Topic: Dr. Rozbruch stryde 27th Jan 2021! (Read 4512 times)

Chemistryde · « **Reply #31 on:** February 05, 2021, 03:59:03 AM »

Thanks (GOOD) Vibes!

Thanks L8GrowthSpurt =) I'll checkout your PM, and all other PMs tomorrow once I have laptop access.

Lengthening Day1 and Day2 Update:
Total Lengthened 0.2*4 + 0.2*4 = 1.6mm

Both yesterday and today have been okay so far. I had to take 2 oxys yesterday and zero oxys today (Note that I am also on meloxicam 1x a day which helps with pain)
Same routine: was able to shower, move in out of bed, move in out of wheelchair and use the restroom independently. (However I needed my brothers help to get me up on the bed the last time, my legs were too tired).

I signed in to my work account and cancelled my vacation, yes I am planning to start work tomorrow. I have realized that I am watching Shameless for more than 9 hours a day in a single position, so I am just going to work for those 9 hours instead in the same position, nothing changes. The other 15 hours shall be used for PT, moving, sleeping, cribbing (

)

I did have some pain on my upper left femur yesterday due to rotating yesterday, so I have not rotated yet and I am planning to defer that exercise to mornings 9:00 am so that meloxicam (10am) helps take care of that pain.

On 2/3 I lengthened at 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm.
On 2/4 I lengthened at 12:00 pm, 3pm, 6pm and 11:30pm(pending)
Pain after lengthenting was Nil, but I am assuming that this is just the beginning and as lengthening increases so will the pain.

I have decided to fly from NYC back to Redmond on 2/18 after my first post op appointment on 2/16. The plan after that is to have alternate appointments (virtual and in-person) for the next 3 months. The hospital next to my house in redmond as reasonable employee discounts for radiology. I am also planning to buy some sort of special chair which will allow me to orient my legs in whichever way I want while working once I reach back. You guys can save a lot of money by not staying in a hotel in NYC and also having someone to help you here. The rates for everything are crazy and I just order food worth 40 bucks everyday for me and my brother. Once I move to redmond I'll save a lot of money, have more room to move around and not be stuck in a hotel room, have 3 monitors to work on and do justice to the eye, and will also have much comfortable mattresses and chairs to live on.

Right now, one minor hiccup is that I am not able to flex my knee to 90 degrees -- sitting (which Dr. Rozbruch says I should be able to) so I am constantly working on that. The hope is that with more work, and more chair time this will improve.

The other issue is my constipation

I need the regular dose of senna that HSS ordered + Miralax -- 1 adult dose which the hospital recommended in case the senna is not enough. I hope this will improve once I move around more and sit up more during work.

I spent roughly 2 hours on a wheelchair today, trimmed my beard, shaved, and just moved around in the hotel room trying to arrange my stuff/make coffee without my brothers help. My plan is to not walk unaided and not even try until my first post op appointment i.e. 2/16.

Regarding money, I see a charge on my insurance but the claim has not been processed yet. Will let you guys know asap regarding my resposibility + insurance cover. So far 30K has gone out of pocket which was the initial deposit for the surgery.

Chemistryde · « **Reply #32 on:** February 05, 2021, 04:04:25 AM »

I had some questions for the fellow senior members:

Question 1: I have not started any formal PT and am planning to see how I progress with self PT till 2/16. Will post an update if dr. Rozbruch feels my PT was not good enough and recommends professional help. My discharge summary does not say "I need professional PT, and just says the exercises I should do (these are all available on Dr. Rozbruch's website)". So I am going with that for now, In case any of you feel professional PT is better, please reply here on how and why.

Question 2: When I use the ERC, i don't feel a thing till 0.15mm, but at 0.16mm - 0.20mm I feel a weird click in my legs is that normal? Should this be happening throughout the 0.2mm, just want to make sure that magnets are oriented correctly.

Question 3: Can we take the ERC in a flight?

6CMFemurs · « **Reply #33 on:** February 05, 2021, 04:46:48 AM »

Quote from: Chemistryde on February 05, 2021, 04:04:25 AM

I had some questions for the fellow senior members:

Question 1: I have not started any formal PT and am planning to see how I progress with self PT till 2/16. Will post an update if dr. Rozbruch feels my PT was not good enough and recommends professional help. My discharge summary does not say "I need professional PT, and just says the exercises I should do (these are all available on Dr. Rozbruch's website)". So I am going with that for now, In case any of you feel professional PT is better, please reply here on how and why.

Question 2: When I use the ERC, i don't feel a thing till 0.15mm, but at 0.16mm - 0.20mm I feel a weird click in my legs is that normal? Should this be happening throughout the 0.2mm, just want to make sure that magnets are oriented correctly.

