Limb Lengthening Forum
Limb Lengthening Surgery => Limb Lengthening Patients Experiences => Topic started by: QuarkSoup on November 26, 2022, 05:59:00 PM
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Hello guys,
This diary will be about CCL, LON on Femurs, Dr Yunus Oc, Beykent University Hospital, everything and everyone included in the process.
I normally live in the capital city of Turkey, Ankara. I thought I could go back to my home after hospital discharge and didn't bother to bring my laptop. After seeing how difficult first days are Idecided to stay at wannabettaller's rehabilitation facility. Writing diary on my ipad is a little time consuming and difficult but I'll complete this Diary.
I will always specify the day I will be talking about as I might be adding entries other days. They will be accurate because I will have taken notes quickly in my own language (Turkish) during the relevant days. I'll call surgery day 22 Nov as Day 0, 26 Nov as Day 4.
A little about me, I'm 173cm (5'8.11") with 78cm inseam , 28y old Turkish embedded system and AI engineer. I completed ECE B.S. in the US a few years ago. My height growth stopped at the age of 12 and it has been bothering me a lot since then. I first researched this surgery when I was 15y old but I couldn't go far because my english was pretty bad at that time also the photos I saw scared the hell out of me (Ilizarov). 3y later one of my highschool friends went to the US and I saw him again after 2y he was much much taller than me. I asked him how he grew like 15cm and he said he just grew. After this, I got serious about CCL again and waited for the right time to have it done. I always thought I'd have it done in the US like that friend of mine, for some reason I didn't think about Turkey, even tho my whole family is made up of Turkish Doctors and the Health Sector here is very good IMO. I have been saving for a long time then I gradually lost like $150-170k in stock market after the FED's Monetary contraction decision due to rising inflation and russia's invasion of Ukraine.
I had no intention of selling big chunk of my stocks just for CCL So I started looking at Turkey as an alternative and saw Nicholas videos on youtube. I asked him some questions and he patiently answered everything in detail, really great person. He said he was very satisfied with everything so I went on and contacted the same company, wannabetaller. I asked about the process and dear Tugce sent me a detailed pdf document 44pages long, explaining almost everything then I asked for consultation with Dr. Yunus Oc face to face, I wanted to meet him in person. I went to his office and talked about 15 minutes he explained the surgery prodecure and answered all my question quite detailed. I love when MDs explain it to their patients like they explain it to their colleagues. A lot of Doctors don't want to bother thinking their patients won't be able to understand the details anyways which is very wrong IMO. So I liked everything about Dr. Yunus Oc and decided to get the surgery done on Nov 22.
I want to upload lots of pictures and videos but without a PC it might be challenging.I'll try my best. For people who want to get this surgery done immediately, my experience so far was amazing, 10/10. I haven't been discharged yet so havent seen the PT facility yet but I don't think I will change my mind as 2 physical therapist I met Aylis and Cagatay were really, really good. I'll write things in detailed under Day entries. Just prepare your mind it takes a lot of determination
Wish me luck and feel free to judge me, ask me or write anything about CCL.
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Good luck man!
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It sounds really good! How was the pain after surgery? Usually they say the most painful moment through the process is the surgery pain and also edama pain. How is it going for you?
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Hello akali, like I said I have been researching this surgery like 15y but experiencing it personally is something else.
I learned from other peoples experiences that the surgery would be very painful and I thought I was prepared for this pain. Ohhh boy how wrong I was. After I woke up from anesthesia I experienced a pain like I ve never experienced in my life. My whole body was shaking like I was going through a schock.When I woke up the nurse next to me put me on morphine and a big pipe with hot air underneath me. Maybe she thought I was cold because my enourmous shaking movements but I wasn't cold I was just shaking from the pain
This pain lasted 20-30 minutes and after that I felt only happiness, being on morphine might be the reason. They stopped administrating me morphine next day, they switched to other painkillers. I believe they were giving me like 3000mg paracetamol intravevously daily until I was discharged from the hospital. Even though I said I had no pain they continued to give it to me because it relaxes the body.
So in short I only felt pain right after waking up from anesthesia other than I have been also experiencing some pain when I try bend my knees trying to sit on toilet and such but this pain is so manageable it's nothing
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Day -30 (30 days prior to surgery)
I contacted wannabetaller's patient consultant dear Makbuljana through (+90 531 988 30 90) and also dear Tugce asked them about the surgeon, price and other informations. They sent me a very well prepared 44-page pdf. Then I asked for face to face meeting with the surgeon Dr. Yunus Oc. You can also do Zoom with the Surgeon online you don't need to come all this way. But I prefered that way. I had some business to attend to before the Surgery and asked to see the doctor on Nov 17
I don't want to talk about price as it might change because of various reasons you can always ask them they are very communicative.
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Day -5 (5 days prior to surgery)
Guys remember I am Turkish and have a house in Istanbul so some of the experiences related to prior surgery transportation and accomodation will be different. I believe they take care of everything for you foreigners.
Anyways, I came to the hospital with public transport, my home is a little bit far away 50km or so. it took like 1.5h to get to hospital. During the trip unfortunately I got caught some virus might be corona or another virus affecting upper respiratory tract. Take care of yourselves before surgery don't let your immune system get weak and use masks while being around other people.
Dear Tugce took me to Dr. Yunus Oc's office we talked like 15 minutes he explained everything in detail used low level language and terminologies as if he was talking to his surgeon colleague which I really liked. He informed me about possible complications and strongly emphasized how bad overweight is for this surgery. If you are planning to get this surgery done just get rid of excess weight guys it would really ruin your experience you want to be as light weight as possible prefarably with really strong upper body muscles.
I said I want to have surgery for the nearest date and they reserved the operation room for me for Nov 22. The doctor said that since I was young and the surgery date was very close, I did not come back for blood collection to hospital one day before the surgery. So that day they took my blood and x-rayed my legs.
(https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/82634624_89085FFB-1B18-495B-9FC2-5A6A79733DCB.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82634624/89085FFB-1B18-495B-9FC2-5A6A79733DCB.jpeg.html)
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Day 0 (surgery day)
I wasn't feeling anxious or anything about the surgery but I couldn't sleep so I decided to go to hospital and wait there instead.
My surgery was scheduled for 9 am but I was there at 5 am. I went to the patient admission reception and signed some documents then they took me to my room around 05:30 and 1.5 hours later a staff member came and shaved some part of my legs.
Remember I said I got caught virus eventhough I was feeling quite good anesthesiologists wanted me to see the otolaryngologist to see if there would be any problems for the operation. The otolaryngologist gave green light and they took me to operation room around 9:00
I fell asleep within 3 minutes of entering the operation room. I had a very good sleep, but when I woke up 5 hours later around 14:00, I felt incredible pain, a pain I ve never felt in my life my whole body was shaking like crazy. The nurse standing next to me gave me intravenous morphine, but the pain did not go away immediately, it lasted for about 20-30 minutes. I tried to stay strong and positive and think about the things I love, my dog,friends and family but to be honest at some point I thought I was going to die.
They took me back to my room 15 mins after I woke up and another 15 mins all the pain went away I felt so happy. They gave me a button and when I press it, I get a certain amount of morphine but it works every 30 minutes no matter how many times you pressed the button.
Around 15:00 they xrayed my legs and then Dr. Yunus Oc came to see me. He told me that the operation was successful, lasted around 3 hours and not to move my legs too much. He showed me foot exercise and said it was very important to do this for at least 5 mins every hour for blood circulation. Guys you should pay attention to this because you spend the whole day in a lying position. He also told my care giver to change the ice on my legs every 30 minutes this is super important especially in first week.
A few hours later my MD big brother came to visit me from London. He said that the hospital was very luxurious and that he liked it very much. He said the hospital looks better than the hospitals in London. I also liked everything about the hospital, it was clean and modern looking, the staff was so nice and food was amazing. Its name is Beykent University Hospital.
Quick note, the company wannabetaller sent the care giver he stayed with me until the day I discharged from the hospital. You need someone atleast a week. His name is Feyzullah and I was very satisfied with his service. He did his job very well like everyone else in the process.
I dont want to scare you but a tube from my penis was connected directly to my bladder so I didnt have to go to the toilet for 4 days until they removed it. You don't feel any pain or anything. The pee is collected in a closed bag with a lid and it needs to be empitied every few hours.
Around 7 pm they brought me only soup not to upset my stomach. I wasn't able to move my legs at all I consistently move my toe like the Dr showed me.
Below you can see the xrays they tooked one hour after I wake up from anesthesia
(https://s8d8.turboimg.net/t1/82640287_2A1F623B-BEEF-45D7-8BCE-F4E9F159A0A1.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82640287/2A1F623B-BEEF-45D7-8BCE-F4E9F159A0A1.jpeg.html) (https://s8d8.turboimg.net/t1/82640289_B55D533D-5F54-43F4-838F-FD91D664DF35.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82640289/B55D533D-5F54-43F4-838F-FD91D664DF35.jpeg.html)
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Hello akali, like I said I have been researching this surgery like 15y but experiencing it personally is something else.
