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[hippo60]

Great progress man! Is the 3.4cm noticeable to you / others?

On your PT days, do you stretch yourself as well? Or is that enough for now?

[QuarkSoup]

Great progress man! Is the 3.4cm noticeable to you / others?

On your PT days, do you stretch yourself as well? Or is that enough for now?

Thank you so much brother. Yeah everyday therapists and the nurse seem to get shorther and shorter I am at 3.6cm right now and it looks huge. My hands are not that small

On top of PT I also do streching exercises myself as well. PT area is open all the time. For example I lie down on the adjustable-height stretcher and dangle my feet. It streches my hip flexors and feels really good afters also it prevents/reduce duck ass. The more flexible you are the easier and less painfull your journey will be.

By the way I slept 7h continously yesterday. My journey couldnt go any better hopefully it inspires other people as well.

 

[hippo60]

Ha amazing!! 

[atti99xo]

Hi

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, how many days after the surgery have you started lengthening, also how many days after the lengthening is completed, will the external fixator be removed? Also, I have seen a case on the forum that had a serious bone infection in the tibia, if you don't mind can you share what the patients that you are with that have done tibia lengthening and how the doctor avoids this as i am considering the wanna be taller company. Thank you

[QuarkSoup]

Hi

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, how many days after the surgery have you started lengthening, also how many days after the lengthening is completed, will the external fixator be removed? Also, I have seen a case on the forum that had a serious bone infection in the tibia, if you don't mind can you share what the patients that you are with that have done tibia lengthening and how the doctor avoids this as i am considering the wanna be taller company. Thank you

Hey atti, I started lenghtening 5 days after the surgery and I'll have fixators removed  85-90 days after the surgery. It depends on your goal. If you aim for 5cm on femurs you can have your device removed after 55-60 days. Femur lenghtening rate is 0.1cm a day and tibia 0.075cm.

I havent seen anyone infected here so far and according to therapists it's so so rare. The bandages are changed every 2 days and sheets everday. You should be careful not to splash water on your open wound and surrounding areas. Also sweating is not good luckily our lower legs don't sweat much. I don't know what Dr. Yunus does to prevent infection but the nurse, Aylis, once said she starts using antibiotics during bandage change when the wound enlarges with the expansion of the skin to be in the safe side.

[atti99xo]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, it has been so honest and helpful I'm aiming for the same amount of height gain as you 8 cm on the femur and 6 cm on the tibia, how many days would it take to for the tibia including the removal of 6 cm and are you planning to do your surgery back to back like me to gain the maximum height and save time by staying in Tukey bc I have exam at the end of June, and what does your doctor think about it. 

[QuarkSoup]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, it has been so honest and helpful I'm aiming for the same amount of height gain as you 8 cm on the femur and 6 cm on the tibia, how many days would it take to for the tibia including the removal of 6 cm and are you planning to do your surgery back to back like me to gain the maximum height and save time by staying in Tukey bc I have exam at the end of June, and what does your doctor think about it. 

1- What Dr Yunus does to prevent infections?

First of all I ve learned what Dr. Yunus does to prevent surgical infections.
Ecem one of the nurses who participate in LL surgeries says Dr Yunus only allow essential and experienced people in for example he doesn't let interns in. Also Dr. Yunus always does the LL surgeries first thing in the morning so he is the first to use the OP room before anyone else. Apparently they have a internal monitoring/tracking system the nurse here keeps trwck of everybody and share it with Dr. Yunus. We continued taking antibiotics, augmentin, for a week after the hospital discharge.

2- How long does it take to complete tibia and femur?

For tibias, with 0.75mm distraction a day rate it takes 80 days to complete distraction phase. After the device removal I think you have to stay at rehab for 2 weeks atleast until your wounds close. So in my opinion you need atleast 100 days off for tibia.

