Nerve Damage post VATS

I had VATS 6 months ago now on the left side and after the initial pain from the surgery I have been left with a constant pain under my last rib, from the sternum then about 6 inches across. I can also see swelling under the rib which was not there prior to VATS, but none of the doctors are concerned and think the muscles just relaxed with the anasthetics. It is there all the time despite still taking codiene and paracetamol - sneezing is still agony even with the drugs. I have lowered the dose during the day due to driving and being at work (taking 2x co-codamol 8mg/500mg 3 times, then 30mg diahydrocodiene before bed). I have seen a nerve specialist who put a block into my rectus sheath (that is in your abdomen despite how it sounds!) but it has had no effect. I have refused to take pregabalin which was reccomended by my surgeon due to doing a bit of research and being warned about it first hand by a friend who is a mental health first reponder who says they use that drug as a 'chemical cosh' and sees alot of people who have become addicted. They did also offer amytriptyline but again was warned, and feel like it is simply covering up the symptoms of something else. The pain specialist has basically said he can do no more other than offer me the same drugs, or maybe try a TENS machine.

As it is so long since the surgery, I am quite worried that something else may have been damaged by the surgery. I asked the surgeon about a torn diaphragm but he said that if that was the case he would have seen air entering the cavity post surgery so thankfully ruled that out. I have had a collection of fluid in the bottom of the lung since VATS which has neither improved or worsened (another consultant thought they had taken some lung away as it looked like the diaphragm had risen up by an inch or two on the xray) and so last week was discharged by the thoracic team. I have not had any scan since VATS other than the ultrasound used to put the nerve block in.

Has anyone else suffered anything similar? I am obviously concerned that I have been on opiats for so long, and have now decided to start weening off, as it could be that I am now quite tolerant to them - although I know about it if I miss a dose as the pain gets worse. I feel I am at the point where I just need to stop the drugs and work my way through the pain, but would like to know if anyone in a similar situation has found a way of coping, or if it turned out to be another problem. 6 months on I know there are people who do still suffer so maybe it is still early and I just need to work through it and stop being such a wuss, but not sure if there might be an underlying problem and what that could be.

0 likes, 2 replies