I learned from other peoples experiences that the surgery would be very painful and I thought I was prepared for this pain. Ohhh boy how wrong I was. After I woke up from anesthesia I experienced a pain like I ve never experienced in my life. My whole body was shaking like I was going through a schock.When I woke up the nurse next to me put me on morphine and a big pipe with hot air underneath me. Maybe she thought I was cold because my enourmous shaking movements but I wasn't cold I was just shaking from the pain
This pain lasted 20-30 minutes and after that I felt only happiness, being on morphine might be the reason. They stopped administrating me morphine next day, they switched to other painkillers. I believe they were giving me like 3000mg paracetamol intravevously daily until I was discharged from the hospital. Even though I said I had no pain they continued to give it to me because it relaxes the body.
So in short I only felt pain right after waking up from anesthesia other than I have been also experiencing some pain when I try bend my knees trying to sit on toilet and such but this pain is so manageable it's nothing
Really? That made me think about the surgery all over again. But thank you for the honesty. I want to know the truths of this process and thank you so much for that!! Appreciated it,,,
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I believe everyone's pain threshold is a lot different. But I said I felt no pain after 30 mins waking up from anesthesia. 30 mins is very short amount of time I think it shouldn't discourage you if you really want to become taller. I even asked nurses not to give me painkillers the next day imagine that :D
I grew 0.55cm so far, so maybe when I reach 4-6cm pain might start to kick in I don't know but right now I am so comfortable with no pain.
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This looks like an AD in my opinion. LON is an extremely painful with the first few days being the worst, and you're experiencing no pain? Also, there's so many references to the entire team lol.
I believe everyone's pain threshold is a lot different. But I said I felt no pain after 30 mins waking up from anesthesia. 30 mins is very short amount of time I think it shouldn't discourage you if you really want to become taller. I even asked nurses not to give me painkillers the next day imagine that :D
I grew 0.55cm so far, so maybe when I reach 4-6cm pain might start to kick in I don't know but right now I am so comfortable with no pain.
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I told dear Tugce that I'd be writing a diary about the process, noone asked me to do it in fact they even forgot to take my pics before surgery. I told them then they took it after nurses open intravenous line just before the surgery. Once my process is completed they would probably publish it. It will be a unique one :D
And yes I will even talk about even cleaning ladies it's an emotional process and so many people can affect your mood. Also to give people credit who does their job good. Unfortunately I don't know their surnames so far everyone did a faboulous job.
Like I said I only felt pain right after anesthesia and first few days when I tried to move my legs especially when I tried to bend my knees but right now I have absoulutely zero pain.
I forgot to mention that I streched like 3 months prior to surgery and am around 65 kilos. I have been working out for 10 years that might also be affecting my pain threshold I don't know but I am so happy
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Day 1 (one day after the surgery)
The nurses gave me like 3-4L electrolyte solution intravenously a day along with antibiotics, bloodthinners stomach protectors and painkillers. I wouldnt want to disgust you but I peed like crazy and it was quite yellow I tried to drink enough water to dilute it but it didnt help :D
Around 7am they brought me breakfast this was my first meal in 48 hours. Below you can see a typical breakfast they only change a few things. Other meals change a lot.
(https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/82669477_933B1CD3-7DB0-424B-9F0B-B0A720ACB338.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82669477/933B1CD3-7DB0-424B-9F0B-B0A720ACB338.jpeg.html)
Dr Yunus came to my room around 9 am to check me. He asked me to try walking today and informed me that a physical therapist would visit me the next day. A few hours later they managed to put me on my feet. It was so difficult and it hurt a lot when I tried to sit first before standing up. I wasn't able to move my legs at all. I thought people started walking the day after operation. Ohh how naive I was maybe some people can but definetely not me. 2 minutes after standing up and trying to move my legs with no success I felt dizzy and my vision was almost completely gone.
Around 13:00 another meal came in, meals are almost always on time. Unfortenately I didn't take enough pictures but you can see another typical meal. The other meal comes around 7 pm. They were all quite delicious for me. They also bring the same meal to your care giver.
(https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/82670195_D5BE49ED-6C6E-4F7D-B9A2-87B2B07CBD82.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82670195/D5BE49ED-6C6E-4F7D-B9A2-87B2B07CBD82.jpeg.html)
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These kind of suspicions are only natural since the money involves is quite big. I sometimes feel the same in other posts so I took this photo for you dear Kanye :)
I just want to inform other people who are considering this surgery, surgeon and the company. I have absolutely zero financial gain I am just a patient :D
(https://s8d5.turboimg.net/t1/82670204_674707BB-CE7F-4F98-8DA7-6F5718077EA0.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82670204/674707BB-CE7F-4F98-8DA7-6F5718077EA0.jpeg.html)
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Day 2
My pre surgery sleep pattern is almost completely gone I can't sleep continously. I am so glad that I brought my ipads with me . I never get bored, I watch Netflix, youtube and chat with really nice hospital stuff. Nurses are so friendly, talktive and cute.
I have no pain but because of IV in my left arm I can't use that arm and it bothers me a little bit also I developed swelling in my left arm. Until I discharge from hospital I will always have atleast one IV.
Around 9pm Dr Yunus Oc visited me again and asked me to try walking again. Guys even getting up on your fees is vitally important as you know two patients of Dr. Giothikas and Dr. Guichet died because of embolism. To prevent that you need to get up and take blood thinners. This is why you should get rid of your excess weight and have strong upper body muscles. So please please do your preparations prior to surgery,CLL is nothing like a rhinoplasty.
Around 12:00 physiotherapist Aylis came to my room we did 30 min PT session and it was amazing. I can't emphasize enough how well she unlocked my muscles. Also she brought me a hex key and showed me how to properly use the device. Instruction is to turn the key 90 degrees clockwise every 6 hours, that will make me grow 0.1cm(1mm) each day. Dr Yunus and Aylis warned me not to exceed that limit. Hopefully I won't have to lenghten faster or slower during the process. I might be taking more than enough Calcium and vitamin D and K.
(https://s8d2.turboimg.net/t1/82688590_33842BD3-DC48-4C77-80DF-C9D44965F675.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82688590/33842BD3-DC48-4C77-80DF-C9D44965F675.jpeg.html)
After she left they put me on my feet again and this time I managed to walk to the toilet but when I got there I was seriously dizzy so they brought me a chair. They changed my bed sheets while I was resting.
At that moment I realized that I overconfidently trusted my body's capabilities. I was seriously considering going back to my home, that is 500km away, with a train after the hospital discharge. So I started of thinking to go to rehab center for a month instead of going home.
By the way while trying to walk unfortunately the IV in my left arm came out and because of the swelling nurses decided to use my right arm. It really upset me because my left arm is a lot stronger compared to my left arm. I wanted to be able to use it.
My caregiver kept changing the ice bag every 30 mins.
(https://s8d1.turboimg.net/t1/82688595_77434F4E-76BC-416E-A4B8-7D789BB5DBC0.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82688595/77434F4E-76BC-416E-A4B8-7D789BB5DBC0.jpeg.html)
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This patient of Dr. Assayag says first 21-23 days are nothing pain kicks in like after 2cm growth. I think my situation is the same. I am so comfortable with almost no pain at all. I grew 0.75cm so far. I also streched like 3 months prior to surgery and will continue to do for atleast 4h a day. Hopefully it will continue to go like this. My nurse, Aylis says changing bandages will evantually start to hurt right now it gives me pleasure instead because of the itching :)
https://youtu.be/amTJwQhpB_s
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Day 4
I started lenghtening the device today at 06:00. It was little difficult to find the right angle to turn 90 degrees due to my limited mobility, I can't move my lower body.Eventhough I took a video of Aylis explaining in which way to turn the key I still hesitated. It doesn't hurt or anything but I feel it in my bones when the hex key enters the fixator. It creates a vibration proportional to the force I apply. I don't feel anything about lenghtening. I set alarms for 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, 18:00 but I won't try to be exactly on time. I value my sleep time so if I wake up like 04:00 I'll do the lenghtening and turn off the 06:00 alarm
This is where I put the hex key and turn 90 degrees clockwise for both legs. But other fixator devices might be different
(https://s8d3.turboimg.net/t1/82728747_B5FF8162-853A-403D-A261-B6EF51DC6E77.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82728747/B5FF8162-853A-403D-A261-B6EF51DC6E77.jpeg.html)
Around 9pm Dr Yunus Oc came to check me and told me that I'd be discharching from the hospital tomorrow. After the Dr left a very sweet nurse did a knot to remove the penile catheter a few hours later. They don't take it out directly, they take it out after the bladder is full, I dont know the reasoning behind it.
An hour later after my bladder was full the nurse came and removed the catheter, it didn't hurt. You might want to keep it until you discharge from the hospital for its convenience but remember it's an infection risk. Also I think it's good to have an excuse to use your legs anyways.
I still feel pain only when I try to bend my knees more than 45 degrees or something, it doesnt hurt when I walk or lie down. So you can imagine sitting on toilet will be painful in first weeks
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Hi, thank you so much for documenting your journey any updates for today, how is the pain?
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Hi, thank you so much for documenting your journey any updates for today, how is the pain?
