Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[crubatm]

Anyone know how I can get approved for limb-lengthening in Canada? My brief back story: I'm 27 y/o, male, and haven’t grown any taller since 13 y/o. I have jumpers-knee (/Osgood Schlatters disease) in both knees and the growth plate area in my knees were always in pain almost immediately while doing exercise (I played a lot of basketball, also saw a physiotherapist and did exercises to 'heal' my knee issues but they didn't help), I always got very poor sleep growing up (constantly couldn’t sleep/woken up by my abusers, but that’s another story), and I’m constantly miserable over my height...it literally absorbs my day and my motivation from doing anything b/c I feel inferior to anyone and anything that could even give me a slight chance of hope to be good in. It’s literally on my mind 99% of the day. I’m not medically classified as dwarf (I’m 5’9; I understand this is considered average height in some parts of the world but it literally plagues my everyday living, despite even having got into amazing physical shape+getting a fashion modelling job, going to therapy, taking self defense courses). Would getting in touch with the necessary doctors and telling them my story be the best bet? Should I mention anything else to doctors that’s important? I am nowhere near able to financially afford the surgery outright - could it be financially covered by Canadian health care? If u have any type of experience with limb lengthening/the process of it in Canada your input would be immensely appreciated!

[Stryde4Success]

Hi crubatm,

As a start, you can have a consultation with Dr. Marie Gdalevich in Montreal.  She has done a few cases, and was trained by Dr. Paley.  She only works with Precice 2/Stryde and she requires distraction to be done on site, unlike Dr Deb, Dr. Mahb. and Dr. Roz.  I had a paid consultation with her, but I am unsure if I want to actually undergo this surgery, considering costs as well as risks and recovery times.  FYI, I'm 170 cm and my goal would be 6.5 cm.  My consultation was C$250.

http://drmarieg.com/procedures/internal-limb-lengthening-precice-nail/

[Cpl2012]

Hi crubatm,

As a start, you can have a consultation with Dr. Marie Gdalevich in Montreal.  She has done a few cases, and was trained by Dr. Paley.  She only works with Precice 2/Stryde and she requires distraction to be done on site, unlike Dr Deb, Dr. Mahb. and Dr. Roz.  I had a paid consultation with her, but I am unsure if I want to actually undergo this surgery, considering costs as well as risks and recovery times.  FYI, I'm 170 cm and my goal would be 6.5 cm.  My consultation was C$250.

http://drmarieg.com/procedures/internal-limb-lengthening-precice-nail/

Hi Stryde4success donyou have any info about thr cost ?

[Stryde4Success]

Hi Cpl2012,

Yes, I believe it was C$85,000 for precice 2, and C$95,000 with Stryde.  She had done 7-8 CLL in the last 2 years, Stryde just got approved in Canada this year, so the price for stryde was just her estimate.  Currency and other factors being considered, its broadly same cost as Dr. Deb or Dr. Mahb. -> I would say someone in the U.S. should just stick to the U.S. while someone in Canada might consider her, especially if you live in Eastern Canada.  She said there is a cultural familiarity and reassurance from Canadians looking after Canadians which is a factor why patients choose her, but most of her patients also consult with Dr Paley, Roz, or other N.A. ones before choosing her.

Keep in mind alot of the big names in CLL are Canadian, i.e. Dr. Paley and Dr. Deb.

All in, she is probably slightly cheaper than the U.S. ones at today's exchange rates, but its so small that I wouldnt use that as a consideration.

[Dope]

Never considered LL doctors in Canada. There are no dairys, so are they inexprienced?

[Dope]

Oh so not that bad! I'm still skkeptical but hopefully a few dairies come out in the future before I can do it.

[Dope]

Hi Cpl2012,

Yes, I believe it was C$85,000 for precice 2, and C$95,000 with Stryde.  She had done 7-8 CLL in the last 2 years, Stryde just got approved in Canada this year, so the price for stryde was just her estimate.  Currency and other factors being considered, its broadly same cost as Dr. Deb or Dr. Mahb. -> I would say someone in the U.S. should just stick to the U.S. while someone in Canada might consider her, especially if you live in Eastern Canada.  She said there is a cultural familiarity and reassurance from Canadians looking after Canadians which is a factor why patients choose her, but most of her patients also consult with Dr Paley, Roz, or other N.A. ones before choosing her.

Keep in mind alot of the big names in CLL are Canadian, i.e. Dr. Paley and Dr. Deb.

All in, she is probably slightly cheaper than the U.S. ones at today's exchange rates, but its so small that I wouldnt use that as a consideration.

C$ is CAD right?

[Stryde4Success]

Correct C$ is cad.

[crubatm]

"" Hi crubatm,

As a start, you can have a consultation with Dr. Marie Gdalevich in Montreal.  She has done a few cases, and was trained by Dr. Paley.  She only works with Precice 2/Stryde and she requires distraction to be done on site, unlike Dr Deb, Dr. Mahb. and Dr. Roz.  I had a paid consultation with her, but I am unsure if I want to actually undergo this surgery, considering costs as well as risks and recovery times.  FYI, I'm 170 cm and my goal would be 6.5 cm.  My consultation was C$250.

http://drmarieg.com/procedures/internal-limb-lengthening-precice-nail/ ""



Hey Stryde4Success, thanks for mentioning this! Any major things that stood out from the consultation (e.g. recovery time, likelihood of gaining full mobility/athleticism after the surgery rehab) ? Were u referred to Dr. Gdalevich by your family doctor, or did u book the consultation with her on your own? Also, if u don't mind sharing, do u have any knee/bone issues (i.e. would your case/surgery be classified as correcting a type of deformity, or as cosmetic) ? My research is still limited on it but apparently in Canada cosmetic vs deformity is the main difference between whether having to pay full price for the surgery or having it (at least in part) covered under our health care.
Thanks for your time!

[Stryde4Success]

Hi Crubatm,

No, nothing in particular stood out during the consultation.  Knowing how big (and potentially dangerous) this procedure was, I was on the lookout if she said anything that would have been "too good to be true".  Pretty much what she said about recovery times was what you hear from the diaries and the stryde north american surgeons, although she mentioned that for light patients, it was okay to use precice rods and you could still be weight bearing.  She mentions keeping fairly regular contact with Paley and that stryde was a "game changer".

I found Dr. Gdalevich through google, Canadian family doctors are likely to refer you to a shrink if you mention this (not that I actually even went to my doctor).

This surgery would be purely cosmetic in my case, and is not covered by insurance.  In general, this type of surgery is still more stigmatized in Canada relative to the U.S. where its slowly gaining social acceptance.  If you look at the threashold of it being covered under US insurance, its probably much higher under our social healthcare system.  Also to help you out along with your research, cosmetic plastic surgery is not tax deductible.