Limb Lengthening Forum
Limb Lengthening Surgery => Limb Lengthening Patients Experiences => Topic started by: Ted68 on December 22, 2023, 01:56:30 PM
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Hello, guys...
I started the journey of doing this and tomorrow I will do the surgery in Istanbul...
It will be a real diary and very detailed, because my case is different... I am 55 years old !
So, if you want me to start the diary I need feedback from you, so let me know if you are interested, otherwise I have no reason to do it. I will be stressed enough with the pain and all the struggles, so I prefer to take care of myself instead ...
Thank you
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Please do the diary. Us lurkers do appreciate it.
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It's great to follow your dreams. I hope everything will be fine. You will reach your desired goal.
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goodluck. its going to be xmas soon have fun with what your doing! also your joints and ligaments is going to be feeling it. hopefully no problems there being your age.
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following
GOOD LUCK!
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Hi, guys.... I didn't die, yet !
As you heard, the first 2 weeks are the worse !
Because the pain killers, I am groggy most of the time. Usually I am a sharp minded person, but now I feel like I am retarded ... and I am not joking !
Because the pain I cannot think and organize normally my thoughts. The short memory has gone already... I have only the long one, but if I stay in pain one month more... I will be a vegetable soon. :-[
Some people may say I hastened the process of being senile... because the time has come !
Well, we ll talk about that... in details. 8)
Just let me pass this period and I will be up for you !
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at your age you might be taking alot of medicine and they medicine is doing the talking. i feel like that when im walking with a gait. but still its fixable. it seem at your age you gain a new life after 55 yo. its pretty old age but congrats. ur friends will be impress u can grow at that age.
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Does the quadrilateral, lengthen by 1mm / 0.75mm per day (femur/tibia)? or only 0.75 mm / 0.5 mm per day?
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, GUYS !
After few days of deep suffer and adapting to the new condition I started to eat and to take the regular drugs. Ok. And I was ready to start the beginning of my story. ..
BUT... in the morning i woke up and my body was full of sweat !.... Man, I never seen that sweat on my body, ever ! All my hair, face, clothes, bedsheets, pillow.... just full of sweat !
I lift my torso vertically and I felt next second a BAD nausea ... I started to vomit in bed, hopefully I had a bag.... and i went to the bathroom to take a shower.
I had the special chair there, but I never took a shower before, because the bandages.
I took the shower, and I vomit again, in the shower !.....and I did it 4 times !
I was scared, desperate and confused... everything worked well and predictable..
Other big problem was the constipation, but was a silent one ...
First hours I thought I was eating some rotten food, I got toxi-infection and... done. But NOT, was much worse !!
I finished vomiting, I washed my body, I pushed lots of warm water in my full colon so I can start enema, I cut the extra air they left and I started the enema... eliminated most of them, but I found a big piece of rock and I wondered how it get there... but actually was my poop transformed in a hard rock. So, I put lubricant, I prayed to God and I started pushing. After 20 minutets was out.... I was lucky was no bleeding, but I still feel it after 3 days !
Guys, doctor didn't tell me 3 bad reactions after taking 2 painkillers, 3 times a day: MASSIVE SWEATING, NAUSEA WITH VOMITING AND SOLID ROCK CONSTIPATION !
I had all of them for all my life, but on a much lower level...
He told me today because the Adrenalina, my body fought a lot. Once the Adrenaline decreased, the body shows you the reality... So, I got it, IN A BAD WAY !
After taking pain killers again, I realized has nothing with the food and toxi-infection... it started THE BAD SYMPTOMS !
I asked doctor I will never take those 2 pain killers and he accepted. Actually I stopped 24 h to take any pills. But now my anus was extremely affected ans swelled, so finally he gave me a cream to heal it...
So, these 3 days was worse than the days after surgery !
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Do you think the excessive sweating is discharging the swelling and not necessarily the pain killers?
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Do you think the excessive sweating is discharging the swelling and not necessarily the pain killers?
No, I dont think so, because has nothing to do one to the other !... all 3 effects comes together.
What I wanted was to stop taking those criminal pain killers for me (CONTRAMAL + GERALGINE), because their 3 side bad effects i told... So, now they only stick a film to my back's skin...
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Can you explain me 3 things, please ?
- How can i add a picture from my computer ?
- How can I add a picture with a link from my pictures website and to see it normal when you open my topic (not as a simple link which must be clicked then...)
- Why the function PREVIEW doesnt work ?.... I tried many times to see what I put here, but never worked...
Thank you
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, GUYS !
After few days of deep suffer and adapting to the new condition I started to eat and to take the regular drugs. Ok. And I was ready to start the beginning of my story. ..
BUT... in the morning i woke up and my body was full of sweat !.... Man, I never seen that sweat on my body, ever ! All my hair, face, clothes, bedsheets, pillow.... just full of sweat !
I lift my torso vertically and I felt next second a BAD nausea ... I started to vomit in bed, hopefully I had a bag.... and i went to the bathroom to take a shower.
I had the special chair there, but I never took a shower before, because the bandages.
I took the shower, and I vomit again, in the shower !.....and I did it 4 times !
I was scared, desperate and confused... everything worked well and predictable..
Other big problem was the constipation, but was a silent one ...
First hours I thought I was eating some rotten food, I got toxi-infection and... done. But NOT, was much worse !!
I finished vomiting, I washed my body, I pushed lots of warm water in my full colon so I can start enema, I cut the extra air they left and I started the enema... eliminated most of them, but I found a big piece of rock and I wondered how it get there... but actually was my poop transformed in a hard rock. So, I put lubricant, I prayed to God and I started pushing. After 20 minutets was out.... I was lucky was no bleeding, but I still feel it after 3 days !
Guys, doctor didn't tell me 3 bad reactions after taking 2 painkillers, 3 times a day: MASSIVE SWEATING, NAUSEA WITH VOMITING AND SOLID ROCK CONSTIPATION !
I had all of them for all my life, but on a much lower level...
He told me today because the Adrenalina, my body fought a lot. Once the Adrenaline decreased, the body shows you the reality... So, I got it, IN A BAD WAY !
After taking pain killers again, I realized has nothing with the food and toxi-infection... it started THE BAD SYMPTOMS !
I asked doctor I will never take those 2 pain killers and he accepted. Actually I stopped 24 h to take any pills. But now my anus was extremely affected ans swelled, so finally he gave me a cream to heal it...
So, these 3 days was worse than the days after surgery !
an allergy to morphine / derive constipation excessive sweat mental confusion side effects of morphine
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an allergy to morphine / derive constipation excessive sweat mental confusion side effects of morphine
Yes, you are good in 5 seconds Google research !... So what ?.... I didn't asked you anything. If I will... I will ask a doctor.
This is all you understood from what I said and my suffering ?
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You are one of the rare people I respect on this forum. I congratulate you for your courage. Are you satisfied with your doctor? How is the current process going?
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Thank you, Sigma !
I want to start what prepared, but I can see nobody are interested. I asked 3 simple questions here above, regarding uploading pictures... but nobody read it and nobody answered. So I treat them accordingly... not wasting time for them !
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your diary will be deeply appreciated
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OK, guys.... Let's start...
My diary of LL with Dr. Gokhan
Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION
This will be a different kind of diary... because I am a special case.
This diary is written by my hand, without translator, so this is my style…
I am extremely straight and honest. I have no special interest to write it because its all about my life, health and feelings. I can do it under radar, like most of men doing LL, but I want to help you finding important details.
This diary will be pretty much up to date, not after few weeks or months like others.
So:
I am 55 years old, from East-Europe.
Height: 171 cm.
Weight: about 70 kg.
Wing span: 178 cm
No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol.
I am vegetarian, no junk food, no Coca-Cola and s-hit . As animal proteins I eat only eggs, milk and cheese.
I did gymnastics and stretching every morning, for 38 years already… EVERY DAY, no matter what !!
My education is a degree in PE and Sport. Also I have a 3 years medical diploma.
So, I got good knowledge about human body, biomechanics and physiology.
I am not a muscular guy and I never wanted to be, because I wanted to keep my best features, as speed, fast reaction and flexibility for badminton and swimming, which are my specialization from university..
I sleep as much is possible, more than 8 hours per night.
So, overall, I take care of myself very much and I am a life model for everybody...
Now, maybe you will tell me: “WTF, man, you are old, your life is done and nobody care how tall you are, so don’t waste your money and better take care of your grand-children, buy a dream house, buy an expensive dream car… or just take every year a vacation on a cruise ship, for the rest of your life !”
Well, I care !!.... I look younger, I am trained and fit, so I deserve to be taller, because I am very healthy, slim and physically very functional. I took care of myself, every day !
I am not like most of the 55 years old men: deformed, tired, lazy with slow motion, bald, big belly, smoker, drinker, sick and stiff that I cant touch the floor... and overall a wreck !!
Actually I am on the contrary !
I have an exceptional mobility and elasticity for my age. Actually 95% of young people, like 20-30 years old, not even get close to me in that aspect. My life is very organized, clean and I trust in God.
But, yes, you are right in one thing: ITS ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY, with which I can buy a house in my country, or 2-3 apartments and to rent them. Also I can open a business, or to buy 2 brand new Tesla, or one luxury car, etc, etc.
Yeah, its true that I spend a lot... but I need this change in my life...
There is an unwritten law in this world, from the beginning and forever: MEN SHOULD BE TALL AND STRONG AND WOMEN FRAGILE AND BEAUTIFUL !... Period !
The rest are just words and corrupted behaviors by society, fashion and petty interests…
Let me tell you a sad story... I was in military service for 2 years and there I had an army comrade, same age as me after the high school. He was even shorter than me, 160 cm. He was intelligent and funny... but very short and very frustrated... He was looking like Michael J Fox, like an old little boy...
He was from my city and I met him few times over years after army. I always seen that he is actually sad... and few years ago I heard, from another comrade, that he died !
He was not even on fifties, he was only 45 I think. That guy told me he had a depressing and, he is not sure, but we are pretty sure our comrade committed suicide...
So, this is not a joke !... Even if they look funny or happy, all these guys are deeply depressed and suffer every day from frustration !
I never been depressed, because I’ve been on the edge -171 cm- but I have the classic reasons for doing LL, like most men: I couldn’t cover the whole height spectrum of women and general humiliation with other men, authority or problems of being treated “inferior” by stupid and low educated people... much lower educated than me !
And in my field of activity is even worse if you are not tall !... You know, that kind of piece of s-hit men who are s-tupid, illiterate, not educated and bad character... The only thing they have is that they are tall, by nature... and they think that is all they need and we get in conflict right away !
And, boy, I hate to be in conflicts with stupid people !... Is better to avoid them by being tall…
Fortunately I am not a bad looking man so, all my women in my range of height, loved me and no one criticized me for my height or something, so I never had more drama or getting depressed, comparing with other men. My problem with women is that the best women I met was tall like me or even taller and we couldn’t be together because we feel both embarrassed... and that is very frustrating !!
Why now and not 10 years ago ??.... Because now I got the money, now I don’t have financial problems anymore and, thanks to that, now I have time for this important change, so I can be focus 100%.
I did research about LL for 10 years already, so I decided there is no way to do LON or internal clicking nails. The Precice 2 is best for me, quadrilateral obviously.
Why I don’t wait for Stryde Max ?... Well, this is a tough question and I am thinking every day about this !
Obviously I don’t want to live in a wheelchair for 5 months and to struggle, but ... when are coming those nails ? / Are reliable enough ? / Are cheap enough ? / The doctors are confident to use it right away ? / Is it worth to risk to be in the front line of patients, or is better to wait 1-2 years to see results ? / Am I young enough to wait more years ?
I think NOT... so here am I.
OK, with that’s being said, my goal is 6 feet (183 cm). That means 12 cm: 7-8 femur + 4-5 tibia. If I can get 13 cm, even better !
So, finally I picked only 4 doctors: Gdalevitch from Canada (because I have strong ties with Canada), Mustafa Gokhan or Metin Kucukkaya from Turkey and Giotikas from Greece. I chose the last three because I wanted to be close to my country. And this is VERY important overall for my health because the waiting time in the airport, changing planes, long time sitting, jet lag... are not good !
As you can see, I didn’t choose a cheap doctor, I chose the best professional doctor in my area of travelling.
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CHAPTER 2 – ABOUT DOCTORS …
Dr. Gdalevitch - is not cheap at all (like most north-american doctors) and the cost of living in Canada for 5 months is high - There are things to explain here, so THIS NEED A DIFFERENT TOPIC
Metin Kucukkaya - is also a good doctor, but he not even answered to my email, so I gave up.
Dr. Giotikas - is a good doctor, very polite and the hospital is good, but they don’t have the living conditions that I need with PT in the same building and there is no swimming pool for PT - I WAS THERE AND THIS NEED A DIFFERENT LARGE TOPIC
Dr. Mustafa Gokhan - is a very good doctor and he decided to do LL for maybe the best company in Istanbul, which has a contract with maybe the best specialized hotel, which has very good conditions for accommodating with PT in the same building, including swimming pool, which is VERY important for me !...
So, finally I chose Remedy company and dr Gokhan, for many reasons:
- Dr. Gokhan is a good and experienced surgeon
- Dr. Gokhan is a supportive and nice person
- Remedy has very good reviews … hopefully are all real !
- The hotel has pretty good reviews overall… but with few terrible complaints in Google though...
- Remedy offered me one FULL package, with a fixed price. And it’s a complete package for me, which means: Taking you and bringing to the airport / 3 surgeries (femur + tibia + removing nails later) / all medications need / all X-rays need / 125 days of living in a special hotel / all the trips to the hospital and back to hotel / you have your special room, with kitchen and emergency button / breakfast every morning / PT every day in the hotel / your assigned nurse / fitness area / special swimming pool for handicapped patients, which is EXTREMELY important for easier and better recovery.
- Remedy has a very polite guy, Batu, who is speaking good English, with whom you can talk in Whatsapp. He is a genuine nice person and whenever you need he explain you everything and, in emergencies, he talks with you even during his free time from work. He is listening your problems and he is trying to help you resolving all your personal needs
- The hotel seems to be pretty clean and well organized for all kind of esthetic surgeries.
- Having kitchen in the room is very helpful, so to not waste every day money for ordering food, so you can buy groceries and cook your meals
- Offering free breakfast every day is a very smart thing for their business
- The location of the hotel is good, far from old city crowd
- The Remedy guy promised me that he will be always on my side and deal for me with doctor, nurses, PT specialists, hospital and hotel, which is very important, otherwise you will feel alone and you will have to deal every day with everyone so you can solve your problems…
- And THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON is that the PT is in the hotel and they have a special swimming pool !!... If these 2 “details” are missing, its a deal-breaker for me, and I prefer to not do it at all !
I was talking back and forth with Batu in WA and he scheduled a video conference with him and dr. Gokhan. I asked doctor all my questions and he seems to be a nice and honest person.
Next day they told me the surgery schedules and I chose one, before Christmas.
Then I paid the air ticket to arrive in Istanbul 2 days before surgery date, so I can have time for discussion, examinations and cash exchange in Lira, because I need Lira cash for groceries, food, etc.
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Just let me know if you need me to explain you something that I wrote, before to continue my chapters...
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Not many diaries of men in their 50s doing LL, looking forward to hearing your experience. Do your family know about your LL surgeries? 13cm will be difficult to hide obviously!
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Not many diaries of men in their 50s doing LL, looking forward to hearing your experience. Do your family know about your LL surgeries? 13cm will be difficult to hide obviously!
Yes, indeed. And I am pretty sure it will not be other cases, because they must have strong personal reasons, being slim, very healthy and a body very well trained in stretching every day, like mine. The money is not enough to do LL at this age.
I am divorced long time ago, so the opinion of my relatives doesn't exist and it doesn't matter anyways...
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This is me, few days before surgery...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iggW59ED7H29iHdr6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9btob3q8a4gLbRuR8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZgNmo648FWKXmW4r8
So, guys, if you are slim and flexible like me... YOU ARE READY FOR SURGERY !
But, unfortunately, not even 20-30 years old guys can do that hyper-flex position.
Thats why the recovery is long, hard and painfull...
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Chapter 3 – PREPARATION FOR GOING TO ISTANBUL
As i remember the first time when I contacted and I was talking with Remedy was 19 November 2023. So basically one month later I arrived in Istanbul.
Regarding the stretching period before the surgery, as doctors asks to wait 1-3 months for preparing the muscles, tendons, joints... for me wasn't necessarily, because I am was more than prepared, as you know...
So, first problem I had it was finding all details I need about hospital, hotel, breakfast, kitchen in my studio, programs, etc... because I had to organize my money so I can cover all expected and un-expected spending.
Second problem was the transportation to Istanbul. First time I wanted to come with my car and parking it for 4 month in the hotel's parking. But I had few obstacles: I am not sure if I can drive safely after 4 months / I have to remove the battery and keep it with me at the hotel room with an intelligent charger / and also I found they don't accept LPG cars under ground, which is normal.
With my car it could cost me only 100 euro for round trip, but now I had to pay 320 euro for the round trip airplane, with free changing the return, just in case.
Third problem was the biggest, because I am from an EU country and Turkey is not, so transferring such a big amount of money is much more expensive than within EU. Also takes much more time.
I had an idea of getting a banking card in euro and to pay everything simple, on POS. But, I found something very bad.... Turkey charge you 2% for any transaction with a foreigner card... so it would cost me totally 2000 euro, only the turkey commission for all my payments !
So, that is a theft and I am not stupid enough to let them rip me off !
So, finally I found a better and much cheaper way to make banking transfers. But still is complicated because my banks need to contact me so I can confirm that its me and I ordered the transfer. A big pain in the a s s every time !
Finally I could pay the deposit, 2 days before arriving in Istanbul...
The fourth problem was my every day living routine. I eat every morning toasted bread, so in the kitchen they don't have it. But, Batu resolved it and he promised me I will have it.
I found air ticket with 2x23 kg checked luggage, so I filled them with my food I had it home, to not throw in garbage my food. Also I put 6 kg honey, because I eat every day honey and in Turkey cost 20 times more than in my country !!.... I couldn't believe that.
Also I took lots of herbal tea for 4 months, because I like and trust my tea.
And last thing, I went out to buy the all supplements need for 4 months, other than Vit D3 and Calcium they give me anyways, so I mean: Phosphorous, Zn, Mn, Mg, Vit K2, Vit C, Bioperine, Omega 3 with fish oil, Spirulin, Creatine, Melatonin and Colagen.
All of them were carefully calculated as concentration and number of pills for 4 months needs.
I paid a lot for them, but in Turkey cost 3 times more !
So, I was prepared and I headed to the airport with the hope they will give me all they promised and also they will keep being nice with me, for the entire period of 4 months that I will stay there…
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Please keep us posted with the update, how are you now
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your diary will be deeply appreciated
Thank you, man.
I hope so, but almost no feedback from you guys...
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Please keep us posted with the update, how are you now
Yes, man, I will be very soon up to date with the diary.
Now I am in the 13th day after femur surgery and still have deep pain and I cannot sleep.
Thank you for asking... because nobody asked me how I feel...
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Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Is the pain also present with Painkiller? can you describe the pain? Do you feel it in the bones or rather muscle soft tissue?
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Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Is the pain also present with Painkiller? can you describe the pain? Do you feel it in the bones or rather muscle soft tissue?
You're welcome, man !
I had 2 pain killers to take 3 times a day - Contramal and Geralgine - but I didn't resist more than 5 days because they ruined my health: I had permanent confusion and low speed reaction, I had nausea with vomiting, I had hard constipation and after I had bad analo-rectal inflammation... so I stopped them and now I have only a skin sticker which doesn't help me too much, but I prefer only pain than the others I just told you...
The pain is only in soft tissue, in the points where the 4 screws were inserted. Its a very localized pain and you have to find the perfect angles and positions of your thighs when you try to sleep...
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Chapter 3 – PREPARATION FOR GOING TO ISTANBUL - part 2
Regarding routine, at my home the laptop is connected 90% of the time to my large tv through a good quality 10m (30 ft) HDMI cable, so I can see better and using the mouse on my bed.
So, I asked Batu what kind and what size of tv I will have in the room. He said it’s a 42” TFT, average tv. Good, so the size is large enough and for sure has HDMI. So I put the 10m cable in my luggage.
I took my 2 electric shavers and my hair trimmer, because i cut my hair by myself for 20 years already, and I do it very well. I use of course 2 mirrors, so I took the large hand mirror with me, as well.
I grabbed my house slippers and rubber sandals, because for sure I will need.
I even took 2 kg of onion, because for sure I will need to cook something...
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How is your pain situation now? is everything ok ? Thank you for your detailed diary. Your diary will be appreciated. You have completed the most difficult process, now all that remains is to heal and lengthening.
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How is your pain situation now? is everything ok ? Thank you for your detailed diary. Your diary will be appreciated. You have completed the most difficult process, now all that remains is to heal and lengthening.
Hey, Sigma....
The pain been worse in the last 2 days.
Well, yes, I passed the surgery and the bad effects of Contramal which i don't take it anymore.
The soft tissue healing inside the muscles is my problem, thats why I cannot sleep.
I do PT every day and my flexibility is still great, as the therapist told me.
I am waiting for external healing, so I can go and walk in the pool...
Thank you for appreciation !
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Your flexibility is truly amazing. You also had quadrilateral surgery. People are afraid and give up even when doing only tibia or femur. You are a brave person who should be respected. Also, despite your surgery, you take the time to write a diary. Thanks for this.
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Your flexibility is truly amazing. You also had quadrilateral surgery. People are afraid and give up even when doing only tibia or femur. You are a brave person who should be respected. Also, despite your surgery, you take the time to write a diary. Thanks for this.
Thank you, man...
Well, you know people... I only want them to read my diary and to appreciate my true and detailed content. And maybe I will help them to not do mistakes... For example, me, I cannot afford to do any mistake at my age !
Now I stay on the bed, moaning in pain...
This night I will start taking Melatonine. I hope it will help me in sleeping...
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Chapter 4 – ARRIVING TO ISTANBUL AND PREPARATION FOR 4 MONTHS LIVING
The surgery was chosen by me, to be before Christmas, so will be on 23 Dec 2023.
I bought the airplane ticket for 21 Dec.
At the airport I found that the airplane arrived one hour later and I will fly with a small propeller airplane !...
Guys, those f-u-c-king propellers and engines are so noisy, that nobody understand what you say. And also is much slower than a jet, so I arrived 2 hours later … all being dizzy and confused because the noise. I think the same condition like in a WW2 military airplanes…
I arrived in Istanbul in the evening, in the dark.. We got out of the plane on its narrow staircase, like on small islands where basically they don’t have airport. And we’ve got rain and wind … Amazing !
