Kilokahn,
I just saw your recent xrays and pictures and I must say they all look good.
It's amazing to see how you have transformed from the photos you took over a year ago.
You're in very good shape and doing extremely well.
Keep it up!
Quote from: TRS on February 11, 2016, 08:05:34 PMKilokahn,
I just saw your recent xrays and pictures and I must say they all look good.
It's amazing to see how you have transformed from the photos you took over a year ago.
You're in very good shape and doing extremely well.
Keep it up!
Thanks, TRS. Hoping in a few months I'll be running and doing other exercises without problem.
Quote from: Penguinn on February 11, 2016, 05:24:44 PMIt's awesome that you're doing well.
How "back to normal" would you call yourself in terms of percentage? 95%?
Upper body is stronger than its ever been and I've regained just about all of my prior flexibility in the legs. I no longer have any random muscle pains but waking up in the morning I do have a little tightness in the upper part of my calves that goes away with a one minute gastroc-soleus stretch on each leg. I did some light jogging up and down a hill 1.5 miles each way, and it felt a little weird. Hard to describe the exact feeling but it has to be due to the legs not being used to any sort of running impact in a whole year and a half.
What's not so great is that while jogging I build up a lot of pressure in the calves that makes me have to take breaks often. It's possible that it has to do with muscle weakness, but I think it's possible I have chronic exertional compartment syndrome. I don't think this is due to the leg lengthening, but CLL likely didn't help it either. Before leg lengthening I didn't run a lot and I'd get lower leg pain/pressure pretty fast. But I just chocked it up to being really overweight. I did find out about exertional compartment syndrome online sometime ago and read that building mass in the calves can exacerbate the issue, and when meeting with Dr Parihar I asked if he would do fasciotomy during surgery for me just in case I do have it. He said I'd have to take tests to figure out if I do have CECS and that he doesn't do fasciotomy as a routine because with any sort of procedure it's possible to have drawbacks. But I told myself that the pain while running was just due to me being heavy and decided I wouldn't ask him to test me for CECS.
I'll continue with stretching, strength training, and light jogging over the next few months to see if the pressure problems persist. If it does then I'll probably take a test for CECS and if I do have it the fasciotomy is apparently not a big deal with few (nothing major) side effects.
Have you tried swimming instead? It works all of the same muscles as running without the impact pain you seem to be experiencing.
hey Kilo, I am a newbie here. First of all, I need to say Thank You So Much! Your diaries are very informative and I have to admit, you are so patient and helpful to all the LLers. I am impressed with your decision over the exfix, one year with the frames... dude, you are the man! I honestly don't think I could do it, though I am also determined to gain height, one year is such a pain in the neck!
I am considering LL, and definitely Dr Parihar if I am to go to India. At the moment, I need some information to work out a plan and start saving for it. I would appreciate much if you could share some of your experience on below questions:
1. I am about your pre-op height, 138lb. I remember you were saying that muscular calves would provide better blood supply and hence lead to better recovery. But, I read on others' diaries that muscular calves would indeed, make the distraction more painful, and limit the stretching. Since you have completed the procedure, I would like to know your thought on this. Should I put on more weight/muscles or my current weight is actually an advantage for early weight bearing if I am to go for the LON tibiae? I really want to avoid having equinus, ballerina foot, duckass, knee pain and other complications.
2. Why did you decide to go for the tibiae instead of femur? Given the fact that tibiae has longer recovery rate, possibility of knee pain (I know you were worried about this and it made you chose external) and safe limit of 6cm rather than 8cm.
3. Does it different much on the surgery cost between LON femur and LON tibiae? You had 3months for 6cm on 0.75mm/day, is it possible to have 8cm on LON femur with 1mm/day within 3 months?
4. You mentioned you would have gone for the LON tibiae, does that mean that you will need to travel all the way to India again for the third surgery or you are allowed to remove it at the local hospital? Would the third surgery be another additional cost if you were to travel to India?