For femurs, with 1.00mm distraction a day rate it takes 80 days to complete distraction phase. After the device removal you might want to stay one more week in rehab. So you would need atleast 90 days off for femurs

3- Are you planning to do your surgery back to back?

 No I am not planning to do the surgery back to back mostly because I have really important things to do. But hopefully I'll come back for round two some other time

I asked this question to Dr. Yunus during consultation and he advised me to wait for 6-12 months before going for another surgery to maximize my potential. But if you really want you can go for it and if you are really flexible you might even max out both. But I think you shouldn't rush
But I'd never suggest anyone do both femur and tibia at the same time with LON.

[atti99xo]

Hi again sorry for asking too many questions but when you were doing the short muscle test before your surgery what was that like and were you able to touch your toes comfortably? Also, can you ask for me please if a short height colorates to a smaller medullary canal aka the cavity hole that is inside the bone I'm 4'8 female btw. thank you so much

[QuarkSoup]

Hi again sorry for asking too many questions but when you were doing the short muscle test before your surgery what was that like and were you able to touch your toes comfortably? Also, can you ask for me please if a short height colorates to a smaller medullary canal aka the cavity hole that is inside the bone I'm 4'8 female btw. thank you so much

Hi atti sure ask as many questions as you like. Currently I have plenty of time

1- When you were doing the short muscle test before your surgery what was that like and were you able to touch your toes comfortably?

     Well Dr. Yunus asked me to lie down on the stretcher and started bending and pushing my legs. It didn't hurt or anything he specifically checked my hamstring because felixibility of hamstrings are most important and limiting factor.

      3 months before the surgery I started streching my muscles. Viktor from cyborg4life made a video about some strech movements I higly recommend watching that video. After a quick warm up I was able to touch the ground with my palm bare foot. Now I am at 4.2cm and can touch the ground with tips of my finger in 3cm heels. So my range of motion hasn't decreased much yet.

2- Can you ask if a short height correlates to a smaller medullary canal
 Dr Yunus said that they make pre-operative measurements and if there will be significant problems, they make special nails for the patient.

[atti99xo]

hi,

hope that you are doing well, how is your pain right now as well as your walk, when walking or sleeping also how is your bone formation going, and how many days after the lengthening is done are you going to take your external fixator out.

thank you

[QuarkSoup]

hi,

hope that you are doing well, how is your pain right now as well as your walk, when walking or sleeping also how is your bone formation going, and how many days after the lengthening is done are you going to take your external fixator out.

thank you

Hi atti thanks for asking, I am doing great.

I am at 4.55 cm right now and have almost no pain at all. There are like 35 days left for the device to be removed. I take aspirin right after diner and no painkillers. I sleep even better than before surgery not consuming coffeine might be the reason however walking has become a little bit more difficult because of fixators. But once they are removed there will be no problem. Also sitting on a wheelchair has been always very discomfortable because of its design. But I have no issue sitting on a normal chair. Overall I can say that I wasn't expecting the process to go that painless. Not everyone as lucky as me though hopefully your experience will be similar to mine.

By the way I am so sorry but I answered one of your questions wrong. Apparently tibia patients here turn 0.1cm a day as well. I said they were turning 0.075cm previously.

I suggest you bring books or if you own an ipad or kindle that's even better. Reading or doing something boring before going to sleep helps me sleep well.

[atti99xo]

Thank you so much for your insightful posts and responses I'm so happy that its going well for you as for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays also does pt hurt, how do the other patients manage pain? And how is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in. the  lengthening.

Thank you

 

[shortisnotfun]

Hi atti thanks for asking, I am doing great.

I am at 4.55 cm right now and have almost no pain at all. There are like 35 days left for the device to be removed. I take aspirin right after diner and no painkillers. I sleep even better than before surgery not consuming coffeine might be the reason however walking has become a little bit more difficult because of fixators. But once they are removed there will be no problem. Also sitting on a wheelchair has been always very discomfortable because of its design. But I have no issue sitting on a normal chair. Overall I can say that I wasn't expecting the process to go that painless. Not everyone as lucky as me though hopefully your experience will be similar to mine.