The IST airport is very large, modern one and competitive one. I passed the checking passport for visa and then I was looking for my luggage. They even has a central boarding display for easy finding your luggage. I asked something to a young lady employee and she didn’t understand a word in English, so she turned on the translator… Ohh, that’s embarrassing for such a big and busy airport !
I tried to connect to the free airport’s wifi to let know Batu I arrived. But I couldn’t, because finally, after a signing-up process, it asked me for a Turkish phone number to confirm !.... so, another embarrassing moment for such a big airport !
Anyways, I found the guy waiting for me, at a certain point that I knew from Batu… and he was waiting for another 20 customers, as I could see on its long list. After 15 minutes they brought me a VIP luxury minivan, and it took 1 hour to drive me to the hotel, because the busy traffic. Also because raining…
I arrived to the hotel, the driver took care of my luggage and I met Batu. He presented me to receptionists, which took my passport and charged me 50 euro as a warranty for dishes, pans, forks and spoons that they let me use in my studio.
They assigned 2 cards for my room and elevator and we arrived in the room.
The room is decent 2 bed room, and has a nice kitchen with stove, oven, large cabinets, dishwasher, fridge and sink. Also I found a normal size clothing washer with embedded dryer, which is great !
Dishwasher I will never use, but I tried to figure out how to use the washer… and no luck because is in Turkish ! … I will keep trying, maybe I can find how to change the language…
The room has central ventilation and the window is locked. Also has classic heating system with radiators based on hot water… but is functional just in case. The windows are good isolate from the street noise but I still here noise from the 6 lanes freeway road on my side, which is busy 24 hours. Also, across the highway road is a mosque, which has very large and strong speakers...
The washroom is very nice and well organized, with cabinets. The shower area is large, but it doesn’t have soap and shampoo holder, so you have to put them on the floor and take it from there... And that is, again, embarrassing !
I organized my stuff everywhere, I installed my HDMI cable to tv and laptop, I took a shower and I went to bed, because next day I was scheduled for full examinations in the morning.
22 Dec 2023
Batu came to my room and I showed him what I need to buy.
Then we took another VIP minivan heading to hospital. We arrived and I met dr Ghokan. We talked all details left and he measured me roughly and I found I am taller !... Cool, but not really !
We made the classic picture together, where now I am shorter than him and after I should be taller than him.
He was impressed about my flexibility on hamstrings.
I also told him that all my life I had a problem in standing and some doctors told me I have a leg shorter and maybe he can measure my bones accurately…
Dr Taner came there as well…
Then I went to Xrays and blood test.
Finally he told me that I have the right femur 11mm shorter, so he will take care of me to fix it…
Doctor Ghokan is an exceptional person, not only a top LL surgeon !
I started to “negotiate” what I want, what I like and what I don’t, and he was opened, not a stiff and arrogant person. He listen you and he try to do what you want. Of course, my wishes was very acceptable, not stupid !
I tell you now the moments up to date, only first 2 are from that discussion:
1. I said I don’t want spinal anesthesia, only general, and he accepted
2. I said I don’t want urinary catheter after surgery and he accepted
3. Few days later he gave me a complicated scheduling for every day femur elongation, separate for left and right, but I said I prefer to go 7cm on both femurs and then stop the left and continue to 8cm on the right femur, because of my discrepancy… and he accepted
4. After those 3 days of torment with painkillers, I told him I will not take it anymore, at all !... So, he understood and agreed to it.
5. I never bothered him, but when I had an emergency he wasted his time to come and talk with me for 10 minutes !.... And, believe me, he is a very busy orthopedic specialist and the traffic in Istanbul is terrible !
Guys, YOU MUST ALWAYS GO FOR THE BEST SURGEON WITH THE BIGGEST HEART !... because that gives you confidence and help. Don’t look only for the best of the best, like Paley, and NO WAY to go for the cheapest one !
I went back to the hotel, but on the way I stopped in an area with stores to change money and to buy something. I bought a kind of soap and shampoo holder, so I can adapt, hang it to my shower.
Later I went alone in the city, in rain. I ask the receptionist to give me a guest umbrella… and he said “I don’t have”. Ok, thank you then !
I went to the closest mall, to buy natural leather insoles for my shoes, because mine were low quality synthetic leather, which was cracked and I put them in garbage bin. And I found good quality ones !
If you want to find good quality and cheap, any kind of leather products, come in Turkey !
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Chapter 5 – THE SURGERY
23 Dec 2023 – the surgery day.
Now I am in doctor’s hands, guys !
I hope God will help me to undergo the surgery with no incidents or complications, to pass through all the pain and to recover my previous mobility and strength... otherwise I will be dead or crippled for the rest of my life !… It’s an expensive and risky procedure and these are the things we all fear, but none of us usually has the courage to say it loudly…
The day before they told me to not eat and drink for 8 hours before surgery, which actually was 14 hours because I can stay hungry and thirsty long period, so I had a really clean digestive tube and nothing in my bladder…
They moved me from the hotel to hospital with a different luxury minivan, and they gave me a single room. The room is very clean and very modern style, looks like a spaceship.
But I know what means a hospital, because I had a long practice for my medical school and I was many times to view live the “butchery” in action, including babies delivery…
I stayed in the hospital room one hour. They asked me to sign official papers that means I understand the risks.
After that they asked me to undress to nked and to put on the special surgical gown.
Few minutes later 2 nurses entered the room and they said: WE TAKE YOU TO THE SURGICAL OPERATING ROOM !
So, when they put you in bed with the face up and push your bed on the corridor… then you realize what is going on ! It is the toughest moment and many guys get very scared on the way to surgery room and they want to run back home...
In the surgery room they moved me to the surgery bed and I saw my two surgeons and few other person, whole team 6-7 people ready to start.
After 5 minutes they put me in sleep …
They put me in sleep at 4 pm and they woke me up at 8:30 pm. The surgery time was actually 3:30 hours and in the hour left they shave my whole hair on my both legs and other procedures.
I was ok after surgery and I felt to vomit, but I vomited just nothing, because my body was empty of food and liquids, as it should be.
I checked if I have urinary catheter inserted, and I didn’t have it… Thank you !
Then they moved me back to my room and the pain started, about 7/10…
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24 – 26 Dec 2023 – THE 3 DAYS IN HOSPITAL
I couldn’t sleep well, because they came in my room every 15 minutes, to check my Blood pressure, to put me perfusion, to give me a pill for sleep to give me pain killer, anti depressive, blood thinner, etc
I slept maximum 3 hours combined, because of 10 test and checks.
They woke me up early, for blood test, new perfusion, etc
They moved me to x-rays room, so they can see what they have done. They x-rayed me through my clothes. Then, they showed me the x-rays, too… and I got scared.
I felt groggy all those days.
Next day they brought me a wheelchair and I felt the real pain while trying to move my body from the bed to wheelchair and from the wheelchair to toilet…. and reverse !
Keep in mind, guys, first days you are heavily sedated, so you are totally confused… sometime you don’t know where you are and you have hard time in remembering something. Many times you realize where you are and what was happened to you… and you get depressed. That’s why they gives you anti-depressive medication as well.
One day, in hospital, I felt no pain and I wanted to go to toilet. I raised up and I wanted to go normally, trying to step normally on the floor. But, I didn’t find my sleepers on the floor and I realized where am I and if I do an unassisted step on the floor… I will bend my nails !
The nurses was nice with me.
BTW, doctor Taner told me that the Precice nails are much stronger before starting elongation. So, they are same resistant as Stryde. So, in the hospital they brought me a wheel-walker with hand brakes and they taught me how to use it. It was tough, friends, because you cannot let your whole weight on the legs and nails, because its overwhelming painful... so you have to put 70% of your weight on walker. So, first you have to learn how to block your arms and shoulders to transmit the weight to the walker's handlebar... and then to move your legs !
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Doctor Ghokan is an exceptional person, not only a top LL surgeon !
I started to “negotiate” what I want, what I like and what I don’t, and he was opened, not a stiff and arrogant person. He listen you and he try to do what you want.
+1 I agree. Dr Mustafa Gokhan is the best doctor in Turkey. And He is an amazing surgeon and treats all his patients well. He helped me a lot on my journey and I am grateful to him. I wish you a painless and complication-free journey.
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Thank you, Uchiha...
I have read your topic here.
I have no regrets about choosing him.
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Please, guys, don't ask me in private messages about how much I paid. Is not ethical for me to do that because the payment is different always.
Just go on Remedy webpage and launch a question to their Whatsapp number...
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VERY IMPORTANT AFTER SURGERY:
- First check if you feel your legs
- Check if you feel your legs equally
- Check if you feel cold-warm difference on your legs
- Check if your legs moves equally under your commends
- Check for infection signs
- Very critics are next 48 hours when can happen embolia (blood clot or fat clot)
- In the first 2 weeks be carefully to not cut yourself, any kind of cut, because the bleeding is hard to be stopped
- When you learn to use the wheelchair, be carefully at the start, because on too fast startup or putting too much force in starting forward you can rotate backward (you know that effect in motorcycling)… and that could be bad for you and your nails !
- Never try to put the whole body weight on your Precice nails !... If they bend or the fine mechanism breaks down, will be a drama !
- You should train your fists before surgery, because most of the body moving from wheelchair to bed, you should do it on your fists, because you gain 2-3 inches (5-8 cm)
- If you feel and think that there is something dangerous for you, just react. Otherwise you will regret later
- Always you have to park the wheelchair in the perfect position and angle, so that will avoid accidents in transferring your body
- Always put the both brakes on wheelchair !.... If you don’t do that, your wheelchair will rotate and you can have an accident
- Don’t come fat at the surgery, because not all are losing weight. Some people didn’t lose anything for the whole period and that is a permanent risk for your nails, for your transfer from/to wheelchair and for your recover. The best candidates are skinny persons.
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Following your diary, very interesting. I also did LL in Istanbul a few years ago (with different doctor), so I can feel and share everything you say.
Keep strong, you got this. Please continue your diary as often as possible, I'm sure there are a lot of silent readers.
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Following your diary, very interesting. I also did LL in Istanbul a few years ago (with different doctor), so I can feel and share everything you say.
Keep strong, you got this. Please continue your diary as often as possible, I'm sure there are a lot of silent readers.
Hello, Guzman...
Thank you for your good wishes.
If you have time, just send me a message in pm and to tell me your story and how do you feel now !
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Chapter 6 – LEAVING THE HOSPITAL AND THE DAILY ROUTINE IN THE HOTEL ROOM
On the morning of 26 Dec they brought me back to the hotel, with an ambulance.
In the room I found everything not touched, because I asked Batu to let them know that.
They brought me from the main floor a wheelchair and a walker.
I organized everything to be easy accessible.
I moved on wheelchair and Batu went with me to show me how is the buffet area. I took a dish with me and I picked something to bring it home. He told me that I can call them to order food to my bed. I never did that yet.
On the way back from buffet, the entry card stopped working, so we had to go back to reception to re-activation…
PT guy came and brought a special massage bed and few other devices and he started to teach me how to use the new walker. But, guys, in the hotel rooms all the floors are slippery and the wheels of the walker has a kind of hard plastic wheels, not real rubber, so it has ZERO grip. I couldn’t lift my body safely at all, because at any simple accidentally push, the wheels run fast forward and when you try to lift your body… the walker is gone and you are suddenly down on the floor. I got nervous and the PT guy got irritated because my “attitude” and I said: “Sorry, man, if the hotel didn’t care about us, I don’t risk my nails and my health using this unsafely walker !... I will ONLY use the wheelchair from now on !... and after he left I pushed the walker in the cabinet and I forgot about it.
Wheelchair has a much better grip !
I also got a bunch of drugs that I have to take daily, with different schedules:
RANEX, CONTRAMAL, GERALGINE, CIPRO, CORASPIN, LYRICA, LAROXYL,
I set 4 daily alarms on my phone to remind me about the drugs and magnet, at: 8:00 / 16:00 / 20:00 / 00:00, because some are one/day, or two/day, or three/day
27 dec
I woke up at 8 and I moved to wheelchair, so to go to food area.
I put 2 big towels on me and I went there to pick some food. On the way back, the card stopped working, now in the elevator. And me, with the dish of food on my lap, I had to go again to reactivate the card…
At 4 pm the nurse came to my room with a guy. He opened a big plastic case and showed me the wonder: a special device called External Remote Controller (ERC) that is used to make the Precice nail slowly lengthen. The ERC has a magnet inside it that rotates. He put it on my point of osteotomy and showed me how to use it. I did the whole time loop on the other leg and done. Then asked me to give a signature that I am responsible for the machine… and he left.
BTW, doctor Ghokan told me that the space between bones after surgery is 4-5 mm. So, starting today I have to add these mm to total calculation.
I negotiated with doctor and he accepted 3 times a day, instead of 4, because I really want to sleep at night, not to wake up at 3 am !
So, every session has 0.35 mm and total per day is 1.05 mm.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ADVICE:
Never drink water before sleeping, because you have to use the duck or to get more pain moving yourself to the bathroom, instead of sleeping !
And, guys, duck is not for us !... Nobody can do it perfect so not peeing himself !
I did it twice, because I thought is "convenient"... but actually its only a pain and you will hate yourself about how stupid you are... and then going to bathroom anyways, to clean yourself and change your underwear + bed sheet !
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Respect man
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Respect man
Thanks, man !
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28-30 Dec
All these days was same. I pushed drugs in me, I had an acceptable 4/10 pain, I was same groggy and I used the ERC on schedule.
Also, almost every day the card stopped working in elevator or at the front of my door. So embarrassing for the hotel !... and they never apologized for that, saying I kept it near phone, near metals, etc… but actually I never touched the card to anything.
I was embarrassed to go for food wrapped in big towels, so I asked for a bathrobe, but everybody said that they don’t have. Hmmm, how come ?
So I found a flier of hotel with the massage service and bathrobes in picture. I showed
to my nurse and suddenly she remembered “Yes, we have it”…. No kidding !
She called somebody and in 5 minutes I had 2 clean bathrobes. Next day I went to the buffet, proud like a king with a new white bathrobe… with the dish on my lap.
Guys, I am telling you all these, so you can understand that YOU HAVE TO CREATE YOUR CONDITIONS, YOUR HOME, otherwise nobody cares !
31 Dec - 2 Jan
After those days of normal suffer and adapting to the new condition... in the morning i woke up and my body was full of sweat !.... Man, I never seen that sweat on my body, ever ! All my hair, face, clothes, bed sheets, pillow.... just full of sweat !
I lift my torso vertically and I felt next second a BAD nausea ... I started to vomit in bed, hopefully I had a bag.... and i went to the bathroom to take a shower.
I had the special chair there, but I never took a shower before, because the bandages.
I took the shower, and I vomit again, in the shower !.....and I did it 4 times !
I was scared, desperate and confused... everything worked well and predictable, so far…
Other big problem was the constipation, because was a silent one for 7 days ...
First hours I thought I was eating some rotten food, I got toxi-infection and... done. But NOT, was much worse !!
I finished vomiting, I washed my body, I pushed lots of warm water in my full colon and I started the enema... eliminated most of them, but I found a big piece of rock and I wondered how it get there... but actually was my poop transformed in a hard rock. So, I put lubricant, I prayed to God and I started pushing. After 20 minutets was out.... I was lucky was no bleeding, but I still felt the pain after 3 days !
Guys, doctor didn't tell me 3 bad reactions after taking 2 painkillers, 3 times a day, plus a Morphine sticker: MASSIVE SWEATING, NAUSEA WITH VOMITING AND SOLID ROCK CONSTIPATION !
I had all of them for all my life, but on a much lower level...
Doctor came to see me and he explained to me told me that happened because the high Adrenaline after the surgery my body fought a lot. Once the Adrenaline decreased, the body became vulnerable to anything... So, I got it, IN A BAD WAY !
After taking pain killers again, I realized had nothing to do with the food and toxi-infection... it was because the Morphine !
I said to doctor that I will never take those 2 pain killers and he accepted. Actually I stopped 24 h to take any pills. But now my anus was extremely affected and swelled, so finally he gave me a cream to heal it...
So, these 3 days was worse than the days after surgery !
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3-4 Jan – everything was stable
5 Jan
I started to feel an increased pain in the right thigh and I couldn’t sleep anymore. Usually I sleep with the lower legs on a pillow and another 2 pillows onbsides. But now, whatever I put, nothing worked !
For my continuous increased pain, the PT guy suggested me to take Geralgine only, not Contramal, because Geralgine is a light analgesic and doesn’t give those bad effects as the morphine is giving. Yes, I checked and contain only Paracetamol + Codeine. So, I started to take 3/day…
6 January
The Geralgine did NOTHING !... I have the same continuous pain in the right thigh. I am so stressed about, because is too much !
Today afternoon I did enema, again, because its been 7 days and I suspect that the constipation is back. And it was a good decision, because I had only few hard small stones, but if I had delayed few more days, it could have been much worse !
The pain increased in the right thigh and is permanent. I cannot sleep and I cannot do PT normally !
When going to sleep tonight, I will start to take Melatonine.
Today I should have around of 15 mm longer gap, as I calculated…
7 Jan
The Melatonine didn’t work at all. Same level of pain. I am desperate. This kind of continuous pain can drive you to depression !
Today is Sunday and the second PT guy came !... I appreciate that !
And when the guy started the PT procedures, in my room came a manager or supervisor, telling me “they had today 5 (FIVE) complaints against me because I came in the buffet area in bathrobe”. I asked him: - Sir this is a stupid joke ?... How can I have 5 complaints today, suddenly ? – No, is not and we ask you to dress properly with t-shirt and pants !
I was confuse listening this idiot request and I told him: - Sir, I came in bathrobe more than 10 times and you never reacted against. Also, I have pain 24/7 and I stay only in underwear all the time, and only for 5 minutes in the morning, and not every day, I put my bathrobe. – We ask you to change your clothes. – I said I will not because it gives me more pain. But, in this case I will start to order food in my room ! – OK
I called Batu, he did a research and he found something incredible: it was 5 muslim women together, who was “horrified” because my bathrobe and because they saw my hair on the chest. Obviously I am sure they also saw my Christian Cross on necklace and that was more horrifying...
So, guys, I am the only person in the whole hotel who stays for 4 months… and the rest of them stays only few days. So, the hotel didn’t give a s-hit on the most important guest… but they acted right away in favor of people who stays maybe only 2 days !
Another embarrassing moment of the hotel…
…………………………
Coming back to the PT session, the problem is that the pain increased to 7/10 and I crawled like a snake in the bed, moaning loudly, to can get on his special table. I asked him: - Man, WTF is going on, is worse and worse !... Do you have any analgesic cream ?... He looked around, and he found a tube with a cream, which was left by the other PT guy and he said: this is good for you, it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic ! The substance is Ibuprofen.
Right away I used the cream on my right leg…and after one hour it reduced my pain from 7/10 to 4/10… Unbelievable !
The tragi-comic fact is that cream stayed 3 days up on the shelf and no one of PT guys told me about it… and I was moaning and screaming for 3 days !
So, this is the f-u-c-king life, you know !
At the night, one hour before sleeping I used it again and, guys…. I COULD SLEEP CONTINUOUSLY, WITH VERY LOW PAIN !
I thanked to God for my inspiration to ask the guy for a cream, otherwise, the PT guys would ignore the cream few more days, until eventually I could die by suicide…
Fortunately, now I have a powerful ally, named Ibuprofen and I feel more confident and with the will to live !
Again, I resolved by myself something…
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8 Jan - finally the up to date diary !
I asked one of the PT guys to bring me some plastic ties so I can hang the soap/shampoo holder that I bought it with Batu in the second day after arriving. So, today he brought ties and I hang it very well by the tap. I put 4, just to be sure will stay, so today I took my first normal shower… because they have nothing on the wall.
So, another problem resolved by myself !
The PT guy was nice always with me and 10 days ago he helped me covering the LED of smoke sensor with a electric tape, which disturbed me every night, being like a flash in my eyes.
Today I have 13 days of lengthening, so that means 14 mm total and in few days I will do the checking x-rays.
Now I want to tell you something about ERC machine. This primitive machine doesn’t show you if actually is doing something. On the display you can see only the lengthen you set and it stops when the countdown finished.
But if the nails are defective or bent, you put it in wrong place on the limb or the rotation is not complete… it doesn’t say.
So, for example me, I struggled to respect the schedule for 2 weeks, I supported the magnet weight on my legs, etc… but I can find in x-rays that it actually did nothing !
So, this Nuvasive company should improve his ERC as soon is possible !
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Good thing the Ibuprofen cream works! Hope you get more nights of good sleep.
The hotel setup sounds a bit awkward though as the only person there doing LL mixed with normal guests.
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Good thing the Ibuprofen cream works! Hope you get more nights of good sleep.
The hotel setup sounds a bit awkward though as the only person there doing LL mixed with normal guests.
Yes, man, Ibuprofen saved me !
With the hotel I have every day problems... but I prefer to not escalate conflicts.
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You had x-rays that showed the nails did not lengthen?
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You had x-rays that showed the nails did not lengthen?
Not yet. They scheduled me for Friday 12.
The problem is that I don't know anything because this primitive ERC, as I said.
Friday I should have ~ 17.5 mm already... but I can have a bad surprise to find zero mm !
So, I need a better device which says exactly if the nail receive the signal, the rate of spinning in nails, if I positioned correctly the magnet, the power of signal, etc. So, I need a device with a good communication with nails and a permanent feedback.
But, in my case, I do it blindly and I have to wait and stay stressed 2 weeks to see the x-rays result... otherwise I don't know anything !
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Hi. Write about everything you do. I am 49 years old.
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Hi. Write about everything you do. I am 49 years old.
Welcome to my diary, Adam !
The age is just a number, as long as you have a clean life and you do maximum to improve it... because looking to new generations you can see they ruin their health before 40's !
We can talk in pm, so you can tell me details about you...
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Ok please update when you get the x-rays.
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Ok please update when you get the x-rays.
Of course, man !
I will put here the xrays that I got next day after surgery and then the surgery got Friday, so we can compare.
For me its a very important moment !
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9 - 10 Jan
Today doctor Ghokan gave me a surprise and came to me. I told him I am MUCH BETTER after stopping the Contramal and after finding Ibuprofen cream.
He was happy to see me ok, because last time he saw me ruined…
We talked about many things, including personal things. I found I am 5 years older than him, and that was a bit funny, but my respect for him didn’t decrease at all. For me he is maybe the best orthopedist in Turkey and one of the kindest person I ever met in my life !
He told me that my entry incisions healed, so not need to put bandages anymore and now I can entry in the swimming pool.
I showed him my left brake of my wheelchair loose, so my wheelchair became unstable and very unsafe. So, doctor right away turned it upside down to see what is going on. I was so embarrassed that my doctor is doing that. I said: Please, doctor, you make me feel embarrassed and I don’t want to bother you !