Hey atti99xo, I am now on the 12th day after the surgery. My leg muscles got a lot stronger. I can bend my knees like this with no pain which I couldn't even dream of a week ago.
(https://s8d6.turboimg.net/t1/82795204_807B9556-813B-4EC5-BE7F-57E7EA5F026C.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82795204/807B9556-813B-4EC5-BE7F-57E7EA5F026C.jpeg.html)
Yesterday I had a very sharp pain in my right lower legs, the place where my fingers are on the picture. It lasted about 10 hours. When I pulled my knees to myself, the pain disappeared and came back when I straightened my legs. Pretty weird.
(https://s8d6.turboimg.net/t1/82795206_0AF843E0-F5EF-46DC-9F81-EF3E6ABED310.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82795206/0AF843E0-F5EF-46DC-9F81-EF3E6ABED310.jpeg.html)
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how is your sleeping like going to the toilet besides the sharp pain do you have any lingering pain throughout the day :)
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how is your sleeping like going to the toilet besides the sharp pain do you have any lingering pain throughout the day :)
I dont have a lingering pain, I feel quite comfortable tbh the only thing that bothers me a little is the fact that I can't change my sleeping position but it's not a big deal.
For 4-5 days its been much easier to sit on the toilet because my legs have gotteb a lot stronger. First 4 days it was impossible to sit on toilet, my legs were so weak and trying to bend my knees hurt a lot.
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Day 5
Today is the discharge from hospital, I cant tell you how happy I am to be rid of IV. They take you where you want to go by an ambulance. Because I chose to go to the rehab center(hotel) they will be taking me to the hotel. The name of the hotel is Marin Princess, its 15 mins away from the hospital. It should be noted that the hotel and the company have an agreement so wannabetaller isn't the owner of the place thus has somewhat limited control over some aspects. Also they might be working with another facility in the future or even better they can open their own facility.
I'll post a lot of pictures here for people who considering to go with the same company. Guys the other day Dr Yunus Oc said that surgery is the easy part of the job, the main important thing is the follow up. As you know many complications can occur during the process also you need professional physical therapists and nurses that know how to spot problems and work on these. So if you are planning to get this surgery done do it with people who work as a team.Like Dr. Paley says CLL is a 4 dimensional surgery, there is also time factor. I'll drop cyborg4life's interview with Dr Paley below, that video is a gem.
The ambulance picked me up around 15:00 and took me to the hotel. The ambulance driver was a very rude and angry guy not towards me but everyone else, to be honest I wouldn't want to be taken anywhere by this man. The other ambulance attendant was a very sweet and kind girl. For 15 minutes we had a very good conversation. I spent those 15 mins lying on a strecther.
When we arrived at the hotel, they wheeled me in a wheelchair to my room on the 5th floor. Normally patients stay on the 1st floor but since I made the decision late they couldnt available room on the first floor. But the company said they would change my room soon. My room is big enough with a double bed, mini refrigerator, TV, nightstand, toilet and closet. Below you can see the pictures of my room, sorry for the mess.
(https://s8d8.turboimg.net/t1/82951477_378EDD7E-35EC-46C6-B7D5-CD9A1C5F26AC.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82951477/378EDD7E-35EC-46C6-B7D5-CD9A1C5F26AC.jpeg.html)
Below you can see a freezer the company brought that to my room at a later date because the refrigirator in my room wasn't cooling good enough the ice packs. I'll also post rehab centers pictures soon.
(https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/82951478_D096B5A1-EA3C-47D3-B8E6-FF11B04519A8.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/82951478/D096B5A1-EA3C-47D3-B8E6-FF11B04519A8.jpeg.html)
After settling in my room the company's founder ,Mr. Ibrahim, paid a visit to my room and we chatted 20-30 mins, really cool guy. He said he had CLL operation himself years ago with holyfix method. He wore the device for 1.5y and described as an aweful experience.
I cant get my legs up on the bed by their power own power, I need help from my arms. But on the bright side I still dont have any pain. Victor's(cyborg4life) pain graph certainly doesnt match my feelings. I don't use painkillers.
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Hey guys quick update, I am at 2.175cm and still experience almost no pain in fact these last 3 days were the best days I have had since the surgery. Last night I slept 6h continiously, it´s a dream normally I wake up every 2h or something.
I think the reason I don't have pain is beacause of these four things:
- Great Surgical technique
- Heavy, 5 days per week PT program (it hurts during PT)
- Streching my legs all day long
- Following a high calorie, protein rich diet and taking supplements like D3, fish oil and multivitamin
A week ago I kicked in my dream and I did it in real life too and I hurt my right upper leg very badly. It hurt so much I can't even describe. Mehmet massaged me with a cream during PT session and my upper leg has been very relaxed since then. Dr. Yunus Oc said that such involuntary movements are very dangerous and that if they recur action should be taken. He said it might even damage the fixator.
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Hey guys quick update, I am at 2.175cm and still experience almost no pain in fact these last 3 days were the best days I have had since the surgery. Last night I slept 6h continiously, it´s a dream normally I wake up every 2h or something.
I think the reason I don't have pain is beacause of these four things:
- Great Surgical technique
- Heavy, 5 days per week PT program (it hurts during PT)
- Streching my legs all day long
- Following a high calorie, protein rich diet and taking supplements like D3, fish oil and multivitamin
A week ago I kicked in my dream and I did it in real life too and I hurt my right upper leg very badly. It hurt so much I can't even describe. Mehmet massaged me with a cream during PT session and my upper leg has been very relaxed since then. Dr. Yunus Oc said that such involuntary movements are very dangerous and that if they recur action should be taken. He said it might even damage the fixator.
Can you tell me what you eat? I'm having trouble sustaining a high protein diet
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Can you tell me what you eat? I'm having trouble sustaining a high protein diet
Dont rush into eating friend you just had the surgery. Also I believe tibia is much more painful first days than femur.
Breakfast:
-Stomach protector
-3 whole eggs
- protein bar with atleast 15g protein
- 100gr cheese
- 200ml milk protein shake (13gr protein)
- 150gr vegatables
- 1400 ui Vitamin D3
- 1.2gr fish oil ( 384mg EPA, 252mg DHA)
- nature's supreme multivitamin for men
Lunch:
- 160gr hamburger (30-35gr protein)
- Ayran (Turkish drink)
Dinner:
- 200gr Chicken
- 100gr vegetables
- 50 gr nuts
- 300 gr high protein milk(15gr protein)
- 1.2gr fish oil ( 384mg EPA, 252mg DHA)
- 5gr creatine
- bloodthinner (aspirin)
- 100 gr banana
And I still lost 6lbs in 3 weeks
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I've reached 2.9cm and still don't experience much pain only some discomfort. I don't take painkillers. I feel like my hamstring muscles will be tight though in normal relaxed position when I reach like 4.5-5cm. Pin sides also started to hurt a little bit when I move my legs. In my case first week and probably after 6cm will be the worst part of LL. I really thought this whole process would be really painful before the surgery based on other diaries. I have completed 34% of the distraction phase though there are still 2 months ahead.
I took this photo 12h ago. I can see how much I have lenghtened and compare the two legs
(https://s8d2.turboimg.net/t1/83394921_8439BEB8-9E69-4AF3-9F5F-15F2754DF186.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83394921/8439BEB8-9E69-4AF3-9F5F-15F2754DF186.jpeg.html)
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Hi
How much did you pay for the accommodation if you don't mind me asking also how many times a week do you get PT as well as do Xrays, also I hope it's not personal but do you have any pain in your legs when you sit on the toilet, as well as how do you cover ur wounds when u shower
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Hi
How much did you pay for the accommodation if you don't mind me asking also how many times a week do you get PT as well as do Xrays, also I hope it's not personal but do you have any pain in your legs when you sit on the toilet, as well as how do you cover ur wounds when u shower
Hey atti you can contact wannabetaller about the price.
They do xray every 18-21 days. I will post all my xrays.
I take 5 PT session per week, each lasts one hour but I have seen some people take 2 session a day because they needed.
First days it's quite painful to sit on toilet but after 2 weeks pain goes away.
I don't take shower, I use wet wipes, the ones used for babies, they get the job done. I wash my hair in the sink.
(https://s8d6.turboimg.net/t1/83401620_E09813DE-CA49-4F84-941B-C6CB30020C71.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83401620/E09813DE-CA49-4F84-941B-C6CB30020C71.jpeg.html)
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Hey guys, I reached 3.4cm a few hours ago and still don't experience much pain. Since the day of the surgery, every day has been more enjoyable than the day before. After reading so many diaries and watching vlogs I can say that everyone's experience is so unique. A friend of mine today said "prepare for the worst and hope for the best" for this surgery and he is so right.
The company wannabetaller solves all my problems from little to big with no extra charge. To give you an example, I bought a PS5 a few days ago and wanted to connect it to my Ipads for remote play. Unfortunately it's impossible to do that using hotels wifi so the company provided me a private MIFI, a mobile wifi with 5G connection. If you want a Barber they can get it done, they even found a Nigerian restaurant for one of American patients.