5. If you happened to have higher budget. Would you go to Dr Aimin Peng in China or you would go to Dr Parihar for Precise2?
Thanks in advance, mate.
By the way, you look fantastic with your new look 
Quote from: Morgenst. on February 15, 2016, 08:25:43 AMHave you tried swimming instead? It works all of the same muscles as running without the impact pain you seem to be experiencing.
Read DoingItForMe's diaries, swimming definitely the best and most effective physio
Quote from: 3dtxpg2 on February 15, 2016, 11:51:10 PMRead DoingItForMe's diaries, swimming definitely the best and most effective physio
Why are you telling me my own advice? I know this
No no, I Read (past tense). I agree with your advice.
Quote from: 3dtxpg2 on February 15, 2016, 11:48:53 PMhey Kilo, I am a newbie here. First of all, I need to say Thank You So Much! Your diaries are very informative and I have to admit, you are so patient and helpful to all the LLers. I am impressed with your decision over the exfix, one year with the frames... dude, you are the man! I honestly don't think I could do it, though I am also determined to gain height, one year is such a pain in the neck!
I am considering LL, and definitely Dr Parihar if I am to go to India. At the moment, I need some information to work out a plan and start saving for it. I would appreciate much if you could share some of your experience on below questions:
1. I am about your pre-op height, 138lb. I remember you were saying that muscular calves would provide better blood supply and hence lead to better recovery. But, I read on others' diaries that muscular calves would indeed, make the distraction more painful, and limit the stretching. Since you have completed the procedure, I would like to know your thought on this. Should I put on more weight/muscles or my current weight is actually an advantage for early weight bearing if I am to go for the LON tibiae? I really want to avoid having equinus, ballerina foot, duckass, knee pain and other complications.
Some surgeons said that muscular calves would help because it would increase blood flow to the area. My surgeon isn't convinced one way or the other on muscles being a good or bad thing, however he's a big proponent of regular stretching and physiotherapy. I think it's better to focus on stretching and not worry about trying to add bulk to your legs. They'll atrophy a lot no matter what you do, but improving your flexibility before surgery can only help.
Quote2. Why did you decide to go for the tibiae instead of femur? Given the fact that tibiae has longer recovery rate, possibility of knee pain (I know you were worried about this and it made you chose external) and safe limit of 6cm rather than 8cm.
The most basic reason for choosing tibiae lengthening instead of femur lengthening is that I couldn't afford surgery with an internal nail, and there's no way I'll be willing to put myself through external femur lengthening.
Quote3. Does it different much on the surgery cost between LON femur and LON tibiae? You had 3months for 6cm on 0.75mm/day, is it possible to have 8cm on LON femur with 1mm/day within 3 months?
My guess is there would be a slight difference in cost between LON femurs and LON tibiae, but not major. Dr Parihar is very reluctant to do external femurs (he might flat out say no) for any amount for cosmetic cases due to the scarring and higher risk of knee stiffness that comes with exfix or LON femurs. Bluebarbie and Dozer would be in better position to tell you what to expect for femur lengthening with a frame or a bar.
Quote4. You mentioned you would have gone for the LON tibiae, does that mean that you will need to travel all the way to India again for the third surgery or you are allowed to remove it at the local hospital? Would the third surgery be another additional cost if you were to travel to India?
You don't have to get the nails removed by the surgeon that put them in, although there are instances where it made the most sense for people to get the nails taken out by the same doctor. Because of my company insurance, if I did LON with Dr Parihar I could have gotten the nails taken out by my local traumatologist for only $250 USD. Nail removal wouldn't be included in the surgery cost. I didn't ask for the price but it would be cheap considering the initial surgery was roughly $15,000.
Quote5. If you happened to have higher budget. Would you go to Dr Aimin Peng in China or you would go to Dr Parihar for Precise2?