When he turned it upside down I saw right away where are the adjustment screws, because I am good technician, worked all my life with tools and worked 20 years in bikes industry. I said: - Sir, I can fix it in few seconds, but I need a 4mm hex wrench. Next second he called the technical department in the hotel and after 15 minutes a guy came with the cheapest hex set I ever seen… like a Dollar Store one. I thought: Wow, these guys from the hotels are really cheap, or they hired cheap workers asking them to bring their personal tools !
Anyways, I didn't disturb him and he tight it somehow, but after doctor left I used the chair and the brake was just a bit better than before. I called the PT guy and I asked him to bring me a hex set tomorrow, so I can adjust it with my hand...
Next day he came with the hexes and I adjusted both properly and equally, telling him how good quality wheelchair is this… He answered: - Of course is good, because is a very expensive one. So how come ?... And he said: - Because this is 5000 Euro one, left by an ex patient to me after he finished !
Ohh, this is not a wheelchair from the hotel ?... – Ohh, no. They have only crappy regular ones. But I brought it special for you !
Ohh, man, now I realized my wheelchair is a Carbon fiber, Folding one and, of course, the hotel will NEVER buy such an amazing wheelchairs for customers. The model is a Ottobock Zenit Carbon.
I appreciated a lot what he did and I told him that…
Few minutes later we went to main level, for MY FIRST DAY IN THE POOL !
For me is the most important day since the surgery !
After 2 weeks of suffering finally I can feel I am a normal free walking person, not a crippled one.
I put a swim brief on me, the bathrobe and I grab the swimming cap, because is mandatory. BTW, the hotel told me, when I had the hotel tour, that they charge me 8 Euro for the cap. No kidding, I said. And I found a used one, I wash it… and done.
So, we arrived to the pool and I was excited like a boy, because I can walk freely, after 2 weeks of staying only in bed and wheelchair…
They, PT guy and the nurse, supervised me to safely move from wheelchair to plastic sunbed and then to the floor. Then, being to the edge of the pool, going straight in the water. They was happy I did it well from the first time and after 2 minutes they left.
The pool is large enough and the entry in the water it has a special slope to the bottom, with handle rails along the entire length of the slope. Good job Antwell hotel !
The deepness is 1.50 m, perfect for adults, but not for children.
The temperature is 20 C, but it should be 24-25 C for muscles and bones, so I felt it a bit colder, for the whole our.
Guys, again, if the hotel hadn’t have this pool… I wouldn’t start this crazy LL journey !...Period !
So, being my profession, the PT guy leaved me alone to do whatever I need.
I did many walking exercises and different static exercises, for one hour. Then I lift the body to the floor, then to the sunbed, then to the wheelchair where I put a thick towel…
It was great, as expected !
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12 Jan - the big day
Hi, guys.
For me its a big day because finally I could see what happened with my bone after starting elongation.
X-rays - 2 days after surgery:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XiJ2yf4UdAAXUhkp9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mxz53bYtU915eDfw5
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zoUjEnDu3pfHRBf38
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dk2UDtHtYSqhQw3V9
X-rays - 20 days after surgery
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kVF54FDH1ZCj5WC2A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UUnwRt8g9WgKmBnR7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9jPtsxmTLptuhmqG9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2nDs6ECKA4Zw5yXC9
I don't know how many mm I gained, but, at least I am happy it worked and now I got a bigger gap !
Guys, as I told you, they brought me the oldest ERC model, named ERC1 which doesn't give you any "live" information about the nail. It only says the elongation setup rate and when it finished to work... BUT NOTHING ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WITH THE NAILS.
I didn't tell you first time, because another embarrassing moment, but I tell you now...The brought me a very dirty unit (I am pretty sure never been cleaned). So, I used 5 cotton pads with alcohol, so I could clean the machine, the display unit and cables. They just take the unit from a patient... and give it to another... just as it is !
Now, the Nuvasive factory released the 4-th generation one, named ERC-4P, which is much more evolved.
Here is dr. Paley talking about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5ChihVze3g&ab_channel=NuVasiveInc
And here you have the ERC-4P user manual:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj278qegNiDAxU0D7kGHdvLCl0QFnoECAoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nuvasive.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F06%2FLC0265_D_English.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2qeJG_3j7jcleeb2JUXoE2&opi=89978449
I would like to have it and, guys, we pay big money for these surgeries, so we deserve to have and use the best technology, not to give us crappy old devices... don't you think ?
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What did your Doctor say about your bone growth?
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What did your Doctor say about your bone growth?
He said "is very good, with already started callus formation around gap".
He said the gap now is 18-19 mm.
My big concern is the left femur, where the proximal bone is not aligned with the distal one anymore, in sagittal plane !
But, still, doctor said its ok... So, all I have to do is to hope that everything will be ok...
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X-rays look good. How are you right now? I hope you are well.
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X-rays look good. How are you right now? I hope you are well.
Thank you, Sigma.
Regarding x-rays, I found the measure is actually 21.5 mm, which is even better.
I had 3 very hard days, because a much worse constipation.
Doctor told me to take more Geralgine... and because it contain Codein, i got a very bad constipation. I don't want to tell you how I fixed it, because is very nasty, but I didn't eat anything for 2 days.
Now I am better...
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Hi Ted,
I'm one of the silent lurkers reading your diary. Please keep posting. I'd also love to know more about the exercises you're doing. (I'm planning to do surgery in 1 year and I'm trying to stretch right now to improve my flexibility)
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Hi Ted,
I'm one of the silent lurkers reading your diary. Please keep posting. I'd also love to know more about the exercises you're doing. (I'm planning to do surgery in 1 year and I'm trying to stretch right now to improve my flexibility)
Hey, Dre42.... good to know !
The exercises I am doing now with PT guys, are simple, just for keeping my entire leg functional.
Keep in mind, you will lose muscle mass on both, upper legs and lower legs. And that is happening because the pain hinders you to do the whole normal movements. Your movements are very limited, so the PT guys helps you to force the normal limits. Also they use electric stimulation.
My legs are skinny now, like never before. I named it chicken legs...
But, don't worry, you will recover the mass loss when the pain will go away.
The most important thing is to be flexible before surgery, like me !... so just exercise every day for hamstrings and Achile tendon !
Regarding your surgery, you can get 5 inches, not only 4 !
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Day 13-20
As I told you I had 3 bad days with a hard constipation, so I removed completely the opioid medication. Also, I didn't eat anything for 3 days. But not eating is normal for me, so no scares.
The next 4 days was great, no constipation and felt released... but I got more pain, obviously.
And again, I couldn't sleep because the pain...
So, 2 days ago I asked doctor if he can make a new medication scheme, based on Paracetamol and Ibuprofen or Diclofenac. And he did it, right away, giving me a scheme with 3 different tablets... and what do you think, guys ?!.... I got no pain anymore and I could sleep continuously... and I could sleep with no pillows under my legs after one month of torments !!
I could not believe that !...
And this morning, another surprise !... at 8 in the morning, after my elongation time, I laid back on the bed... and I moved body on right side with no pain... and then on the left side and no pain.... so now I can sleep like a normal person, on side !
Can you believe, I am happy I can do a simple and normal things !!
Of course, the pain is not zero.... but is 2-3.... after 7/10 !.... So this is something !
Today I did exercises in the gym and then I jumped in the swimming pool.
Today I've got 3 cm on femur, which for me is a milestone...
In about a week I will undergo the second surgery, on tibia.
I am scared to not go through the same nightmare as I did on femur !
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Hi - I hope your second surgery went well as I know quad is especially hard. Any updates on your progress?
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You definitely will recover all the muscle, mine is back and not done consolidating yet. Glutes, Hamstrings and Quads are all bigger and haven’t started working them out yet, just basic stretching and resistance training. When you start reaching the 3cm 4cm the glutes, hams and quads feel like stretched out rubber bands. Try to do as much supported walking to where comfort allows you to keep the muscle active. I remember trying to lean forward trying to brush my teeth, my calve muscles all the way to the upper part of my glutes would lean forward together, couldn’t bend much at the waist. I wasn’t as flexible as you thought, keep it going.
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Hi - I hope your second surgery went well as I know quad is especially hard. Any updates on your progress?
Thank you for your message.
It was tough, with complications. I will continue tomorrow my diary...
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You definitely will recover all the muscle, mine is back and not done consolidating yet. Glutes, Hamstrings and Quads are all bigger and haven’t started working them out yet, just basic stretching and resistance training. When you start reaching the 3cm 4cm the glutes, hams and quads feel like stretched out rubber bands. Try to do as much supported walking to where comfort allows you to keep the muscle active. I remember trying to lean forward trying to brush my teeth, my calve muscles all the way to the upper part of my glutes would lean forward together, couldn’t bend much at the waist. I wasn’t as flexible as you thought, keep it going.
I hope so...
Thank you
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I hope you are well. I am sure you will get through this difficult quadrilateral process. You are a very flexible and strong man. Do not give up. I'm following your diary.
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Hi, hope your second surgery is good and no complications. I'm following your diary.
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I hope you are well. I am sure you will get through this difficult quadrilateral process. You are a very flexible and strong man. Do not give up. I'm following your diary.
Thank you, Sigma.
I will post today or tomorrow what was happened...
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Hi, hope your second surgery is good and no complications. I'm following your diary.
Well, it was bad, with complications...
I will continue my diary soon.
Thank you
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Days 21-48
Hey, guys…
I stopped writing for a while because I had many bad problems:
1. Heavy constipation
2. Tibia surgery
3. Replacing left femur nail because was bent
4. Big pain in my right lower leg + extra movement in my tibia
5. About my lengthening run
1.CONSTIPATION – since first surgery I had constipation, but I didn’t feel it for one week… and then, suddenly, I felt needing to do it and… stone stool. I asked doctor to remove completely the narcotics from my medication and he gave me medication based on Paracetamol and Voltaren. This change stopped nausea, vomiting, confusion and sweating… but not constipation ! Nobody could tell me which medicine still doing it, and actually I didn’t care. For me was important TO NOT HAPPEN ANYMORE.
So, they gave me a useless syrup named Duphalac, fibers and medical enema… but nothing worked and the stool pushed me…. I was desperate, because I couldn’t sleep and I finally did the extreme solution: scooping the rectum with my finger, plus enema with the shower hose. And, guys, I did that for five times, that means every week… It was a nightmare, because last time I got blood…!!
So, I said, this is not good !... and finally I tried the last chance, KEFIR.
And, unexpectedly it worked !... no constipation anymore. Unbelievable, guys !
2.TIBIA SURGERY
After 34 days from femur surgery, they scheduled me the tibia surgery on Jan 27. OK.
But before tibia I did a normal xrays for lengthening…. And I found something really bad: my left femur nail was starting to bend. And doctors had to decide what they do…
They moved me from the hotel to Medicana hospital for tibia surgery and next day they did it.
Guys, after anesthesia I started to get pain, big pain, and next day doctors came to me for bandage replacing and for the tibia xrays after surgery. I saw the cutting points are not same, on the right tibia is very different.
You have the pictures here and you let me know about your opinion...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/U2Ud4wVxbofbxZC46
https://photos.app.goo.gl/G6rD1oDY9adtJL3H6
I ask them why is that and they said its ok… OK then !
Also, they told me that the bending femur nail is very serious, so they have to replace it. And they scheduled me 2 days later !
The next 3 days was THE WORST MOMENTS I ever had. It was a combination of tibia pain and no sleep + scare because of the nail replacing and a bad moment after nail replacement which put me in a kind of depression when I asked God to take me because this is too much !!... only problems and suffering and nothing goes normal !
3.REPLACING FEMUR NAIL
The nail was first bent in sagittal plan and after 2 weeks turned to be in frontal plan…. So no chance to continue.
Why was happen ?.... nobody knows. Doctors noticed the nail providers, and they blamed me. But doctors knows I am so careful that I not even used the walker, I was 100% on wheelchair. No forcing, and no abuse… So they blamed the nail….
I asked doctors how they do the 40mm lengthening on the new nail, because it takes 7 hours, but they told that they replace it with a longer one and finally I will have 32mm lengthen. And that’s even better, because my right femur is shorter with 11mm, so I have to lengthen them same, to the end, when we’ll do the fine adjusting. Ok then.
Here is the nail bent...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ghCpJa7U7CZPjhpZ8
And here you have the new nail implanted...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UzsGz2STRQki2bMHA
Usually, between 2 big surgeries like these, should be a 1 month pause… but they know I am strong and I can get it…. But they didn’t think to my mental and suffering…
So, bad luck for me !
And now I tell you something unbelievable happened after nail replacing, in the surgery room…
So, after surgery In the operation room, they left me in cold for half hour. When i was ready to wake-up, a nurse slapped my face few times and yelled to me to wake up. So, this is not ok, because i had my eyes opened... but i couldnt talk. She was a nurse, or a kind of a technician. I trembled very hard, with a strong sensation of cold. I started to talk a bit and i begged for blankets saying 100 times COLD, COLD ! , but she not even looked at me... talking with a co-worker.
And i felt to spit with blood (a big spit after surgery), i asked for help, but again, she not looked at me and finally i spit on my pillow and my bed ...and she saw that, but she let me like that, no cleaning and sent me upstairs, to my room. I also did stained my shoulder with my blood spit... like in war conditions !
In my room I trembled like crazy for another one our, so i could come to normal temperature, even they put 3 blankets on me !
Next day, my surgeon told me that they should heat me up after surgery... but they didn't !
I paid big money to have good service and respect as a human being, because not even a dog is treated like that … but they treated me like s-hit !
In my room they did a decent job and they was helpful, most of them.
In my opinion, that woman should be fired and never work anymore in a hospital !!
So, another bad luck for me !
Next day later they did an x-ray to my new nail and looked ok. And one day later they moved me to the hotel.
4.BIG PAIN IN MY RIGHT TIBIA, EXTRA SWOLLEN, VERY LOW SENSITIVITY + MOVEMENT IN MY BONES
After surgery I noticed the different cut in my right tibia and that was the reason to have extra swollen and MUCH MORE pain in the right lower leg.
Now my left lower leg its ok, I can move everything, the pain is very low and not swollen anymore…. But the right one gives me very high pain and is still swollen and I have very low sensitivity on my skin.
Also, on my right tibia cutting point, every day is bleeding and when the nurse is changing my bandage is always full of blood…
Picture here..
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sWjaDFUsW7EFkguD9
Also, the right lower leg have more bruise.
Picture here...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xt9z9u5zvwRidNvZA
After few days from tibia surgery, I felt in the right lower leg an extra movement on my cut bone, a flexion which shouldn’t be there. And I realized, that happen because the bone was cut vertically and the end of cut are not strong to stay well on nail. And, because I had no space left after surgery, when the bones flexed, I fell how the ends of the tibia and fibula touching and rubbing each other !.... But on left tibia nothing like these happened, because the cut was good and they left me a space between bones.
You saw the pictures above.
I also have a laterally movement between tibia and nail, which scared me, because give me box leg shape.
But, the worse thing is that I noticed a miss-rotation in my right lower leg, so if will not fix it after PT, that means I will need another surgery… which will makes me to hate my life.
So, another bad luck for me !
Because all these I couldnt do any kind of PT on my right leg !
To fix that, I asked a PT guy to help me to buy a brace. First I was looking to ankle-tibial one, but that one helps me only for anterior-posterior flexion. So I decided to buy a knee blocking brace, which will tight my tibia in anterior + lateral.
You have pictures here...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ihw29otnoxf7BUyT7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wrfxQwCUZwA3mcZh7
He order it for me and I got it. I checked it and it stopped the bone movement. The only problem is that the upper tibial strap is fixed, so I cannot move it and is pressing on my bandage, so today it was bleeding more...
5.ABOUT MY LENGTHENING RUN
After tibia surgery I stopped lengthening my femur and I re-started after 4 days, on Feb 1.
On Feb second doctor asked me to start on tibia, so I did.
Today as my calculation, I should be 5 cm taller, so from 1.71 now I am 1.76
But, 3 days ago, my Nuvasive old crappy ERC stopped working. I got some error messages and done. I sent a Whatsapp message to the technician that he brought me the machine, plus a video with the start-up on the display and few hours later he sent me another guy with a machine. When he arrived he tried to start the machine and it worked. He asked me why I called him, but I showed him the video and he understood, because his partner didn’t show him the video.
He brought me same old model, but at least this one looks very less used and clean…
So, as you can see guys, I never get bored… always something happens to me !
BTW, meanwhile, I turned 56 years old...
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Hey Ted68 - first of all I’m very sorry to hear of your troubles. I’m not technically equipped to comment on the issues but sending you best wishes and strength. Very big respect to you for such a big undertaking. I’m sure long term it’ll all work out well. 🙏
Out of interest, do you sleep with compression socks/ stockings? What is the rate you’re lengthening? What was the diameter of your femur nail that bent?
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Hey Ted68 - first of all I’m very sorry to hear of your troubles. I’m not technically equipped to comment on the issues but sending you best wishes and strength. Very big respect to you for such a big undertaking. I’m sure long term it’ll all work out well. 🙏
Out of interest, do you sleep with compression socks/ stockings? What is the rate you’re lengthening? What was the diameter of your femur nail that bent?
Thank you, Juju !
Yes, I hope I will pass all this nightmare journey and I will go home healthy and happy for the money I spent...
I used compression socks only for 10 days after femur surgery, put on lower legs. On tibia surgery they don't put it.
I lengthen 0.35mm, 3 times a day, for both, femur and tibia. When limits reach on tibia, maybe they decrease the rate.
The nail bent are 10mm. For me will be a forever mystery there, about how happened...
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Oh wow that’s quite a lot (as some for quad do 1mm femur + .66mm for tibia per day (split between 3-4 sessions per day). I liking forward to following the journey my friend 🙏
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Oh wow that’s quite a lot (as some for quad do 1mm femur + .66mm for tibia per day (split between 3-4 sessions per day). I liking forward to following the journey my friend 🙏
Thank you.
Yeah, I know. Doctor allowed that in tibia, so I'll keep it for a while. But don't forget, I am very flexible and doctor knows that !
Today I calculated again and I gained 60mm total, so I am already 1.77.
Basically, I am at the half of lengthening... but I don't know what rate I will keep having, because also he told me I have a fast callus formation on femurs and maybe I will increase the rate.
All I can say, for sure, I started to notice the femurs are longer.
But, I am not focused on the lengthening, because thats why I paid the money... actually I am focused on mistakes, accidents, pain, my every suffering and how people treat me...
We'll keep in touch
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Days 49-75
The bleeding on tibia stopped when I stopped taking blood thinner and after doctor gave me special liquid proteins for 12 days.
I did the regular every 15 days x-rays, and I found something bad: my right femur implant started to slightly curve. I said that to doctor and he said “Yes, you are right. So we’ll wait and see”. This is not a good sign for me, guys !
I can show you the picture, if you want.
Guys, now it started a totally new kind of pain than before: lengthening pain !
In the 59th day I had to stop lengthening for 1 day, because 2mm per day total quad lengthening was too much and gave me unbearable pain, continuously 24 hours. I couldn’t sleep. So, next day doctor told me to do only 2 lengthenings of 0.35mm per 24 hours, instead of 3. So will be 1.4mm total per day, instead of 2mm.
I did that and the pain slowed down and I could sleep... Now I have to extend my total lengthening time with 8 days… and I will not go back to 2mm per day because I can’t.
This pain is crazy when I straighten my legs and I feel it along of my entire leg, especially on my back of the knee. So, to not feel it, I have to keep bent my legs most of the time, especially when I sleep.
Because of my previous good flexibility I don’t have Sciatic nerve pain, which I feel it only when I feel cold on my legs…
The PT guy asked me to go every day in the pool and to walk and do exercices. I need and it really help me that… BUT THE WATER IS TOO COLD !
The water temperature is +20C, instead of +30C, or 35 for therapy on muscle and bones. 20-24C is for healthy people when they swim.
I complained to the hotel and they said they cannot change it. So, guys, I cannot do PT in the pool because I get more pain in bones and muscles, which last for 24 hours !
This is just stupid and now the pool is useless for me !
In the day 72 I reached 180 cm height, that means 90mm total gain. So this is a milestone for me !
Now I have left 22 days of lengthening, at current rate of 1.4mm/day, to the finish !
These 3 weeks left will be tough, because the stretching pain is increasing. I hope I can take it well…
P.S. - What happened to this forum its been down for 3 weeks ?
Anybody knows what is going on ?
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Hey Ted. hope all's well. How painful was this till now? Would you do it all over again? What's the total price you paid? Does your body look out of proportion? Sorry for the many questions but I was curiouos.
Best wishes,
Tai Lung
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Hey Ted. hope all's well. How painful was this till now? Would you do it all over again? What's the total price you paid? Does your body look out of proportion? Sorry for the many questions but I was curiouos.
Best wishes,
Tai Lung
Hey, man...
Well... are not all well, as I said. Actually are very few things well !
The pain after tibia surgery was worse than femur. But these pain are different. However, 3 weeks ago I got the third kind of pain: lengthening pain, which is different than the other two. I got it when I reached 5 cm in femur + 1.5 cm in tibia. This one is noticed only when you straighten your legs... and is like a strong tension.
For the price please send a message in Whatsapp to Remedy and you'll get in 10 minutes the price in euro.
Regarding my ratio, I asked that to the PT guys, nurse and doctors, and they said it looks well... But I never stand vertically, so I cannot tell you my opinion looking in mirror.
All I can say, I feel my legs are too long when trying to move my body... but I hope I am wrong.
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Can you share the picture of the curved implant?
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Sure, man...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/SaYgRLdocRFSCfnb7
and here more clear, for the people who don't get it...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZZ8THD17wNSuyuq26
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What diameter nail is this?
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That slight curve is not that bad and won’t affect your femur if you stop lengthening your femur after 6,5cm I would say. 6.5 femur and 4.5 tibia is a great achievement and a big length. Your lower torso will look proportional and your pain will stop. 180cm is higher than average.
You should considering stopping at 6.5 and 4.5. Nevertheless you are a warrior uncle. I salute you.
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What diameter nail is this?
10mm
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That slight curve is not that bad and won’t affect your femur if you stop lengthening your femur after 6,5cm I would say. 6.5 femur and 4.5 tibia is a great achievement and a big length. Your lower torso will look proportional and your pain will stop. 180cm is higher than average.
You should considering stopping at 6.5 and 4.5. Nevertheless you are a warrior uncle. I salute you.
Yeah, I will talk with doctor about that, after x-ray that will be in 3 days.
The problem is I lose anyways 1 cm because my discrepancy in my right femur, which is 1 cm shorter, so that is not fun for my overall goal...
Thank you.
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Day 76-81
Yesterday I reached 100 mm !... thats something great for me !
