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[dream173]

I'm new to this forum and am not familiar with posting rules or decorum so I apologize ahead of time if this isn't the right place to do this.

Brief bio. I'm 166 cm, 22, white, male, living in Toronto. I've been aware of limb lengthening for a few months now but have never seriously considered doing it until recently (just made this acct today). My height has always been a sticking point for me but I only became extremely self-conscious when I turned 18 and began college. Now, it's all I ever think about.

I internalize my problems, as any good Irishman does, which means I haven't told anyone, not even my family, that this is bothering me. When people bring it up, which isn't often, I brush it off and try my best to project indifference because I'm petrified of being perceived as sensitive and weak. I suspect I'm depressed, though I can't be sure because the thought of seeing a therapist scares me more than anything else.

I've been wearing lifts since I turned 18. They take me up to about 170.5 cm. It's really helped but a little too much so because now I can't go outside without them and they really fk up my feet. It's certainly not a long-term solution and frankly, I'm embarrassed of them.

I really want to do this procedure but a few significant barriers stand in the way. The first and probably most insurmountable is the cost. The only doctor that does this surgery in Canada is Dr. Marie Gdalevitch and she charges about $90,000 for the precice nail option. That's not including living expenses and other miscellaneous costs. I have only a couple of thousand dollars saved up, I'm working part-time at a slightly above minimum wage job and my parents aren't rich by any means. I have a 725 credit score so I think I can get a personal loan but I'm not sure for how much. Given how bad my problem is, I honestly wouldn't mind paying off an obscene debt for the next 10 to 15 years of my life. Luckily though, I live with my parents and don't pay rent. I could conceivably save up to $20k over the next 5-6 months. Still, the cost is pretty steep for me.

Secondly and maybe more importantly, I have no idea how I'm gonna explain a sudden growth spurt to my family. Like I said earlier, I can't tell them about any of this. If I get this surgery, they can't ever know about it. Also why I can't ask them for financial aid. My parents have an extreme phobia of surgeries, especially ones that are purely for cosmetic reasons and would not allow it. My brother would lose all respect for me, I think. The only cover story I could think to come up with is that I went away on a humanitarian aid trip to some third-world country to build houses and teach English or some   and the radical change in diet and lifestyle gave way to a miraculous growth spurt. Even then, I don't think they'd buy it.

Thirdly and, oddly enough, the least concerning is the health risks. This might be burying the lede somewhat but my ideal height increase is somewhere between 6-7 cm. I say 6-7 because I'm fine with being either 172 cm or 173 cm but I will choose whichever is the least harmful to my health and the easiest to recover from. I haven't done much research on this procedure but from what little I have read, it seems like anything about 5 cm is going to come with additional complications and risk. Can anyone who knows more about this tell me the margin of difference is between 6 and 7 cm in terms of ease of recovery and risk of complications?

Sorry for the length. Again, I don't know if this is the appropriate place to post this so please let me know if it isn't. I know I haven't really asked any direct questions. I guess I'd just like to hear from people who were in a similar position as I am now and how they were able to overcome financial and logistical challenges. Perhaps some advice on how I should prepare for this procedure ahead of time or what type of procedure I should go for. I know there is femur lengthening and tibia lengthening, not sure which is better for someone like me.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

[Medium Drink Of Water]

Some tough advice you won't want to hear:

You won't be able to get a huge personal loan like that in your financial situation.  You'd need collateral, such as from a home equity loan.  I think your best bet is to get it done abroad cheaper.  Maybe in India by Dr. Parihar or in Greece with Dr. Giotikas.  External tibias.

If you leave home at 22 and come back at 24 or 25, if you say you had a late growth spurt while you were gone, and conceal your legs so they can't see any scarring or disproportional anatomy, you might be believed.  Better chancce if you look young now.  Otherwise, of course everyone will notice you're so much taller, and no BS story that any LL'er has come up with will work.  A guy in China with me told his parents he went on vacation there and fell off the great wall and broke his legs, so he'd have to stay for 5 months while they healed.  They came to pick him up at the hospital, and while he was still in his wheelchair they asked "Why are your knees so high?"