Also I havent seen a single complication so far among other patients. The biggest issue with LON is the dressing change. Pins and surrounding areas needs to be cleaned every 2 days. One of my Turkish friends went back to her home after the surgery and I'm so scared of her getting infected her pins are not as clean as mine. I havent seen any infection case here because the nurse Aylis works really diligently. After reading the osteomylitis case I asked Aylis if you still can get infected after the device removal and she said only the people who does tibia can get infected. So you still need to be careful for couple of weeks.
Some people wonder if they can work remotely, yes you can nothing stops you but the discomfort distracts you. I can't concentrate more than 20 mins, normally I work for hours.
Anyways my soft tissue is still flexible, I can almost touch the ground with the tips of my fingers in 3cm heels. PT does wonders. I try not to make too much noise so that I don't interfere with the therapists' work during seasions. Cagatay and Mehmet are so experienced they always know where and how much force they need to apply to. Your therapists need to push your limit. It's not a pleasent feeling but this is how you deal with getting tight. I also strech my hamstrings myself around 45-50 mins a day in my room. I might have to increase that number in coming weeks.
The Xray below was taken when I was at 2.8cm. I take around 3000 UI vitamin D3, 1000mg calcium a day. I keep my weight steady. Today I asked the Dr. if I can walk without any support 1.5 months after the device removal and he recommended using crutches for 3-4 months to be in the safe side.
(https://s8d1.turboimg.net/t1/83477055_53C6B672-0E04-4BEA-BF62-5AE9F3D05E3A.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83477055/53C6B672-0E04-4BEA-BF62-5AE9F3D05E3A.jpeg.html)
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Correction
Sorry guys apparently I misunderstood the doctor. Today I was chatting with therapists and they told me that the doctor advised me to walk with double arm crutches for the 3rd month and single arm crutches for the 4th month. So I wont be needing crutches for more than 2 months after device removal
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Hey guys, I reached 3.4cm a few hours ago and still don't experience much pain. Since the day of the surgery, every day has been more enjoyable than the day before. After reading so many diaries and watching vlogs I can say that everyone's experience is so unique. A friend of mine today said "prepare for the worst and hope for the best" for this surgery and he is so right.
The company wannabetaller solves all my problems from little to big with no extra charge. To give you an example, I bought a PS5 a few days ago and wanted to connect it to my Ipads for remote play. Unfortunately it's impossible to do that using hotels wifi so the company provided me a private MIFI, a mobile wifi with 5G connection. If you want a Barber they can get it done, they even found a Nigerian restaurant for one of American patients.
Also I havent seen a single complication so far among other patients. The biggest issue with LON is the dressing change. Pins and surrounding areas needs to be cleaned every 2 days. One of my Turkish friends went back to her home after the surgery and I'm so scared of her getting infected her pins are not as clean as mine. I havent seen any infection case here because the nurse Aylis works really diligently. After reading the osteomylitis case I asked Aylis if you still can get infected after the device removal and she said only the people who does tibia can get infected. So you still need to be careful for couple of weeks.
Some people wonder if they can work remotely, yes you can nothing stops you but the discomfort distracts you. I can't concentrate more than 20 mins, normally I work for hours.
Anyways my soft tissue is still flexible, I can almost touch the ground with the tips of my fingers in 3cm heels. PT does wonders. I try not to make too much noise so that I don't interfere with the therapists' work during seasions. Cagatay and Mehmet are so experienced they always know where and how much force they need to apply to. Your therapists need to push your limit. It's not a pleasent feeling but this is how you deal with getting tight. I also strech my hamstrings myself around 45-50 mins a day in my room. I might have to increase that number in coming weeks.
The Xray below was taken when I was at 2.8cm. I take around 3000 UI vitamin D3, 1000mg calcium a day. I keep my weight steady. Today I asked the Dr. if I can walk without any support 1.5 months after the device removal and he recommended using crutches for 3-4 months to be in the safe side.
(https://s8d1.turboimg.net/t1/83477055_53C6B672-0E04-4BEA-BF62-5AE9F3D05E3A.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83477055/53C6B672-0E04-4BEA-BF62-5AE9F3D05E3A.jpeg.html)
What did she mean only the people who do tibia can get infected?
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What did she mean only the people who do tibia can get infected?
Because of the open wounds it takes a few weeks for them to close. So after the device removal you still need to sterilize surrounding areas for a few weeks
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Great progress man! Is the 3.4cm noticeable to you / others?
On your PT days, do you stretch yourself as well? Or is that enough for now?
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Great progress man! Is the 3.4cm noticeable to you / others?
On your PT days, do you stretch yourself as well? Or is that enough for now?
Thank you so much brother. Yeah everyday therapists and the nurse seem to get shorther and shorter :D I am at 3.6cm right now and it looks huge. My hands are not that small :D
On top of PT I also do streching exercises myself as well. PT area is open all the time. For example I lie down on the adjustable-height stretcher and dangle my feet. It streches my hip flexors and feels really good afters also it prevents/reduce duck ass. The more flexible you are the easier and less painfull your journey will be.
By the way I slept 7h continously yesterday. My journey couldnt go any better hopefully it inspires other people as well.
(https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/83576678_93193C39-9F82-4154-BFE5-8AC20D199F2B.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83576678/93193C39-9F82-4154-BFE5-8AC20D199F2B.jpeg.html)
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Ha amazing!! ;)
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Hi
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, how many days after the surgery have you started lengthening, also how many days after the lengthening is completed, will the external fixator be removed? Also, I have seen a case on the forum that had a serious bone infection in the tibia, if you don't mind can you share what the patients that you are with that have done tibia lengthening and how the doctor avoids this as i am considering the wanna be taller company. Thank you
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Hi
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, how many days after the surgery have you started lengthening, also how many days after the lengthening is completed, will the external fixator be removed? Also, I have seen a case on the forum that had a serious bone infection in the tibia, if you don't mind can you share what the patients that you are with that have done tibia lengthening and how the doctor avoids this as i am considering the wanna be taller company. Thank you
Hey atti, I started lenghtening 5 days after the surgery and I'll have fixators removed 85-90 days after the surgery. It depends on your goal. If you aim for 5cm on femurs you can have your device removed after 55-60 days. Femur lenghtening rate is 0.1cm a day and tibia 0.075cm.
I havent seen anyone infected here so far and according to therapists it's so so rare. The bandages are changed every 2 days and sheets everday. You should be careful not to splash water on your open wound and surrounding areas. Also sweating is not good luckily our lower legs don't sweat much. I don't know what Dr. Yunus does to prevent infection but the nurse, Aylis, once said she starts using antibiotics during bandage change when the wound enlarges with the expansion of the skin to be in the safe side.
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Thank you so much for sharing your journey, it has been so honest and helpful I'm aiming for the same amount of height gain as you 8 cm on the femur and 6 cm on the tibia, how many days would it take to for the tibia including the removal of 6 cm and are you planning to do your surgery back to back like me to gain the maximum height and save time by staying in Tukey bc I have exam at the end of June, and what does your doctor think about it. :)
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Thank you so much for sharing your journey, it has been so honest and helpful I'm aiming for the same amount of height gain as you 8 cm on the femur and 6 cm on the tibia, how many days would it take to for the tibia including the removal of 6 cm and are you planning to do your surgery back to back like me to gain the maximum height and save time by staying in Tukey bc I have exam at the end of June, and what does your doctor think about it. :)
1- What Dr Yunus does to prevent infections?
First of all I ve learned what Dr. Yunus does to prevent surgical infections.
Ecem one of the nurses who participate in LL surgeries says Dr Yunus only allow essential and experienced people in for example he doesn't let interns in. Also Dr. Yunus always does the LL surgeries first thing in the morning so he is the first to use the OP room before anyone else. Apparently they have a internal monitoring/tracking system the nurse here keeps trwck of everybody and share it with Dr. Yunus. We continued taking antibiotics, augmentin, for a week after the hospital discharge.
2- How long does it take to complete tibia and femur?
For tibias, with 0.75mm distraction a day rate it takes 80 days to complete distraction phase. After the device removal I think you have to stay at rehab for 2 weeks atleast until your wounds close. So in my opinion you need atleast 100 days off for tibia.
For femurs, with 1.00mm distraction a day rate it takes 80 days to complete distraction phase. After the device removal you might want to stay one more week in rehab. So you would need atleast 90 days off for femurs
3- Are you planning to do your surgery back to back?
No I am not planning to do the surgery back to back mostly because I have really important things to do. But hopefully I'll come back for round two some other time :D
I asked this question to Dr. Yunus during consultation and he advised me to wait for 6-12 months before going for another surgery to maximize my potential. But if you really want you can go for it and if you are really flexible you might even max out both. But I think you shouldn't rush :)
But I'd never suggest anyone do both femur and tibia at the same time with LON.