By the way I am so sorry but I answered one of your questions wrong. Apparently tibia patients here turn 0.1cm a day as well. I said they were turning 0.075cm previously.

I suggest you bring books or if you own an ipad or kindle that's even better. Reading or doing something boring before going to sleep helps me sleep well.

You're a legend. The pain for me at night is so strong it's impossible for me to sleep.

[atti99xo]

Thank you so much for your insightful posts and responses I'm so happy that its going well for you as for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays also does pt hurt, how do the other patients manage pain? And how is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in. the  lengthening? Also, how is your flexibility now.

Thank you

[QuarkSoup]

Thank you so much for your insightful posts and responses I'm so happy that its going well for you as for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays also does pt hurt, how do the other patients manage pain? And how is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in. the  lengthening.

Thank you

Thank you so much for your kind words guys.


1- As for the bone formation how is yours looking in the X-rays?

Dr. Yunus says bone formation is going well. I started taking a new bone supplement yesterday. You can see the pics below. Funny after started taking it I woke up in the middle of night with somewhat intense pain yesterday after taking painkillers the pain went away. I think it was the healing response my body made.

 

2- Does Pt hurts?

Yeah it hurts but I'd prefer that pain anydays over chronic constant pain. PT is just so so important, thanks to therapists here Cagatay and Mehmet I have been able to keep my range of motion. I still havent lost any ROM yet.  I have seen some patients not doing streches because it hurts. They are the ones who experience constant pain after certain cms due to muscle tightness.

3- How do the other patients manage pain?

Aylis, the nurse here, give them tons of different kind of pain killers. Contramal, an opioid based painkiller is the most strong one. One patient here ,despite all the warnings, went all the way to 10.5cm. Apparently he takes 6 contramal pills a day to manage pain which is insanely high amount. He doesn't even come to therapies I still haven't met him in 2 months

4- How is the pain level of people who are around the same stage in the  lengthening?

People who complain about pain here, don't complain about overall pain that much but They complain about the pain during sleep, not being able to sleep without interruptions upset them.

I think best way to combat pain is to follow high calorie protein rich diet, take supplements and strech as much as possible on your own. I always go to PT room and strech for like 30-60 mins before sleep it helps a lot.

[atti99xo]

Hello, it's good to hear that you still have your ROM OMG 6 painkillers a day, and he went to 10.6 cm that sounds terrible, once again thank you so much for answering my questions sorry if I ask a lot what about the meals are they good or they give you the same ones each day also do you have females who are lengthening. 

[Hatch]

Anyone using muscle relaxants? I have heard those help even sleep better.

[QuarkSoup]

Hello, it's good to hear that you still have your ROM OMG 6 painkillers a day, and he went to 10.6 cm that sounds terrible, once again thank you so much for answering my questions sorry if I ask a lot what about the meals are they good or they give you the same ones each day also do you have females who are lengthening.

Ask as many question as you like atti

1- what about the meals are they good or they give you the same ones each day ?

There are two very nice people here responsible for ordering stuff (food and other goods) for us.

      I call hotel's room service for breakfast everyday. They serve breakfast between 08:00 - 12:00 . You tell them that you want breakfast in your room and they bring you in 15 mins. You can make requests like coffee, orange juice, french fries or 4 boiled eggs or an omelette, etc. I speak in Turkish with them some people say they are having trouble communicating with them in English, unfortunately. By them I mean hotel staff.

      For other meals we use delivery apps, "getir" and "yemeksepeti". You can order from any restaurant you like. Our current hotel is a little bit far away from city center so there aren't many close restaurants but still if you don't mind waiting you can eat any food you'd like. Once you decide what you want to eat you tell people who are responsible bringing stuff to you. They order it and bring it to your room.

I don't have any problem with food I like what I eat Here are some pictures.

