Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 3/21/2009

Question
HI, i just had a total knee replacement surgery on Jan. 28th, and have been very sick since then. My symptoms are hard to explain because the change daily and it multiple things affecting to the point i just feel like i'm weighed down. To name a few obvious symptoms i have continuous short of breath, tachycardia, loss of appetite, lost of weight, most recently headaches that make me feel sick and wobbly, feeling of faint and at times extreme fatigue when i wake up in the morning. I have seen all types of Doctors from New York to Pennsylvania, and no one knows why. My life has changed horribly and worried because this has gone on so long. My question is could this be a negative impact from the anesthesia? Could it have been to much anesthesia given? Is there anything you would recommend a Dr. to look into? Lastly, does it sometimes take post-op patients months to recover metabolically?

Answer
Hi Trey
I am really sorry to hear about your experience. It is difficult to put your symptoms together so I'm glad that you have received medical opinion from various doctors. There is no doubt that anaesthesia can have lasting effects on some people but this tends to be linked more to lessening of mental ability, confusion and mood changes. It is difficult to separate out what is due to anaesthesia and what is the bodies reaction to major surgery - but most evidence is that a major amount of the changes people experience is due to your bodies response to the surgical insult.
I can offer no magic cure but suspect the best chance is that you are just reaching the stage where your body is coming to the end of its metabolic repsonse to the surgery. Now is the time to gently increase your exercise - walking, swimming, cycling, gym workout - whatever you can/like to do. However do it regularly - every day if you can and gradually build up how much you can do. This should gradually pull you through your current problems and get your appetite back.
Kind regards
Dr Ian Jackson