I cut my hair, first time after being here for 2 months and a half. I brought my hair clipper and I did it by myself. I've been doing that for 20 years already... but never in wheelchair.
It was a challenge and it took double as time than usual... but I did it great, even on my neck.
Of course, I had to take a shower after, and that was another challenge, like usual...
Tomorrow I will get the last regular X-rays (every 2 weeks), so I will see how works the right femur nail... Then, they will send me to do EOS.
I still have strong pain in the right tibia bone when I do PT. Also, going in the pool is very painful for me because the tibia.
The crappy ERC1 got defected again. Now it started to beat very strong and irregular, so it hurts my tibia bone !... They will come to replace it again...
I have 14 days more for lengthening, to March 26...
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Congratulations! You are now permanently 181cm tall and that's great! I hope your tibia pain goes away soon. You are an inspiration to me.
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Congratulations! You are now permanently 181cm tall and that's great! I hope your tibia pain goes away soon. You are an inspiration to me.
Thank you, Sigma !
Yes, I did it.
I am happy I can be an inspiration for you and others. Sometimes I ask myself how idiot am I for putting me in this and spending so much money... Other times I say: Why not ?... I am fit, well prepared and determined. Also others pay double in North-America, for same thing !
You will understand these thoughts when you will start your journey... which is crazy and has complex effects on your body and mind !
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Hey Ted68 - happy to read that despite the difficulties you’re pushing through and getting there brother. I was think about how you’re doing while the forum was down for week. Will you stop at 12cm?
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Hey Ted68 - happy to read that despite the difficulties you’re pushing through and getting there brother. I was think about how you’re doing while the forum was down for week. Will you stop at 12cm?
Hi, Juju.
Thank you for your concerns !
Yeah, I've been sad seeing the forum down for more than 3 weeks. I think nobody care about it, nobody secure it and let butchers (which are very disturbed by the truth that people are revealing here...) to pay hackers to put it down !
Anyways, I am not feeling well. I am still very stressed by my bow tibias, about my right femur implant curving and about my right tibia permanent pain, which doesn't let me do the normal PT. On right leg my "ballerina foot" is much worse than left leg... And because of this right tibia pain, my walking training is way behind than it should be currently, so I am pretty sure I will go back home in wheelchair, instead of with the walker/crutches !
I am in the last 9 days of my lengthening period and the lengthening pain is worse and worse every day !
This pain is totally different, is like a strong burn in muscles, on posterior side and is coming only when you lengthen your legs, especially when you do it same time on both legs close to each other. When I sleep it waking me up many times in night only doing simple thing to turn the body on normal back side position and trying to lengthen the legs on bed !
Yes, I will stop at 12 cm... but, as you know, I had a 1 cm discrepancy before coming here, so the total height gain will be 1 cm less. So I will have 1.82 instead of 1.83 m, finally.
That wouldn't be a drama if I will be like before, healthy and well aligned (with no bow legs)... but for the moment I am not happy...
Here you can see 2 pictures with my legs, that I cannot touch ankles anymore, and before coming here I could do it like nothing:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/k1QCbf1SEDtpfuuJ8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zQLVTkb6H7zQ5uU68
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Hi Ted68,
Thanks for your sharing your experience.
Hope you feel better soon! Hope you can walk normally in a couple of months!
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Hi Ted68,
Thanks for your sharing your experience.
Hope you feel better soon! Hope you can walk normally in a couple of months!
Thank you, too !
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Day 82-87
Few days ago Batu, the Remedy guy, asked me to be ready to go to a visa bureau, so they can get my fingerprints. I said “Why ? … Am I a suspect for something ?”. He said “No, but they changed the rules and they ask that for all people are staying in Turkey more than 90 days”. Usually it’s a simple online form to complete, but now they are more strict.
Ok, I was happy to leave my room, so I can see new people and places. He came with a special car for handicapped people and lifted my wheelchair with a small platform. Amazing !
We arrived to a big and well secured building and we waited 20 minutes in the street. Fortunately, it was a nice day. But we found is not the right place, so we had to leave and go to a different place.
We arrived there, moved me down again and we got in a crappy place, very busy, full of all kind of people from every corner of the world, looking to resolve their visa problems. Here I had to wait in the wheelchair more than an hour, which was way too much for me, because I cannot stay long, so I got pain in my legs. Finally they invited me in a room where they took my fingerprints with a device having a sensor plate. After finishing and get in the car I asked Batu to let me stay on the bench, so I can straighten and exercise my legs. Staying more than 15 minutes in wheelchair give me pain because I compress my vessels and nerves… but actually I stayed more than an hour, so just imagine how I did feel !
As expected, when I arrived to the hotel I noticed my feet were swollen and had a deep pain !
I went for the X-rays, which are scheduled every 2 weeks, and all things are pretty much same as previous x-rays, including the right femur curvature... which was my biggest concern.
Anyways, in 3 days it will be 3 months since I have been in Turkey.
I have 8 days left to the end of elongation period. 11mm left to do, so 5.5mm for each segment.
After finishing I will go for the last X-rays… then I have to do an intensive PT so I can touch with both heels the pool floor, otherwise I cannot do EOS to measure precisely my bones. The EOS should be done in vertical position, with heels down and straight legs, that means with the knees not bent at all !
The problem is that now I feel I have “ballerina foot” because I walk on tiptoes, on both. But the PT guys told me my ankles and Achilles tendons are still flexible, so is not a real ballerina foot, which is actually a deformity and hard to fix it.
Also my knees are slightly bent, but not bad.
On my right tibia, on proximal anterior, I have 2 bumps from the upper screws, which are very painful when I put the ERC on them to elongate. So, to dim the pain I must place on the bumps a folded socket or something, so I can do elongation…
The general pain in the right tibia is much more than left tibia, so I cannot do PT normally. Also I cannot sleep well because the straighten position pain.
The both tibias are internal curved, like bow legs, but the left tibia is more curved than the right one, so I cannot touch my ankles. Doctor told me it will both straighten in the lengthening process… so I am still waiting for that...
I have many scars, but especially few long and red scars, which looks bad. They gave me a special cream, so I hope at least it will change the color to the skin color...
3 months of suffering, pain, sleepless and other bad effects. So, I still have to stay one month and I hope all these will go away and I can get back to my previous shape… and I can get rid of my main medication, because I took too many pills ! I will take only with my supplements which help the callus formation and the healing process...
Overall, I feel myself like a wreck. My legs are very weak, so I cannot even walk in the swimming pool, because my right tibia pain. I am scared about this long delay in walking and regarding the delay in recovering my walking.
I am pretty sure I will go back in my country in wheelchair, because not enough time for the final period of PT...
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You’ll get there brother. Nothing great comes easy. Sending you good vibes. Seperately, may i ask what drugs you’re on for pain management ?
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You’ll get there brother. Nothing great comes easy. Sending you good vibes. Seperately, may i ask what drugs you’re on for pain management ?
Hey, Juju... and thank you for your good vibes !
Well, everybody knows is not easy, obviously... but for me is more important to get a great result finally, not to leave this place being worse than the moment I came here. So thats why I am stressed about...
Regarding pain, I am not sure if you have read what I wrote along of these 3 months, but I had to stop the normal pain killing scheme of narcotics (3 opioids) after the first week, because the very strong side effects of them which ruined me completely... so, I had to switch to a much lighter scheme, based on Paracetamol and Voltaren.
Thats why I have much more pain than the majority of patients, because they could take a strong pill or skin patch, whenever they need, and me...not.
For me was impossible to live with opioids, so for almost entire period I had to take soft painkillers and to accept more pain.
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Hey, Juju... and thank you for your good vibes !
Well, everybody knows is not easy, obviously... but for me is more important to get a great result finally, not to leave this place being worse than the moment I came here. So thats why I am stressed about...
Regarding pain, I am not sure if you have read what I wrote along of these 3 months, but I had to stop the normal pain killing scheme of narcotics (3 opioids) after the first week, because the very strong side effects of them which ruined me completely... so, I had to switch to a much lighter scheme, based on Paracetamol and Voltaren.
Thats why I have much more pain than the majority of patients, because they could take a strong pill or skin patch, whenever they need, and me...not.
For me was impossible to live with opioids, so for almost entire period I had to take soft painkillers and to accept more pain.
Oh yes I recall that. Thanks for sharing
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Day 88-94
Tomorrow is a big day for me, because I finish the elongation !... I gained a total of 121mm: 77.7 mm on femur plus 43.4 mm on tibia. So that means 182 cm height.
The last week was bad, each more millimeter I could feel it. The tissues stretch is hard to get for the body and I couldn’t sleep. I am happy that I decreased from 2 mm/day to 1.4 mm/day… otherwise i couldn’t do it !
The both feet are still flexible on tendons, but I walk only on tiptoes and having big pain in tibial bones.
In 2-3 days I will get the last regular x-rays. I hope the right femur curvature is stable !
After finishing elongation the pain should decrease and callus formation will increase…
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Day 95-98
After finishing elongation I had 3 days of no elongation, but the happiness is not forever, because i have done the x-rays and 2 days later doctor gave me a bad news that my right tibia has late and slow callus formation… so I have to do reversing cycles so it could start the normal process…
The left tibia is a bit better but not great, so he advised me to do it on both.
Ohh, great !... so now I have to start over the schedules for the lengthening machine, for 3 weeks…
The PT is painful for me every day, as I told you already.
As you can see, I am busy permanently, never relaxed so I could sleep well…
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Good your doctor saw it. It's not an easy process, but you are doing alright. Three week is not so long in the whole picture - you'll soon finish the elongation. Good luck.
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Good your doctor saw it. It's not an easy process, but you are doing alright. Three week is not so long in the whole picture - you'll soon finish the elongation. Good luck.
Actually I noticed that few weeks ago, same as I noticed and told them anything happened bad to me so far... hoping they will fixed it !
I told them and they said: "Its ok, as long the femurs got a good callus, the tibia will come after.".... but it didn't !.... The callus on femurs is really good !
Anyways, thank you for your wishes !
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Good you saw it.
Is your plan to show the x rays?
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Good you saw it.
Is your plan to show the x rays?
I show only when somebody ask me... of course.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qpCj5CDaKgRvWyX58
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xHgnZ7YGRbFMcRNCA
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but imo many doctor's and others will say that your callus formation is okay. But of course you and your doctor knows best. Anyway you'll be fine. Hope you'll be happy with your new height.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but imo many doctor's and others will say that your callus formation is okay. But of course you and your doctor knows best. Anyway you'll be fine. Hope you'll be happy with your new height.
Yeah, I wish, but what you see on right tibia and fibula are not callus... are splinters remained from osteotomy... They said they analyzed it well, with high contrast, etc
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Oh that’s a shame but hopefully sorts itself out asap. So will you shorten both left and right tibia at 1mm per day for 3 weeks (ie 21mm shortening in total) then re start the lengthening of them?
Day 95-98
After finishing elongation I had 3 days of no elongation, but the happiness is not forever, because i have done the x-rays and 2 days later doctor gave me a bad news that my right tibia has late and slow callus formation… so I have to do reversing cycles so it could start the normal process…
The left tibia is a bit better but not great, so he advised me to do it on both.
Ohh, great !... so now I have to start over the schedules for the lengthening machine, for 3 weeks…
The PT is painful for me every day, as I told you already.
As you can see, I am busy permanently, never relaxed so I could sleep well…
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Day 95-98
After finishing elongation I had 3 days of no elongation, but the happiness is not forever, because i have done the x-rays and 2 days later doctor gave me a bad news that my right tibia has late and slow callus formation… so I have to do reversing cycles so it could start the normal process…
The left tibia is a bit better but not great, so he advised me to do it on both.
Ohh, great !... so now I have to start over the schedules for the lengthening machine, for 3 weeks…
The PT is painful for me every day, as I told you already.
As you can see, I am busy permanently, never relaxed so I could sleep well…
Also - were your knees very tight at the end of your lengthening and could you straighten your legs/knees fully or did you have a slight bend at the end of lengthening?
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Hi, Juju... Thank you for your concerns.
I have to do 2 cycles of reversing/regaining, which takes 20 days total. 5 days reversing 1mm/day, then 5 days regaining. Two times...
So, I am not shortening 21mm, I will do maximum 5mm, otherwise will be to much stress for my soft tissues !
Yes, man, in the last month I never could straighten normally my knees, only forcing them !
Same with the feet, where I cannot touch the floor with the heels.
Fortunately my muscles and tendons are still flexible, so not a big problem for future, since I already finished my general lengthening.
My main problem now is that because of 2 effects, I cannot go to do EOS for final adjustments.
But, anyways, I cannot do that before reversing, because the main doctor's problem is the missing callus on tibias...
Hopefully I can improve something in these 3 weeks, so I can do EOS, which is very important for me to know exactly the length of each bone !
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Oh wow so that’s interesting - so by going down by 5mm then up by 5mm, then again going down 5mm then up again 5mm (sort of a yoyo effect) this is the best to encourage bone generation?
Did you have an EOS prior to surgery as well- if so why the need for anotherEOS as wouldn’t you already know the discrepancy between the bones?
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Oh wow so that’s interesting - so by going down by 5mm then up by 5mm, then again going down 5mm then up again 5mm (sort of a yoyo effect) this is the best to encourage bone generation?
Did you have an EOS prior to surgery as well- if so why the need for anotherEOS as wouldn’t you already know the discrepancy between the bones?
Yes, Juju, its and interesting biochemical and electrical "phenomenon" which should trigger the osteosynthesis. I hope will happen, so I will not do all these for nothing...
No, I never did EOS before. Its an expensive radio-imaging 3D system. They do it only after finishing the elongation period, so they can measure accurate the bones.
So far the doctors measured my bones approximately, but I need to know exactly, so I don't go home with discrepancies !
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Day 99-100
Here the weather is sunny and too hot for my room, because is facing South, so these days I turned on the AC.
There are 2 PT guys who are coming to help me and I named them “the bad boy” and “the good boy”.
The bad boy is forcing my muscles and tendons to work and also he push me to go to the pool. This is great and I need to be forced and pushed, so I can regain my motor function. But these are coming with big pain after, for 24 hours...
The good boy is doing all these softer and gentle, plus he is still doing electro-therapy, so overall is like a massage therapy after 24 hours of pain, which I really need.
So, they are both great and I like these cycles of pain and relief !
Yesterday came the “bad boy” and “killed” me like usually…so for the rest of my day and especially night time I had bad pain in my bones and knees… and because of that I couldn’t sleep for hours… Finally i not even heard the waking alarm at 8 AM today … and I slept to 10: 30 !... And I lost the breakfast too, because they close at 10…
Crazy !
I keep doing reversing, so after 5 days the soft tissues will be 5mm shorter and the PT guys should feel that in my ankles, which should be more elastic and mobile.
Last night I dreamed that I was walking normally !.... In the dream I knew I did LL and I was happy and surprised I can finally walk like before, with no pain !
And I almost cried for joy I could walk...
Well, only guys who have done quad LL can understand that...
For the moment I am not even do a simple step, I just lived 3 month and a half in wheelchair and I have to keep doing it maybe for 2-3 more months more...
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Yes, Juju, its and interesting biochemical and electrical "phenomenon" which should trigger the osteosynthesis. I hope will happen, so I will not do all these for nothing...
No, I never did EOS before. Its an expensive radio-imaging 3D system. They do it only after finishing the elongation period, so they can measure accurate the bones.
So far the doctors measured my bones approximately, but I need to know exactly, so I don't go home with discrepancies !
Interesting. Thanks for sharing. However if you can only do the EOS once you’re fully weight bearing - would that not mean only once your bone has healed (consolidated) - meaning even if you see a length difference in the EOS it’ll be too late to adjust it since your bones will have consolidation?
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Interesting. Thanks for sharing. However if you can only do the EOS once you’re fully weight bearing - would that not mean only once your bone has healed (consolidated) - meaning even if you see a length difference in the EOS it’ll be too late to adjust it since your bones will have consolidation?
You're welcome, Juju.
EOS I have to do it before consolidation, just to measure accurately my bones so I can do the final adjustments, before leaving Turkey. Doing EOS after consolidation is useless for me...
For EOS I must stay vertically but for Precice is not allowed and for me is not possible so far.
But, I heard there are some handles on that machine, so I can hold my body vertically not to force down on my implants.
I will see...
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Ah yeah if you can use the handles and semi weight bare that makes sense as for EOS you need to stand up. Good luck!
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Ah yeah if you can use the handles and semi weight bare that makes sense as for EOS you need to stand up. Good luck!
Yeah, but my main problem is with the feet, because I cannot touch the ground with the heels...
I am trying to put something, like a two-by-four piece of wood, so I can have at least the heels equals.
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How’s the recovery going so far doing the -5mm then + 5mm ? Ha your tightness and pain fully subsided or is it still high?
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How’s the recovery going so far doing the -5mm then + 5mm ? Ha your tightness and pain fully subsided or is it still high?
In few days I am doing a new x-ray so we can check if all these cycles helped.
I still have pain when I straighten the legs and I felt a slight decreased of pain when reversed.
in 6 days I will finish these cycles, because are another stress for me.
Overall my pain is less and I can sleep finally in all body positions, without waking up suddenly...
My main concern now is the EOS, because I must find a way to do it properly. It should be done tomorrow, being the best moment because the reversing is in the lowest point... but is Saturday and then Sunday, so nobody work. That means I will do it later when I regain my 5 mm lost.
Too bad !
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Ok good luck with it and let us know :).
Btw - did your doc recommend standing at all (even while still lengthening) to help encourage bone growth? I have heard of several doctors saying standing (weight bearing) even before the bone is healed is a good way to speed up bone growth (even with precise 2.2).
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Ok good luck with it and let us know :).
Btw - did your doc recommend standing at all (even while still lengthening) to help encourage bone growth? I have heard of several doctors saying standing (weight bearing) even before the bone is healed is a good way to speed up bone growth (even with precise 2.2).
Thank you, Juju...
Standing up on Precice is allowed only in the first 5 days after the FIRST surgery, when the nails are strongest (because they wasn't elongated yet) but after that it is completely forbidden to stand-up.
And I didn't, especially because of my femur sensitive nails.
That advice to do it no matter what is for Ilizarov, LON, Betzbone/Gnail and Stride/Max.
And, yes, because of that, the callus formation could start later than others, especially on tibias. That happened to me.
So, totally I will stay in wheelchair 6-7 months, 4 and a half here and 2-3 months home, till the strong callus formation.
The guys with 12mm nails diameters are more lucky, they can stand up a month earlier, due to the strengthen of nails.
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Day 101-114
The general pain decreased, including the lengthening pain, which used to woke me up every 5 minutes in midnight. I still have big pain when I straighten my legs, but when I sleep usually I keep them in semi-flexion, so I can sleep with no breaks…
As you know my callus is not great developed in my tibias, so i had to reverse my length in 2 cycles. Now i have 4 more days and done.
In these 4 months only one time i found the pool water really warm, as +28C, and that day i felt amazing good, no muscle contraction and i could walk wit no pain... but the rest of days water was 20-22, so too cold for me.
That means the pool in this hotel was useless for me.
Also, the gym has no Alter-G walking machine and not even rehab paralels... so, again, a ussless gym for me.
These 2 lacks wasted my time of recovering with many weeks.
Four days ago I got another problem, a tendon jumped, on medial side of my knee, from Semi-Membranos or Semi-Tendinos muscle, and I got so much pain that I had to stop the PT. I had pain even in night time on that tendon. Next day at PT it was even worse. In every movements I felt that painful jump, so I had to stop 80% of my exercises for few days. Now I am very careful, to not forced the left knee movement too much anymore.
And, because nothing went smooth in my lengthening process, now i got a new problem !... One of a proximal tibial screw bumped up a lot and yesterday scared me.
This bumping screw started about 2 weeks ago, slowly day by day... till it came up 1 cm !
That is bad and i am pretty sure i need another surgery, to screw it back in the bone... Crazy !
I have less than 2 weeks to stay in Turkey and i dont know yet what is my real length of my bones and i got this bump on top of these...
I sent a message to doctor, with pictures, and tomorrow I will go to X-rays to what is going on actually.
You have here the pictures…
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yCQ3vd8SXYxNU7Ln7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HFe8JKBfS4DHJA9D8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/14X5No57yVSR3iAH7
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Any news about the x rays?
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Any news about the x rays?
Yes, I just came back from X-rays, so here you can see the comparing between the screw 2 weeks ago... and now:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/k3CyxMSx1LXt2KL79
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xg3HBCcpu14mRNjC9
So, as you can see, the screw's thread is completely outside the bone.
And here you see how much is bumped-up on my leg:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/D7o6uDSkwCkTBSDr9
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Has your callus formation improved by the things you did?
(If not, don't worry you'll be fine.)
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Has your callus formation improved by the things you did?
(If not, don't worry you'll be fine.)
Hi, Bob.
I don't see any differences, the gap is still black on tibias... but I still hope.
On the other hand, the femur's callus is clearly better !
Thank you !
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Day 115-120
These days I have done a tomography, which I paid it in full, because wasn’t in my services package that I paid. It was only my special requirement to do it, so I can find my exact bones size. I found it was a maximum difference of 1 mm, which was a surprise for me. So I can easily adjust the final lengthen.
Doctor said I can start using the rolling walker, just leaning 60-80% of the weight on my shoulders and arms. I did it and was the first time standing up in 4 months !
The knees are semi-flexed and I cannot touch the heels down.
The pain was atrocious in knees and tibias screws. It was so bad trying to walk, every step was a big pain. And the PT guy asked me to walk from the bed to the bathroom and back. It was 1 minute of unbearable pain. After that, for 24 hours I felt the pain in my legs…
But, guys, after this sudden standing up after 4 months of sitting, I realized how tall I am… and that is great !...
I was shorter than the PT guy, and now I am taller. Also I compared myself with the furniture dimensions. For first time you get a shock, till you'll get used with your new height !
Also, doctor decided to completely remove my upper screw on left tibia, because if he had push it back it wouldn’t have stayed and would come out again, very soon. So, he removed it. Doctor said is not a big problem if I stay with only one screw, just do not strain my shin for the next 3-4 weeks.
And because I have medical education and I participated to many “bloody moments”, I just looked to all removal steps. Believe me, is not easy to watch that on yourself…
Here you can see few pictures…
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eTdc8jJBGV1caYFg9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TWjAKzyAnvYp5dWCA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PdVmK9FttNvtxxqq5
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xBwh2fcUfGYxq7Wq8
In one week I should leave Turkey, but because the screw I removed, I am not sure about that anymore, because if something bad it happens in my country…I will be f**ked.
On the other hand, staying here 1 month it cost me 4000 euro… so, it’s a tough decision.