 


2- Do you have females who are lengthening?

   Currently there are none in the facility but one female german patient will come in a few days. I have a female friend who has done this surgery but she is at her home in Istanbul. I don't recommend going anywhere else tbh.

[QuarkSoup]

Anyone using muscle relaxants? I have heard those help even sleep better.

Hello Hatch, I am sorry I have no information on this. I'll ask about it tomorrow. People love using this massage gel though. Therapists here also give us massage. It helps a lot, but you should not completely replace your stretching therapy with massage.

 

[QuarkSoup]

Good luck on your journey, I hope you reach your goal. I have the full respect for anyone who makes a lon femur. Tibia will come much easier. Don't waste your time with trolls in these hard times. Keep updating please. I will follow your diary.

Thank you so much for your kind words brother. He triggered me indeed. You are right I shouldn't waste my time with these kind of people

[QuarkSoup]

Anyone using muscle relaxants? I have heard those help even sleep better.

Hello again Hatch, sorry I forgot to adress your question. Today I asked the nurse about it and she said she gives this medication below. I don't take it though.

 

[QuarkSoup]

Hey guys, I want to make a quick update. Sorry I don't update as often as I'd like to it's because nothing interesting happens.

I am at 5.65cm right now and don't experience much pain as usual. But my muscles are weaker comparing to when I was at 3.5cm. I don't mind them being weaker once the device is removed I will start strengthening exercises.

 Also after started taking the calcium supplement I posted earlier, my sleep quality decreased so badly that I stopped using it before going to bed. Now I only take one tablet after breakfast. I think the biggest concern for LL patients is the low quality sleep. That's why I also started taking 3mg melathonin. I think it helps a lot.

Also my xray was taken when I was at 5.45cm. Dr Yunus says callus formation looks normal not so great or bad.

Overall I am so happy that I did the surgery. I will post my photos and videos after device removal. I don't worry about proportions too much if I start to think my femur looks so tall I can add muscles later on.

 

[QuarkSoup]

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[QuarkSoup]

Hey guys, I am at 6.4cm right now and still don't have much pain that's why I'll probably end the lengthening a little higher than my previous target, probably around 8.5cm. The nurse here Aylis says my skin is also perfect for this surgery not so loose or tight.

There is an electronic height measuring device here in the PT room according to it, I'll be 182cm or 6'0 when I reach 8.5cm.

My hamstrings are so flexible I don't feel any tightness or stiffness but my quadriceps can get stiff during night and sometimes it prevents me from falling sleep. This is why I have been focusing on streching my quadriceps for the last couple of days. I hang my legs off the bed ,as shown in the photo and pull my feet towards me with my hands. It has helped me a lot.

If you are considering to get this surgery done you should start streching your legs a few months earlier. If you are not flexible enough it will be really tough for you.

The other thing, the military called me to do my compulsory service in February. As you might now there is compulsory military service in Turkey for its citizens. So military wants to see me in person to check my condition and postpone the compulsory service.

 

[shortisnotfun]

Hey guys, I am at 6.4cm right now and still don't have much pain that's why I'll probably end the lengthening a little higher than my previous target, probably around 8.5cm. The nurse here Aylis says my skin is also perfect for this surgery not so loose or tight.

There is an electronic height measuring device here in the PT room according to it, I'll be 182cm or 6'0 when I reach 8.5cm.

My hamstrings are so flexible I don't feel any tightness or stiffness but my quadriceps can get stiff during night and sometimes it prevents me from falling sleep. This is why I have been focusing on streching my quadriceps for the last couple of days. I hang my legs off the bed ,as shown in the photo and pull my feet towards me with my hands. It has helped me a lot.

If you are considering to get this surgery done you should start streching your legs a few months earlier. If you are not flexible enough it will be really tough for you.

The other thing, the military called me to do my compulsory service in February. As you might now there is compulsory military service in Turkey for its citizens. So military wants to see me in person to check my condition and postpone the compulsory service.

