Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Allen99]

July 31.24
Following is a diary for my limb lengthening journey in the hope that it would benefit all those seeking a similar procedure. This is my first time posting on any forum.

Arrived to frankfurt on the 9th, operation was scheduled on the 10th. Dr. Salameh met me at the airport while Dr. Schmidt sent a car to pick us up. I arrived, met Dr. Schmidt and was taken to the accomodation above his clinic. I went up to my room, organized my clothes etc...
If i dont write soon after this post, it means that after submitting this post i did not know how to come back to my post. So pls. Be patient !
I would appreciate any tips about how to return to same topic without starting a new one. Thks

[Allen99]

July 10th
Operation went well, Dr. Kunits Anaesthesiologist, is excellent. Woke up from surgery like out of a pleasant nap.
First couple days following surgery i felt no pain, anaesthetic effect was still there. After that, i started feeling the pain that results from pins in the bones and the fractures. Pain killer did wonders. Pain tolerance is personal. My worst pain was at 7 out of 10 scale.
Tip- it is important to expect pain, so when it comes you already knew it would, and it wont hit you as an unexpected unpleasant surprise.
Dr. Salameh came to check on me everyday with his family. His wife was kind enough to change my bed sheets. Dr. Schmidt also came up everyday in the mornings mostly. He gave me his whatsapp number to communicate with him if need be.Also did Dr. Salameh. THey always responded in a timely manner, always patient with my questions and worried or complaints of
pain etc... it is only fair to mention that while Dr. Schmidt was on his 1 week vacation in greece, he was always a whatsapp text away, always responding quickly. I had pin infectiin, so he sent a nurse to clean and redress my pin sites and she brought antibiotics with her.

As days went by , pain started becoming less and less, and the need for pain killers decreased.
I started lengthening on the 19th. 4 times a day. I am at 1 cm.
Since yesterday, i barely feel the presence of fixators and pins, it is like they became a part of me.

Tip- if you come alone, it is a good idea to arrange for a caregiver for first 2-3 weeks.
I made a daily routine, wake up, have breakfast, clean myself up, no showers yet, shave, walk using crutches ,come back to bed and do few stretching exersices, listen to music or watch Netflix, lunch, nap, walk with crutched,netflix or reading, dinner, praying, music, sleeping.
Physiotherapy started week 1, very nice lady with good experience.
Finally i learned how to successfully order pizza yesterday.
 This is all for now. I hope i dont have to keep replying to myself in order to continue this diary

[Allen99]

‐-------- Pre-Surgery Preparation -----
Pre surgery preparation is key for a successful and good journey when planing to do the CLL surgery
I am a gym goer, i do weight, stretch. I also walk, not so much daily, but every second day. I eat healthy to begin with, and take few supplements as well.
However, when i finally decided the time and place of surgery, 3 months prior to surgery date ,i started hitting the gym more frequently, walking more frequently, and stretching every day, mainly legs muscles.
The healthier you are when doing the procedure the quickest is your recovery after surgery .
So ,at least a minimum of 2 months stretching, before surgery is recommended. More is better obviously.
Last but not least, psychological preparation is very important, because no matter how much i read and researched and saw videos of patients and doctors talking about it. Still, the few days after surgery ,were me experiencing it. And believe me, experiencing it, is not like reading about it. So positive and realistic expectations help a lot.
Dr. Salameh left Germany a week ago
I am in Germany, it is raining now. Love the rain!

[Allen99]

I am 56 yrs old
157cm
Would like to achieve 8cm or 3 inches
On July 31, i stopped lengthening, my right leg did not feel right. Took xray, Dr. Say possibly the tibia did not completely break. We consulted Dr.Salameh who suggested to resume lengthening then to take another xray to evaluate.
So today august 3rd i resumed lengthening.

[Allen99]

August, 7: Took XRay today, it looks like the fibula has completely broke. No need for any intervention.
Bone callus looks good, btween gaps. Thank God for all that!
Another patient came today, but will go home in few days as he lives close by.