Question 3: Can we take the ERC in a flight?

1) Definitely get professional PT and stick to it until you are back to a high level. I stopped PT when I was able to walk again, looking back I wish I had continued.
2) The only way to know if it is working correctly is by X-ray. I felt weird clicks and stuff too when the nail was working and even when the nail stopped working.

Chemistryde · « **Reply #34 on:** February 05, 2021, 05:52:13 AM »

Quote from: 6CMFemurs on February 05, 2021, 04:46:48 AM

2) The only way to know if it is working correctly is by X-ray. I felt weird clicks and stuff too when the nail was working and even when the nail stopped working.

I see, what happened to it and why did it stop working? Were you able to correct with an office visit or was it something more complicated like premature consolidation or something that needed a follow up surgery like nail replacement?

X-rays, yeah I am scheduled for every 2 weeks. Fingers crossed.

BelowTheMean · « **Reply #35 on:** February 05, 2021, 05:58:25 AM »

Quote from: Chemistryde on February 05, 2021, 04:04:25 AM

I had some questions for the fellow senior members:

Question 1: I have not started any formal PT and am planning to see how I progress with self PT till 2/16. Will post an update if dr. Rozbruch feels my PT was not good enough and recommends professional help. My discharge summary does not say "I need professional PT, and just says the exercises I should do (these are all available on Dr. Rozbruch's website)". So I am going with that for now, In case any of you feel professional PT is better, please reply here on how and why.

Question 2: When I use the ERC, i don't feel a thing till 0.15mm, but at 0.16mm - 0.20mm I feel a weird click in my legs is that normal? Should this be happening throughout the 0.2mm, just want to make sure that magnets are oriented correctly.

Question 3: Can we take the ERC in a flight?

1. Get PT. They can stretch you better than you can stretch yourself. They also have all the proper equipment for you to do your stretches and workouts, and they can help point out where you need more work. The exercises and stretches that I've been doing have changed over the course of lengthening as my body recovers.

2. Mine would make clicking sounds while lengthening sometimes (very infrequently) but usually did not. I'm sure I had it in the right position because the ERC was green and I was pushing it into my leg pretty hard. My ERC has been very accurate so far. I think the clicking sounds were most frequent right at the start of lengthening.

3. Yes, as a checked bag. The cost should be free as well since you can check it as a medical device. If you're concerned, you can reach out to your Nuvasive rep to get a certificate that says it's approved for flights. After I flew home with mine, I didn't bring it on any of my return visits.

Chemistryde · « **Reply #36 on:** February 05, 2021, 06:28:02 AM »

Thanks below the mean!

Quick question: weighing in the covid risk with PT, is it okay to wait it out till 2/16 and see progress? Or are these 2 weeks also super crucial?

Regarding ERC, thanks man! He did give me that form yesterday. Looks like I'm all set to fly with it!

6CMFemurs · « **Reply #37 on:** February 05, 2021, 07:04:32 AM »

Quote from: Chemistryde on February 05, 2021, 05:52:13 AM

I see, what happened to it and why did it stop working? Were you able to correct with an office visit or was it something more complicated like premature consolidation or something that needed a follow up surgery like nail replacement?

X-rays, yeah I am scheduled for every 2 weeks. Fingers crossed.

You should be fine. Mine only stopped working when I tried to re-lengthen years later.

Erkan · « **Reply #38 on:** February 05, 2021, 07:53:19 AM »

Quote from: Chemistryde on February 05, 2021, 04:04:25 AM

I had some questions for the fellow senior members:

Question 1: I have not started any formal PT and am planning to see how I progress with self PT till 2/16. Will post an update if dr. Rozbruch feels my PT was not good enough and recommends professional help. My discharge summary does not say "I need professional PT, and just says the exercises I should do (these are all available on Dr. Rozbruch's website)". So I am going with that for now, In case any of you feel professional PT is better, please reply here on how and why.

Question 2: When I use the ERC, i don't feel a thing till 0.15mm, but at 0.16mm - 0.20mm I feel a weird click in my legs is that normal? Should this be happening throughout the 0.2mm, just want to make sure that magnets are oriented correctly.

Question 3: Can we take the ERC in a flight?

Regarding your second question.
Im also in my lengthening phase ( 3,00mm) right now. I do 0,5mm twice a day. I dont feel anything while lengthening. There is a clicking sound but it comes from the device. I hope the lengthening is happening correctly. My first x Rays will be made in 5 days. On the otherhand my legs get stiffer after the lengthening. So it should work correctly. Finger crossed

6CMFemurs · « **Reply #39 on:** February 05, 2021, 10:14:54 AM »

Quick question, you said earlier you had 15 degrees of femoral retroversion pre-op. Less than 8 degrees of anteversion means that you are retroverted. For example, I am in the 0-5 degree range of anteversion and I am pretty retroverted (i.e. I out toe severely/duckfooted gait). Before the surgery were you an additional 15-20 degrees more retroverted than I am? If so, what was your gait/stance like?

