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[goldenegg]

Hi Unicorn, please ignore tibike's comments like I hope most other users do. he's just an angry dude and has no idea what he's talking about most of the time. internet is full of those types unfortunately...

Anyways, glad to hear that you're upbeat and doing ok! I had no idea that callus could even go backwards from not using your leg enough, but glad to hear that the bone is growing again. I hope everything goes smoothly for you with the next surgery. Best of luck! 

[TIBIKE200]

Getting attacked by monegal patients  and guichet patients... Typical.. You have a non union and you said that you will get injected with bone marrow which is a last step before a bone graft.. Again, wanna be happy about it? Fine.. I am not happy for it (for you... Btw, I didn't even blame guichet for the non union, nor did I say he cant fix it..).

. From your reaction, its clear you are an unstable person (just like most llers when you think about it).
. Happy to see llcaptain is back... Just like almost all monegal patients, he discredit all critisism...

[goldenegg]

From your reaction, its clear you are an unstable person (just like most llers when you think about it).

I don't think you even realize who's the unstable one in this scenario. the lady is being upfront and sharing her complications with the forum while trying to keep optimistic. And now she has to defend herself from you attacking her literally in her own diary. regardless of your opinion on doctors, your social awareness is just so awful man.

I'll leave it at that. sorry unicorn if I'm feeding his trolling in your diary. I'm usually better about ignoring this kinda stuff 

[jbc]

This is really, incredibly sad.

What's interesting is that Unicorn gave us so much data about her experience throughout her journey. She took the time to email and inform other members - myself included. I can tell you that the data points Unicorn provided me were crucial to my decision making in regards to my upcoming procedure. And now she's being attacked, for what, exactly?

TBIKE, you owe her an apology, and in general, quite a few of the folks here. I'm pretty certain you're not in a position to determine whether someone is unstable for desiring CLL. I'm certain medical opinion has done that for you in classifying this condition as height dysphoria, not mental instability. Honestly. I thought you were better than that.

[jbc]

Also, to hopefully get this thread back to a positive note:

Thank you Unicorn for your contributions to the forum, as well as for taking the time to answer our questions - especially during the excruciating process of your lengthening. Enjoy your new height and I wish you nothing but the best, get well soon!!

-jbc

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Thanks JBC! 

In truth, you'll see... once you get to your height, nobody can take that achievement away

Hence, all the criticisms in the world won't shake my new 5'6" frame!  This is about realising a lifelong dream and hell be damned if I got so easily discouraged.

It's important that we continue to share our experiences, learn from and support each other on this forum.

[Annalisa]

Hello, Unicorn. I'm  very happy to see you posting again. I was starting to worry a little. You share a lot of useful info with us, you could easily  not caring and dedicating your time to healing only. You're kind enough to share your experience and give hope and advices to the many others people who share your own great dream. Please, ignore any negative comments. We all know that this operation has risks, being positive and resilients is the only way we can survive it. Self-pitying doesn't solve anything. Because of my non perfect grasp of english, I'm having some difficulties understading the bone lack discussion. Have you had a bone reduction due to your fracture? How it happened? It seem strange the reduction would be so much, to needing a graft.

[assa13ssin]

wow unicorn! nice to see you back... can you tell us what happened all this time??

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Hello, Unicorn. I'm  very happy to see you posting again. I was starting to worry a little. You share a lot of useful info with us, you could easily  not caring and dedicating your time to healing only. You're kind enough to share your experience and give hope and advices to the many others people who share your own great dream. Please, ignore any negative comments. We all know that this operation has risks, being positive and resilients is the only way we can survive it. Self-pitying doesn't solve anything. Because of my non perfect grasp of english, I'm having some difficulties understading the bone lack discussion. Have you had a bone reduction due to your fracture? How it happened? It seem strange the reduction would be so much, to needing a graft.

Hi Annalisa,

Good to hear from you!  How are you deciding on your lengthening?

Firstly, I am not doing a bone graft.  Guichet is suggesting a marrow injection to stimulate faster growth.
My bone consolidation is slow on my lengthened right leg (he says can take up to 6 months).  And I think me being 41 and female have something to do with it.