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Day 121-125
I told you about my tibia screw removal… and now I noticed that I have another screw which came out, in my left femur, in distal end. And I was very scared, thinking now is coming out all my screws, one by one !... But doctor told me that screw will stay there, in position, because the muscles strength. And, anyways, it was expected because the screws were removed from the old implant and moved back to the new implant... in the same bone's holes, which now don't have same strength anymore. Fortunately, I have a very good callus in femur., so I hope will not have another problem.
Here you can see it…
https://photos.app.goo.gl/V4YSicwewcJ2zFJT8
I did the final elongation adjustment and then I measured my height, as accurate possible, and I am 1.82 m tall. As I expected. But I don’t realize about that 100%, because I have semi-flexed legs, I cannot walk properly with a good posture and I didn’t meet my friends and people that I know, so I can really compare. And that will take few months more…
All I can say, after these 4 months of torment, is that I am happy that I am still ok and no real complications. Only “obstacles” as doctor says. But too many obstacles, in my opinion !
And for everything to be wonderful, I got a deep and bad jaw tooth pain. I asked if I can go to a dentist close by the hotel, but there is no one. Only 5 km away. And if I want to go… they charge me 100 euro for the car, back and forth !... Well, I am not stupid enough, so I will fix it in my country…
I already ordered a wheelchair and walker in my country, so they will wait for me Sunday. I also have to buy crouches…
Now I have to deal with my flexed knees, my heels up and with that unbearable pain in tibias when try to walk. I also have big stretching pain whenever I straighten and flex my knees after minutes of no motions in bed.
This is me when trying to stand up and walk...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ngkJmepVY89Hf42k7
Today I decided to leave Turkey, on normal schedule, so no extension… but I got big problems with the air company, for wheelchair special service. I struggled 2 days and eventually they promised me that they will take care of me, in both countries.
I hope so...
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whoa what is the nail on top of ur knee for? u look like u have bent knees like me back then and ur foot has really high ballerina foot. hope u fix ur problems soon. what are u working out for ur knee?
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whoa what is the nail on top of ur knee for? u look like u have bent knees like me back then and ur foot has really high ballerina foot. hope u fix ur problems soon. what are u working out for ur knee?
I showed you the nail which came out from femur. The thread is completely out of bone...
That was my first day of standing up after 4 months, so was an expected situation.
Yes, I cannot keep knees straight in standing position. Also my heels don't touch the ground because I never did any standing up or walking before. But, at least, my Achile tendons are flexible, so if PT guy push down my tibias, the heels touch the ground.
I do every day walking with rolling walker... and bad pain
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why did the doctor put a screw on top of the knee like that? how many weeks after lengthening for your femur? looks like u are healing fine. if u walk with slippers or shoes it helps alot with the ballerina feet. keeps ur heals calm.
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why did the doctor put a screw on top of the knee like that? how many weeks after lengthening for your femur? looks like u are healing fine. if u walk with slippers or shoes it helps alot with the ballerina feet. keeps ur heals calm.
I don't understand your question regarding "screw on top of knee". In my picture you see a frontal x-ray of my left femur, with normal screw positions, proximal and distal. The only problem is that one of the distal screws is out...
I finished lengthening process for femur on March 26. Yes, its a beautiful callus, I love it !
Yes, when I walk with the rolling walker I always wear rubber sandals, because I feel much better.
I never liked in my life to walk barefoot, not even in my house. I always put slippers. But I took that picture barefoot because I wanted to see the real position on my heels up...
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I wish you luck in recovering and experiencing your new height. you inspired me alot reading this diary. a huge achievement to do at 55 year old. congratulations
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I wish you luck in recovering and experiencing your new height. you inspired me alot reading this diary. a huge achievement to do at 55 year old. congratulations
Thank you, man !
My diary is for guys like you, who really need somebody to tell them: "If I did it at my age, you can do it, all of you!"
It was tough, with a lot of suffer and obstacles. All I need now is to start walking, to be healthy like before and to enjoy my new height...
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Great to see the progress Ted. Your height looks great on you - wishing you a speedy recovery to normal walking, etc 🙏
Btw how did the 5mm shortening > 5mm lengthening x2 help in terms of bone generation for your tibias? Any xray your tibias now? I’m assuming you’re only doing partial weigh bearing as you’re still consolidating for tibias?
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Great to see the progress Ted. Your height looks great on you - wishing you a speedy recovery to normal walking, etc 🙏
Btw how did the 5mm shortening > 5mm lengthening x2 help in terms of bone generation for your tibias? Any xray your tibias now? I’m assuming you’re only doing partial weigh bearing as you’re still consolidating for tibias?
Hi, Juju !
Yes, man, is not bad !
Today is my last day here and doctor will came and I will do an "after" measuring, in same conditions, with same clothes, and then I will show you here the comparing with my "before" picture. For sure will be a great moment !
BTW, my pants should be shorter now...
Regarding the cycles of reverse-regain is an electro-biochemical process which stimulates the callus formation. They also name it "accordion stimulation".
I did x-ray just after finishing the cycles but I didn't see any changes. Maybe I will do another one in 2 weeks.
Yes, now I am doing partial bearing walking, which is extremely painful because I didn't stand-up at all, for 4 months. And walking is another stimulus for callus...
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ARRIVED HOME
After many challenges and lots of stress I got home.
Before arriving I bought a wheelchair and a rolling walker. The wheelchair is brand new, but much worse than the one I used in Turkey and the walker is used, but much better quality...
Now I pray to God to nothing happen anymore, so I can be focus only on my recover.
As I promised you, I put here pictures before and after…
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UDxC9UCUwE3FFSj2A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BaRaB2yZ53CTEXTb8
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Very cool to see your great gain. Keep us in the loop with the regards to how the tibia bones are forming. You mentioned you’re doing partial weight bearing (on a 10.7mm nail if I recall correctly). How much weight% are you putting and how much are you standing or walking per day? Are you concerned about risk of bending a tibia nail or less concerned as it’s ‘only’ extended 5cm-ish (I heard the nails are at their weakest when fully extended)?
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Very cool to see your great gain. Keep us in the loop with the regards to how the tibia bones are forming. You mentioned you’re doing partial weight bearing (on a 10.7mm nail if I recall correctly). How much weight% are you putting and how much are you standing or walking per day? Are you concerned about risk of bending a tibia nail or less concerned as it’s ‘only’ extended 5cm-ish (I heard the nails are at their weakest when fully extended)?
Hey, Juju...
I am not very great, because I have an excruciating pain whenever I try to make a step with the walker, no matter how I put my weight on it. The pain is in the knees and especially on upper tibial screws.
So, since I came back home, I did no walk at all...
I know, I am a bad boy, but I preferred to just give a rest to myself.
We are in Easter time, so I need rest and peace, staying in my home like a lazy lizard. I sleep as much as I can and nobody bother me. After 17 weeks I am finally relaxed !
However, these last days I didn't waste time and I setup my next chapter, for rehab, so in few days I will go to a special clinic with hotel, with 3 meals, pool with salt and very warm water, kineto, physio and electro-therapy... where I will stay 2 months. So, all these are better and cheaper than what I got in Antwell hotell... and people understand all I say, not like there where I had to use the phone translator and to learn Turkish... Such embarrassing for them !
Ohh, and not to forget, this place is in a quiet and almost pure air environment, not in a polluted, dusty, noisy traffic and surrounded by 10 mosques... which drove me crazy for 4 months !
Yes, as you said, because the tibial nail is half erected comparing with femurs, the risk of bending is much less. My concern is still my right femur nail and the missing screw in left tibia !
I already bought Voltaren based pills and suppositories, which i have to take before using the walker. I was talking with doctor today about all these. Also, he asked me to send him a new set of x-rays... Me too I am curious to see my missing screw on film...
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How much did you lengthen your tibia and femur each day? How many mm every day?
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How much did you lengthen your tibia and femur each day? How many mm every day?
Hello... too !
I can see you didn't read my diary, where you actually have all details...
Ok, I repeat here for you:
I started on femur with 0.35mm/session x 3 times/day. That means 1.05mm/day.
After tibia implant, I started on tibia same, with 0.35mm/session x 3 times/day. That means 2.1mm/day, for femur + tibia.
When I felt too much pain from elongation, I slowed down to 0.35mm/session x 2 times/day, to all 4 segments. That means 1.4mm/day, for femur + tibia, till the end.
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Hi Ted,
How is your healing going now? Have you been able to walk around a bit more?
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Hi Ted,
How is your healing going now? Have you been able to walk around a bit more?
Hello and thank you for asking !
I moved to a neuro-motor rehabilitation clinic, where I have 2 special pools with very salted water (like at Dead Sea) and perfect temperature of 34C.
I do 2 session per day, 90 minutes every session.
I do all exercises I need, especially to reduce my tip-toe walking and for my knee semi-flexion.
I also do all kind of walking on water floor, but I still have big pain on right leg... which makes me almost cry...
This warm and salted water is priceless for me, because I have not anymore contraction, spasm and nerve pain like I had in Antwell pool !
I do all my best for 90 minutes in the water, hoping God eventually will remove my pain so I can start using the rolling walker...
2 days ago I did a new set of x-rays and I sent the pictures to doctor Gokhan. He said the tibial callus is better, even though I don't see any difference.
But femur callus is so good !
I also noticed a slightly curve to my left femur implant too, the one actually they replaced it.
I don't know what is going on that all my femur implants got curved, more or less. Its scaring for me !
I will stay here as much I need, because is the best place for my recovery...
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Hang in there. Looks like you are doing everything possible to get back to normal. While the pain on the right foot might be unbearable at times, just remember to look at the pictures of before and after for some extra motivation. Did the Dr say anything about the curve on the left femur? Do you think the nail got bent a bit?
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Hang in there. Looks like you are doing everything possible to get back to normal. While the pain on the right foot might be unbearable at times, just remember to look at the pictures of before and after for some extra motivation. Did the Dr say anything about the curve on the left femur? Do you think the nail got bent a bit?
Hello.
Yes, I have no choice. If I don't do it now, later will be much harder...
Doctor said "everything is ok", like usually, but my both femur nails are bent. The right implant is bent in frontal plan and the left one just started to bend... but in sagital plan you can see the wrong curvature of femur.
I put here the last x-ray that I took, so you can see, looking to the pink line, the level of curvature on both implants...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yRMfio8FYzCpMR6T9
And here I put the x-ray of left femur implant, in sagital plan, so you can see the wrong position of the proximal femur part, which is not inline with the distal part...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2TqhffwY97HbBNV68
I pray to God so I will not get any problems with all these curvatures and bad angles after healing process.
Shall I walk, jump, run like before... or I will be in permanent risk of braking the bones if I do some normal activities ?!?
Before surgery my bones was perfect straight... now are not anymore and it will remain like this forever. But doctor says "are all good".
Ok, sir...
I am not compare myself with i-diots who went to cheap butchers and they got crippled for life. They should know that risk and think about that from the beginning !
I am just compare myself with lucky guys who did Quad Precice 2 to a good doctor like mine... and they have no problems after finish !
These are some of the MANY risks of LL, guys, so you have to get it !
This is not mathematics or car design. Here anything can happen...
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Agreed, there are a ton of risks associated with limb lengthening surgery. That is why so few people are able to follow through with the surgery. Yes, I saw both of your femurs are slightly bent. Would you consider getting a second opinion from other professionals in the field? I feel like now might be the time to be extra proactive to ensure things do not get worse.
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Agreed, there are a ton of risks associated with limb lengthening surgery. That is why so few people are able to follow through with the surgery. Yes, I saw both of your femurs are slightly bent. Would you consider getting a second opinion from other professionals in the field? I feel like now might be the time to be extra proactive to ensure things do not get worse.
I did trust my doctor from the beginning and I still trust him. My problem is that if everything will be esthetic and functional like before, or better... NOT WORSE !
Because is worse and I will suffer, what is the point for all these ?!?
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Yes, I understand your pointof view. The goal is to obviously come out ahead. If you feel comfortable with your situation, and trust your doctor, that is a good thing. You are still healing, and you know your body, but at some point if you feel like things are not getting better, it might be time to get a second opinion.
We are rooting for you and we look forward to your progress updates.
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Yes, I understand your pointof view. The goal is to obviously come out ahead. If you feel comfortable with your situation, and trust your doctor, that is a good thing. You are still healing, and you know your body, but at some point if you feel like things are not getting better, it might be time to get a second opinion.
We are rooting for you and we look forward to your progress updates.
I hope I will never need a second opinion from a different LL specialist... because that means I am in bad shape.
However, in 2 days I have a consultation scheduled to the clinic orthopedist, here in the recovery place. His opinion is very important for me. He is doing many surgeries, every day, but not LL specific.
I want to trigger a faster callus formation in tibia... because is almost zero and that scares me...
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Do you take penicillin and blood thinner?
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Do you take penicillin and blood thinner?
I stopped them 2 months ago.
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It is good to hear you will speak to an orthopedic soon. Feel free to let us know what he says. Lots of people read the forum and can provide input that might be helpful.
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It is good to hear you will speak to an orthopedic soon. Feel free to let us know what he says. Lots of people read the forum and can provide input that might be helpful.
Yes, "musicloverincal", I know people follow my diary, thats why I have almost 10.000 viewers...
So, today I met the orthopedist. He has a high rating in my country. He also worked as surgeon in Switzerland. He put implants, but only for accidents and deformities.
He understood my concerns regarding missing callus in tibias and only one screw left.
He said next week we shall do a special x-ray for highlighting the callus and then he will decide what will choose for me to do.
I keep working hard in the warm salted water pool and I can feel an improvement in force, balance and some muscle regain. But still I have big pain in my right tibia when walking...
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You must have been so relieved after talking to the doctor! Rooting for your full recovery.
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You must have been so relieved after talking to the doctor! Rooting for your full recovery.
Yes, I am happy that I found an open minded orthopedist here, who is very interested in my unique case and concerned about my problems.
I will let you know about coming news...
Thank you
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Today marks 4 month and 4 days (124 days) since tibia surgery... and I got almost zero callus in tibia. But fibula has a significant callus.
I am scared about that, because doctor said I can do full bearing on my legs and he expect from me to walk pretty good with the rolling walker, but I have no callus and big pain. Also I have a missing screw in left tibia !
Of course, I walk in the pool and do tendon stretch a lot.
Here you can see my last x-rays, which I did 2 days ago. Frontal and sagital...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YdWd3wYzjXzsFFQC9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XyjYfgXswnT75qxw7
I am waiting from you guys, who had tibia surgery, to tell me your experience and when exactly you got a clear callus after surgery...
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Hey
Do you have x-rays of your tibias that shows the whole length of the bone? So we can see the ends screws that join tibia and fibula.
Im not sure by the pictures you put, if tibias and fibula were screwed together on both ends, it is required to prevent fibula migration during tibia lengthening.
About your tibia healing, yes we can see the gap but there's also callus formation visible. The tibia takes long time to heal, 2 or maybe 3-4 times the time it takes for femur, and considering your age, and the fact you did quadrilateral (it means a lot of bone tissue formation required in the same time....) it maybe expected to take a long time for tibia to consolidate. So I think you're going to have to be very patient. Also not bearing weight (because precice is not weight bearing) reduces the stimulation for bone formation...
I would advise to get a second opinion of an expert about the angle of your knee.
Keep working out those muscles to increase blood flow, get some sun, good food and supplement and stay optimistic
I will pray for your speedy recovery
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Hey
Do you have x-rays of your tibias that shows the whole length of the bone? So we can see the ends screws that join tibia and fibula.
Im not sure by the pictures you put, if tibias and fibula were screwed together on both ends, it is required to prevent fibula migration during tibia lengthening.
About your tibia healing, yes we can see the gap but there's also callus formation visible. The tibia takes long time to heal, 2 or maybe 3-4 times the time it takes for femur, and considering your age, and the fact you did quadrilateral (it means a lot of bone tissue formation required in the same time....) it maybe expected to take a long time for tibia to consolidate. So I think you're going to have to be very patient. Also not bearing weight (because precice is not weight bearing) reduces the stimulation for bone formation...
I would advise to get a second opinion of an expert about the angle of your knee.
Keep working out those muscles to increase blood flow, get some sun, good food and supplement and stay optimistic
I will pray for your speedy recovery
Sure, man, here you can see the distal part of same tibia...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dwKqCLGWNysWKpJd6
... but I am not sure how it helps you.
Anyways, all you said is right and we all know that... but I asked people who already did Quad Precice to let me know when they started to get clear callus on their tibias... because I already have more than 4 months.
Thank you !
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7 JUNE 2024
Since I started the recovery here in my country, in good conditions with warm and salted water pool, I gained double strength in my legs, better balance in free walking in water and I could start with no problem using rolling walker.
In Turkey I could use walker for only 10 metres, with huge pain, only on tip toes. Now I can use it for 50 m and no rest, also I can walk almost normal touching both heels to ground.
But, in the last week, before pool and walker I take a strong dose of Voltaren, so I can force myself. So, that’s why I can double my effort and intensity. The only one problem now is my muscle soreness, which is very annoying. But this is a good sign for muscle mass regain.
Next week I want to start walking without rolling walker, so I want to walk along railing on the wall with one hand and then return with the other hand.
I will also start to walk up on stairs.
Obviously, for all these I will need a cane.
In approximately 10 days I will leave this place and go home !
Few days before leaving I will do another x-ray, so I can see if walking and forcing on my tibias started a clear callus formation…
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Day 95-98
After finishing elongation I had 3 days of no elongation, but the happiness is not forever, because i have done the x-rays and 2 days later doctor gave me a bad news that my right tibia has late and slow callus formation… so I have to do reversing cycles so it could start the normal process…
The left tibia is a bit better but not great, so he advised me to do it on both.
Ohh, great !... so now I have to start over the schedules for the lengthening machine, for 3 weeks…
The PT is painful for me every day, as I told you already.
As you can see, I am busy permanently, never relaxed so I could sleep well…
Ted68, when you did compression then distraction in tibia how fast did you do this - how many mm per day? Also, when you did the compression, was it all the way down to the osteotomy site and from that site you began distraction?
Any update of your situation?
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Ted68, when you did compression then distraction in tibia how fast did you do this - how many mm per day? Also, when you did the compression, was it all the way down to the osteotomy site and from that site you began distraction?
Any update of your situation?
Hi, Bob...
I did it normally, 1mm per day, in 3 sessions, as I wrote.
Man, this procedure is 5mm back and 5 mm forth, retraction and regain, results 20 days of procedure .... not all the way back !
Thats why it is named "accordion procedure".
First of all, if you do all the way back, it is very dangerous to the soft tissues that you already stretched 40mm... and it will take 80 days total, don't you think ?
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Hi, Bob...
I did it normally, 1mm per day, in 3 sessions, as I wrote.
Man, this procedure is 5mm back and 5 mm forth, retraction and regain, results 20 days of procedure .... not all the way back !
Thats why it is named "accordion procedure".
First of all, if you do all the way back, it is very dangerous to the soft tissues that you already stretched 40mm... and it will take 80 days total, don't you think ?
Ohh that's why you and your doctor decided not to go all the way back, that make sense. Silly me, I'm not a doctor I just thought you did go all the way back and distracted from there.
Are you doing ok?
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Well, I am not doing very well, but thanks for asking !
I returned home and I struggle to walk, but is very painful. The pain is same like 2 months ago, when I tried first time to use the walker. So, if I don't take 100mg Voltaren, i cannot walk !
I put away the wheelchair and now I walk only with 2 special canes or with the rolling walker. I bought 2 tetra-pod canes, which are best.
But I am home and, at least, nobody disturb me ... which is great, after 6 months of ty life and being disturbed every day, many times a day !
I eat whatever I want, whenever I want and I can return to my regular and very controlled life style by myself, not by others !
Now I will do an x-ray much less often.
Overall I am less stressed.
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Good you are less stressed.
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23 June 2024
Today marks 6 months since my first surgery, on Dec 23 !!
This is a summary after 6 months and what I got:
- Underwent 3 surgeries (because I had to replace a bent femural implant)
- Lots, lots of suffering !
- Gained 120mm as height
- Got chicken legs because muscle atrophy
- No strength in my legs muscles. Without canes I cannot stand up at all, from bed or toilet
- I got a good callus on both femurs
- The callus on tibias didn’t start clearly so far
- Unfortunately I got a slighyly curved implants on both femurs. Thanks God is not worse !
- I lost one proximal screw from left tibia, because started to come out of bone, so now all my weight stays on one tibial screw … and that scares me
- I stayed 5 weeks in a special recovery clinic, after returning in my country, doing exercises in pools with warm salted water, where I achieved what I couldn’t achieve in Turkey
- The knees are both still semi-flexed
- Now the heels are down on the ground when I walk, but I have duck b-utt. The right tibial tendon is stiffer, so is behind the right one which keeps the heel down much more relaxed. I am wondering when will I stand normally vertical…
- I moved back home and I put away my crappy wheelchair and now I use only walker or two canes. A big step forward !
- I started walking exercises every day and now I can walk 15 steps without help and I can stand up for 1 minute, without help.
- Finally I can pee like boys, because for 6 months I peed like girls…
- Still have same bad pain in knees and tibias like before and I must take a strong Voltaren so I can walk
- Now I got a new pain: in the right hip... I have it permanent when hip rotation, on the bed and on standing up. I don’t know what is this, but is like a knife !
- Now I have to check again my tibial callus, so I will see on my next x-rays what happened in the last 3 weeks after starting intense full bearing walking. I have to find in few days an imaging clinic close to my house
- Now I take only Calcium + D3, Colagen, Creatine and Proteins
- Overall, I don’t understand why I still have excruciating pain when walking, because its been 2 months since standing up and started to walk. Doctor Gokhan said that pain will go away, but I feel the pain is worse and worse. Going to toilet or to eat is a nightmare, when I don’t take Voltaren. And voltaren I take only one time a day, before walking exercises … in the rest only nightmare !... I stay 1 minute anytime before standing up, to prepare my mind for a new pain !
- I never could really measure my new height, because my tip toes standing and because knee semi-flexion, plus the “duck b-utt”. Anyways, that moment will come in few weeks, as I feel
- In few days I will try again to drive my car, because 6 weeks ago I tried but my right foot couldn’t control the acceleration
- But, at least, every day I feel I am much taller and I am amazed every time when I stand up…
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Hello dear Ted.
I read your last post. I hope you're doing well (as can be considering all..).
Since you still tackle many obstacles, perhaps it would be good idea to get another consultation at this point from another LL orthopedic surgeon for proper continuation of your recovery ?
I sure don't want you to suffer from some permanent pain because of complications :/
Also, it sounds like you endure some delayed consolidation of the tibia from what you describe ?
Perhaps a special focus is required regarding how to help more callus / bone growth in that area ?
I'd be happy to hear how you're doing overall. Stay strong friend.
