Originally Posted by zygopetalum

What in the world did they do to you?!!? I've had 2 lung surgeries, one in the dark ages (1957) when I was a kid and one 7 years ago for lung cancer. I do remember numbness and some areas of disturbed sensation/pain around the incision from the early one which gradually resolved over many years. I think it really hurt to raise my arms, dress, etc for awhile. Surgery was a lot more primitive then and I'm surprised you have problems with a recent one, I'd be mad too. I had no problems with the recent one after the post op pain.

Did he say the scarring is in your muscles, chest wall, etc? Lung surgery is considered to be extremely painful, those nerves are very sensitive so I can imagine what you experience. What does the pain feel like? Does it ache like it might be rib pain (I think thats actually a nerve pain) or burn and feel elect rical? As I'm writing this I'm remembering an intense, burning pain when I took a deep breath or reached overhead post op as a kid, is that what you are experiencing? I wanted to whack my surgeon during the recent surgery when he changed the dressing roughly and bent the chest tube to cause that pain.

I don't know any magic solution, the nerves slowly have to heal or become less sensitive or whatever They do. they sent me home with a months worth of Vicodin post op, it was effective but don't know if you'd want that for a long term solution. Can you go to a pain clinic? I really don't know anything about it but you mentioned 'loosening up' and I'm wondering if taking pain meds to get you through some physical therapy might help, those people are very good at stretching adhesions, etc. You could also try some of the supplements list around the site, I'm not sure it would respond like a neuropathy but it can't hurt to try.

I think you need more help than 'heres some Lyrica', I don't know if a neurology referrel would be appropriate but at least try a pain clinic. Good luck,

judi