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Hi again sorry for asking too many questions but when you were doing the short muscle test before your surgery what was that like and were you able to touch your toes comfortably? Also, can you ask for me please if a short height colorates to a smaller medullary canal aka the cavity hole that is inside the bone I'm 4'8 female btw. thank you so much :)
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Hi again sorry for asking too many questions but when you were doing the short muscle test before your surgery what was that like and were you able to touch your toes comfortably? Also, can you ask for me please if a short height colorates to a smaller medullary canal aka the cavity hole that is inside the bone I'm 4'8 female btw. thank you so much :)
Hi atti sure ask as many questions as you like. Currently I have plenty of time :)
1- When you were doing the short muscle test before your surgery what was that like and were you able to touch your toes comfortably?
Well Dr. Yunus asked me to lie down on the stretcher and started bending and pushing my legs. It didn't hurt or anything he specifically checked my hamstring because felixibility of hamstrings are most important and limiting factor.
3 months before the surgery I started streching my muscles. Viktor from cyborg4life made a video about some strech movements I higly recommend watching that video. After a quick warm up I was able to touch the ground with my palm bare foot. Now I am at 4.2cm and can touch the ground with tips of my finger in 3cm heels. So my range of motion hasn't decreased much yet.
2- Can you ask if a short height correlates to a smaller medullary canal
Dr Yunus said that they make pre-operative measurements and if there will be significant problems, they make special nails for the patient.
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hi,
hope that you are doing well, how is your pain right now as well as your walk, when walking or sleeping also how is your bone formation going, and how many days after the lengthening is done are you going to take your external fixator out.
thank you
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hi,
hope that you are doing well, how is your pain right now as well as your walk, when walking or sleeping also how is your bone formation going, and how many days after the lengthening is done are you going to take your external fixator out.
thank you
Hi atti thanks for asking, I am doing great.
I am at 4.55 cm right now and have almost no pain at all. There are like 35 days left for the device to be removed. I take aspirin right after diner and no painkillers. I sleep even better than before surgery not consuming coffeine might be the reason :) however walking has become a little bit more difficult because of fixators. But once they are removed there will be no problem. Also sitting on a wheelchair has been always very discomfortable because of its design. But I have no issue sitting on a normal chair. Overall I can say that I wasn't expecting the process to go that painless. Not everyone as lucky as me though hopefully your experience will be similar to mine.
By the way I am so sorry but I answered one of your questions wrong. Apparently tibia patients here turn 0.1cm a day as well. I said they were turning 0.075cm previously.
I suggest you bring books or if you own an ipad or kindle that's even better. Reading or doing something boring before going to sleep helps me sleep well.
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Thank you so much for your insightful posts and responses I'm so happy that its going well for you as for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays also does pt hurt, how do the other patients manage pain? And how is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in. the lengthening.
Thank you
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Hi atti thanks for asking, I am doing great.
I am at 4.55 cm right now and have almost no pain at all. There are like 35 days left for the device to be removed. I take aspirin right after diner and no painkillers. I sleep even better than before surgery not consuming coffeine might be the reason :) however walking has become a little bit more difficult because of fixators. But once they are removed there will be no problem. Also sitting on a wheelchair has been always very discomfortable because of its design. But I have no issue sitting on a normal chair. Overall I can say that I wasn't expecting the process to go that painless. Not everyone as lucky as me though hopefully your experience will be similar to mine.
By the way I am so sorry but I answered one of your questions wrong. Apparently tibia patients here turn 0.1cm a day as well. I said they were turning 0.075cm previously.
I suggest you bring books or if you own an ipad or kindle that's even better. Reading or doing something boring before going to sleep helps me sleep well.
You're a legend. The pain for me at night is so strong it's impossible for me to sleep.
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Thank you so much for your insightful posts and responses I'm so happy that its going well for you as for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays also does pt hurt, how do the other patients manage pain? And how is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in. the lengthening? Also, how is your flexibility now.
Thank you
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Thank you so much for your insightful posts and responses I'm so happy that its going well for you as for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays also does pt hurt, how do the other patients manage pain? And how is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in. the lengthening.
Thank you
Thank you so much for your kind words guys.
1- As for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays?
Dr. Yunus says bone formation is going well. I started taking a new bone supplement yesterday. You can see the pics below. Funny after started taking it I woke up in the middle of night with somewhat intense pain yesterday after taking painkillers the pain went away. I think it was the healing response my body made.
(https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/83993767_5411502D-3120-44A6-8B07-398CBC85D692.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83993767/5411502D-3120-44A6-8B07-398CBC85D692.jpeg.html) (https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/83993768_C3B99DD1-771B-4E73-A2CE-13085033A1CA.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/83993768/C3B99DD1-771B-4E73-A2CE-13085033A1CA.jpeg.html)
2- Does Pt hurts?
Yeah it hurts but I'd prefer that pain anydays over chronic constant pain. PT is just so so important, thanks to therapists here Cagatay and Mehmet I have been able to keep my range of motion. I still havent lost any ROM yet. I have seen some patients not doing streches because it hurts. They are the ones who experience constant pain after certain cms due to muscle tightness.
3- How do the other patients manage pain?
Aylis, the nurse here, give them tons of different kind of pain killers. Contramal, an opioid based painkiller is the most strong one. One patient here ,despite all the warnings, went all the way to 10.5cm. Apparently he takes 6 contramal pills a day to manage pain which is insanely high amount. He doesn't even come to therapies I still haven't met him in 2 months :D
4- How is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in the lengthening?
People who complain about pain here, don't complain about overall pain that much but They complain about the pain during sleep, not being able to sleep without interruptions upset them.
I think best way to combat pain is to follow high calorie protein rich diet, take supplements and strech as much as possible on your own. I always go to PT room and strech for like 30-60 mins before sleep it helps a lot.
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Hello, it's good to hear that you still have your ROM OMG 6 painkillers a day, and he went to 10.6 cm that sounds terrible, once again thank you so much for answering my questions sorry if I ask a lot what about the meals are they good or they give you the same ones each day also do you have females who are lengthening.
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Anyone using muscle relaxants? I have heard those help even sleep better.
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Hello, it's good to hear that you still have your ROM OMG 6 painkillers a day, and he went to 10.6 cm that sounds terrible, once again thank you so much for answering my questions sorry if I ask a lot what about the meals are they good or they give you the same ones each day also do you have females who are lengthening.
Ask as many question as you like atti :)
1- what about the meals are they good or they give you the same ones each day ?
There are two very nice people here responsible for ordering stuff (food and other goods) for us.
I call hotel's room service for breakfast everyday. They serve breakfast between 08:00 - 12:00 . You tell them that you want breakfast in your room and they bring you in 15 mins. You can make requests like coffee, orange juice, french fries or 4 boiled eggs or an omelette, etc. I speak in Turkish with them some people say they are having trouble communicating with them in English, unfortunately. By them I mean hotel staff.
For other meals we use delivery apps, "getir" and "yemeksepeti". You can order from any restaurant you like. Our current hotel is a little bit far away from city center so there aren't many close restaurants but still if you don't mind waiting you can eat any food you'd like. Once you decide what you want to eat you tell people who are responsible bringing stuff to you. They order it and bring it to your room.
I don't have any problem with food I like what I eat :) Here are some pictures.
(https://s8d1.turboimg.net/t1/84023076_E0CC9E70-2B70-464E-93EF-45AAE46EFBD5.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84023076/E0CC9E70-2B70-464E-93EF-45AAE46EFBD5.jpeg.html) (https://s8d1.turboimg.net/t1/84023077_CE6E72A6-1ACA-4E85-BA68-E07EEDA56CA1.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84023077/CE6E72A6-1ACA-4E85-BA68-E07EEDA56CA1.jpeg.html) (https://s8d1.turboimg.net/t1/84023078_3EEFC651-8C88-4FAA-80A8-60DEFDCBD430.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84023078/3EEFC651-8C88-4FAA-80A8-60DEFDCBD430.jpeg.html)
2- Do you have females who are lengthening?
Currently there are none in the facility but one female german patient will come in a few days. I have a female friend who has done this surgery but she is at her home in Istanbul. I don't recommend going anywhere else tbh.
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Anyone using muscle relaxants? I have heard those help even sleep better.
Hello Hatch, I am sorry I have no information on this. I'll ask about it tomorrow. People love using this massage gel though. Therapists here also give us massage. It helps a lot, but you should not completely replace your stretching therapy with massage.
(https://s8d2.turboimg.net/t1/84023365_4739CDB1-C8DF-4D7F-B799-D7B0911D53F1.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84023365/4739CDB1-C8DF-4D7F-B799-D7B0911D53F1.jpeg.html)
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Good luck on your journey, I hope you reach your goal. I have the full respect for anyone who makes a lon femur. Tibia will come much easier. Don't waste your time with trolls in these hard times. Keep updating please. I will follow your diary.
Thank you so much for your kind words brother. He triggered me indeed. You are right I shouldn't waste my time with these kind of people :)
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Anyone using muscle relaxants? I have heard those help even sleep better.
Hello again Hatch, sorry I forgot to adress your question. Today I asked the nurse about it and she said she gives this medication below. I don't take it though.
(https://s8d6.turboimg.net/t1/84274958_4580B108-F49B-4DA5-848F-0A7425E2FCEF.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84274958/4580B108-F49B-4DA5-848F-0A7425E2FCEF.jpeg.html)
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Hey guys, I want to make a quick update. Sorry I don't update as often as I'd like to it's because nothing interesting happens.