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Hi, Mike.
Thank you for your message.
Actually I was talking with 2 orthopedist already, but they are reserved because they never seen this extreme procedure yet and they don't know how is going on. This is available for most countries in the world, because real and serious LL is happening only in 5 countries maybe...
Yes, the biggest concern are the sequels after this procedure...
Regarding tibia callus, I need to find a convenient place to do x-rays every month from now... because now I am on my own and is not easy.
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https://photos.app.goo.gl/XyjYfgXswnT75qxw7
I think you have antecurvation deformity. The bone has moved away from the original by about 5-8 degrees. It's hard to determine the angle, but yours is now about 74 (normal 77-84)
https://library.rniito.org/download/manuals/Opredelenie_referentnykh_liniy.pdf
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I think you have antecurvation deformity. The bone has moved away from the original by about 5-8 degrees. It's hard to determine the angle, but yours is now about 74 (normal 77-84)
https://library.rniito.org/download/manuals/Opredelenie_referentnykh_liniy.pdf
I asked doctor about that and I am waiting for his opinion...
Thank you
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28 June 2024
I have 2 good news, guys:
Because my everyday struggle doing walking exercises.... today I drove safely my car !
and
I took the car, I drove to imaging clinic and I did today new x-rays... and finally I can see the clear callus formation !
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HpznVTXfYGqgYnSb8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HHb8Nt7t25skbJU49
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28 June 2024
I have 2 good news, guys:
Because my everyday struggle doing walking exercises.... today I drove safely my car !
and
I took the car, I drove to imaging clinic and I did today new x-rays... and finally I can see the clear callus formation !
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HpznVTXfYGqgYnSb8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HHb8Nt7t25skbJU49
Congratz! Must've been scary going through everything and not seeing callus formation. The countdown to you enjoying new life with your new height is definitely on.
I've been a lurker on this thread, read it all through. Inspiring to see you going through all these struggles and periods of uncertainty with determination and now things seem to be turning in your favor here finally.
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Congratz! Must've been scary going through everything and not seeing callus formation. The countdown to you enjoying new life with your new height is definitely on.
I've been a lurker on this thread, read it all through. Inspiring to see you going through all these struggles and periods of uncertainty with determination and now things seem to be turning in your favor here finally.
Thank you, man !
This diary is for you, my lurkers... because I know you are many... otherwise I couldn't have 15.000 views !
Yes, I was scared while passing through 4 months and zero callus in tibia...
My doctor always said to me: "- Start walking, because only walking will trigger your tibial callus formation ! "... so, I did it finally and 3 weeks later the callus appeared. He was right !
Of course, my problems didn't stop here, because I got many, but at least the new bone is growing... so non-union is not a problem anymore
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2 July 2024
Today I got 16.000 views, thats good !... This means my diary is successful.
Dr. Gokhan was happy that I got callus in tibias and I could drive my car !
And keep in mind guys, my car is manual, so hard to drive !... and I live in the capital of my country, where the traffic is crazy.
He said then: "Now is time to remove your ankle screws, so find an orthopedist !"
So, now I have to find one and do it.
For those who don't know, the 2 screws are only for short time, to keep your ankle stable during lengthening, but once callus is started you don't need them because it stays against your ankle mobility. And this is right, because whenever I force my ankle tendon I feel pain in that spot, where the screws are.
BTW, you can see the screws in my last xrays I showed you.
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How is Ghokan better than Giothikas?( I'm sorry if I misspelled their names)
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How is Ghokan better than Giothikas?( I'm sorry if I misspelled their names)
If you do a search in this forum, you will find how...
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How soon are you able to drive your manual car after finishing the lengthening phase? Because I want to be able to drive my manual car to work after I travel back home.
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How soon are you able to drive your manual car after finishing the lengthening phase? Because I want to be able to drive my manual car to work after I travel back home.
Nobody can tell you that !
Every person is unique, with a different path and different healing pace...
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Thank God you didn’t get as crippled as I did with the butcher Yuksel Yurttas
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27 July 2024
Guys, i am in deep s-hit. My both right tibial proximal screws wants to go out !
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kEBojeaZ6usn2k51A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LH76UduzRkVzFJxX9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EEmoJi1ziri38MRVA
This is the result of walking exercise, which actually started my tibial callus finally.
So, as you can see, if i dont exercise i get no callus. But if i exercise, my screws pops up like crazy !
I lost a screw to my left tibia, but the remained one is stable. Unfortunately, the right tibial screws wants to come out both, in the same time.
So, i am fu**ed !
My problems never stop coming, I don't know what is going on !
These engineers who created the Precice system should take care of every bad situations are coming and to prevent them.
My screws has only 5 mm thread, the rest being only smooth metal which pass through the nail. But, because the strong forces in the bones when walking, that thread broke the bone very easy and the screw has no stability point anymore and move freely !
And I am slim, only 74 kg at 1.82 height, so nobody can say "Well, you are fat !"
So, this is unacceptable !
Now i stopped my normal daily exercise, so I stopped my recovery !...
I only go from bed to kitchen and to bathroom. The rest i stay in bed, just not to loose completely my screws. Until I will not have a strong callus in my tibias I cannot do anything, but the callus could be strong enough in one year from now !
I hoped I could start walking freely in maximum 3 months, because I have a flight ticket and I didn’t want to go with walker or canes… but now I am pretty sure I have to postpone everything !
I don’t know if there is a resolve for my problem, because the doctor cannot remove it and replace it with something better. He said all it can be done is to cut my skin and to push back the screws.
I am desperate and I am not sure if I can fix this s-hit.
Tell me guys if you had this problem and how you managed it...
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Have you thought about getting a bone graft to speed up the healing process? I think you should consult with Paley and see what he says about you nonunion condition.
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Have you thought about getting a bone graft to speed up the healing process? I think you should consult with Paley and see what he says about you nonunion condition.
Well, if dr Gokhan didnt decide that while I stayed in Istanbul, now is too late.
As you should know, my callus started 1 month ago, so I don't have non-union... its only delayed-union !
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It looks extremely painful. :( :( :(
Do you think it may be wise to get second opinion from another LL orthopedic surgeon (perhaps even overseas online consultation) because there's no way you're the first person something like this happened to during lengthening process (?).
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It looks extremely painful. :( :( :(
Do you think it may be wise to get second opinion from another LL orthopedic surgeon (perhaps even overseas online consultation) because there's no way you're the first person something like this happened to during lengthening process (?).
Yeah, always is better to get a second opinion from best doctors. The question is if they answer and how much it cost... because they treat your "question" as a consultation and charge you hundreds dollars...
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27 July 2024
Guys, i am in deep s-hit. My both right tibial proximal screws wants to go out !
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kEBojeaZ6usn2k51A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LH76UduzRkVzFJxX9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EEmoJi1ziri38MRVA
This is the result of walking exercise, which actually started my tibial callus finally.
So, as you can see, if i dont exercise i get no callus. But if i exercise, my screws pops up like crazy !
I lost a screw to my left tibia, but the remained one is stable. Unfortunately, the right tibial screws wants to come out both, in the same time.
So, i am fu**ed !
My problems never stop coming, I don't know what is going on !
These engineers who created the Precice system should take care of every bad situations are coming and to prevent them.
My screws has only 5 mm thread, the rest being only smooth metal which pass through the nail. But, because the strong forces in the bones when walking, that thread broke the bone very easy and the screw has no stability point anymore and move freely !
And I am slim, only 74 kg at 1.82 height, so nobody can say "Well, you are fat !"
So, this is unacceptable !
Now i stopped my normal daily exercise, so I stopped my recovery !...
I only go from bed to kitchen and to bathroom. The rest i stay in bed, just not to loose completely my screws. Until I will not have a strong callus in my tibias I cannot do anything, but the callus could be strong enough in one year from now !
I hoped I could start walking freely in maximum 3 months, because I have a flight ticket and I didn’t want to go with walker or canes… but now I am pretty sure I have to postpone everything !
I don’t know if there is a resolve for my problem, because the doctor cannot remove it and replace it with something better. He said all it can be done is to cut my skin and to push back the screws.
I am desperate and I am not sure if I can fix this s-hit.
Tell me guys if you had this problem and how you managed it...
Hi, I am pretty new to this. Was wondering to ask why exactly the screws got loose? Does it usually happen with Precice because I've never heard about it on this forum, maybe doctor's error or something else?
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Actually this is the question I asked here, because I don't understand either.
My doctor said "is because the late callus formation and the screws cannot resist to all this effort you put on them during your walking exercises". OK, sir...
There are few guys who did Precice on tibia, but they are not coming here to tell me their experience.
So, for now I confront myself with this s-hit and I stopped walking exercise and the recovery, just to keep the screws in actual position... Otherwise, if are coming out, I will be completely handicapped and I will stay again in wheelchair to the completely callus formation...
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8 Aug 2024
Yesterday I did again x-rays, so I can see how is my callus and my popping-up screws.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/U7viA1ervFWQdiXA9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JJLcNqqEiA4kqqei6
So, as you can see, I got a massive callus on femurs, which is better than expected, and more callus than 42 days ago in tibias, when I had previous x-rays... which is good !
You can go on my 27 June post and compare…
But, as you can see on right tibia, the upper screw has the thread completely out... so thats why I stopped my walking exercises...
If you remember, 2 months ago doctor Gokhan asked me to go and remove my temporary ankle screws... But, guys, I never thought the doctors in my country are so st-upid !
I was talking with 3 of them and they are afraid to do it... Its unbelievable !
Also, I want them to screw back my upper proximal one... but no chance. I showed them all technical information, as size, length, hex wrench, etc, and nothing.
And I am talking about the best and busiest orthopedic hospital in my country, not a rural one.
They pi-ssed me off, they all blame me saying I am stupid and I wasted my money and I risked my health... but no one want to help me because they are afraid to not make a mistake !...
A bunch of pu-ssies !
I really don't want to waste money and time to go in Istanbul for a 10 minutes surgery session, because that would be re-tarded, and my doctor agreed that... But he said finally would be the only solution.
Now I am still looking for a brave one...
I stopped my walking daily routines and I lost flexibility, strength and endurance... but I have no choice.
I am happy at least I can still drive my car.
I am sad and frustrated...
:-[
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Hi Ted68. Just after your surgeries where you could not weight bear. Did you then did exercises with your legs lying down on your bed? Best.
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Hi Ted68. Just after your surgeries where you could not weight bear. Did you then did exercises with your legs lying down on your bed? Best.
Hi, Bob.
Yes, in my paid package services was included every day PT, so a guy came to me and I did right away after surgery something in bed... for 4 months and a half in Istanbul.
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Hi Ted,
Thanks for sharing your experience, it is certainly very eye-opening and we all really do appreciate it!
Best of luck on your recovery - certainly, so many obstacles but it seems that you have a strong character and will push through any challenges as they come.
Do you have any diary updates recently? How's the callus and recovery coming along? Did you get the ankle screws removed?
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Hi Ted,
Thanks for sharing your experience, it is certainly very eye-opening and we all really do appreciate it!
Best of luck on your recovery - certainly, so many obstacles but it seems that you have a strong character and will push through any challenges as they come.
Do you have any diary updates recently? How's the callus and recovery coming along? Did you get the ankle screws removed?
Hi, man. Thank you for your comment...
Yes, i have some sad updates...
...................................
10 Sept 2024
Because doctors in my country have s-hitty character and they think they are kind of Gods and dont want to mess helping me or because other doctors charge me an insane amount of money for a fu-cking easy 5 minutes job... I didnt remove the syndesmotic screws yet !... Unbelievable !
And i should have it done 2 months ago already !
Regarding my popping-up tibial screws... they stopped popping when i stopped the walking exercises and all the rest of muscle training. So, now my muscles got atrophy again, especially the Medius Gluteus, which is the most important muscle in walking balance and i cannot walk anymore freely.
But, the worse news is that the doctor asked me few days ago to go in Turkey for syndesmotic screws removal and for proximal PEG screws removal... and to replace them with plates !
He said also maybe he will insert iliac graft to accelerate the callus build !
When i heard these i got crazy, because that means a lot of stress to travel and another invasive surgery... which i dont want to do it !
Also, to insert plates needs long cuts, so i will have big scars and i hate that !
And, honestly, i am not sure if that plate can bear my weight (because, as i know, its one sided plate, not both sided). I am afraid to not get some deformity if the plate bend !
What is enough, is enough !
The only one surgery i want to do it is for all implants removal, done in one time surgery... the last one !
I want to know why my PEG screws are coming out, 3 of them already !
I never heard to happen such thing to other guys who did Precice on tibia !
If you know some cases, let me know, guys...
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23 Sept 2024
Today I got 9 months from the first surgery and i should walk freely... but i am not !
Nothing good happened, only bad news...
- No ankle screws removed yet.
- The left calf is unstable and i feel like a rotation in the implant.
- I have very big pain when standing up and walking to bathroom.
- My ankle tendons got very stiff again.
- My muscles got atrophy back !
- My knees are semi-flexed permanently.
- My left semitendinos / membranos tendon is still jumping with big pain, on every left leg motion.
- And i suspect i have few degrees Procurvatum on my tibias... as i saw on my x-rays.
In 3 days i have an air ticket, paid long time ago, and i should already walk good to fly well... but i am not !...
This is a long time flight, about 24 hours total, to a different continent, with 2 planes and lot of waiting time in airports. So i cant fly and, anyway, I dont want to go with canes and walker plus a lot of pain !
So, i tried to change the date but they give me only one month later, since are 11 months already. I asked them to give me a voucher so i can buy a new ticket in May, because i should be much better at that time, so they asked me to give them a certificate from my surgeon which saying i am not able to take long flights because my condition... I asked doctor, he sent it to me few days later and the KLM agent asked me to wait for a different department decision... I was waiting for one week and finally I found they changed their policy and they dont give vouchers anymore, so i lost my money now !
In my country we had a long and extremely hot summer and now finally is ok, so i could go out on street, park, etc, to walk... But actually i cant, because i am fu-cking handicapped and staying home in bed 99% of time !
So, all these happened because the fu-cking Precice PEG screws came out and i had to stop my walking training !
Soon i have to do a new set of x-rays, hoping the tibial callus is better, because this is my only hope to re-start walking...
Luckily i dont need to work, i dont have obligations to anybody, i am financially relaxed, i have my house paid and overall i am a tough guy !.... But, for a weak young guy with nothing clear and nothing stable, THIS SITUATION WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE.
So, keep in mind young guys, if you are not prepared for all kind of sh-it which could happen... you will be fu-cked !
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Yes, I will not go to Turkey for sure just to save some money but I wish you to recover for sure.
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Yes, I will not go to Turkey for sure just to save some money but I wish you to recover for sure.
Thank you for your wishes !
But, guys, my messages here are not to discourage you to do LL to my doctor, or to other serious and good doctor in Turkey !
My warnings are against lacks in Precice system and to let all guys understand that they must think very well before doing LL surgery and to be prepared for all bad and worse scenarios that they could face.
This is not a joke, because is life changing... in good or bad.
Only GOD knows how will finish all these, but we have to do our best to prevent bad things !
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Hi Ted,
Sorry to hear that. Hope you will recovery soon. Hope you can find a good doctor can solve your problems. Hope to hear your good news in a couple of months.
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Hi Ted,
Sorry to hear that. Hope you will recovery soon. Hope you can find a good doctor can solve your problems. Hope to hear your good news in a couple of months.
Thank you, man...
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Hey man, hope you are doing better slowly but surely! Join this d server, where there's other LLers right now and they can give you some good advice and emotional support.
https://d.com/invite/A7X4Mfzm
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Hey man, hope you are doing better slowly but surely! Join this d server, where there's other LLers right now and they can give you some good advice and emotional support.
https://d.com/invite/A7X4Mfzm
Thank you, man !
I dont know what kind of server is that, because it doesnt work...
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Hey guys...
I just did new x-rays, after 3 months of pause, because I could see there is no much difference if I do it every month.
So, the femurs looks good, I have a well formed callus, better and better.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LYCdvAgbSgBpEAv16
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HsProH5fr7veNxMd7
But the tibias are not good... I have zero frontal callus, I vave a Procurvatum on both (the left one is much worse)... and I have a slightly bow legs, so I cannot touch my knees when standing...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YS6zQYKmr3WZ4dwWA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fa4C5jAP8NsLGYct9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DDVZQSeEJWj2womWA
And here you can see the screw is clearly out of its position and wants to come out completely, thats why I stopped my walking exercises...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AcJ5dWSQU7HCWL989
So, I was talking with doctor and he said my tibia implants are in danger to bend or brake, so i must come asap to Turkey to do grafting in my frontal tibial space and to fix the rest of the problems.
We decided to go back in Istanbul and I have to do he following procedures:
- remove all proximal screws
- mounting double plates on my both tibias
- correct procurvatum on both
- correct bow legs
- remove syndesmotic screws in the ankles
I asked him if those plates can bear my weight and he said yes. Ok then..
He said this way I will not have problems anymore and i can restart my walking and the callus will start and accelerate in my tibias.
It will be a long and complicated surgery, guys, and I have big concerns because are all very delicate and fine tuning procedures... but I trust my doctor, because he has a long experience in orthopedic deformities...
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Good luck bro, Hope you will recovery soon 🙏
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Thank you, man...
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Hey man,
I do not not know why I need to tell you this but DO NOT go back to Turkey. Get a loan and get your legs fixed by a proper deformity/LL surgeon. Otherwise, you are risking permanent crippling.
You had massive problems throughout which your doctor was at fault for. How can you even trust your doctor now after all this ordeal??? Please wake up.
Also, get on teriparatide (Forteo) which may initiate callus formation without another surgery.
Good luck. Do not be stupid and please do not screw up your life for good.
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Hey man,
I do not not know why I need to tell you this but DO NOT go back to Turkey. Get a loan and get your legs fixed by a proper deformity/LL surgeon. Otherwise, you are risking permanent crippling.
You had massive problems throughout which your doctor was at fault for. How can you even trust your doctor now after all this ordeal??? Please wake up.
Also, get on teriparatide (Forteo) which may initiate callus formation without another surgery.
Good luck. Do not be stupid and please do not screw up your life for good.
Thank you, man, for your concerns !
After you have read in detail my story... do you really think I am stupid and I need to be woken up ?
If I am stupid, what do you think about those men who did LON, or Betz-Gnail, or who's going to india, etc ?
My doctor is good and nice, maybe the best in Turkey. Of course I would never have gone to other surgeon in Turkey, except Kucukaya... because I know they are not good.
I explained in my first page very clear and detailed why I chose this doctor. It was the only reasonable solution for me...better than Giotikas.
Who knows, maybe I am not lucky, so many bad things happened to me...
And, regarding Forteo hormone, I am not taking medicines by myself, like an idiot... Every medicine is recommended by doctor, otherwise you can disturb or even ruin your health. This is the reason doctors spend so many years in medicine university, so they can avoid this !
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ALL these Turkish doctors should go to prison for what they do to people. Your doctor is no exception.
But I guess you need more bad things to happen before you learn your lesson. Good luck!
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I got 11 months from femur surgery and 10 months from tibia surgery... and I cannot walk and I have non union on tibias, plus procurvatum and right tibia's proximal screw popped-up !
After so much suffering I am 80% happy with my femurs and 50% with my tibias.
The femur is healing, so no chance to be more happy than I am...because is too late to change something.
But i hope I can change something for my tibias, so I can be at least 90% happy...
Here you can see the differences between left and right tibias and the severe procurvatum I have, 7 degrees !
https://photos.app.goo.gl/QL6riGGTQxu6H2ZV8
And here I simulated how it should be after straightening the left tibia...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BoPLZThjWSEQttiN8
I realized that Procurvatum got much worse after removing my left tibia proximal screw, so the proximal part of tibia bent and the fibula is not in line anymore too (on left tibia the procurvtum was there from the beginning after surgery, but was kept in some limits till the moment of removing the screw).
Now I need to undergo another painful surgery, plus bone graft. And these are with lots of extra money... and that makes me angry because I should already walk normally, not to have another invasive surgery with another 6 monthas of pain, suffering and more scars !
...And these are my (almost) beautiful legs. Pictures taken few days ago.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DMuUB5XGotFj7gjZ7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/zzCiVybumR2LU7yp6
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Did any of your nails bend or break? Either the tibia or femurs?
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Yes, one of my nail bent and they had to replace it.
If you read my diary, you will find which one and what hsppened...
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Do you think it was to do with how they were implanted or just from standing/walking too much on them?
They were the 10.7mm implant size?
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Do you think it was to do with how they were implanted or just from standing/walking too much on them?
They were the 10.7mm implant size?
Do you mean about femur nail bending ?.... If yes, I can tell that nobody could explain what was happened... nor doctors, nor the factory, nor me... because I am the most carefully person !
The right one never had big problems, only a slight curvature, as you could see in my xrays.
As you have read, yes, I have 10 mm nails.
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'
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hey man! sorry to hear of your woes. we are hoping for your best recovery!
we have a group on d of people who have done LL and been through it all.
you should make an account and join, and im sure there are people there who would be able to give you good advice on what you options you can pursue next.
https://-/HMkTTCB6
Do join and we hope you recover asap!
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Thank you, man, for your wishes.
You sent me 2 links already, but no one works...
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Man, that sucks! This forum deliberately chops off parts of the link so that it doesn't work. I think it's their way of keeping users on their app.
Try this:
1. Go on YouTube and Search for the YouTuber 'Cyborg 4 Life'.
2. Find one of his videos titled '3 types of prospective limb lengthening patients'
3. Check the description of this video. You will find something called "Join Limb Lengthening d for Free: *link*"
4. Click on the link. It will take you to a d server. Join it and introduce yourself. Ask for dingdongditch or LT or ChrisOP or DJ Cyborg or John or Dango or Kilokahn. Someone will help you!
Best of luck!
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Man, that sucks! This forum deliberately chops off parts of the link so that it doesn't work. I think it's their way of keeping users on their app.
Try this:
1. Go on YouTube and Search for the YouTuber 'Cyborg 4 Life'.
2. Find one of his videos titled '3 types of prospective limb lengthening patients'
3. Check the description of this video. You will find something called "Join Limb Lengthening d for Free: *link*"
4. Click on the link. It will take you to a d server. Join it and introduce yourself. Ask for dingdongditch or LT or ChrisOP or DJ Cyborg or John or Dango or Kilokahn. Someone will help you!
Best of luck!
Hello, man and thank you.
I found there the link to "Join Limb Lengthening d for Free"... but still doesnt work in Firefox.
I tried in Chrome and opened very slow, in 2 minutes and then it asked me to verify me by phone. But now I am in Turkey and I cant, so I will check again when back in my country...
