *gasp*
Touching my rib cage in the inner costal spaces is very painful so no touching that and I grow to love loose clothing.
No big hugs
still fighting constapation and pain
Ten months after surgery I am dealing with…
I am back to work and I do not work a desk job so I stay very active!
Weekends now are for rest lol
I have Pain, from doing things like stretching and lifting to much.
Constapation is better .. but, still have some pain. They say also it is from the muscles that are healing and he nerves.
I still have Numbness from the right back side of my ribs to my front side of my ribs.
Inter costal pain is now a small amount better.
Things are now starting to re generate again with the nerves and wow that doesn’t feel good at times. But, at least I know they are now trying to come back so it makes it worth it.
Cheers YaaaHooo for weird shooting into you like a lightning bold nerve pain that makes you stop breathing for a second and gasp in public lol
I feel at times like I have walked fast and this is when haven’t walked fast. Almost like asthma but this is manageable. Maybe it is the 40 pounds *shakes head*
I now feel almost 85% better
Still no big hugs they hurt
Some have told me “It takes a good year and then you will feel 100%”
I am so impatient *sigh*
Two more months left so they say till I am me again, an I am holding them to there words
May you heal fast and be happy and may you not do the silly things as I did while healing <3