I am at 5.65cm right now and don't experience much pain as usual. But my muscles are weaker comparing to when I was at 3.5cm. I don't mind them being weaker once the device is removed I will start strengthening exercises.
Also after started taking the calcium supplement I posted earlier, my sleep quality decreased so badly that I stopped using it before going to bed. Now I only take one tablet after breakfast. I think the biggest concern for LL patients is the low quality sleep. That's why I also started taking 3mg melathonin. I think it helps a lot.
Also my xray was taken when I was at 5.45cm. Dr Yunus says callus formation looks normal not so great or bad.
Overall I am so happy that I did the surgery. I will post my photos and videos after device removal. I don't worry about proportions too much if I start to think my femur looks so tall I can add muscles later on.
(https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84331537_D89C5150-C118-40D9-AC27-DE26DCC94AF6.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84331537/D89C5150-C118-40D9-AC27-DE26DCC94AF6.jpeg.html) (https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84331539_298E89E7-E1BD-4CFE-A250-D0174ABE3817.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84331539/298E89E7-E1BD-4CFE-A250-D0174ABE3817.jpeg.html)
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Hey guys, I am at 6.4cm right now and still don't have much pain that's why I'll probably end the lengthening a little higher than my previous target, probably around 8.5cm. The nurse here Aylis says my skin is also perfect for this surgery not so loose or tight.
There is an electronic height measuring device here in the PT room according to it, I'll be 182cm or 6'0 when I reach 8.5cm.
My hamstrings are so flexible I don't feel any tightness or stiffness but my quadriceps can get stiff during night and sometimes it prevents me from falling sleep. This is why I have been focusing on streching my quadriceps for the last couple of days. I hang my legs off the bed ,as shown in the photo and pull my feet towards me with my hands. It has helped me a lot.
If you are considering to get this surgery done you should start streching your legs a few months earlier. If you are not flexible enough it will be really tough for you.
The other thing, the military called me to do my compulsory service in February. As you might now there is compulsory military service in Turkey for its citizens. So military wants to see me in person to check my condition and postpone the compulsory service.
(https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84572083_C7F4AB19-0276-4884-87DB-BC85092FD905.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84572083/C7F4AB19-0276-4884-87DB-BC85092FD905.jpeg.html) (https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84572084_0169962C-C01F-4389-8151-05DBF65CA4BD.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84572084/0169962C-C01F-4389-8151-05DBF65CA4BD.jpeg.html)
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Hey guys, I am at 6.4cm right now and still don't have much pain that's why I'll probably end the lengthening a little higher than my previous target, probably around 8.5cm. The nurse here Aylis says my skin is also perfect for this surgery not so loose or tight.
There is an electronic height measuring device here in the PT room according to it, I'll be 182cm or 6'0 when I reach 8.5cm.
My hamstrings are so flexible I don't feel any tightness or stiffness but my quadriceps can get stiff during night and sometimes it prevents me from falling sleep. This is why I have been focusing on streching my quadriceps for the last couple of days. I hang my legs off the bed ,as shown in the photo and pull my feet towards me with my hands. It has helped me a lot.
If you are considering to get this surgery done you should start streching your legs a few months earlier. If you are not flexible enough it will be really tough for you.
The other thing, the military called me to do my compulsory service in February. As you might now there is compulsory military service in Turkey for its citizens. So military wants to see me in person to check my condition and postpone the compulsory service.
(https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84572083_C7F4AB19-0276-4884-87DB-BC85092FD905.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84572083/C7F4AB19-0276-4884-87DB-BC85092FD905.jpeg.html) (https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84572084_0169962C-C01F-4389-8151-05DBF65CA4BD.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84572084/0169962C-C01F-4389-8151-05DBF65CA4BD.jpeg.html)
Nice progress man. Yes, my one regret was not being flexible prior to surgery. It sucks having to stretch so much. Being flexible definitely makes this process much more bearable.
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Great diary post!
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Thank you so much for your kind words guys. One needs a lot of physchological support in this process. Especially vulnerable people that have quite amount of pain.
I am almost 7.1cm and will be done in 12 days. If we don't count sleep time I still feel great. It's like I can continue lenghthening forever. I don't strecth as often as I used to, to be honest. But my range of motion still hasn't decreased much. My muscles are quite weak so it might take some time before I can walk normally.
My friends and family members keep asking me to send them pictures but I rather them see me in person. Also, I will look much better once I solve the wide and weak legs issue :)
I can't tell you what a big difference 7 cm makes. If you ask me limb lengthening surgery is the best cosmetic surgery that makes everyone more aesthetically pleasing. But one should be mentally prepared and understand what he/she is putting herself into. My journey wasn't difficult but yours might be challenging especially if you don't strech and eat enough.
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I am almost 7.1cm and will be done in 12 days. If we don't count sleep time I still feel great. It's like I can continue lenghthening forever. I don't strecth as often as I used to, to be honest. But my range of motion still hasn't decreased much. My muscles are quite weak so it might take some time before I can walk normally.
Congrats!
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Hey guys I am at 7.8cm right now. It's so weird that during sleep pain intensifies so much so that I wake up like every 20 30 mins. It has really become unbearable luckily pain is still easily managable when I am awake.
I booked my removal surgery for 9th Feb. I will be at 8.5cm by that date. I heard from other patients after removal surgery you feel nothing like previously. Pain goes away and you feel much more comfortable. I know the pain issue will be solved for me because the pain comes from my knees. The device locks my right leg to certain position and this creates a lot of problem for the moment. I had that problem since week 2 3 as I grew the problem grew as well
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Hey guys, I had the device removed 2 days ago, on February 9th. Immediately after waking up from anesthesia it was really painful and lasted for 30 minutes, after that I did not feel much pain. Painkillers could be the reason.
I know majority of you guys don't care about hospital food but please someone give an award to the people who prepare food at Beykent University Hospital. They are just amazing.
I was able to walk on the day of operation. I have felt that the nerves in my lower left leg are very tense. Very Rarely it hurts a lot. I don't feel much when I touch my lower left leg softly. There is nothing wrong with the motor nerves, only the sensory nerves need time to heal. I take vitamin B complex called benexol.
I can't bend my legs because of the swelling but I don't feel any pain, so I will feel great when I get my strength back in a few days.
Dr Yunus said I gained 8.5 cm, which is more than my initial goal. I have had almost no loss of range of motion. But he said I have developed a small lordosis and I will work on that in the coming months. Dr. Yunus visited me 3 times during my one-day hospital stay. He also came to the hotel for check-ups every 2 weeks. Whenever I had a question or problem, he got back to me immediately through his nurses.
Overall I am very happy to have had the surgery with dr Yunus and the company wannabetaller. They took very good care of me in the last 3 months. Especially physical therapists Mehmet and Cagatay were really really good at their jobs. They didnt use fancy high tech equipments and I think machines are a way for physical therapists to not do their job, to be honest. I am no expert but I think we need manual streching I don't believe ems tens or lasers could replace manual therapy. I had 5 physical therapy sessions every week each lasted like one hour. Let's say If the company you choose do 3 manual streching session and 2 with machines in a week you shouldn't accept it.
I will continue to add posts about my recovery process.
The xrays below were taken right after the fixator removal surgery.
(https://s8d3.turboimg.net/t1/85304289_0B9BF2A8-C955-4BA4-A05F-5C90CD8EA088.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/85304289/0B9BF2A8-C955-4BA4-A05F-5C90CD8EA088.jpeg.html) (https://s8d3.turboimg.net/t1/85304290_C90A25F0-E861-4586-A6E1-58C9B66D7D49.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/85304290/C90A25F0-E861-4586-A6E1-58C9B66D7D49.jpeg.html)
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How did u feel so little pain in the hardest LL method? LON Femur?? Find that hard to believe. Some diaries say that it is like torturous and absolute hell.
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I wonder that too but there is no such thing that everyone should feel pain. There are couple of other patients similar to me here as well. I didn't feel a need to take painkillers between 2-6.5cms.
But like I said previously one should expect the worst and hope for the best. You need a positive mindset throughout your distraction phase even if you feel so much pain. Your mind needs to be prepared to endure anything
You need to start stretching your muscles 2-3 months before the surgery, if you are not flexible enough you will definitely experience the worst. Also get rid of your excess weight the lighter you are the better. And try to eat a lot during the lenghtening phase. Big, strong arms help you a lot as well
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Hey guys, it's been 5 days since the removal operation I want to update my status.
I must say I wasn't expecting my legs and glutes to get stronger so fast. I wasn't even able to activate my glute muscles 3 days ago now I can do hip thrust with no weights ofcourse. As my glute muscles get stronger lumbardosis gets better as well. Also immediately after surgery wide leg issue starts to dissappear.
I don't feel my left lower leg though my nerves need to adjust. I don't know how long it will take them to heal it could take months. Unfortunately it affects my walking right now because of occasional pain but it's getting better as well. I have no problem in motor neurons only in sensory neurons.
People who do LON on femurs almost always develop lordosis and wide leg issues during distraction phase but don't worry after the removal surgery these issues go away easily. Also the pain vanishes as well.
