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[MorningStar]

Hello guys,

Sorry, I won't do very detailed diary, I'll make updates from time to time and answer to the questions.

Original height: 170-171 cm
Goal: +6 cm
Technique: tibia LATN with dr. Dimitrios Giotikas (original plan was Stryde but for obvious reasons I had to change my plans). Initial answer: why not G-nail? Because I've done my choice before dr. Giotikas introduced G-nail.

-1 day: legs are shaved but surgery is postponed till the next day because V21 ( http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=67810.0 ) surgery took to long. I am a bit too tired to move back to the center so I took the hotel room not so far from the hospital for one night.
0 day: feeling nervous and dizzy before the surgery but dr. Giotikas with another his team member (really awesome guy, also surgeon) came and calmed me. They said to concentrate not on the surgery but on the results. Happily after the surgery I was moved in the same ward with V21, really nice guy.
1 day: tried to do several steps with a walker but felt very dizzy and almost vomitted. Several LL veterans came to our ward to welcome us.
2 day: finally I was able to walk with a walker a bit more and several not very successful steps with a crutches. Maximum pain about 6/10, but normally around 2-3/10 (they constantly give us painkillers). Sleeping is also pretty good but a bit uncomfortable to be all the time on the back. Also they moved us to the new ward in the 4th floor where we can see a sea from the window!
3 day: getting better each day. Pain is really managable. Successfully walked with a crutches through the corridor.
4 day: feeling very good today, even I was working. I was walking a bit more than yesterday. After several hours I'll be discharged to home.

Tomorrow I'll start a PT.

In general I am completely happy about the hospital. Very clean and modern (wi-fi, TV, direct microphone with a nurses room, air conditioning), very friendly nurses are all the time around you, food is very good personally for me. Ward reminds more hotel room than a hospital room. 10/10.

P. S. One advice: take REALLY huge (XXL or bigger if possible) shorts for the frames. Happily hospital gave me one-time usage maximum size shorts, otherwise I'll be nked. Nothing from my clothes I've taken fits on these frames.

[Want-3-inches]

Hey MorningStar,

Congrats on starting your journey. Did Dr Giotikas prescribe any blood thinning medications for you? Since it's LATN and they have not done nailing yet, are you at a lower risk of blood clots?

[MorningStar]

Hey MorningStar,

Congrats on starting your journey. Did Dr Giotikas prescribe any blood thinning medications for you? Since it's LATN and they have not done nailing yet, are you at a lower risk of blood clots?

Yes, they prescribed Xarelto.

[HateLAPELoveSTEM]

If I may,what painkillers are you using?

[MorningStar]

If I may,what painkillers are you using?

Every several hours they give me liquid Paracetamol through cathether. Also they injected some painkillers but I haven't asked the name.

[Want-3-inches]

Yes, they prescribed Xarelto.

For how long?

[MorningStar]

16 days.

[Want-3-inches]

16 days.

Thanks for the info. I was curious to know how long they prescribe this for externals. Looks like each doc has his own protocol.

[Body Builder]

Thanks for the info. I was curious to know how long they prescribe this for externals. Looks like each doc has his own protocol.

Not externals but latn.
Pure externals are much more painless.

@morningstar, keep strong dude!

[Want-3-inches]

Not externals but latn.
Pure externals are much more painless.

@morningstar, keep strong dude!

LATN is just pure externals but with nailing after lengthening. So as far as the need of blood thinners go, it's the same. Maybe with LATN they prescribe them for a few weeks after the nailing surgery. But with pure externals it's just a few weeks after the first surgery.

If MorningStar wants, he can refuse the 2nd surgery and live with the frames until his bones heal.

[Thehighest]

please that Giotikas doesnt increase more his prices in the following years

[eric.cartman]

If I may,what painkillers are you using?

they give you fentanyl (2x day) and liquid paracetamol few times through out the day or whenever you start screaming out of pain..

[eric.cartman]

Hello guys,

Sorry, I won't do very detailed diary, I'll make updates from time to time and answer to the questions.