Sometime before December on my last X-ray, it looked like the bone got resorbed (I didn't know that can happen - but it did - it means whatever little calluses you developed got absorbed back by your body) but my left leg that had the fracture in August and didn't get lengthened, is fully healed.

So it is strange that one leg heals perfectly and the other doesn't.  And the one healing perfectly is the fractured one, whereas the perfect one is not healing.  Ahhhhhhh!   The conundrum but we shall cross one bridge at a time

Guichet's theory is that it could be my bad walking/exercising habit...  because one leg is short and one leg is long, I put all my weight on the short one and do not bear weight/use my long leg.  Hence, my short left leg formed bones and healed very quickly.

This theory is further proven by the fact that while I was on holiday, I consciously walked much more using my right leg, and my new X-rays show new calluses/bones being formed.

So the conclusion is yes, bearing weight and adding stress to your legs (within safe limits) do promote bone growth and healing    That's why I was so surprised that my vanished bones grew back ) 

And there are other factors which can be determined by blood tests (as another patient kindly shared with me) where one could suffer from poor circulation and blood flow issues, which can affect the healing process.

Does this make more sense?   Let me know if you guys have questions.

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

wow unicorn! nice to see you back... can you tell us what happened all this time??

Hi assa13ssin,

I'm serious    I got banned from the forum (with no end date, it still says).  So I just gave up trying to get in after a while.  I was able to get in recently through Safari.  I missed reading all your diaries.

Before the holidays while I wasn't posting, I began to walk without crutches.  I got terribly excited and was brave enough to venture outside with a walking stick.  I had a massive 10cm pelvic tilt that eventually got straightened out.

I was hoping by mid November, Guichet could operate on my left leg (osteotomy) so that I can restart my lengthening.  The X-rays at the time showed that the left leg fracture was fully healed.  I was ecstatic.  I was dreaming to lengthen during xmas vacation and be done by New Year's (6 weeks).

However, Guichet wouldn't operate on me because my right leg (the lengthened leg) had bones/calluses that disappeared/resorbed.  So he preferred to err on the safe side and advised me to walk on my right leg while on holiday.  And worse still, I had to go back to crutches as he didn't want me to take any risks. 

I was crushed.

During my vacation, my avid walking caused 2 short-term crisis'.  I had a nerve pull very close to my right knee, that I couldn't stand/walk for 2 days. 

Then, my right pin started to stab my hip - I freaked out.  I probably could massage myself with a giant magnet!  It disappeared after several days.  I was told that when you go through such an invasive surgery, your tissues, nerves, internal machinery get muddled around - random aches and pains are to be expected.

Our small group of Guichet patients/classmates on group chat are still discovering new aches and pains...  so, beware!   This is a gift that keeps on giving 

[Annalisa]

I'm surprised your problem is with the lengthened leg, while the leg you was worried about, it's perfectly fine.Kind ironic. I can't grasp my mind on the bones disappearing. How can it be possible? I'm very confused at the moment. Regarding the blood low circulation issues, I know I've got this kind of problem because of sedentary lifestyle. The preparatory training could solve it, right? Which kind of complications could it cause during the lengthening?

If it were for me, I would go to Guichet tomorrow, but money are by biggest problem and I'm trying to overcome gigantic hurdles in order to reach a solution. I think that after all the problems I'm having to being able to do this operation, the lengthening part will be a piece of cake, complications included lol

[helloworld]

Guichet seems to subscribe a lot of suplements, so he probably subscribed the amino acids lysine, arginine and glutamine.
If he did not you could ask him about it and read this article:
http://www.betterbones.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/speedhealing.pdf

I take all of those amino acids and seem to have very good bone formation.
Lysine:
http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/l-lysine/10529480.html?autocomplete=productsuggestion&settingsSaved=Y&shippingcountry=GB&switchcurrency=GBP&affil=thgemail&countrySelected=Y

Arginine:
http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate-aakg/10529763.html

Glutamine:
http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/l-glutamine/10636931.html

[Annalisa]

Also, very happy to know that, as a female, I will have more problems. My usual fortune

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Guichet seems to subscribe a lot of suplements, so he probably subscribed the amino acids lysine, arginine and glutamine.
If he did not you could ask him about it and read this article:
http://www.betterbones.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/speedhealing.pdf

I take all of those amino acids and seem to have very good bone formation.
Lysine:
http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/l-lysine/10529480.html?autocomplete=productsuggestion&settingsSaved=Y&shippingcountry=GB&switchcurrency=GBP&affil=thgemail&countrySelected=Y

Arginine:
http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate-aakg/10529763.html

Glutamine:
http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/l-glutamine/10636931.html

Thanks Helloworld!  He doesn't surprisingly.  He says walking 2 hours a day solves everything, while trying not to commit suicide with too many pills.  Very spartan doctor!!!