Yesterday I saw my wounds and they were really small Now they are covered with bandages but I'll post their pictures later. I learned that Dr. Yunus also arranges laser surgery for wounds at the hospital, which is especially important for female patients.
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Hello,
I'm so happy that everything went well for you and as for now if you can, can you upload vids of your walking as well as I'm so surprised that the doctor has laser scar removal, also how is your sleep now and are you able to do the basics tasks like take a shower.
Thank you
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Hello,
I'm so happy that everything went well for you and as for now if you can, can you upload vids of your walking as well as I'm so surprised that the doctor has laser scar removal, also how is your sleep now and are you able to do the basics tasks like take a shower.
Thank you
Hello atti99xo, sure when I have someone take a video of me walking, I can upload it.
Currently I avoid taking a shower I don't feel dirty or anything. I believe I am allowed to take a shower at this point though but I should be really careful and might have to change bandages afterwards.
I sleep like I have never had surgeries.
I still need a walker to go to toilet, walk and stand up but my leg muscles are getting stronger indredibly fast.
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Hello guys, sorry I wasn't able to update my progress as you might know we weren't able to access the site.
It's been 5 weeks since my removal operation. I still use crutches to walk but I got a lot faster. I am able to walk without crutches but I don't feel confident enough. Also, the Dr. needs to see my new x-ray to approve no support walking. I believe that as my bones consolidate, they take a lot of weight off the nails and consequently improve my walking ability. When I take a new xray I will upload it here.
In terms of flexibility, I must admit I stopped working on my flexibility after leaving the wannabetaller's facility. They left me in great condition though I must thank their physical therapists, Mehmet, Cagatay, and Eyup. They really took their job very seriously. My only problem at the moment is that I can't sit on my knees and I really want to. I will start stretching my quadriceps again.
In terms of appearance, my family and close friends who know that I got the surgery greatly compliment me. Those who do not know I got the surgery didn't realize or kept their thoughts to themselves. Noone so far asked if I increased my height or anything. Mostly because they were already shorter than me and don't even know CLL exists in the first place. I didn't tell them that I got the surgery done. Once I told a taxi driver that I had the surgery and he really annoyed me.
This photo of me below was taken 1.5 weeks after the removal surgery. I must say being tall is so amazing for me. I feel very psychologically relieved so this whole experience was definitely worth all the pain, money, and effort for me.
(https://s8d8.turboimg.net/t1/86588820_Screenshot_73123124.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/86588820/Screenshot_73123124.jpg.html)
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Congratulations, how much did you pay? How do you walk now?
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Congratulations, how much did you pay? How do you walk now?
Thank you so much.
In terms of price, I don't want to say anything because it's volatile and almost always goes up. It might put wannabetaller in a bad position. Full disclosure they didn't treat me any differently just because I have been writing a diary about them nor do I have any financial ties with them.
By the way, I forgot to mention, unfortunately, I still don't feel it when I lightly touch my lower left leg. It doesn't have any impact on my life and I feel the heat, so I can tell whether the water is hot or cold.
Today I walked about 3 km on crutches and I have to say that sometimes I feel out of breath and need to sit down. But after 3.5-4 months from the first surgery, I think almost everyone will be able to return to work. So this surgery requires at least 3.5 months of time off.
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I see. Thank you for Your answer!
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How did u feel so little pain in the hardest LL method? LON Femur?? Find that hard to believe. Some diaries say that it is like torturous and absolute hell.
He's already lying, my friend. This diary is a great advertisement. Those with real lon femurs patients said that sleep was impossible. Just read the Activatedxx diary. I suggest you stay away from this company. Someone who uploads a picture of a hotel room and a picture of breakfast as the process of this surgery is doing advertising. Have a nice day ;D
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Hey guys, I want to make a quick update. Sorry I don't update as often as I'd like to it's because nothing interesting happens.
I am at 5.65cm right now and don't experience much pain as usual. But my muscles are weaker comparing to when I was at 3.5cm. I don't mind them being weaker once the device is removed I will start strengthening exercises.
Also after started taking the calcium supplement I posted earlier, my sleep quality decreased so badly that I stopped using it before going to bed. Now I only take one tablet after breakfast. I think the biggest concern for LL patients is the low quality sleep. That's why I also started taking 3mg melathonin. I think it helps a lot.
Also my xray was taken when I was at 5.45cm. Dr Yunus says callus formation looks normal not so great or bad.
Overall I am so happy that I did the surgery. I will post my photos and videos after device removal. I don't worry about proportions too much if I start to think my femur looks so tall I can add muscles later on.
(https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84331537_D89C5150-C118-40D9-AC27-DE26DCC94AF6.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84331537/D89C5150-C118-40D9-AC27-DE26DCC94AF6.jpeg.html) (https://s8d4.turboimg.net/t1/84331539_298E89E7-E1BD-4CFE-A250-D0174ABE3817.jpeg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/84331539/298E89E7-E1BD-4CFE-A250-D0174ABE3817.jpeg.html)
please read it all before contaminating the diary with negativity. As I said before one of the biggest concerns for all LL patients is sleep quality. Also, not everyone has to experience the same things. I for example had great sleep quality until I hit 6.5cm. From time to time some nights were difficult. It also doesn't have to go linearly. I slept much better between 8-8.5cm than when I was at 7.5cm.
Funny when I said Tugce one of the patient consultants at wannabetaller that I was going to write a diary about the process she told me that no one would believe me. I found her words very strange because with all these pictures why wouldn't they me? Well I guess negative Nancys are everywhere. Hopefully, my diary can help those people with positive thoughts.
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He's already lying, my friend. This diary is a great advertisement. Those with real lon femurs patients said that sleep was impossible. Just read the Activatedxx diary. I suggest you stay away from this company. Someone who uploads a picture of a hotel room and a picture of breakfast as the process of this surgery is doing advertising. Have a nice day ;D
I should stop answering trolls
(https://s8d5.turboimg.net/t1/86664278_Screenshot_14.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/86664278/Screenshot_14.jpg.html)
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I should stop answering trolls
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ew1PTe1jSmM
This company and vile people like you who defend it are the biggest troll :)
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As I understood from their former workers, i can approve this :( So i gave up limb lengthening surgery which i planned. (I'm Turk) I saw too many people who are butchered by different limb lengthening companies, most of them are trying to gain their old health status in Istanbul Medicine Faculty Çapa Hospital. If you don't believe this, you can visit İstanbul Medicine Faculty Çapa Hospital and see many people who are suffered from different companies and hospitals...
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https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ew1PTe1jSmM
This company and vile people like you who defend it are the biggest troll :)
As I understood from their former workers, i can approve this :( So i gave up limb lengthening surgery which i planned. (I'm Turk) I saw too many people who are butchered by different limb lengthening companies, most of them are trying to gain their old health status in Istanbul Medicine Faculty Çapa Hospital. If you don't believe this, you can visit İstanbul Medicine Faculty Çapa Hospital and see many people who are suffered from different companies and hospitals...
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https://youtu.be/kVS15Aq0_F8 (https://youtu.be/kVS15Aq0_F8)
https://youtube.com/shorts/BDK5eLq94zA?feature=share (https://youtube.com/shorts/BDK5eLq94zA?feature=share)
This thread is full of horsecrap . Its not possible for LON Femurs with no pain this is a joke. Look at this outcome. It's horrifying. THIS IS A FREAKING AD DO NOT BELIEVE THIS.
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https://youtu.be/kVS15Aq0_F8 (https://youtu.be/kVS15Aq0_F8)
https://youtube.com/shorts/BDK5eLq94zA?feature=share (https://youtube.com/shorts/BDK5eLq94zA?feature=share)
This thread is full of horsecrap . Its not possible for LON Femurs with no pain this is a joke. Look at this outcome. It's horrifying. THIS IS A FREAKING AD DO NOT BELIEVE THIS.
My god this is insane! They still shamelessly advertise this company!
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Folks, do not believe this advertiser. This person is someone who called a patient with a bone infection in wannabetaller a liar. Don't believe anything this person says.
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Folks, do not believe this advertiser. This person is someone who called a patient with a bone infection in wannabetaller a liar. Don't believe anything this person says.
So according to this troll's logic, you only need to criticize the Dr. you had surgery with, you can't say anything good. It doesn't matter if the doctor is good or bad. These people need to be removed from the forum, they obviously work for a rival company or something. The man is trying to pollute all the diaries except for a few Dr.
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If you have recent imaging data please put it at this thread. Redact any information that could be used to dox you.
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https://youtu.be/kVS15Aq0_F8 (https://youtu.be/kVS15Aq0_F8)
https://youtube.com/shorts/BDK5eLq94zA?feature=share (https://youtube.com/shorts/BDK5eLq94zA?feature=share)
This thread is full of horsecrap . Its not possible for LON Femurs with no pain this is a joke. Look at this outcome. It's horrifying. THIS IS A FREAKING AD DO NOT BELIEVE THIS.
Links are not working. Do you have another one???
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Any update?