[jumphigher]

Hey Allen, I hope you are doing good for now. Keep going, wish you all the best!! Looking forward reading some good news about your process.

[AnotherLLer]

Are you doing pure external or LON / LATN?

8 cm on tibia in one surgery is too much, did you also do ATL to avoid ballerina foot in order to push as far as 8 cm?

[Allen99]

Hi, and thank you for yourgood wishes, I will add to my diary when new events arise. I am going slow with my diary in order to evaluate every step properly, so the readers will get a clear and honest picture! Thanks again!

[Allen99]

Hi   i am sorry but the reply that starts with " thank you for your good wishes " is meant for you. I pressed the wrong reply button.

[Allen99]

Hi, I am doing pure external, the fixator is called Salamehfix, developped by Dr. Salameh.
My goal is 8 cm, because it has been achieved many times. But every person is different. If my body fails to accomodate 8cm, it's quite alright. I will be happy with the length that my body can achieve safely without having to release my achilles tendons.

[elfabi]

hello and thank you for this diary, what are the cost of the CLL treatment with Dr. Salameh ? looking forward for more updates.

[Allen99]

Hi! To have the surgery done in Frankfurt Germany, the cost is 22 k Euros. Its just the cost of surgery. To stay in the accomodations above Dr. Shmidt clinic, it's 650 Euros/ months for rent. Food runs about 500 Euros/ month, but that could vary depending on the individual. I hope these information helps!

[Allen99]

It is very important to have money set aside for a helper at least first 2-3 weeks, if you are coming alone. They charge 15 Euros / hour. The accomodation have a full kitchen, laundry facility...

[Allen99]

12, August, 2024
The only pain that I feel, especially after stretching, and sometimes walking, is that of the bone fractures. It is tolerable during the day. But if it stays until night time, it prevents me from sleeping. So I take a pain killer, and that takes care of it usually.
I am at almost 2 cm. I keep measuring and calculating. It is frustrating, because lengthening is a slow process.

Tip- Avoid frustration by measuring once a month.
 

[elfabi]

Are you using the same mechanism? Also, are you stretching daily or doing physical therapy?

[Allen99]

Hello! I stretch daily multiple times. I do exercises to strengthen the thigh muscles. Physiotherapy twice a week. I am sorry but did not understant what you meant by " same mechanism".

[Allen99]

12 august 24
At about 5.30pm ,Dr. Schmidt came by to check on me. I asked him about accomodation after surgery and if his patients have other options. He affirmed me that there are different packages that he would tailor according to his patient's needs and budget. But declined to give a set price as it is not a standard one size fits all .
He will discuss that individually upon contacting him.

https://www.xn--orthopdie-schmidt-vqb.de/en

I posted all info. I have about Dr. Salameh's external fixator, but if more detailed information are needed about Dr.Salameh external fixator " Salamehfix" ,

his contact number: +49 173 4001615 ( whatsapp )

[Allen99]

August 18th

Hello again!
 
All is going well thank God!
The dull pain residue comes and goes, but is coming less and less as days go by.
I am at 2.4cm today.
For those who are thinking of coming to Frankfurt for surgery, you have a variety of restaurants to order from and food prices are reasonable.
You do not have to have roaming on your phone, you can order online, using the address you are in, Ask Dr. Shcmidt if you are not sure.
The 2 restaurant i order from are:

Chef pizza            for pizza, pasta,salads
Damasquino.        For meditteranean cuisine, falafel, shawarma, kebabs etc....

For your grocery needs :

Rewe supermarket. They have a delivery service, 50 Euro for minimum order.

A great idea is to bring some food items with you:

Peanut butter
Jam or jelly
Stevia sugar substitute
Sesame seeds, a great calcium source, much better than dairy product
Nuts
Honey, place in a plastic bag and tie really well
Vitamin D
Multivitamin
Collagen powder or tablets
Plant protein powder, the brand Premier does nit taste like chalk, is tasty
Wipes with Aloe
Underwear, boxers comfortable and are not tight at thighs
Shorts
Tshirts
Bath towel
Shaving equipments
A plug that works in Europe, and you can plug your regular plug to it
A flash light
Laptop or i pad
A 90 day supply of all your medications
Amazon sells a one month (4 weeks ) pill organizer, makes life easy
Shampoo ,body wash
A book, pads and pens

If you are coming in winter get sweatpants, sweatshirts, jacket, it gets cold here
Summer is very nice

[Allen99]

July 23rd, 24

Greetings to all!
As days go by , I learn to embrace the virtue of patience.
I also get to appreciate Dr. Salameh's external fixators half ring " Salamehfix", because I have come to experience the benefits of being able to walk even with help of crutches, while lengthening. Every day , i feel more at ease walking, and my natural way of walking is coming back gradually to the normal status.
I also get to stretch my achilles tendons, calf and chin muscles while on my daily walks.
Today the phisio. Session was dedicated to stair climbing. I noticed a big difference between to day and the 7th, when going up and down the stairs were very difficult, almost impossible.
I took a vow not to take my lengthening measurments until the end of the month. I am now almost 3 cm.
But now, i can feel the difference somewhat. Yesterday, while walking by a mirror ,I took a glance at my self, and for the first time in my life, I felt admiration for myself. That was the first time i ever look in the mirror and admire myself, never had it happen before!
Is that what we call vanity? I don't know, all I know is that it felt so good, suddenly there was a shift to the better with the image i have about myself...

[Allen99]

Greetings, I would like to note concerning  the list of things I suggested to bring, that if you are flying internationally, it would be better not to bring food items, so that you won't have any problems at customs.

[Allen99]

Greetings, had my XRay yesterday. Callus is very good, all seems to be going well. I tried to post some pics but i always get an error about file size

[Beemer m3]

did u do ur tibias or femurs? that is pretty short. have u consider doing quadrilateral lengthening? and ur pretty old to be getting surgery . but best of luck for u. i guess its the perfect time in ur life to get some surgery because u have enough income to do it.

[Allen99]

Hi,  and thank you for your valuable input, I  did tibia, i am aware that this surgery alone will not put me on the tall or even average, but i am quite satisfied with what i get. Not only for the added few centimeters i will get, but i can put the yearning to have this surgery to rest once and for all. Because it was sharing my life with me for the longest time.
I do not advocate quadrilateral surgery, as it is too much trauma to the body to deal with, at the same time, but that's just me. About age, yes ,i wish i had done it long time ago, but i did not have enough resources or able to take necessary time off. I don't feel my age , and the surgeon told me that my bone was so strong that he had a hard time when attempting to break it. And it is not common at my age, when bones are much easier to break. So i guess age is a relative matter, and depends on ones life style, habits, exercising routine, diet,etc....
I would also like to add that people are doing it at the age of 60yrs old, the oldest i have heard of is a63yrs old gentelman. As for my income, it was not enough to save and finance the surgery, but it allowed me to get a bank loan to do it.

[Allen99]

September 6th, 2024

Almost 4cm

Hi great people, after I took my 2nd xray and found out that my callus is going as it should thanks be to God. I was very happy, because i thought that once Dr. Salameh is going to see the XRay he will surely tell me to do 1mm/day instead of 0.8mm, and then I will be able to finish early.But, Dr. Salameh left me a message asking me to reduce lengthening to 0.6mm instead.
Disappointment took over my senses. And I texted him to ask about the reason why. And i expressed for him my wish to go for 1mm per day, and gave him reasons why, then agreed to do one week at 0.6mm, then 1mm week after, which he agreed on.
However, when I started to do 0.6mm, I have noticed benefits and my legs started to feel comfortable, many of the transient pains i use to have vanished, and my skin at my chin started to loosen up a bit.
So , I calculated the time needed to get to my goal going 0.6mm/ day, and that, if i go 0.8mm. The difference was 15- 20 days. So i decided to keep doing 0.6mm as it is more comfortable for me now. And i told Dr. Salameh about it and my reasons for the change of mind.
Also, stretching, walking if possible, exercising in bed, static bike if possible makes  the process easier.
Throbbing pain and low level pain linger in the background, but i dont always need to take pain killers.

Kudos to all those who went or are going through limb lengthening, cosmetic or not, and double kudos for those in external fixators.

[Allen99]

September,30,2024

Approx. 5.4 cm

Today I have crossed the 5cm mark, with God's help!
2 days ago I started 2 times lengthening instead of 3, and that after consulting with Dr. Salameh, who is here in Frankfurt now.
The rain outside is very soothing. I will be finishing lengthening in 2 weeks, which will put me at 6 cm, which is perfect for tibia lengthening, in that it does not involve
High risk of complications. The recommended lengthening for tibia that involves very low risk is 5 cm
7 cm ,8 cm have been reached, and i feel that i can go for 7 cm, but i don't have enough time and also I don't want to take too much time consolidating and run risk of complications for 1 cm more. To me ,it is wise to stop at 6 cm. Especially that right now i am very happy with my height, Now i am a normal short guy. And with my lift shoes I will stand taller by 14 cm from before the lengthening procedure. And just thinking of that gets me so excited.
I can not stress enough on the importance of stretching and physio.
Have a good one!

[Allen99]

Oct, 15

Hello everyone, I am on my way to reach the 6 cm mark.The journey is taking a bit longer, because i am lengthening at a lower rate after consulting the Dr.
At the end of this month I will be going back to the States, where I will still be lengthening until 7cm.
My right leg feels fine. Like It is not being lengthened.
My left leg had some pain at knee level , which has become much less due to slowing down the rate of lengthening.
No ballerina foot yet, however, achilles tendons are tighter than before. But walking and exercising daily does wonders in keeping everything flexible.

TIP - One must be prepared to follow a stringent stretching and exercising routine diligently before surgery, but most importantly ,during lengthening, and even after lengthening is done. Day in and day out. Otherwise , this CLL becomes a great waste of time, resources and not to mention the pain involved.
The body is being asked to do a lot in a very little time. It is not going to be happy, and it has a way to make us feel it.

I will be updating my diary if anything important happens or when I reach another full centimeter.
Will also be updating through consolidation.
Hopefully, i can put some useful information out there, to benefit all ...

[lucindaris]

Are you using wheelchair through entire process? What about the place that you rent? Is it a shared room?

[Allen99]

Hi there, the fixators are weight bearing, i started walking the same day of surgery using a walker, then moved to using cutches. Yes, I use the wheelchair from time to time , for convenience, and not at all time.

Walking, if you have weight bearing nails or fixators is of great benefits. Also physio. and stretching exercises. Because during lengthening, your muscles, tendons, skin, is bound to get tight, very tight. What will see you through this is the amount of stretching you did before surgery, the one you do during and , after lengthening.
If you have any other questions ,pls. don't hesitate to ask.

[Allen99]

Sorry, forgot to answer your question about accomodation. I rent a room in a big appartement, it is not a shared room. If you live nearby, you can lengthen at home.

[Allen99]

Hello everyone! Finally the forum is back. I have stopped lengthening on the 24th of october. I have reached ,with God's help   6  CM.   My right leg would have gone to reach 7 Cm but the left one gave me knee pain. I am happy with the result, but I can't appreciate it  fully until I am walking without help, like before surgery.
I am in the consolidation phase. Four months have passed since I started lengthening.
Good luck to all those who had, or planing to have this type of surgery!

[GrowGrow123]

Just out of curiosity, did you decide to stop lengthening or did your doctor's advise you to stop lengthening? Congrats on the new height gain