 

Nice progress man. Yes, my one regret was not being flexible prior to surgery. It sucks having to stretch so much. Being flexible definitely makes this process much more bearable.

[SpeedDialer]

Great diary post!

[QuarkSoup]

Thank you so much for your kind words guys. One needs a lot of physchological support in this process. Especially vulnerable people that have quite amount of pain.

I am almost 7.1cm and will be done in 12 days. If we don't count sleep time I still feel great. It's like I can continue lenghthening forever. I don't strecth as often as I used to, to be honest. But my range of motion still hasn't decreased much. My muscles are quite weak so it might take some time before I can walk normally.

My friends and family members keep asking me to send them pictures but I rather them see me in person. Also, I will look much better once I solve the wide and weak legs issue

I can't tell you what a big difference 7 cm makes. If you ask me limb lengthening surgery is the best cosmetic surgery that makes everyone more aesthetically pleasing. But one should be mentally prepared and understand what he/she is putting herself into. My journey wasn't difficult but yours might be challenging especially if you don't strech and eat enough.

[SpeedDialer]

I am almost 7.1cm and will be done in 12 days. If we don't count sleep time I still feel great. It's like I can continue lenghthening forever. I don't strecth as often as I used to, to be honest. But my range of motion still hasn't decreased much. My muscles are quite weak so it might take some time before I can walk normally.

Congrats!

[QuarkSoup]

Hey guys I am at 7.8cm right now. It's so weird that during sleep pain intensifies so much so that I wake up like every 20 30 mins. It has really become unbearable luckily pain is still easily managable when I am awake.

I booked my removal surgery for 9th Feb. I will be at 8.5cm by that date. I heard from other patients after removal surgery you feel nothing like previously. Pain goes away and you feel much more comfortable. I know the pain issue will be solved for me because the pain comes from my knees. The device locks my right leg to certain position and this creates a lot of problem for the moment. I had that problem since week 2 3 as I grew the problem grew as well

[QuarkSoup]

Hey guys, I had the device removed 2 days ago, on February 9th. Immediately after waking up from anesthesia it was really painful and lasted for 30 minutes, after that I did not feel much pain. Painkillers could be the reason.

I know majority of you guys don't care about hospital food but please someone give an award to the people who prepare food at Beykent University Hospital. They are just amazing.

I was able to walk on the day of operation. I have felt that the nerves in my lower left leg are very tense. Very Rarely it hurts a lot. I don't feel much when I touch my lower left leg softly. There is nothing wrong with the motor nerves, only the sensory nerves need time to heal. I take vitamin B complex called benexol.

I can't bend my legs because of the swelling but I don't feel any pain, so I will feel great when I get my strength back in a few days.

Dr Yunus said I gained 8.5 cm, which is more than my initial goal. I have had almost no loss of range of motion. But he said I have developed a small lordosis and I will work on that in the coming months. Dr. Yunus visited me 3 times during my one-day hospital stay. He also came to the hotel for check-ups every 2 weeks. Whenever I had a question or problem, he got back to me immediately through his nurses.

Overall I am very happy to have had the surgery with dr Yunus and the company wannabetaller. They took very good care of me in the last 3 months. Especially physical therapists Mehmet and Cagatay were really really good at their jobs. They didnt use fancy high tech equipments and I think machines are a way for physical therapists to not do their job, to be honest. I am no expert but I think we need manual streching I don't believe ems tens or lasers could replace manual therapy. I had 5 physical therapy sessions every week each lasted like one hour. Let's say If the company you choose do 3 manual streching session and 2 with machines in a week you shouldn't accept it.

 I will continue to add posts about my recovery process.

The xrays below were taken right after the fixator removal surgery.
 

[Unknown]

How did u feel so little pain in the hardest LL method? LON Femur?? Find that hard to believe. Some diaries say that it is like torturous and absolute hell.