But yes, we have an osteopath as well who prescribes all these and one of our fellow lengtheners shared it with me too!

Gotta try it all

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

I'm surprised your problem is with the lengthened leg, while the leg you was worried about, it's perfectly fine.Kind ironic. I can't grasp my mind on the bones disappearing. How can it be possible? I'm very confused at the moment. Regarding the blood low circulation issues, I know I've got this kind of problem because of sedentary lifestyle. The preparatory training could solve it, right? Which kind of complications could it cause during the lengthening?

If it were for me, I would go to Guichet tomorrow, but money are by biggest problem and I'm trying to overcome gigantic hurdles in order to reach a solution. I think that after all the problems I'm having to being able to do this operation, the lengthening part will be a piece of cake, complications included lol

You don't have to worry Annalisa.  Circulation and blood flow problems can actually be discovered via blood tests early on, and they could be congenital/inherited diseases vs lifestyle habits.

Hence, if you test positive for these - you might encounter problems healing and consolidating.

Lengthening is such an individual procedure, EVERYONE has a different and unexpected experience and reaction to it.  So it is difficult to predict   But better safe than sorry

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Also, very happy to know that, as a female, I will have more problems. My usual fortune

Again, you can never tell

One of our previous classmates who had surgery in June is almost anorexic.  Weighing barely 40kg BUT she managed to get to 7.5cm and healed perfectly.  Better still, she skipped a ton of PTs too

She's 31 so there you go, 10 years younger than moi!  Makes a giant difference, even if female!

So there's hope yet, for all of us

....except if you're female, over 40+, have long short legs, magic disappearing bones and a disgruntled cat... 

[Mtall]

Hi Unicorn! Glad to see you back!
By re-absorption of the bone, do you mean that you lost the height gained? What exactly does reabsorbed bone mean?

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Hi Unicorn! Glad to see you back!
By re-absorption of the bone, do you mean that you lost the height gained? What exactly does reabsorbed bone mean?

Hi Mtall!

No, I didn't lose my lengthened height

Bone resorption means the calluses that were growing around my 7.5cm lengthened gap diminished mid November, when I wasn't putting stress on that leg.

But after my vacation, the calluses started growing strong again, so hopefully, it keeps on growing until both parts join. 

I'm converting my X-ray discs to jpeg.  When I do, I'll post it from Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec.  That way, you guys can see how at one point, it became less...

But now, it's back    So it's a big lesson for me that after completing lengthening, I have to put pressure on the leg, stress it or weight bear so that the bones are forced to grow.

Having a nurse serving me full time and having one shorter leg that I can rely on, made me not use that leg.  Also, Guichet thinks my lean diet of bone broth at night with dark greens is not substantial enough.  He put me on a diet of yoghurt water, cheeses, meats and protein shakes.  So maybe that helped too

Does this make sense?

[1683131665]

Hi Unicorn
I am a newcomer, please allow me to use poor English conversation with you.
Can you speak Chinese? It will make our communication easier.Your diary is very helpful to me.
Maybe I will meet you this year.

[Multifaceted]

I am Chinese too, Shanghainese to be more specific. Which province are you from?

[Annalisa]

Well, if the low blood circulation is due to lifestyle, some month of hard training, will solve the problem. Working out improve the blood circulation.  You're right about the fact we can't really know how our journey will be. We know when we start, but have no idea how and when we will be done. How tall was the 31 years old girl you're talking about? Do you often meet the others Guichet patients? Must to be nice to get to know people who are having your same experience.