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Hello everyone, I apologize for my absence. I chose to distance myself from the negativity here and focus on my projects instead. The volume of private messages I received was overwhelming, and it was disheartening to see the extent of people's greed. I suspect some of these individuals might be from rival companies, but that's just speculation. As I've mentioned before, I'm a full-stack developer, AI and embedded system engineer. Next year, I plan to return to the US to pursue a master's degree. I have no financial or emotional ties to the company in question.
To recap, my initial surgery was on November 22, 2022, and the removal surgery took place on February 8, 2023. As of today, August 1, it's been more than 6.5 months since the removal surgery. I've grown 8.6cm and now stand at 182cm (6'0").
I'm the kind of person who thrives on constant work. After taking a three-month break, I felt compelled to dive back into my projects. I neglected my strengthening exercises, assuming my legs would regain their strength naturally. However, my recovery was slower than expected due to this oversight. I experienced pain in my left leg when walking without support and continued to wobble until two weeks after I started going to the gym.
Dr. Yunus and another orthopedic surgeon I consulted in my hometown, Ankara, Turkey, advised me to use support until early June. I followed their advice for about 3.5 months. The second surgeon, who was unfamiliar with Dr. Yunus, complimented his work. They both recommended that I start going to the gym, which I did three weeks ago. I alternate between swimming 1km one day and doing push or pull workouts the next, focusing on strengthening my legs. The difference was noticeable almost immediately; my wobble has nearly disappeared, and the pain in my left leg is gone.
Interestingly, none of my friends noticed my height increase of 8.6cm. I expected it to be more obvious. Even my brother, who is a medical doctor, said he wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't told him. He always thought of me as tall, although I suspect he's exaggerating. He's expressed interest in undergoing the same surgery, but his schedule doesn't allow for it. I believe you need at least four months of downtime for this procedure.
A month ago, I was concerned because I wasn't recovering as quickly as I'd hoped. Now, after starting my gym and swimming routine, I feel fantastic.
I recorded a video three months post-removal surgery, during which I was still wobbling. I plan to post that video here in a day or two, after blurring my face for privacy reasons. If I have the opportunity to record another video, I will share that as well.
Here's my advice for anyone considering this surgery: mentally prepare yourself and expect the worst. If possible, work on strengthening your upper body muscles, which can help manage the pain. Avoid over-reliance on strong painkillers, especially early on. Don't rush the surgery or attempt to combine both leg surgeries. Choose the right company and country for this operation carefully; your health is paramount. Pay close attention to your physical therapy sessions, as they play a crucial role in determining your final height. If you neglect your PT, you might not reach your full potential. Finally, listen to your doctor and physical therapists. If they advise you to stop lengthening, heed their advice.
Most importantly, before beginning your lengthening phase, I highly recommend incorporating as much stretching as possible into your routine. This isn't just beneficial for the lengthening process; I believe everyone should stretch regularly for overall health. It's crucial for maintaining fascia health, as evidenced by my Maltipoo dog who stretches literally throughout the whole day.
As I've mentioned before, my height was a significant concern for me for almost 15 years. I am immensely grateful to the Wannabetaller team for resolving my issue without any complications. I'd like to extend my thanks to the founder, Ibrahim Algan, the surgeon Dr. Yunus Oc, my initial contact Tugce and the physical therapists Cagatay, Mehmet, and Eyup. I also appreciate the nurses Aylis and Ecem, as well as Rabia and Taner, who always addressed my concerns with positivity and patience.
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The video was recorded on May 8, 2023, three months after the device removal operation. As you can see, there's a significant wobble in my walk, likely due to my neglect of the recommended strengthening exercises. I initially thought that walking for 20-25 minutes a day would suffice until I could start going to the gym, but as it turned out, this wasn't enough. However, just three weeks of gym workouts effectively addressed the issue.
https://vimeo.com/850373043 (https://vimeo.com/850373043)
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While I'm here, I'd also like to share some images taken after the removal surgery. Once I returned home from the Wannabetaller facility, my doctor in Ankara, Turkey, took two sets of X-rays. The first set was taken on April 7, 2023, and the second on June 15, 2023. After reviewing the second set of X-rays, both orthopedic surgeons advised me that I could start going to the gym and discontinue using supports. However, Dr. Yunus cautioned me to still use support in crowded places for safety. Here are the images:
The images below were taken on April 7, 2023 (2 months after the removal surgery):
(https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/91651301_1jpg.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/91651301/1jpg.jpg.html) (https://s8d7.turboimg.net/t1/91651302_Screenshot_1.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/91651302/Screenshot_1.jpg.html)
The images below were taken on June 15, 2023 (4 months after the removal surgery):
(https://s8d5.turboimg.net/t1/91651316_Screenshot_2.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/91651316/Screenshot_2.jpg.html) (https://s8d5.turboimg.net/t1/91651317_Screenshot_3.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/91651317/Screenshot_3.jpg.html)
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Did you take any daily supplements after removal also did you get prp or stem cells?
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Did you take any daily supplements after removal also did you get prp or stem cells?
I didn't get stem cells or any other different treatment. I take 1000 IU of Vitamin D3, 620mg of fish oil, and half a tablet of the following supplement daily
(https://s8d6.turboimg.net/t1/91667344_Screenshot_4.jpg) (https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/91667344/Screenshot_4.jpg.html)
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Hello! Thank you for the update. How is your walk doing now? Are you still limping or experiencing any pain? Also, could you please conduct a patient interview with Victor from Cyborg4Life on youtube Your insights and experience would be very helpful for his channel. If you prefer, you can go on the channel anonymously without revealing your face or real name. Thank you so much for your posts!
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Hello! Thank you for the update. How is your walk doing now? Are you still limping or experiencing any pain? Also, could you please conduct a patient interview with Victor from Cyborg4Life on youtube Your insights and experience would be very helpful for his channel. If you prefer, you can go on the channel anonymously without revealing your face or real name. Thank you so much for your posts!
Hello Atti, thank you so much for your support. Yesterday, I swam 1km again using a pool pallet. When I exert my leg muscles slightly, I feel a bit of pain in my upper left leg afterwards. I wouldn't say I'm 100% back to normal, but I can climb stairs without needing to hold onto anything and can walk for about 30-40 minutes without issues. If I had to assign a number to my recovery progress, I'd say it's around 80%. I just went to get a cup of coffee and noticed a slight wobble in my walk due to yesterday's swimming session; my left leg, in particular, is tired and week compared to my right leg. I had hoped that my legs would heal more quickly, but it seems the process isn't as rapid as I anticipated. However, I've noticed that as my muscles strengthen, all the issues are starting to fade.
As for the interview, I really admire Victor from Cyborg4Life. His videos have helped me tremendously, both psychologically and physically. Perhaps in the future, once I'm fully healed, I might participate in one of his patient interviews, but I'm not quite ready for that at the moment. I have so many tasks on my plate. I am preparing for the GRE exam and have to achieve the maximum score. Additionally, I am trying to build a full-stack portfolio management app.
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Thank you so much for your answers and for sharing your experience, if you had to summarize the pain and sleeping quality throughout the lengthening as well as your ability to walk and move during all stages of lengthening.
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Thank you so much for your answers and for sharing your experience, if you had to summarize the pain and sleeping quality throughout the lengthening as well as your ability to walk and move during all stages of lengthening.
Let me try to quantify
First 20 minutes - Pain level:99/10
This was an excruciating experience like nothing else I've ever felt. However, it only lasts 20 minutes, so it's bearable.
Day 1-6 - Pain level: 3/10
Thanks to meditation, I didn't experience much pain, to be honest. However, the inability to walk or go to the bathroom, and needing to lie down all day, was rather bothersome.
Day 6-14 (0-1cm) - Pain level: 5/10
As you're discharged from the hospital and no longer have access to strong painkillers like morphine (which you shouldn't rely on anyway), the pain tends to intensify compared to the initial days.
Day 14 - 70 (1 - 6.5cm) - Pain level: 2/10 (awake), 4/10 (sleep)
In reality, the pain was quite manageable, contrary to my expectations based on other people's complaints on this forum. The level of discomfort was so minor that I didn't feel the need to take painkillers during this period.
Day 70-90 (6.5-8.5) - Pain level: 4/10, 7/10(sleep)
Post 6.5cm, the difficulty level escalated, particularly during the nights when I tried to sleep. I began taking painkillers before bed.
After removal surgery,
All pain dissipates within 2-3 days when you are stationary. There's still a bit of discomfort when moving, but it's relatively minor. I transitioned from a walker to crutches and noticed my leg muscles strengthening. I managed to avoid using a wheelchair on my journey home, although I believe like 95% of people would require one. For the initial 3-4 months, it's critical to be cautious and avoid falling.
I could walk without support after about 1-1.5 months, but Dr. Yunus recommended continuing to use support. I stopped using crutches at home then.
Four months post-surgery, Dr. Yunus gave me the green light to stop using crutches altogether, although he advised me to keep using them in crowded places. By performing strengthening exercises, your recovery can be faster. I didn't do these exercises, but now, 5.5-6 months after the removal surgery, no one would notice anything abnormal with my gait. I still probably need another 6-12 months before I can say I am fully recovered.