1 cm will not make a huge difference in terms of risk.  That whole 5 cm thing is a generalized arbitrary rule of thumb.  You may be able to handle more or less than someone else your height, depending on how stretchable you are.  Tough to know that in advance.

[TheDream]

As someone who is dealing with a very similar situation as yours I would advise therapy.

Not as an alternative to LL. But more to deal with the very complicated emotions surrounding it that you described.

As I think we all know. We cannot speak openly about these things even to the closest friends or family. Surgery aside even just the feeling about ones skeleton length is a big no no to bring up.

If you are to do the surgery and need to keep it hidden or find ways to do it then talking to a professional can be a good way to navigate the complicated emotions and dilemmas surrounding friends and family.

As to LL itself: You’ll have to save up around 50-70k imo. and find somewhere in the EU.

[dream173]

Why in the EU specifically?

[dream173]

Some tough advice you won't want to hear:

You won't be able to get a huge personal loan like that in your financial situation.  You'd need collateral, such as from a home equity loan.  I think your best bet is to get it done abroad cheaper.  Maybe in India by Dr. Parihar or in Greece with Dr. Giotikas.  External tibias.

If you leave home at 22 and come back at 24 or 25, if you say you had a late growth spurt while you were gone, and conceal your legs so they can't see any scarring or disproportional anatomy, you might be believed.  Better chancce if you look young now.  Otherwise, of course everyone will notice you're so much taller, and no BS story that any LL'er has come up with will work.  A guy in China with me told his parents he went on vacation there and fell off the great wall and broke his legs, so he'd have to stay for 5 months while they healed.  They came to pick him up at the hospital, and while he was still in his wheelchair they asked "Why are your knees so high?"

1 cm will not make a huge difference in terms of risk.  That whole 5 cm thing is a generalized arbitrary rule of thumb.  You may be able to handle more or less than someone else your height, depending on how stretchable you are.  Tough to know that in advance.

That's disappointing to hear. How much do you suppose I can get? I'm thinking I can put the surgery off for one or two years, save what I can in the meantime and make up the rest through loans.

I've considered going out of the country but with such a risky procedure, I want to be sure I'm getting the best care. What is your personal opinion of foreign LL surgeons?

[Medium Drink Of Water]

I don't know, maybe in the ballpark of 10K is my wild guess.

They're not the best but they can get the job done.

[lessthanavg8300]

Since your new Ill cover some of the basics to get you caught up.  Probably the best method today is internal weight bearing nails.  Betz and Giotikas offer this. I dont know of any others after Stryde was taken off the market for corrosion issues (new Stryde nail is in development).  With internal weight bearing you will walk normally faster and have less scarring.  It will also be a more bearable experience as you can walk with your full body weight.  After that, internal non-weight bearing is probably the second best option (Precise nail).  Precise is actually a safer and more advanced nail because it can reverse but again - its non weight bearing and you cant really walk through the process.  The scarring is the same as weight bearing.  Then you get to LON (external fixators).  Medium has way more info on this than me because he actually did it.  But the main thing to know is that its going to be the worst experience and scarring will be worse than internal nails.  You can get deep pitting from this.  Maybe scar revision surgery can fix it but thats money too.


If I were you id wear lifts for a couple more years.  Figure out a way to make money.  And then maybe the new Stryde nail will come out which will be the best in the market and safe.  Otherwise you're heading to india to get LON on a budget and maybe Im just sensitive but that path freaks me out.

[Dirona]

As a fellow Canadian, I would suggest the BEST thing for you to do.. Focus on your career for a few years, earn money and then do LL with Dr Gdalevitch.

[dream173]

As a fellow Canadian, I would suggest the BEST thing for you to do.. Focus on your career for a few years, earn money and then do LL with Dr Gdalevitch.

Did you do your surgery with Dr G?

[LIVELIFETHEWAYIWANT]

Did you do your surgery with Dr G?

As a fellow Canadian, I would suggest the BEST thing for you to do.. Focus on your career for a few years, earn money and then do LL with betz . (based on exchange rate atm , betz is 20k cheaper than US doctors )(not recommending LON or turkey for obvious reasons)

I too am a Canadian , just did 8 cm , I too lived in Toronto for 15 years .   
giving the financial situation we are in as Canadians , your best bet is to get a JOB...or two JOBS. Good luck to you .