Another thing that puzzles me is, how can your parents and friends not noting your legs aren't well? Have you made-up some incident story? XD

[assa13ssin]

Wow.... but it is so nice to have you back among us... you have one of the best diaries out there... you mean classmates are finding new problems with the G nail everyday?? So what is Dr G planning for you right now? Wait more months before another surgery?

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Hi Unicorn
I am a newcomer, please allow me to use poor English conversation with you.
Can you speak Chinese? It will make our communication easier.Your diary is very helpful to me.
Maybe I will meet you this year.

Hi there!

Welcome!  I cannot speak mandarin chinese unfortunately   Happy to meet when you're in London.  Take care!

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Well, if the low blood circulation is due to lifestyle, some month of hard training, will solve the problem. Working out improve the blood circulation.  You're right about the fact we can't really know how our journey will be. We know when we start, but have no idea how and when we will be done. How tall was the 31 years old girl you're talking about? Do you often meet the others Guichet patients? Must to be nice to get to know people who are having your same experience.

Another thing that puzzles me is, how can your parents and friends not noting your legs aren't well? Have you made-up some incident story? XD

The 31-year old girl started at 154cm, so she got to 161cm successfully. 

Yes, we're (Guichet's group) all on a group chat, and we meet up during PT everyday and stay in touch after lengthening.  The thing is after the 60 days of lengthening in London with Guichet/PT/Isokinetic etc etc etc. when you leave London, you're still using crutches or learning how to walk very slowly.  It still takes another 2 months to get to normal walking (not zombie like).  So you need to be realistic that when you return to your normal life, you'll still be working hard to walk normally. 

It depends on how much you lengthen (the more you lengthen, the longer it takes to heal) and how fast you heal (which can depend on age and gender).

My parents and friends saw me with crutches - but I was walking smoothly with crutches and not hopping painfully.  So they just think it's a part of post-surgery healing.  And what story did I feed them?  For my parents, I told them I had bow legged thighs, so I had my bones straightened   It's nonsense I know.  For some friends, I told them I fell in a rock climbing accident which broke both my femurs...  I'm sooooo going to hell for spinning these stories.  But I cannot really tell them the truth - they'll see this surgery as a whopping waste of money, an unnecessary health risk and unforgivingly vain     That's why I feel the need to lie...    

I took first class on the 12hr flight and BA wheelchaired me everywhere from check-in all the way to arrivals car pick-up.  I'm grateful that there're so much faciliities and assistance to help you travel.  Anyone doing it in London and needing to return home before full recovery, can do so with ease and comfort.

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Wow.... but it is so nice to have you back among us... you have one of the best diaries out there... you mean classmates are finding new problems with the G nail everyday?? So what is Dr G planning for you right now? Wait more months before another surgery?

Thanks assa13ssin!  I'm sharing my story so that anyone venturing into this procedure gets as much information as possible.  I might have a very complicated lengthening, but at least, you'll know the worst case scenario to expect

As for finding problems with the G nail, it's not due to the nail but more the healing process.  You can expect to get random pains and aches from time to time.  As long as they go away after a couple of days.  I cannot even explain how or why it happens, it just does because your bones and body have undergone quite an invasive surgery and lengthening process.  Lots of soft tissue have been moved around, stretched, grown and internal scars have been formed etc to get you back to normal.

Guichet's going to see me next week to discuss left leg lengthening.  He can do it first week of February.  It's an outpatient surgery since the G nail is already inside my femur.  So he just needs to break my left leg so that I can start the lengthening process.  He wants me to lengthen at a slower rate this time around.  I was achieving 1mm per day on my right leg and I had no lengthening pain.  So Guichet thinks this speed has been too fast for my soft tissues and bones to heal.

And depending on how much calluses/bones have formed on my right lengthened leg, he might give me a marrow injection to stimulate growth and healing.

I have waited months for the left leg surgery (since September) but Guichet wasn't ready to start my lengthening until my previous fracture is fully healed.  So it has taken a good 4 months (Sep-Jan) for my bones to be stable, healed, consolidated and strong enough to be REBROKEN again for lengthening.