6CMFemurs · « **Reply #40 on:** February 05, 2021, 10:40:43 AM »

I misspoke, I am 5 degrees of retroversion, so you would have been 10 degrees more than me.

Chemistryde · « **Reply #41 on:** February 05, 2021, 02:52:08 PM »

I used to walk with my foot pointing outwards ( at an awkwardly large angle)
Tbh, due to my deep trust in Dr. Rozbruch I haven't researched more about my retroversion condition, but yeah 15 retroversion is what my medical examination state. Dr. Rozbruch explained me why it's important to correct it in the same surgery i.e. it'll reduce the risk of hip arthritis, it's a fairly small procedure as compared to the actual osteotomy. He also gave me an example of a pen and how we can rotate the pencap over the pen, and I assume the region of where the pen is attached to the cap would be the oestetomy zone, rotating the bone will fix the retroversion. This works since my knee to ankle is aligned correctly, but hip to femur to knee to ankle is retroverted.

Sorry I blabbered, I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.

I have heard that bruising is common after surgery and while on blood thinners, do you guys know a good way to heal this. Seems like a LOT.

Chemistryde · « **Reply #42 on:** February 05, 2021, 09:43:09 PM »

Checked with Dr. Rozbruch and he says it's normal. He reduced my blood thinner dose from 381 mg aspirin to 81 mg aspirin (2x) too.

BelowTheMean · « **Reply #43 on:** February 06, 2021, 12:41:21 AM »

Idk what the risk of COVID is with PT, you could call them and see what preventative measures they are taking. I have not caught COVID yet and I've been going to PT regularly for over two months. Everyone wears a mask and I sanitize my hands frequently during the session.

Regarding the bruising I think I had even worse bruising than what you have in the picture. It also got worse for 4-5 days before it started getting better. Now I have no signs of bruising at all. I guess the body heals itself slowly. I'm also on Xarelto instead of Aspirin, so that might be part of the issue.

permanentlybanned · « **Reply #44 on:** February 06, 2021, 12:54:57 AM »

Just when you start to move around and keep taking baby aspirin it will clear up. If you are really concerned then ask for a script for Xalrelto. Just seems like existing blood clots, xalrelto helps reduce formation of new ones not existing one

Moving will clear it up. When it's safe to move more of course, no rush

Kal el · « **Reply #45 on:** February 06, 2021, 01:39:56 AM »

Hey bro hope u r doing well..btw why is there so much blot clotting in ur leg..is tht normal🧐

Chemistryde · « **Reply #46 on:** February 06, 2021, 02:24:24 AM »

As far as I understand this is bruising and not clotting. Clotting happens inside the veins and is usually pretty risky. Bruising is when blood from nearby vessels seeps to the skin surface after surgery.

Blood thinners increase the spread of bruising, and hence xalrelto will worsen it. I'm reducing to baby aspirin which will mellow down the effect of blood thinners, and reduce the apparent bruising.

As below the mean said his was worse, probably due to a stronger blood thinner.

BelowTheMean,Ghkid2021, is what I said correct?

BelowTheMean · « **Reply #47 on:** February 06, 2021, 04:55:40 AM »

Quote from: Chemistryde on February 06, 2021, 02:24:24 AM

As far as I understand this is bruising and not clotting. Clotting happens inside the veins and is usually pretty risky. Bruising is when blood from nearby vessels seeps to the skin surface after surgery.

Blood thinners increase the spread of bruising, and hence xalrelto will worsen it. I'm reducing to baby aspirin which will mellow down the effect of blood thinners, and reduce the apparent bruising.

As below the mean said his was worse, probably due to a stronger blood thinner.

BelowTheMean,Ghkid2021, is what I said correct?

Size-wise your bruise doesn't seem like an issue. My bruises were 3/4 the length of my inner thigh.. on both legs. I was pretty freaked out at the time but my doc said it was normal. It grew for 5 days and then then started shrinking, at which point I stopped worrying about it.

Chemistryde · « **Reply #48 on:** February 07, 2021, 03:33:21 AM »

Yeah seems like mine are going away too. They are darker and the size has reduced. Not a lot seem to have happened on lengthening day 3,4. Everything has gone okay so far, and I haven't had the need to take any oxycodone in the past 3 days. Knock wood, I really hope that the pain stays like this for the entire distraction process! But still anxious about how it might increase when I reach 5 cm or so.

Apart from that I have had no issues with doing the day to day stuff i.e. using th restroom, taking a shower etc. I am now 10 days post op, and I try to walk/stand for about an hour/hour and half everyday, is this okay? Or do you guys recommend more walk/stand time?