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Hey friend, I wish you a speedy recovery again. Generally, are you happy with this Turkish doctor, and would you recommend him to other patients in the future? Good luck and good health. :)
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Hey friend, I wish you a speedy recovery again. Generally, are you happy with this Turkish doctor, and would you recommend him to other patients in the future? Good luck and good health. :)
Hello, HemHem...
Thank you for your wishes !
I have to let you know that there are not perfect doctors, everybody can make mistakes.
But, THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE you have to look to a doctor is to be a doctor who knows what he is doing and how to fix everything !
This doctor doesnt do 50-100 LL surgeries per year, like Donghoon or others in USA, but he is doing hundreds of other important orthopedic surgeries per year, like terrifying accidents, gun shut, deformities and discrepancies !
So, I knew that from the beginning and I trusted my doctor.
He is also a nice person.
Unfortunately, I had a bad luck and i encountered many bad things and I suffered a lot... My body doesnt accept Opioids, I got a femur nail bent in two directions and nobody knows what, I got screws popping-up and one was removed. And because it was removed, I got 7 degrees of left tibial Procurvatum. Also i had a slight bow legs.
I should walk normal now, but because of all these I am still not walking.
Now I am in Turkey and I will have my Christmas here, alone, to fix all my problems...
So, you asked me if he is good. Yes, he is a good doctor. And if you are from Europe he is the best solution, in my opinion. I say that because he is the best in mounting Precice and LON in this European side. He never do that crappy Betzbone / Gnail or external frame.
Also, for me is important, because is close to my country and I fly only 1.5 hour. And I also can drive my car to Istanbul, which I will do it next year when I will return to remove all nails and plates.
Also, the price is better than other rich countries, so for many this is the most important aspect.
If you are from America, Australia or Asia will be tough to fly so many hours after surgery, believe me !
Your doctor should be close to your living place, because many things could happen and you have to go to him... and if the distance is high... you will be screwed.
Never go to other turkish doctors for Precice and never go in India !
I put here the compare between first measurement that I did one year ago and the measurement I did now, with my doctor in his office... Because today is the exactly one year since then !!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ebQ4W7ESp8xYMg8dA
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Hello, my friend, thank you for your feedback and congratulations on your brave decision to undergo this difficult operation. Lastly, but you survived it successfully. I wish you all the best again and a speedy recovery. Warm greetings from Germany. ;) ;) ;)
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This doctor seems like a really nice person. If Dr. For example, if you compare Gökhan Bilgili with other Turkish doctors, what would you say about his quality? Some Turkish doctors, for example Dr. Halil Buldu are advertised a lot, but people look at it with suspicion. How do you judge the quality in comparison? :)
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This doctor seems like a really nice person. If Dr. For example, if you compare Gökhan Bilgili with other Turkish doctors, what would you say about his quality? Some Turkish doctors, for example Dr. Halil Buldu are advertised a lot, but people look at it with suspicion. How do you judge the quality in comparison? :)
Man, as I wrote in my diary, there are only two good doctors in Turkey: Kucukaya and Gokhan... and they never advertise themself !
The rest are lower... And if you continue to look for cheap price, you will end up with butchers !
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Ok, no worries! But I would try to join that server as soon as possible because there is a very thriving community there with lots of experience.
Sucks to see you go through so much pain, would love to see you get some help before. Let me know if you're having any other issues!
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You did not just have one problem but half a dozen problems. While bad luck could be involved, the likely reason for your ty journey is actually your doctor.
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Hey Ted68, I read your diary. It is fascinating and informative. Do you think a total of 40,000-50,000 Euros would be enough for a quadrilateral surgery (precice 2 LL) in Turkey? Would the Lon method be suitable for such a surgery, because you have experienced all these and your valuable experiences are very important to us. Türkiye is really a wonderful country. Have fun there and enjoy it. 8)
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Ok, no worries! But I would try to join that server as soon as possible because there is a very thriving community there with lots of experience.
Sucks to see you go through so much pain, would love to see you get some help before. Let me know if you're having any other issues!
Sure, man, I will join your guys there asap, when I will be home. Here the internet is crazy slow...
Thank you
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Hey Ted68, I read your diary. It is fascinating and informative. Do you think a total of 40,000-50,000 Euros would be enough for a quadrilateral surgery (precice 2 LL) in Turkey? Would the Lon method be suitable for such a surgery, because you have experienced all these and your valuable experiences are very important to us. Türkiye is really a wonderful country. Have fun there and enjoy it. 8)
Man, I paid already more than double for my surgeries, than your estimation !
If you really need to be cheaper, do Precice on Femurs and LON on tibias, and those will cost you lower than 100.000 Euro.
If you do it as it should be best, with quad Precice, it will cost you minimum 110.000 Euro to my doctor.
Again, NEVER go to other doctor for Precice nails in Turkey !!
Yes, Turkey, is a very touristic country, and because I live close by, i was in Turkey to visit many times.
They have the best Tourism in our area, better than north-Africa, Cyprus, Greece, even Italy.
Turkish really knows how to do tourism, they have high standard, low prices and nice people !!
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You did not just have one problem but half a dozen problems. While bad luck could be involved, the likely reason for your ty journey is actually your doctor.
Well... there are many things to put in balance here, as I told you before
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Thank you for the information you provided, it is really valuable. I agree with you about Turkish tourism. I have been to different parts of Turkey for vacation since my childhood. People are really helpful, friendly, and hospitable. So, in your opinion, is it possible to lengthen the legs completely quadrilateral using the Lon method? Do Turkish doctors do this? Because I am 1.64 cm tall, and I need more lengthening. At least it should be worth the pain I have suffered because I have waited all these years and I deserve it.
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Thank you for the information you provided, it is really valuable. I agree with you about Turkish tourism. I have been to different parts of Turkey for vacation since my childhood. People are really helpful, friendly, and hospitable. So, in your opinion, is it possible to lengthen the legs completely quadrilateral using the Lon method? Do Turkish doctors do this? Because I am 1.64 cm tall, and I need more lengthening. At least it should be worth the pain I have suffered because I have waited all these years and I deserve it.
You're welcome, man...
Yes, if you really want a cheap and good vacation, go in Turkey.
Man, dont do LON femur, because you will hate your life !!
If you are 1.64, with 8 cm Precice on femur and 6 cm LON on tibia you get 14 cm, that means a total of 1.78... and this is a good height for a man... And with normal shoe heels you are over 1.80.
But, keep in mind, if you dont have a minimum of 80.000 Euro, dont start this, because sometimes you need more money on the way...
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Man, Thanks for your valuable advice, I will think about it. But, what do you think about the people who made Femur-Lon in Turkey? Do you consider them successful or unsuccessful?
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Man, Thanks for your valuable advice, I will think about it. But, what do you think about the people who made Femur-Lon in Turkey? Do you consider them successful or unsuccessful?
Man, LON on femur is very painful and gives big scars. Also, the risk of osteomyelitis is higher.
The muscle on femurs reacts painfuly to those pins which stretch them every day.
But, of course, there are few guys who did it, so just do a deep research here and you will find them !
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23 Dec 2024
Ok, guys…. today I got exactly one year from my first surgery and I am not able to walk normally because many reasons, as I wrote before in detail.
So, I had to come back in Turkey for another complicated surgery, so I can fix all the problems I got.
I live 100 km away from the airport, so I asked a friend to bring me there with his car. In the airport I had to look for wheelchair service, while walking with 2 canes.
I arrived in the Istanbul airport and another wheelchair helped me to arrive to the main door, but he left me there, not to the minivan…. so I had to walk few hundreds meters with my canes and to take an elevator to the minivan.
And the minivan was late and I had to wait standing on my canes for 20 minutes…
Nice, isn’t it ?... and nobody apologized for that, like usually in Turkey…
Finally, I arrived to doctor’s office to talk details about my surgery. After that they moved me to the hospital where I put again my signatures on many document in turkey, which I never understood what is written there. Then I went to blood test, talking with anesthetist and doing first set of x-rays.
So, five days ago I did the 4-th surgery, for:
1. Removing completely the both tibial nails and screws
2. Mounting 2 plates on each tibia
3. Corrected the Procurvatum and Bow legs
4. Take bone from my Iliac
5. Put graft in both tibias
The graft was taken from the Iliac Spine bone, which is great, because now I can lay back with no pelvis pain. Otherwise, If would have been taken from Iliac Crest, I couldn’t stay on my back. Thank you, doctor !
I underwent the surgery in a lower quality private hospital, named Atlas Medicine, which is much lower than Medicana where I had the previous surgeries. They have stains on walls, scratched furniture, rusted water taps, etc.
Also, the nurses are not as nice as it should be. One of them, maximum 25 years old, got irritated because I asked her too many details about what she is doing and what she puts in my perfusion. And when I called her on the emergency button later, she not even came to me and I was in a bad moment alone for 1 hour and nobody helped me !!...
So, this is a shame for a private hospital !
The food in the hospital is ok, but they never give napkins and salt… and the food has no salt. Also, they give spicy soup, and this is not good for people, because irritate the body. If you want to make a tea, you cant, because they bring a small cup of water, which is already warm to cold when it arrives to your room.
I got 2 set of x-rays in the hospital and those technicians not even knows how to take pictures from their display, so are all low quality, taken in a bad angle, from distance and some of them blurred. I had to edit my pictures so I can understand something…
Doctor gave me opioids in perfusion, so these put me again in a bad situation, having dizziness, bad sweat and hard constipation. If I had know that, I would ask to bring me Kefir from the first day, but now I stayed constipated for 6 days !
Also, in the surgery room somebody scratched badly my urethra and urinary sphincter, so I have atrocious pain every time when I pee, plus blood in urine…And they have no medicine for that. I recommended them a capsule that I used in my country, a specific one for urinary tract with Methylene Blue, which reduce very soon the inflammation and pain while peeing… but in Turkey doesn’t exist such thing !!... So I had to suffer extra, on top of the rest of pain and stress, till the urethra will heal by itself !
I should take with me that medicine from home, but who the f**k would know that they will damage my urethra… because they never did it in the 3 previous surgeries !!
They didnt offered me PT in the money that I paid, so I tried few times to stand up, as doctor asked me, but I couldn’t, because I have bad pain in the back calf muscles which pull the Achile tendon. So, when doctor removed the distal screws which blocked the nail in lower part, he damaged the muscle a bit, so now I have to wait till the muscles heal, so I can stand up and try to walk. But, for sure I need PT, because I need to mobilize and stretch my ankles slowly and supervised by a specialist...
My big concern now is if these plates can support my weight, because doesn’t look to be very strong, so I am scared not to bend them when I will stand up and walk. I am very carefully, like usual, but if these plates bend when I stand up, in my country…I will be f****d
Here you can see the pictures with my new tibial configuration:
Tibia - left frontal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NiAVWXHyS1dqGfjk9
Tibia - left sagittal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gy9MJaxqwYQDxtRi8
Tibia - right frontal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JVXL5ANv1W7AMewP9
Tibia - right sagittal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kwYGiheYH42dyU6W7
They charged me money for the surgery, hospitalization, hotel and trips… even if all these are not my fault. So, if I didn’t have money, I should have taken a loan or something. so I can go and fix my extra problems !!
Keep in mind guys, you NEVER START this crazy adventure if you don’t have extra money left for extra problems !!
I stayed 4 days in the hospital and now, for the rest of 6 days, I moved to the Antwell hotel, which I like it. The food is amazing, they change my bed sheets everyday if I want. I have all conditions I need. Also I met my nurse and nice employees in the hotel. They recognized me right away, wishing me good health.
I fell here almost like home, because I lived here for 5 months before...
They gave me the wheelchair I had before, but the brakes are loose and don’t hold at all the wheels. Also the tires are flat, so I have hard time rolling the wheelchair to go to the food area on the corridor’s carpets. So now I have to adjust brakes but I have no hex wrench and also I have to inflate the tires. ... because I need exercises, isnt it ?
Finally, after 3 days of staying in hotel i received a set of hex wrenches from one of my PT guys and I adjusted my brakes...
They didn’t bring me the rolling walker because they have only one and they gave it to a different patient, so I have to start walking with my canes.
I paid the whole package service for 10 days, to Dec 27, because doctor said will be enough… But as I can see, I cannot walk at all, so maybe I will need to extend few days more… and obviously, to pay more for the hotel !
Now I have 4 days more to stay and I hope I can recover myself a bit, so I can step with my canes and go home…
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You're welcome, man...
Yes, if you really want a cheap and good vacation, go in Turkey.
Man, dont do LON femur, because you will hate your life !!
If you are 1.64, with 8 cm Precice on femur and 6 cm LON on tibia you get 14 cm, that means a total of 1.78... and this is a good height for a man... And with normal shoe heels you are over 1.80.
But, keep in mind, if you dont have a minimum of 80.000 Euro, dont start this, because sometimes you need more money on the way...
Turkey is not cheap and generally speaking is a third world.country. even Istanbul is dirty, way too crowded, very expensive and with only a few places worth seeing, especially for a so huge city.
And for LL it is the second worst option after India.
That said, keep strong in your LL journey!
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Thanks for the update! Hopefully things are on the path to recovery.
Have you been eating enough by the way? It is a rather unknown tip, but you should ideally be eating 3000-4000 calories during this phase. Your body is healing so it needs a lot more food and energy to grow new bone!
Also, you can consider using Teriparatride - some have found it is very helpful in healing bone!
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Turkey is not cheap and generally speaking is a third world.country. even Istanbul is dirty, way too crowded, very expensive and with only a few places worth seeing, especially for a so huge city.
And for LL it is the second worst option after India.
That said, keep strong in your LL journey!
Thank you
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Thanks for the update! Hopefully things are on the path to recovery.
Have you been eating enough by the way? It is a rather unknown tip, but you should ideally be eating 3000-4000 calories during this phase. Your body is healing so it needs a lot more food and energy to grow new bone!
Also, you can consider using Teriparatride - some have found it is very helpful in healing bone!
Yeah, I am eating...
I got bone graft, so doctor said I can even decrease the Calcium I take. So, no need anything else for callus formation.
Thank you
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Merry Christmas to all!
Thank you for your valuable advice, Body Builder. Along with the increasing demand, Türkiye has become very expensive for this operation. I have contacted some centers here, and it is not really cheap. Well, my friend, based on your experience, are there any cheaper and better quality places that you can recommend to people on a tight budget like us? I would be happy if you could let me know. I know how experienced you are in this regard.
By the way, Merry Christmas to you all, again!
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Turkey is not cheap and generally speaking is a third world.country. even Istanbul is dirty, way too crowded, very expensive and with only a few places worth seeing, especially for a so huge city.
And for LL it is the second worst option after India.
That said, keep strong in your LL journey!
Yeah it's not cheap anymore and might not be the best country to get that surgery, still your post sounds too bitter.
However I do wonder about the current prices of LL surgery in Turkey and Germany.
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Turkey is not cheap and generally speaking is a third world.country. even Istanbul is dirty, way too crowded, very expensive and with only a few places worth seeing, especially for a so huge city.
And for LL it is the second worst option after India.
That said, keep strong in your LL journey!
Man, please dont touch these aspects, because you dont know what you are saying !
Turkey was given a tourism rank of 4th in the world !
Turkey Byzantine and Ottoman empires are maybe the richest in history, so you have SO MANY PLACES TO VISIT in Turkey !!... in every corner they have history, even from the earlier Byzantine period... like Greeks and other emperors for 5000 years continuously until now !!
I advise you to read some history... because is very clear you have no idea.
Yes, they have some Third World aspects, but in other ways they are way forward than east-Europe, South America, Asia, etc. They are modern and open minded people, more opened than Emirates for example !!
Most of negatives are coming from the politics, otherwise they are hard working people and well industrialized.... I am not going through politics and religion here, because its a huge discussion, but overall, they are much better than other countries which are not ticked with Third World stamp, like Russia for example !!
And, about LL, yes... because many butchers in Turkey, you put them all in the same basket !!... But, my doctor is not a butcher, also few others in Turkey !
Also, Turkey is on the 5-th place in Health Tourism in the world.
The worst compare is with India.... Well, this is a real insult, because there is no way to compare !!...
India is waaaaay behind Turkey in civilization and medical school !!... India only has too many people so you can pick few smart people from the huge crowd of human beings, nothing else !
But, thank your for your wishes to me !
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A great and interesting picture guys... what do you think ?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ncVidnhSjx1Xeu5g9
And this is only for strong people... Warning !
https://photos.app.goo.gl/XDTxstXb5By5mF9FA
This what I am doing in my Christmas time...
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Hope this last set of tibia surgeries is the final set you need before nail removal.
Are you telling your wife and kids/grandkids exactly what's happening or are you making up a story so they don't worry as much? Wondering how your loved ones are handling all these complications you are having.
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Hope this last set of tibia surgeries is the final set you need before nail removal.
Are you telling your wife and kids/grandkids exactly what's happening or are you making up a story so they don't worry as much? Wondering how your loved ones are handling all these complications you are having.
Yes, man, this is what i say every day, to be the last surgery before finish... because is too much for anyone !
Well, I dont have too many relatives, nobody helped me, so j dont care about their opinion ...
Thank you
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Merry Christmas man! Best of luck - you got this!
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Merry Christmas man! Best of luck - you got this!
Thank you, man... and Have a great New Year !!
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Dear Ted68
I am one of those who silent lurkers follow your diary. But the posts of these advertising accounts are starting to become annoying. We are interested about surgery and its results. We don't care how good a place Turkey is or history. @hemhem This user account opened this month and he constantly posts praising Turkey or Turkish surgeons and writes "türkiye" instead of Turkey. It is obvious that he is Turkish. I wanted you to know that these kinds of events ruin your diary. People do not express such things, but they are aware of everything. I'll be honest, Turkey is a terrible place. I agree with @Body Builder A Saudi Arabian patient died this year. Also, Doctors do not perform this surgery on someone over the age of 50. Doctors like Paley would never do this to you. Such details are very important. I am so glad you are well and I hope you will always be well. I am French and I have seen your doctor on web before, but I think he has a different company name now. I also remember a post AFA patient talked about a French patient that your doctor had disabled. But I couldn't find any post, very interesting. Please just write us about your surgery, not about Turkey. There is a reason why many people now prefer countries like Asia. Turkey is no longer a cheap country and this type of advertising is starting to become very annoying. I don't want one of the best diaries on this forum to be tarnished like this. I will continue to follow your diary. Please don't give up and continue. Stay strong. Kind regards.
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Hey man, no one here is trying to praise Turkey or anything like that. We are just trying to express the truth. We think Turkey is being treated a little unfairly. It's not that bad. Also, Turkey becomes Türkiye – Official name change confirmed by the UN in 2022. I would like to draw your attention to this issue. I repeat that no one is trying to praise Turkish doctors or anything like that, but the concrete truth is that everyone can do and think what they want. ;)
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Dear Ted68
I am one of those who silent lurkers follow your diary. But the posts of these advertising accounts are starting to become annoying. We are interested about surgery and its results. We don't care how good a place Turkey is or history. @hemhem This user account opened this month and he constantly posts praising Turkey or Turkish surgeons and writes "türkiye" instead of Turkey. It is obvious that he is Turkish. I wanted you to know that these kinds of events ruin your diary. People do not express such things, but they are aware of everything. I'll be honest, Turkey is a terrible place. I agree with @Body Builder A Saudi Arabian patient died this year. Also, Doctors do not perform this surgery on someone over the age of 50. Doctors like Paley would never do this to you. Such details are very important. I am so glad you are well and I hope you will always be well. I am French and I have seen your doctor on web before, but I think he has a different company name now. I also remember a post AFA patient talked about a French patient that your doctor had disabled. But I couldn't find any post, very interesting. Please just write us about your surgery, not about Turkey. There is a reason why many people now prefer countries like Asia. Turkey is no longer a cheap country and this type of advertising is starting to become very annoying. I don't want one of the best diaries on this forum to be tarnished like this. I will continue to follow your diary. Please don't give up and continue. Stay strong. Kind regards.
Hey, man...
I cannot stop people come in my diary and talk. But, If they are unfair of exagerate, I have the right to correct them !
I dont know HemHem, but he looks to have a fair speech. Turkey is far from being a sh**hole, as you and Bodybuilder said...
Most of turkish doctores are not reliable in LL and some of them are butchers, that is clear... but my doctor and few others ARE NOT !
I dont want to repeat what I said about my doctor, from the beginning, but he is a very careful and very qualified orthopedist. Many guys blamed him for my problems and complications, I understand, but I never did that, because he is very specialized and he can fix anything !... This is the most important thing for a doctor !
And regarding Turkey, as country and tourism and history, I just detailed previously. So if you say such things, you hate Turkey or you have zero culture... Let just not mix this aspect with the quality of a doctor !
BTW, for me Athens is a crappy city and its a shame for EU in many aspects. In Istanbul I feel much better, its a much more developed city and has much more history !
You all know I am extremely honest, I am transparent and I tell you all details and things happened to me... because I promised that from the beginning.
I trust my doctor and I pray to God to help me to pass through this nightmare ASAP... because is already too much for me !
My doctors told me that in 2 months I should have a clear and complete callus in tibias and in 18 months I should come to remove all my implants and plates...
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Hello everyone! The most important thing we need to emphasize here is not to praise or criticize any country or its people. It is significant for all of us to share our knowledge and experience about this demanding operation. Please, let's refrain from racist and offensive rhetoric and focus only on our own problems. Moreover, insulting Turkish doctors means denying the reality of medicine.
Let's not forget that only the best students can study at the medical school in Turkey. This shows how smart they are. All Turkish doctors are super smart, otherwise they would not be able to complete their medical education. I say this as a high-ranking academic in Europe. Once again, please be careful with our speech and do not humiliate innocent people with prejudice. This is considered racism. After all, Turkey is a very developed European country. Please do not bring political issues to this platform.
The only issue of Turkish doctors is that they are overconfident and like to take risks. Let us not forget that in the last 10 years, over 10,000 successful cosmetic limb lengthening surgeries have been performed internationally in this country. This shows that despite all the negativity regarding limb lengthening, this country is now number one in the world. Therefore, we should be grateful for their medical services instead of belittling the doctors. This fact does not change whether we accept it or not. Everyone agrees on this. We are simply trying to find the most suitable doctor in Turkey or elsewhere. Finally, nobody is necessarily forcing us to have an operation in Turkey....
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The only issue of Turkish doctors is that they are overconfident and like to take risks. Let us not forget that in the last 10 years, over 10,000 successful cosmetic limb lengthening surgeries have been performed internationally in this country. This shows that despite all the negativity regarding limb lengthening, this country is now number one in the world.
So right !
I got this feeling from the beginning when I arrived in Turkey... In my country they have no guts !
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Ted68, I congratulate you once again on your courage on this difficult path, and thank you for encouraging us with your experiences.