Sounds terrifying, no?  It's less scary when it's your own body   You'll always feel like, "eh no problem, I can handle anything as long as I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...  I shall persevere and make this dream come true

[Annalisa]

Well, hope your friends and parents don't talk with each others and find out you have told them different things. Otherwise,you'll be in big troubles lol

Well, if yours is the worst case scenario, I cand handle it. It is taking you much more than expected, but you seem on the path of a realizing your dreams without bad  permanent consequences.

Since you will lengthening slower, in which months do you think will you finish?

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

Hi everyone

As promised, here are all my xrays from the initial surgery until this week.  I'll be going for surgery next Wednesday and Guichet's charging me £9k for it.  So yes, he's a l'il blood sucker!

Anyways, I tried to preserve the quality of the images so that you can observe the calluses growing and bone consolidating - click to enlarge.

Keeping my fingers super crossed for Wednesday!    Hope you'll find this helpful.


RIGHT LEG



JULY 2016 (Guichet clicks 1cm during surgery)



SEPTEMBER 2016 (Lengthened to 7cm)



NOVEMBER 2016 (Calluses appear to have resorbed/less than October)



DECEMBER 2016 (Calluses growing back - see the long smoky fingers?)



JANUARY 2017 (Long smoky fingers reaching out to each other)




LEFT LEG



JULY 2016 (Guichet clicks 1cm during surgery)



AUGUST 2016 (At fracture, the lengthened gap collapsed)



SEPTEMBER 2016 (After 2nd surgery, pin is nailed lower on a new site)



NOVEMBER 2016 (Awaiting bone consolidation - still tiny gaps)



DECEMBER 2016 (Consolidating)



JANUARY 2017 (Consolidated)




SURGERY - DRILLING AND OSTEOTOMY

[assa13ssin]

hi unicorn!!

really hope this is the end of the tunnel for you!!!
how long will be your LL this time?

Hi everyone

As promised, here are all my xrays from the initial surgery until this week.  I'll be going for surgery next Wednesday and Guichet's charging me £9k for it.  So yes, he's a l'il blood sucker!

Anyways, I tried to preserve the quality of the images so that you can observe the calluses growing and bone consolidating - click to enlarge.

Keeping my fingers super crossed for Wednesday!    Hope you'll find this helpful.


RIGHT LEG



JULY 2016 (Guichet clicks 1cm during surgery)



SEPTEMBER 2016 (Lengthened to 7cm)



NOVEMBER 2016 (Calluses appear to have resorbed/less than October)



DECEMBER 2016 (Calluses growing back - see the long smoky fingers?)



JANUARY 2017 (Long smoky fingers reaching out to each other)




LEFT LEG



JULY 2016 (Guichet clicks 1cm during surgery)



AUGUST 2016 (At fracture, the lengthened gap collapsed)



SEPTEMBER 2016 (After 2nd surgery, pin is nailed lower on a new site)



NOVEMBER 2016 (Awaiting bone consolidation - still tiny gaps)



DECEMBER 2016 (Consolidating)



JANUARY 2017 (Consolidated)




SURGERY - DRILLING AND OSTEOTOMY

[assa13ssin]

hi unicorn, also you recommend the PREGNANCY PILLOW £24.50 - U-Shape Body Support Pillow.... but is it ok for Dr Guichet to have his patients sleep in that position?? I mean on the side??

[M]

Hey Unicorn,

Congrats to you. I'm a former Guichet patient myself. 5'6'' is sexy for a female! I would love to date you! I'm only 5'9'' though.
Be honest ... is that too short for you now? haha 

-M

[Unicorn888 by Elaine Foo]

hi unicorn, also you recommend the PREGNANCY PILLOW £24.50 - U-Shape Body Support Pillow.... but is it ok for Dr Guichet to have his patients sleep in that position?? I mean on the side??

Hi Assa13ssin,

In the first 2-3 weeks, you cannot really turn on your side or sleep on your tummy.  But after that, if that's your normal way of sleeping, you would want to try   Just because sleeping is soooo difficult and you have your established habits.

The pregnancy pillow is not worth it.  It's too high and too bulky, so you can forget it  

I've always slept on my side.  So trying to sleep on my back with the bed lifted on one end to drain, was really difficult.  What helped a lot was a heat pad to alleviate back and shoulder pains, from strain and overcompensation.

If you've always slept on your back, then you should be GOLD )