Five Month Update
I haven't been on for a while, but I figured I would provide an update. The punchline is, I have no regrets about the procedure and would 100% go through all of this again. Men and women treat me very differently, and the change has been drastic.
Current State
- I am still not fully recovered. I would say I am about 70% of the way there. I would say 50% of this is my fault for lack of consistency in the gym due to prioritizing work, visiting friends, etc. The other 50% would be due to issues such as patellar tendonitis in my right leg and taking a few weeks to figure out the right approach with the surgeon.
- I have been walking and going out without crutches for about 3-4 weeks.
- I still have endurance challenges, my gait isn't fully recovered, and my flexibility is not 100%.
- I put on a lot of weight during the surgery. Probably about 30 lbs. I have lost about 10 lbs so far and continue to make progress.
- I don't know my height yet. Technically, I should be 5'8 and a half to 5'9. However, I am taller than a few friends that are 5'9. I will get that measured when I am fully recovered, postural imbalances corrected. I still have an anterior pelvic tilt and due to not having my usual training regimen the muscle imbalance in my upper body leads to less-than-ideal posture.
- I'm assuming a full recovery is another 2-3 months away, probably faster if I buckle down and am consistent with everything. I had a lot of visitors and things I needed to handle over the last few months so it just is what it is.
- I'm looking forward to 6-12 months from now when I am back to fighting weight (body fat below 12%), fully comfortable in my own-skin, and a new wardrobe to boot.
Interesting Finds
- Given how much height I gained, everyone notices. Most people don't say anything and just are in shock and deal with it on their own. Some have mentioned it or asked people close to me what happened. This goes for both family, colleagues, etc.
- Given lack of mobility and also not feeling 100%, I didn't really do a lot of dating or going out for a while. I got on the dating apps a few weeks ago, and with the new height, the responses have been overwhelming. I actually can't keep up.
- Men treat me markedly different as well. Both in casual settings and professional settings. It's a drastic change.
Takeaways
- This surgery has been life-changing and I'm not even fully recovered. I wish I had known about this years ago. It would have been a no-brainer.
- Your mileage may vary (YMMV), your response from others may not be as drastic as mine due to the following. I don't want this to sound like a brag, but I'm accomplished in my career, noted as being highly charismatic, and have spent a lot of time and resources investing in myself to become a better person. I have utilized therapy, books, dating coaches, executive coaches, accountability coaches and all the like before. I'm still by no means tall and now coming in at average, but with the removal of the height disadvantage, the playing field is more even.
- I have told some of the women I am dating once I get closer to them. I'm not going to hide this forever like some individuals. It will come out later at some point regardless given how much height I added. The women have been shocked but each understood why I did it and have been cool with it. Hasn't damaged any relationships.
- I'm still getting used to the relative height differences. Seeing men that are now shorter than me is crazy. Hugging girls that are much shorter than me still feels foreign at times. Being eye level with 6-foot friends and others that are tall still feels weird. I'm assuming I will continue to adjust but it's shocking at times how different it feels and trying to imagine what it used to feel like.
Conclusion: If you're interested in this, go for it. Go to a reputable surgeon, get it done. Know that you will need to be disciplined and work towards a full recovery and for some individuals this happens fast, for others it is slower. Your story will be your unique story. However, I have no regrets and am a big fan of the end result.
I will be a little more active and respond to questions if posted. Don't ask for anything that is a heavy lift - xrays to verify what I am saying/etc. This is a forum and I'm not your gopher. I'm just trying to provide my personal experience and outcome given I utilized the forum heavily to do research.
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Topic: Dr. Assayag - 3/22 Femur Lengthening/Tibia Bowleg - 11/22 Tibia Lengthening (Read 4319 times)