Original height: 170-171 cm
Goal: +6 cm
Technique: tibia LATN with dr. Dimitrios Giotikas (original plan was Stryde but for obvious reasons I had to change my plans). Initial answer: why not G-nail? Because I've done my choice before dr. Giotikas introduced G-nail.

-1 day: legs are shaved but surgery is postponed till the next day because V21 ( http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=67810.0 ) surgery took to long. I am a bit too tired to move back to the center so I took the hotel room not so far from the hospital for one night.
0 day: feeling nervous and dizzy before the surgery but dr. Giotikas with another his team member (really awesome guy, also surgeon) came and calmed me. They said to concentrate not on the surgery but on the results. Happily after the surgery I was moved in the same ward with V21, really nice guy.
1 day: tried to do several steps with a walker but felt very dizzy and almost vomitted. Several LL veterans came to our ward to welcome us.
2 day: finally I was able to walk with a walker a bit more and several not very successful steps with a crutches. Maximum pain about 6/10, but normally around 2-3/10 (they constantly give us painkillers). Sleeping is also pretty good but a bit uncomfortable to be all the time on the back. Also they moved us to the new ward in the 4th floor where we can see a sea from the window!
3 day: getting better each day. Pain is really managable. Successfully walked with a crutches through the corridor.
4 day: feeling very good today, even I was working. I was walking a bit more than yesterday. After several hours I'll be discharged to home.

Tomorrow I'll start a PT.

In general I am completely happy about the hospital. Very clean and modern (wi-fi, TV, direct microphone with a nurses room, air conditioning), very friendly nurses are all the time around you, food is very good personally for me. Ward reminds more hotel room than a hospital room. 10/10.

P. S. One advice: take REALLY huge (XXL or bigger if possible) shorts for the frames. Happily hospital gave me one-time usage maximum size shorts, otherwise I'll be nked. Nothing from my clothes I've taken fits on these frames.

Congrats on the surgery! Lucky you, they moved you to the 4th floor with sea view - not many patients get that kind of special treatment!

Did you get those big ass TSF cages around the legs ?  In my experience, externals are not that painful, but just watch out for those pinsite infections - they are not harmful but annoying as hell.

[LL2022]

Best of luck on your journey!

What's the benefits with LATN over LON?

[V21]

they give you fentanyl (2x day) and liquid paracetamol few times through out the day or whenever you start screaming out of pain..

And some of them say "I'm coming" and they take like 45 minutes to be there 

[MorningStar]

Guys, thanks for all good wishes!

@Thehighest sorry, man, but that isn't up to me.

@eric.cartman yes, they gave me the big one. Actually, my tibias are pretty big.

@RichTheGreat sorry, I can't remember right now. But dr. Giotikas doesn't do LON anymore so the choice was easy - LATN only.

@V21 I told ya, dude, don't say to them: "don't hurry up" or "when you can" because they won't come at all.

Finally, I've returned to home with a help from a really awesome nurse. I was already feeling quite ok in the hospital today but at home I felt like a sh..t again. I was unable to climb several stairs on my own, also to make a shower on my own. Happily the nurse was here. Pain is around 3/10, but my left leg (the weak one) is hardly swollen.

[Body Builder]

LATN is just pure externals but with nailing after lengthening. So as far as the need of blood thinners go, it's the same. Maybe with LATN they prescribe them for a few weeks after the nailing surgery. But with pure externals it's just a few weeks after the first surgery.

If MorningStar wants, he can refuse the 2nd surgery and live with the frames until his bones heal.

You are right. I was talking generally but yes, before nailing it is like pure external.

[Body Builder]

Best of luck on your journey!

What's the benefits with LATN over LON?

An easier first surgery and a little less risk of thrombosis and infections.
The con is that it needs one surgery more.

[lucindaris]

How much did you pay?

[MorningStar]

How much did you pay?

All prices are public: https://www.athensbjr.com/cost-pricing-of-cosmetic-limb-lengthening/

So for me - 37200 euros.

[MorningStar]

Advice: take apartments without any stairs. I've taken with 8 stairs, believe me, I thought that will be easy but actually in that condition is A LOT. I have to pay for the extra help now because I just can't climb up or down on my own.