My experience with Dr Parihar was very positive. If I were to do internal femurs I'd choose him to do it because I've already been a patient of his and that eliminates the guesswork on whether I can trust my surgeon or not. I'm not sure that Dr Peng has access to Precice nails for internal lengthening. Have you heard from him about that being an option at his clinic?
QuoteThanks in advance, mate.
By the way, you look fantastic with your new look
Thanks 
Yo mate, thanks for the prompt reply, very useful.
One very stupid question, please correct me if I am wrong.
There are basically two main types of lengthening surgical procedure, the internal and external. Internal may refer to the Precise while External can be either LON/LATN or ex fix. You were paying $15000 for the ex fix, so LON tibiae may cost even higher since there will be an installation of the intramedullary nails?
It has been nearly 8 months since your frame removal, do you still experience any discomfort at all? Have you get used to your new height, and feel "short"? We are on the same boat, have tall siblings and relatives.
Regarding Dr Peng, I haven't heard much about him, haven't even started reading Medium's diaries yet. The cost is definitely an issue, which means I may need to postpone the surgery to another year, not ideal. And, I really like the sound of Dr Parihar, a little bit of old-school, safe and put patients' safety as the priority based on his said, "function over length". People may feel reluctant to seek medical treatment from developing country due to the stereotypical views, but there are good/bad doctors everywhere, just like there are good/bad patients. So, I would say, wise choice 
Quote from: 3dtxpg2 on February 17, 2016, 01:18:52 AMYo mate, thanks for the prompt reply, very useful.
One very stupid question, please correct me if I am wrong.
There are basically two main types of lengthening surgical procedure, the internal and external. Internal may refer to the Precise while External can be either LON/LATN or ex fix. You were paying $15000 for the ex fix, so LON tibiae may cost even higher since there will be an installation of the intramedullary nails?
The 900,000 INR quote is the price for LON and includes the nails. After I decided on exfix only, Dr Parihar recommended I pay the LON amount because of how he planned to do the follow ups. It covered the additional surgery I needed to correct some misalignment and add the middle pins for stability, the changing of the rods to hexapod struts to improve alignment, and the extra hospital stay that I needed for that second surgery.
Quote It has been nearly 8 months since your frame removal, do you still experience any discomfort at all? Have you get used to your new height, and feel "short"? We are on the same boat, have tall siblings and relatives.
I've reached recovery to the point where I have no discomfort walking or going up and down stairs. The only discomfort I now get has to do with pressure in the calves while running. If it doesn't get any better within the next few months I'm going to go back to my local ortho and test for CECS.
I still recognize that I'm shorter than average, but now I rarely come across a woman who is taller than me and I feel more normal than I did previously. There were cases where people would blurt out matter-of-factly how short I was, but since the surgery I've yet to have my height mentioned by strangers. I could live at 5'7. Any extra height would be considered a luxury that I'd only do if I came across a lot of time and money to spend.
Quote Regarding Dr Peng, I haven't heard much about him, haven't even started reading Medium's diaries yet. The cost is definitely an issue, which means I may need to postpone the surgery to another year, not ideal. And, I really like the sound of Dr Parihar, a little bit of old-school, safe and put patients' safety as the priority based on his said, "function over length". People may feel reluctant to seek medical treatment from developing country due to the stereotypical views, but there are good/bad doctors everywhere, just like there are good/bad patients. So, I would say, wise choice
Dr Parihar definitely has a safety first attitude and he never gave me the "don't worry, no problem" response that other docs in India have given patients when they were worried about something. In fact, there was one visit where I was walking into the lobby with the zimmer frame, very exhausted and breathing heavily, and he immediately had me get my chest x-rayed to make sure I didn't have any issues. Turns out it was just fatigue, but he never ignored me when I had a concern. I'd say the difficulty of doing surgery with Dr Parihar primarily lies in being in a foreign country and not having much opportunity for social interaction outside of the hospital - all of his patients are Indian and I was the only person going to him for CLL at the time. However, if you're willing to spend the money for a long term stay at a hotel, it's very comfortable under the circumstances.
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