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My friend @hemhem I want to respond to what you wrote because I think I was misunderstood.
1. No one is being racist or insulting Turks. I made my comment as someone who has visited Turkey before. Have you ever been to Paris? It's very different from what you see on TV and it's messed up because of the black population. So I don't object to anything written about Paris.
2. It is a fact that you are Turkish. You write in German and you are most likely a Turkish citizen of Germany. It would be absurd to expect you to be objective because you are Turkish.
3. "All Turkish doctors are super smart, Only the best students can study at the medical school in Turkey" This is also valid in other countries, my friend. In other countries, those who are not smart cannot become doctors. Also, the medical school in USA will not be the same as the one in Vietnam.
4. "The only issue of Turkish doctors is that they are overconfident and like to take risks" Do you know all Turkish doctors? That's very interesting. Do you think doctors in other countries lack confidence?
5. "Let us not forget that in the last 10 years, over 10,000 successful cosmetic limb lengthening surgeries have been performed internationally in this country. " My friend, who knows this information? I don't know how many cosmetic limb lengthening surgeries are performed in France. Because I want to have the surgery, that's all. Only the employees of the companies trying to advertise can know this information. Which of us knows how many cosmetic surgeries are performed in our country?
6. "We are just trying to express the truth. We think Turkey is being treated a little unfairly." We ? Who are you? Why do you have such a duty? Who gave you this duty to break the prejudice in Turkey? I don't think you did this voluntarily
This will be my last post my friend. I have not seen any diary from any other country other than Turkey that tries to break down prejudices. This creates more prejudice. Also, I have not seen anyone who advertises on this forum as much as Turkish surgeons. I have never witnessed an British, French doctors or Paley advertising on this forum or giving such information to break prejudice. I wrote this post to you sincerely, my aim is not to tarnish you, on the contrary, you are making your country and your doctor look bad by doing such things. You are ruining this diary. It would be better for you and your country if you did not write anything. However, as you break prejudices or constantly write about such things, people are moving away even more. Maybe you are angry or annoyed with me for writing these here, but people think this way even if I do not write this post. I just wanted you to be aware. Also, I know that Turks are trying to open a new limb lengthening forum. I have not seen any country that does such things. I say again, I have never said anything bad about your country, your doctor or Turks and I will not say it. However, nothing will be fixed by doing such advertisements and you are making it worse. When you stop writing posts like this, prejudice against Turkey will end, my friend. All people can research and learn the truth. We don't need you to write about how good Turkish surgeons are. I love this diary and I don't want it to be ruined. But by writing posts like this you are also tarnishing @Ted68. Otherwise, if I had a problem with Turkish surgeons or Turkey, I would open a new topic and write there instead of writing under this diary, my friend. I will continue to follow your diary as silent lurker. Best regards. Merry Christmas to everyone.
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Firstly, Merry Christmas to everyone, Happy New Year and best regards from Hamburg!
Hi Matthieu89, my friend!... I felt the need to respond to you here. Yes, I am German of Turkish origin. But this does not change the facts. While walking around, I noticed that there were people here who were prejudiced and racist towards Turkey. So I had the right to respond:
No, I am definitely not advertising Turkey or Turkish doctors. I just tried to express my own opinion as I saw fit, and to correct the incorrect and incomplete information. Why should I advertise these doctors? What conclusion or benefits can I draw from this? I do not know any of them, and I am not interested in them, why should I advertise? I only speak based on the scientific data that emerged as a result of my research. This topic interests me. So I follow the statistics, news and new developments in Turkey while looking for a suitable place for an operation.
I am not interested in the free advertising of some doctors or others. I just want to focus on my own business. My main goal here is to fill in the missing information. No one paid me for advertising or pressured me to do this. This is just my free will. Also, when I say “we”, I only mean those who represent my opinion. That’s all. Good luck to everyone on this journey! ;) ;) ;)
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23 Dec 2024
Ok, guys…. today I got exactly one year from my first surgery and I am not able to walk normally because many reasons, as I wrote before in detail.
So, I had to come back in Turkey for another complicated surgery, so I can fix all the problems I got.
I live 100 km away from the airport, so I asked a friend to bring me there with his car. In the airport I had to look for wheelchair service, while walking with 2 canes.
I arrived in the Istanbul airport and another wheelchair helped me to arrive to the main door, but he left me there, not to the minivan…. so I had to walk few hundreds meters with my canes and to take an elevator to the minivan.
And the minivan was late and I had to wait standing on my canes for 20 minutes…
Nice, isn’t it ?... and nobody apologized for that, like usually in Turkey…
Finally, I arrived to doctor’s office to talk details about my surgery. After that they moved me to the hospital where I put again my signatures on many document in turkey, which I never understood what is written there. Then I went to blood test, talking with anesthetist and doing first set of x-rays.
So, five days ago I did the 4-th surgery, for:
1. Removing completely the both tibial nails and screws
2. Mounting 2 plates on each tibia
3. Corrected the Procurvatum and Bow legs
4. Take bone from my Iliac
5. Put graft in both tibias
The graft was taken from the Iliac Spine bone, which is great, because now I can lay back with no pelvis pain. Otherwise, If would have been taken from Iliac Crest, I couldn’t stay on my back. Thank you, doctor !
I underwent the surgery in a lower quality private hospital, named Atlas Medicine, which is much lower than Medicana where I had the previous surgeries. They have stains on walls, scratched furniture, rusted water taps, etc.
Also, the nurses are not as nice as it should be. One of them, maximum 25 years old, got irritated because I asked her too many details about what she is doing and what she puts in my perfusion. And when I called her on the emergency button later, she not even came to me and I was in a bad moment alone for 1 hour and nobody helped me !!...
So, this is a shame for a private hospital !
The food in the hospital is ok, but they never give napkins and salt… and the food has no salt. Also, they give spicy soup, and this is not good for people, because irritate the body. If you want to make a tea, you cant, because they bring a small cup of water, which is already warm to cold when it arrives to your room.
I got 2 set of x-rays in the hospital and those technicians not even knows how to take pictures from their display, so are all low quality, taken in a bad angle, from distance and some of them blurred. I had to edit my pictures so I can understand something…
Doctor gave me opioids in perfusion, so these put me again in a bad situation, having dizziness, bad sweat and hard constipation. If I had know that, I would ask to bring me Kefir from the first day, but now I stayed constipated for 6 days !
Also, in the surgery room somebody scratched badly my urethra and urinary sphincter, so I have atrocious pain every time when I pee, plus blood in urine…And they have no medicine for that. I recommended them a capsule that I used in my country, a specific one for urinary tract with Methylene Blue, which reduce very soon the inflammation and pain while peeing… but in Turkey doesn’t exist such thing !!... So I had to suffer extra, on top of the rest of pain and stress, till the urethra will heal by itself !
I should take with me that medicine from home, but who the f**k would know that they will damage my urethra… because they never did it in the 3 previous surgeries !!
They didnt offered me PT in the money that I paid, so I tried few times to stand up, as doctor asked me, but I couldn’t, because I have bad pain in the back calf muscles which pull the Achile tendon. So, when doctor removed the distal screws which blocked the nail in lower part, he damaged the muscle a bit, so now I have to wait till the muscles heal, so I can stand up and try to walk. But, for sure I need PT, because I need to mobilize and stretch my ankles slowly and supervised by a specialist...
My big concern now is if these plates can support my weight, because doesn’t look to be very strong, so I am scared not to bend them when I will stand up and walk. I am very carefully, like usual, but if these plates bend when I stand up, in my country…I will be f****d
Here you can see the pictures with my new tibial configuration:
Tibia - left frontal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NiAVWXHyS1dqGfjk9
Tibia - left sagittal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gy9MJaxqwYQDxtRi8
Tibia - right frontal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/JVXL5ANv1W7AMewP9
Tibia - right sagittal
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kwYGiheYH42dyU6W7
They charged me money for the surgery, hospitalization, hotel and trips… even if all these are not my fault. So, if I didn’t have money, I should have taken a loan or something. so I can go and fix my extra problems !!
Keep in mind guys, you NEVER START this crazy adventure if you don’t have extra money left for extra problems !!
I stayed 4 days in the hospital and now, for the rest of 6 days, I moved to the Antwell hotel, which I like it. The food is amazing, they change my bed sheets everyday if I want. I have all conditions I need. Also I met my nurse and nice employees in the hotel. They recognized me right away, wishing me good health.
I fell here almost like home, because I lived here for 5 months before...
They gave me the wheelchair I had before, but the brakes are loose and don’t hold at all the wheels. Also the tires are flat, so I have hard time rolling the wheelchair to go to the food area on the corridor’s carpets. So now I have to adjust brakes but I have no hex wrench and also I have to inflate the tires. ... because I need exercises, isnt it ?
Finally, after 3 days of staying in hotel i received a set of hex wrenches from one of my PT guys and I adjusted my brakes...
They didn’t bring me the rolling walker because they have only one and they gave it to a different patient, so I have to start walking with my canes.
I paid the whole package service for 10 days, to Dec 27, because doctor said will be enough… But as I can see, I cannot walk at all, so maybe I will need to extend few days more… and obviously, to pay more for the hotel !
Now I have 4 days more to stay and I hope I can recover myself a bit, so I can step with my canes and go home…
I know you're worried about being about to weight bear on these plates, did the doctor say you could weight bear?
will these plates be removed later in the future after consolidation?
so, it's been over a year now since your first surgery and you have yet to walk on your own?
have you heard of anyone else having problems with precice screws coming out like that?
sending you positives thoughts and healing for a quick recovery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Firstly, Merry Christmas to everyone, Happy New Year and best regards from Hamburg!
Hi Matthieu89, my friend!... I felt the need to respond to you here. Yes, I am German of Turkish origin. But this does not change the facts. While walking around, I noticed that there were people here who were prejudiced and racist towards Turkey. So I had the right to respond:
No, I am definitely not advertising Turkey or Turkish doctors. I just tried to express my own opinion as I saw fit, and to correct the incorrect and incomplete information. Why should I advertise these doctors? What conclusion or benefits can I draw from this? I do not know any of them, and I am not interested in them, why should I advertise? I only speak based on the scientific data that emerged as a result of my research. This topic interests me. So I follow the statistics, news and new developments in Turkey while looking for a suitable place for an operation.
I am not interested in the free advertising of some doctors or others. I just want to focus on my own business. My main goal here is to fill in the missing information. No one paid me for advertising or pressured me to do this. This is just my free will. Also, when I say “we”, I only mean those who represent my opinion. That’s all. Good luck to everyone on this journey! ;) ;) ;)
Hey, HemHem...
are you an ex LL patient, a current one, or a future one ?
What is your height ?
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I know you're worried about being about to weight bear on these plates, did the doctor say you could weight bear?
will these plates be removed later in the future after consolidation?
so, it's been over a year now since your first surgery and you have yet to walk on your own?
have you heard of anyone else having problems with precice screws coming out like that?
sending you positives thoughts and healing for a quick recovery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Kv8...
- Yes, the plates will be removed in about 18 months.
- Yes, I got a year since first surgery and I am not yet walking freely because the popping-out the tibial screws and deformities produced by them... as you already read in my detailed diary
- NO, I never heard somebody with Tibial Precice to have this bad problem with the screws. Nobody could explain me, but my doctor said is because I started to walk and the bones being forced by my weight, they moved out the screws...
Thank you for your wishes !
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AFTER MOUNTING PLATES - post Christmas
I arrived home and now I feel more confident, because for 6 months I was scared about my screws and deformities.
Now I am in my house and I take care of myself carefully, with medicines and every 2-3 days changing with my hands the lower legs patches and dressings. I bought many of them and Betamine too.
I also have a metal pin in my small toe, because I broke my ligament and doctor tried to fix it somehow. I hope it will work. I have to change its bandage carefully, to prevent infection and after 2 weeks I have to remove it with my hand, as doctor let me do it.
The bad things is that I cannot do a shower, so I have to clean my skin with soaped towels and do the same rinsing.
I have to walk, but the pain is very tough, because I take no painkillers, so I mostly move with the wheelchair...
The pain now is very different, I feel it in the region of plates, and is like a sharp burn.
I take Calcium, Vit D3, other Minerals, other Vitamines and Aspirin for 2 weeks more.
I eat normal and I have good apetite.
I drink Kefir against constipation.
Here you can see my new lower egs ...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VAwcWc6PboSbChqo7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vdmGNttEVDBcS4hX9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/m67JktfzNuSNESmR9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uAPUp4DYjhT97Bjw5
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z68DcnABnmPEvm7Q8
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Hey, Ted68!
No, my friend. I am not a LL patient. However, I plan to do some in the future, but I am not the youngest either. That is why I am looking for a suitable clinic in Europe. It does not necessarily have to be Turkey, but on the other hand, Turkey would be a good option for me because I know the people and the language well. I am between 1.64 and 1.67 cm tall and weigh about 85 kg, fully muscular and athletic. 8)
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Hey, Ted68!
No, my friend. I am not a LL patient. However, I plan to do some in the future, but I am not the youngest either. That is why I am looking for a suitable clinic in Europe. It does not necessarily have to be Turkey, but on the other hand, Turkey would be a good option for me because I know the people and the language well. I am between 1.64 and 1.67 cm tall and weigh about 85 kg, fully muscular and athletic. 8)
I got it.
If you are prepared, you can do it at any age, like me...
We'll keep in touch and good luck, man !
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HAPPY NEW YEAR... guys !
(^_^)
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Happy New Year to all!...
Thank you, Ted68! That's why your diary caught my attention and I think you hit the nail on the head my friend, the rest is history. You just need to be a little more patient, good luck!
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Hey Ted68, was it possible to have shorten the tibia instead of bone graft and plating?
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Happy New Year Ted! Hope things are on track to get better!
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Hey Ted68, was it possible to have shorten the tibia instead of bone graft and plating?
Hey, man...
Dr Birkholz suggested me to remove nails and put external frames, so i correct all deformities every day, plus graft... and to go back maybe 1 cm and elongate again slowly. The problem is that my right tibia started to get more callus and the right fibula got full callus already. So, was complicated and I should keep those frames for 6 months on my legs, and more scars and infections...
Dr Gokhan decided thta is better to have plates instead, plus graft and to correct everything in one surgery.
Anyhow, the graft was a must, otherwise I could have non union on the frontal size of bothe tibias !
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Happy New Year Ted! Hope things are on track to get better!
I hope for a better New Year for you, man !
Yes, I hope it will be all better from now...
Thank you
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Did you go to Dr Birkholtz for a 2nd opinion?
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Did you go to Dr Birkholtz for a 2nd opinion?
Yes, I did, as I explained above...
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Hey, man...
Dr Birkholz suggested me to remove nails and put external frames, so i correct all deformities every day, plus graft... and to go back maybe 1 cm and elongate again slowly. The problem is that my right tibia started to get more callus and the right fibula got full callus already. So, was complicated and I should keep those frames for 6 months on my legs, and more scars and infections...
Dr Gokhan decided thta is better to have plates instead, plus graft and to correct everything in one surgery.
Anyhow, the graft was a must, otherwise I could have non union on the frontal size of bothe tibias !
The graft was not a must. You should have tried teriparatide first, which Dr Gokhan probably does not even know exists.
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The graft was not a must. You should have tried teriparatide first, which Dr Gokhan probably does not even know exists.
You always accused somebody, me, doctors, etc... and i always been nice with you. But now is too much !
Are you an orthopedist ?... FOR SURE NOT !... So how you dare to contradict a doctor ?
I said very clear that i was talking with my doctor, with dr Birkholz and with dr Donghoon and they ALL said i need graft, otherwise i will have non-union.
And how you dare to say dr. Gokhan "not even heard about Teriparatide" ?... He knows million things that you never heard about and you will never understand, believe me !
My doctor told me, which i knew already, that Forteo (Teriparatide) doesnt help in building callus. That medicine is good only for strengthening the bone that you have, especially in osteoporosis cases !... which, obviously, you have no idea about !
So, please, dont bother me anymore !.... Post your incompetency somewhere else !
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The graft was not a must. You should have tried teriparatide first, which Dr Gokhan probably does not even know exists.
we're here to follow Ted68's journal to learn something and be prepared for our own. asking questions and phrasing things in a matter of learning is one thing but to speak the way you do is combative and asinine. I've learned a lot reading keeping up with his journal, don't ruin it for us subscribers. go somewhere else with your ego.
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1. How many nights were you at the hospital before you moved to hotel after the bone graft surgery?
2. How many nights were you at the hotel before you travel home?
3. Are you able to weight bear a little bit with a walker/crutches?
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1. How many nights were you at the hospital before you moved to hotel after the bone graft surgery?
2. How many nights were you at the hotel before you travel home?
3. Are you able to weight bear a little bit with a walker/crutches?
Hey, Bob.
I detailed all these after coming back home, but i will repeat for you:
1 - 3 nights
2 - 7 nights
3 - Yes, i can walk with canes and walker, but with big pain. The pain from plates is totally different.
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Hey, Bob.
I detailed all these after coming back home, but i will repeat for you:
1 - 3 nights
2 - 7 nights
3 - Yes, i can walk with canes and walker, but with big pain. The pain from plates is totally different.
Thanks Ted68.
Best
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Hey Ted68.
What is the name of the hospital that you did your surgery in January 2024, and was it a good hospital?
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Hey Ted68.
What is the name of the hospital that you did your surgery in January 2024, and was it a good hospital?
Sorry, Bob, but i wrote all these details in the 8-th page and i dont like to repeat. All you have is to read it...
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20 Jan 2024 - One month from my 4-th surgery
- My bones looks to be ok
- I have a slight knock knees, but i knew that right after surgery
- I still change my plasters every 3 days, with Betadine
- I can walk with canes and walker, but in the first minute I have an unbearable pain. The pain in plates is so different !
- I take Calcium, D3, Colagen, Multi minerals and Vit C
- My urethra is still damaged and I have sudden peeing sensation. I took for 10 days Metilene Blue when I arrived home... and today I started again. I just hate Turkey they dont have ANY medicine with Metilene Blue for urinary, because I should take it when I stayed in Turkey, right after surgery... not now !
- And something I forgot to tell you is that I broke a ligament to my little right toe, hitting my toe to a table leg... so my doctor put a pin in my toe hoping he will fix it somehow... but I dont know if will be really fixed. Doctor didnt cut my skin to see the ligament, he only pulled from outside the ligament and hold the broken end with the stuck pin.
Here you see few pictures...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8cjASNbhtDtY3MvB7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kcnAjdkS35SEwDk3A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/3XyU7xEnUopqN5tH8
I stayed with this pin for one month and I had to be sure i get no infections. Also, was hard to use shoes, slippers, etc.
Now I have to remove it. I will do it with my hand these days...
- Overall, now I am waiting for the callus to develop well and deep on my tibias and I hope the pain will decrease... because it is unbelievable high !... When I stand up, for first steps I am screaming !... and this is happening many times a day and the pain feels to be worse and worse every day, not less...
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Oh man, seems like you have been through a lot. Hopefully it will get better in the coming weeks as you recover! Did you join that other chat I told you about?
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Oh man, seems like you have been through a lot. Hopefully it will get better in the coming weeks as you recover! Did you join that other chat I told you about?
Hi, DDD... yes, I am member alaready, but i didnt talk with anybody there.
You'll find me with the same nickname...
Thank you
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.
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And how you dare to say dr. Gokhan "not even heard about Teriparatide" ?... He knows million things that you never heard about and you will never understand, believe me !
My doctor told me, which i knew already, that Forteo (Teriparatide) doesnt help in building callus. That medicine is good only for strengthening the bone that you, especially in osteoporosis cases !... which, obviously, you have no idea about !
So, please, dont bother me anymore !.... Post your incompetency somewhere else !
Your doctor, who knows a million things, still told you something that is flat-out wrong.
There is quite some evidence that teriparatide helps in cases of non-union. It does quite often initiate callus formation and does not "just help you with the bone you already have". Dr. Birkholtz started using it a lot on his patients. There is even a diary of non-union (diary name: brickbrains) on the d server. The guy had non-union. 1 month after starting teriparatide the bone started to grow. He is now fully weight-bearing 4 months after starting it. It is a safe drug with no side effects if used correctly. Def. safer and cheaper than mounting plates, which are now causing you all this pain.
Some evidence:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6977176/
https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06278-0
https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06278-0
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36906529/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31992929/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37187628/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25297667/
But feel free to rest in the illusion that your doctor knows a million things and is highly competent - You should have long recovered by now. Despite my aggressive tone earlier, I am quite empathetic towards you and wish you a quick recovery.
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Your doctor, who knows a million things, still told you something that is flat-out wrong.
There is quite some evidence that teriparatide helps in cases of non-union. It does quite often initiate callus formation and does not "just help you with the bone you already have". Dr. Birkholtz started using it a lot on his patients. There is even a diary of non-union (diary name: brickbrains) on the d server. The guy had non-union. 1 month after starting teriparatide the bone started to grow. He is now fully weight-bearing 4 months after starting it. It is a safe drug with no side effects if used correctly. Def. safer and cheaper than mounting plates, which are now causing you all this pain.
Some evidence:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6977176/
https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06278-0
https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06278-0
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36906529/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31992929/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37187628/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25297667/
But feel free to rest in the illusion that your doctor knows a million things and is highly competent - You should have long recovered by now. Despite my aggressive tone earlier, I am quite empathetic towards you and wish you a quick recovery.
Hey, ROTZ
I know you are worried and i appreciate that...
The problem is that FORSTEO is a strong medicine and it can turn bad my endocrine system.
As long as no doctor asked me to take it, that means i dont need it.
The graft should be enough for me to build the callus...
And, about the mounting plates, maybe you didnt read my detailed explanation, but i had many problems, not only the non-union. So, the plates or external frames + graft, was the only solution.
Forsteo is only a help, but much slower than graft, which is the ultimate and best way to create callus.
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hey ted can you fill us in on what’s happened so far has your walking gotten better have you felt better? let us know i’ve been reading ur diary for a couple days now
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hey ted can you fill us in on what’s happened so far has your walking gotten better have you felt better? let us know i’ve been reading ur diary for a couple days now
Hi, Footer.
I dont really understand what you want to know exactly, extra than I already wrote.
Just ask me clearly every question, so I can answer you...
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Hi Ted, how's it going now? Any updates?
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Hi Ted, how's it going now? Any updates?
Hi, DDD...
I am a bit better. The atrocious pain decrease, so now i can walk easier with canes and walker. But still using wheelchair...
Its visible the tibial callus formation, because i feel pain in the gap and the frontal tibia got deformed in the callus area.
In 3 days will be 2 months since surgery, so soon i will do another x-ray...
Here is cold outside, so i stay home like a good boy all the time and few friends provide me all i need...
Thank you
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hi ted is there any update?