[canterk]

Advice: take apartments without any stairs. I've taken with 8 stairs, believe me, I thought that will be easy but actually in that condition is A LOT. I have to pay for the extra help now because I just can't climb up or down on my own.

How about ramps? Are inclines hard too or just stairs?

[MorningStar]

How about ramps? Are inclines hard too or just stairs?

There is no ramp in my house. The hardest part is to climb down the stairs. Finally today I was able to climb up on my own.

[LU213]

Are you staying near the PT centre?  It is hard to find airbnb's without entry stairs-- even those apartments with elevators/lifts ultimately have 5-10 stairs in the front. I am booking for my trip today.

[V21]

Are you staying near the PT centre?  It is hard to find airbnb's without entry stairs-- even those apartments with elevators/lifts ultimately have 5-10 stairs in the front. I am booking for my trip today.

I had to go 5 km away from PT centre to find good place without stairs. In any case, you should do it, climbing stairs every day is crazy at this point. I was in the same room with Morning Star, so I can really tell that he is a savage hahahaha.

[MorningStar]

Are you staying near the PT centre?  It is hard to find airbnb's without entry stairs-- even those apartments with elevators/lifts ultimately have 5-10 stairs in the front. I am booking for my trip today.

I am 3 km from PT center. Yes, I took exactly what you are talking about. With elevator but with 8 stairs in the front. Believe me, better do how V21 did. If you are not able to find near the PT center without a stairs, better take a little bit further, but still without a stairs.

[Worzezterlire]

Things get a lot harder after 6cm and don’t even really get that hard at all until 4cm, so if you stop at 6cm you shouldn’t have that bad of a journey.  Best of luck!

[MorningStar]

@HobbitMan thanks!

6 day: no pain at all while laying on the bed and about 4/10 while walking. Sleep is perfect. Now walking improves a bit slower after several days of fast improvement. Yesterday was a first PT. Today is a second. Hope it helps to move forward.

I've made some notes about daily life while being with broken legs and living alone. Later I'll add more advices but for today I have these. Hope they will help to someone.

1. Rent an apartment without stairs. Better further from PT center if not possible to find near but without stairs. Believe me, extra challenges is the least you want under these conditions.
2. If not possible to find house without stairs: climb stairs not looking forward (like normal) but being turned by side while handling handholds behind your back. It's way easier.
3. Attach a bag to the walker. Otherwise you don't have a way how to bring bigger things with you while walking to the kitchen or so.
4. Buy a toilet lift because it's difficult to standup from the toilet because they are normally short.
5. If you have no lift there is another way: walker has telescopic legs. So temporary collapse walker legs to the shortest position and standup with it's help.
6. Buy washing stool.
7. If you are doing some kind of externals (LATN, LON, etc. included): buy XXL or bigger shorts.
8. If you are doing some kind of externals (LATN, LON, etc. included): buy or take from the clinic soft wool padding and put it on the top of the pillow which you use for keeping legs on it while laying on the bed.
9. Take 2 bottles for pee near bed. Sometimes it's really hard to walk to the toilet. And better have 2 bottles.
10. Always have a bottle full of drinking water near bed.
11. If possible, make a stick with a hook and keep it near bed. It will help to take things near the bed which you can't reach by hand.
12. If pain is harsh - don't pretend a hero and take a painkillers. If pain is not too harsh - enjoy it. It's for a greater good.

[Want-3-inches]

Are you concerned about scarring? Are you planning to do anything about them?

[MorningStar]

Are you concerned about scarring? Are you planning to do anything about them?

No, I am not at all. And I have no plans. Honestly, I don't see any point to do something if you are not a girl.

[Growing]

No, I am not at all. And I have no plans. Honestly, I don't see any point to do something if you are not a girl.

I'm not sure why guys say this. just because you are a man doesn't mean you don't take pride in having nice looking skin. Some girls will be put off by the scars and some won't. I personally don't like the sight of scars on my body even though I have them unfortunately.