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What Causes Fatigue After A Shoulder Replacement Surgery?

Posted on Mon, 13 Nov 2017

Question: I had shoulder replacement in July and have not felt well since then. I have had multiple blood tests and one did show a deficiency of Vitamin D. I have taken 5000 units for over three weeks but nothing has changed. I had to go to the emergency room on Friday because I felt I could not breathe. I stay weak and even when walking very short distances, I break out in a dripping sweat. I can't do hardly anything. I have had x-rays of the lung- nothing. No one can seem to find anything wrong. I need help.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Better to rule out pulmonary embolism.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your all symptoms are suggestive of pulmonary embolism (PE).
And PE is common after orthopedic surgeries.
So better to get done D dimer level and CT pulmonary angiography.
If both these are negative then no need to worry for PE.
Sometimes bronchitis can be the cause.
So also get done PFT (Pulmonary Function Test).
If this shows obstructive Airway defect then you will need inhaled bronchodilators (formoterol or salmeterol) and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) (budesonide or fluticasone).
Chest x ray can be normal in both, PE and bronchitis.
Please let me know
1. Have you undergone these tests?
2. Do you smoke?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (40 minutes later)

I'm not coughing so a chest x-ray still would not show bronchitis?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Chest x ray not used for diagnosis of bronchitis.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
Chest x ray can be normal in bronchitis.
Chest x ray is not used for diagnosis of bronchitis.
PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) is must for the diagnosis of bronchitis.
And coughing can sometimes absent in bronchitis.
What about smoking habit?
Do you smoke?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (23 minutes later)

I have never smoked but when I was in the recovery room and then in my hospital room after the should replacement surgery, I had chest pains. They were not sharp pains but they did an EKG and said everything was fine. Could the items you mentioned above go on since July? I have felt bad since then and had all the symptoms that I mentioned. Thank you for your help.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, your symptoms are mostly due to complications of surgery.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Possibility of either bronchitis or pulmonary embolism is more likely.
And if they are present, they are after operation only. So these are surgical complications seen after surgery.
So in my opinion, you should discuss about these diseases with your doctor and get done appropriate investigations.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana