Print

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

[Kenda]

Great, can you tell us your overall impression on Dr G?
Is he accountable, experienced and skilled enough
Did he encourage it band and tendon release and these stuff
How much would you rate him compared to US Doctors?

[cheekycabs]

I lost the ability to stand up on my own after the surgery. I don't think that strength would help until the frames are there. So I don't do much . Pretty sure that after the frames it'll be a lot easier.

I will test the stairs soon now that my legs are both stronger.

My walking abilities do progress luckily too. But whenever I sit for several minutes and want to stand up and walk I can't do that immidietaly. I need about a minute and more until I feel stable on my feet. But that's again the pressure from the pins. What about you? Can you walk immidietaly after standing up?

True. Thanks! You, too!

I need some sort of support to stand, at least 1 forearm crutch and pushing against the chair/table/whatever. I can walk immediately, but my ballerina is a bit stiff until I walk a good 10 meters and everything is okay, the ballerina is temporary and my feet go normal. All of the pressure for me is on my ankles, but it's not so bad and I can walk immediately.

Are you saying you haven't done any stairs training at all?? Oh man, I hope that's not what you're saying.

Are you walking unaided? With a zimmer? With crutches?

[Great321]

Great, can you tell us your overall impression on Dr G?
Is he accountable, experienced and skilled enough
Did he encourage it band and tendon release and these stuff
How much would you rate him compared to US Doctors?

Dr. Giotikas is a reliable doctor who you can contact all the time during and after the whole process. I didn't need those IT band release stuff things. But he talked about that during the consultation. So someone who needs it will get it. I can't compare him to U.S. doctors. I do not recommend fully externals though. LON is better.

I need some sort of support to stand, at least 1 forearm crutch and pushing against the chair/table/whatever. I can walk immediately, but my ballerina is a bit stiff until I walk a good 10 meters and everything is okay, the ballerina is temporary and my feet go normal. All of the pressure for me is on my ankles, but it's not so bad and I can walk immediately.

Are you saying you haven't done any stairs training at all?? Oh man, I hope that's not what you're saying.

Are you walking unaided? With a zimmer? With crutches?

The stairs I have at home are very high and bad to exercise with. I don't do PT outside somewhere else. But I'm pretty sure that when the frames are off it'll be less of a problem.

I mostly walk with crutches now. Only for standing up I use either the walker or something around me to lift me up.

I still have a tiny bit of ballerina foot. After a good stretch it's gone BUT when I stand straight I can fall backwards... only if my upper body leans a bit forward I wouldn't fall.. weird

[cheekycabs]

I think I asked you about your PT before, but I don't think you said what kind of PT you're doing.

As for me, I'm not really doing any, but I'm walking in the city, up and down stairs and on uneven ground every day, sometimes upwards of 2km. For sure my ass strength is evaporated and I can't get up myself, I wish there was a way to improve it. I'm looking into yoga classes, maybe seeing some women will motivate me to move my legs around a bit.

If I take the right painkillers (150mg ketanol) I can walk unaided very slowly, and I jerk my upper body completely to do it. I think I took about 10 steps so I'm seeing improvement. Totally penguin style.

[Great321]

I think I asked you about your PT before, but I don't think you said what kind of PT you're doing.

As for me, I'm not really doing any, but I'm walking in the city, up and down stairs and on uneven ground every day, sometimes upwards of 2km. For sure my ass strength is evaporated and I can't get up myself, I wish there was a way to improve it. I'm looking into yoga classes, maybe seeing some women will motivate me to move my legs around a bit.

If I take the right painkillers (150mg ketanol) I can walk unaided very slowly, and I jerk my upper body completely to do it. I think I took about 10 steps so I'm seeing improvement. Totally penguin style.

I don't do PT as well. I will continue with it when the frames are off. I only walk and stretch.

I can lift my right leg unaided, too. I think it's just a matter of time and everything will be fine. Good luck!

[Great321]

Update

Stiffness in my left leg is gone while walking.
During taking steps I sometimes  try to only  use one crutch. The other one is in my hand for security reasons. It works but right leg has to improve more.

The nerve of my right lower leg doesn't bother me anymore.

[Jubartt169]

Hey, nice diary.

May you make a video showing us your walking ?

[Great321]

Video of me walking

Imgur only allows short clips, so I had to shorten it. In my mind it feels faster than it looks like but it's a huge improvement. I should have exercised a lot more than I would be further by now. But I still have enough time.  Also I could have walked more with a straight posture but I didn't think about it I guess.

https://imgur.com/a/UqvQquN

Hey, nice diary.

May you make a video showing us your walking ?

Here it is. Right after waking up I'm usually slower. Later it'll get better with time. And I can be faster than in the video above.

[Great321]

New video

https://imgur.com/a/YPgA2jz

Old video
https://imgur.com/a/UqvQquN

As you can see I'm a bit faster now.

[dinozzo]

you are doing great, thank you for the video.

[Great321]

you are doing great, thank you for the video.

You're welcome. Hope it helps.

[Kenda]

Great231,
when are you going to make Stryde Femurs?

Did you see anyone doing it with giotikas or did he tell you how many people he did stryde on ? becuase there doesnt seem to be any

[Great321]

4) When are u doing stryde on  femurs?  from your experience with pain do u feel that if u wouldve done internal femurs it would hurt more ?

4) I don't know yet. I want to rest for a few years. As I haven't had experience regarding internal nails I don't know if internal femur would be more or less painfull.

I don't know any stryde patient.

[Great321]

Update

I can walk with only one crutch now. But slower compared to walking with two crutches.

[cheekycabs]

How well are you going up and down stairs? How's your knee tightness? I found an incredible way to fight ballerina if you're still fighting it and need some advice.

[Rei]

Update

I can walk with only one crutch now. But slower compared to walking with two crutches.

How long till your done with your tibias and can remove the frames

[Great321]

How well are you going up and down stairs? How's your knee tightness? I found an incredible way to fight ballerina if you're still fighting it and need some advice.

I can use the stairs in our home, my left leg is strong enough to lift me up for climbing the stairs but walking down is not so easy because the stairs are high and narrow so there's not much space for the frames. I have to firmly grab the rails on each of my sides.

Knee tightness is not as bad anymore. It only occurs when sitting down for a few seconds, 100% because of the pins.

Yes please, I'd like to know about your advice:)

How long till your done with your tibias and can remove the frames

In a couple of days I'll have my next X-rays done.

[Great321]

This week wasn't easy.

19.06
At first one of the pins of the right leg started to cause pain. Usually this happens every other week for 2-3 days. But this time it happend while I was lying in bed doing nothing.... This time it was worse than ever because moving my leg slightly caused pain. I still could weight bear and walk around though even if it was uncomfortable at first.

20.06
I thought it got better because I was able to walk with less pain again. Hours later it felt even worse than the day before. I forcecfully bend my knee with my arms again and again because that had helped me  once in Athens. But nope.

21.06
The pinsite seemed to have gotten better. But now another pin at the same knee started to cause pain! Within hours it felt just like the two infections I had while I was in Athens. Moving the leg only a mm was horrible. I couldn't lift it up onto my bed on its own, I had to use my arm to move my right leg.

22.6
The next few days I didn't use my right leg at all! I only used my left leg and the walker to get to the bathroom. Otherwise I was lying/sitting in my bed.

23.06
A bit better

24.06.
I used the crutches again for the first time. But soon there was a sharp pain in my right knee again so I rested again.

25.06
Today, walking with the crutches is possible again without any problems. Tomorrow I will use only one crutch again.

I'm very happy that I didn't need any antibiotics!! I was afraid of that. But luckily it healed by itself. Well I guess I know why.
Dr. Giotikas told me not to use povidon Iodine because a film (thin layer) stays on the pins and skin which is probably a risk for infections?  BUT I went with my gut feeling and still used it in the past whenever a pin was hurting. It always helped. So I used it again and the pain disappeared. Of course I always clean the affected pin and skin with chlorhexidine to remove the iodine ointment and after that I put a new layer on it.

https://www.apodiscounter.de/pvp-jod-ratiopharm-salbe-25g-pzn-07260425?pgrp=C&extProvId=5&extPu=30583-gaw&extLi=1683433407&extCr=71082991618-345347030131&extSi=&extTg=&keyword=&extAP=1o1&extMT=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv9iVnbSF4wIVw4XVCh2s6wRiEAQYASABEgK00_D_BwE

[Great321]

What I also want to mention is. My left leg which was always the weaker one in Athens during PT is now strong as never before since the surgery. All I did was not using any crutches whenever I made a step with my right leg which means that every muscle and strength is needed of the left leg as that's the one on the floor at that moment, wearing all the weight. Now lifting my left leg while lying in bed is easy. Months before it seemed impossible!

Conclusion: The best PT can be walking unaided. I think that's the fastest recovery. Looking forward to frame removal.

[cheekycabs]

Firstly for ballerina, I've been getting plates from my bench press, a total of 40 kgs, and sitting on the edge of my bed. I scoot my butt as far on the edge of the bed as possible and bring my feet closer to my body. My ballerina will be very prominent here, as I can't really touch my heels to the floor. Now, I'll place the 40kg on my lap and really drive my legs down to push down to the floor. I'll sit like this for about 45 minute sessions, and it's even better to isolate each leg. Surely your ankles get more flexible with this and it's already helped me a lot.

[Great321]

Firstly for ballerina, I've been getting plates from my bench press, a total of 40 kgs, and sitting on the edge of my bed. I scoot my butt as far on the edge of the bed as possible and bring my feet closer to my body. My ballerina will be very prominent here, as I can't really touch my heels to the floor. Now, I'll place the 40kg on my lap and really drive my legs down to push down to the floor. I'll sit like this for about 45 minute sessions, and it's even better to isolate each leg. Surely your ankles get more flexible with this and it's already helped me a lot.

Thanks for this advice! How do the plates looķ like? I can't imagine how you would put them on only one leg? I'd like to try it out. I don't have those plates yet  (What else could you use...?)

[cheekycabs]

The best way to isolate one leg is to put the majority of the weight on the ballerina leg and a little bit on the other.

I suppose you can use maybe a big giant water jug, the 16 liter ones filled up.

[Great321]

@cheekycabs: Thanks! I'll try it with a bag filled with heavy stuff I guess

Update

I have new X-rays. Didn't talk to Dr. Giotikas yet. But I see that again there isn't much progress since last time (2 months)
I only post the X-rays where I see some progress. Everything else (Especially the sideways views of the tibia look almost the same as last time)  On the left you see the X-ray of 03.05.19, on the right you see the X-ray of today.

Left Fibula: https://i.imgur.com/gNcL9TJ.jpg

Left Front: https://i.imgur.com/7EYFFmv.jpg

Right Front: https://i.imgur.com/4mv3SPV.jpg

[fivetenneeded2016]

@cheekycabs: Thanks! I'll try it with a bag filled with heavy stuff I guess

Update

I have new X-rays. Didn't talk to Dr. Giotikas yet. But I see that again there isn't much progress since last time (2 months)
I only post the X-rays where I see some progress. Everything else (Especially the sideways views of the tibia look almost the same as last time)  On the left you see the X-ray of 03.05.19, on the right you see the X-ray of today.

Left Fibula: https://i.imgur.com/gNcL9TJ.jpg

Left Front: https://i.imgur.com/7EYFFmv.jpg

Right Front: https://i.imgur.com/4mv3SPV.jpg

I too dint have any difference by waiting...ask him to dynamize the frames..or do it your self...Parihar did it for me...i got much more uniform callous now

[Great321]

I too dint have any difference by waiting...ask him to dynamize the frames..or do it your self...Parihar did it for me...i got much more uniform callous now

What do you mean by dynamizing the frames? Is there a medical term for that? I'll talk with my Dr. tomorrow noon.

[Yannick]

Your doctor will be able to tell if it is the right time to dynamize the frames (loosening the struts), but according to your x-ray your callus is not ready yet.

[fivetenneeded2016]

What do you mean by dynamizing the frames? Is there a medical term for that? I'll talk with my Dr. tomorrow noon.

right now the tension in the rod is bearing your weight.
Dynamization is when you loosen your supporting struts and walk for some time and again retighten it so that you remove the tension from the struts and move it to your bone. that way the bone bears the weight henceforth

[fivetenneeded2016]

Your doctor will be able to tell if it is the right time to dynamize the frames (loosening the struts), but according to your x-ray your callus is not ready yet.

true, your doc would decide if you can dynamize

[Great321]

I had thought about doing LATN. But I will give it more time now.

I have just realized that I can also start University in April 2020 instead of October. 9 months from now must be enough I hope to consolidate...

I guess I will wait.

http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=64140.msg162974;topicseen#msg162974

Thanks for the advice. Once my consolidation has progressed Dr. G will probably talk about dynamization. Zakika also did loosen the strut in the end I remember.

[Great321]

I had talked to Dr. Giotikas.

He gave me a few options.

I can shorten for 3-4 mm. BUT I'd rather not do that. Because the more length, the more worth this surgery is. I don't want to have waited for a year for only 4,3cm or sth.

Or I can do LATN.

OR I can wait. Probably 4 months +

I get testosterone from my doctor for medical reasons. Dr. Giotikas told me to ask my doctor if the dosage can be increased by a bit since testosterone seems to have a good impact on bone growth.

[Kenda]

I had talked to Dr. Giotikas.

He gave me a few options.

I can shorten for 3-4 mm. BUT I'd rather not do that. Because the more length, the more worth this surgery is. I don't want to have waited for a year for only 4,3cm or sth.

Or I can do LATN.

OR I can wait. Probably 4 months +

I get testosterone from my doctor for medical reasons. Dr. Giotikas told me to ask my doctor if the dosage can be increased by a bit since testosterone seems to have a good impact on bone growth.

Sorry i forgot ur diary, so basically you lengthened 5cm tibia right?
And total time in frames will be how much if u dont do latn, 1 year?