Total lengthened till date: 3.2 mm

permanentlybanned · « **Reply #49 on:** February 07, 2021, 05:56:34 AM »

It's fine but just don't over do it in the beginning remember you have just undergone traumatic surgery need sum rest

6CMFemurs · « **Reply #50 on:** February 07, 2021, 06:02:35 AM »

Quote from: Chemistryde on February 07, 2021, 03:33:21 AM

Yeah seems like mine are going away too. They are darker and the size has reduced. Not a lot seem to have happened on lengthening day 3,4. Everything has gone okay so far, and I haven't had the need to take any oxycodone in the past 3 days. Knock wood, I really hope that the pain stays like this for the entire distraction process! But still anxious about how it might increase when I reach 5 cm or so.

Apart from that I have had no issues with doing the day to day stuff i.e. using th restroom, taking a shower etc. I am now 10 days post op, and I try to walk/stand for about an hour/hour and half everyday, is this okay? Or do you guys recommend more walk/stand time?

Total lengthened till date: 3.2 mm

When you say you are walking an hour a day, is this with assistance (walker/crutches) or unassisted? I was walking this much on my walker early in my lengthening with precise 2, but because of WB restrictions I was using well under 50 lbs per day (so 75% of it was just armstrength lol).

permanentlybanned · « **Reply #51 on:** February 07, 2021, 07:32:31 AM »

If you are taking 5k out vitamin D then just take 10k IU vitamin D a day. Rda standards are so outdated. 10k a day is absolutely safe, anyone who tells you otherwise is outdated on the modern literature and instead is looking at silly 1980 data. Frankly they are ill informed. 800iu a day is pretty much the amount to prevent death, not optimal. 10k a day optimal, more if lengthening. Going out in the sun is good, but won't cut it. It just won't.

Dirona · « **Reply #52 on:** February 27, 2021, 03:11:16 AM »

How are you doing dude?

L8GrowthSpurt · « **Reply #53 on:** March 09, 2021, 03:10:50 AM »

Hey Chemistryde - how’s it going? Let us know how you’re doing 👍

Chemistryde · « **Reply #54 on:** January 07, 2022, 05:07:08 PM »

Hi everyone,

How are y'all doing!!

I have fully recovered and gained 3 inches. I owe you guys a detailed post of my journey! Unfortunately, with tech and WFH there is so much work that I have not been able to maintain a detailed diary. I always wanted to though, but it's just been a mix of work, recovery and procrastination.

This was a crazy journey, hang tight and I will dedicate one of the coming weekends to writing up my entire experience on this thread!

I also have a quick question if any of you are around. My nail removal surgery is on 19th January, and I am planning to fly from the US -> India on 22nd January. Is that too adventurous or will it be okay given that the airport provides a wheelchair and an aisle chair to travel? I am not sure how much time it takes to recover from the nail removal surgery.

Original Height: 155 cm
Final Height: 163 cm

yin · « **Reply #55 on:** January 07, 2022, 06:15:51 PM »

Hi Chemistrye!

There are so few Dr R diaries on here and I would be very keen to read a detailed update from you. Whenever you find time, please write it, at least I will would find it immensely helpful.

I have a few questions if you could please answer when you can

1. Why Dr R? He is so expensive. You said you traveled from quite far and were closer to 2 other well known doctors Dr M and Dr D.
2. The million dollar question

How much does Dr R really cost? Most other doctors are very clear about the price. But with Dr R it's so hard to tell as you get billed later on (correct?). How much money do you think someone going to him should be prepared to pay? Could you please share a breakup of the various costs?
3. How was your experience with him overall? What are some negatives and positives and unexpected things?
4. Did you fly and meet him every couple of weeks after surgery for followups?
5. Were you given blood thinners during the whole period of lengthening? A patient recently passed away due to pulmonary embolism in Europe and there is a heightened interest in the forum about this topic of blood thinners.

As for your question of wheelchair access for traveling to India, do you really need it since you used Stryde and must be close to normal now? But if you call ahead of time and inform the airlines you will definitely get assistance (aisle wheelchair too). But given the soaring covid cases everywhere I think it would be an uncomfortable and stressful experience all in all.

Can't wait to read your update

init1alove · « **Reply #56 on:** January 13, 2022, 05:48:07 AM »

Hi Chemistyde,

Good to hear you will remove the nail soon. I had surgery about the same time as yours, on Jan. last year.
Do you mind share your latest xrays to see what bones look like right before removal?
Are you considering lenghening your tibias?

Limb Lengthening Forum

Author Topic: Dr. Rozbruch stryde 27th Jan 2021! (Read 4512 times)