Topic: +6 cm tibia LATN with dr. Dimitrios Giotikas (Read 13678 times)

MorningStar · « **Reply #124 on:** November 30, 2021, 09:02:06 PM »

@Thehighest no, not yet. Now it wouldn't be accurate since my knees are still bended.

thankscience · « **Reply #125 on:** November 30, 2021, 11:39:33 PM »

How did you manage to get a visa to stay so long in Athens? (Assuming you're not an EU citizen?)

MorningStar · « **Reply #126 on:** December 01, 2021, 07:49:31 AM »

@thankscience I am EU citizen. So yes, this problem is solved automatically.

canterk · « **Reply #127 on:** December 16, 2021, 05:31:38 PM »

How are you doing now? Is your gait close to normal now?

MorningStar · « **Reply #128 on:** December 17, 2021, 06:46:28 PM »

Quote from: canterk on December 16, 2021, 05:31:38 PM

How are you doing now? Is your gait close to normal now?

Hi, canterk!

Here is my last X-rays from 2021-12-13:
https://i.ibb.co/Ks7GSpN/IMG-20211213-175939.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/MfGLZSF/qrf.jpg

Doctor is very happy about the consolidation, especially in the right leg.

What about my recovery: I am far better than before but still far from being perfect. 3 weeks has passed after the nailing surgery and I feel very strong when I walk with support (walker or crutches). Maybe I can already take a few steps unsupported but doctor doesn't let me to do that now. My knees are still little bended: right one by 5 degrees and left one by 15 degrees. Also I fight pretty big ballerina. So in general I am not very good and my recover is hard but at least I see improvement everyday. PT center guy thinks that I need around one more month to regain walking gait.

canterk · « **Reply #129 on:** December 20, 2021, 11:53:39 AM »

Good to know you are improving everyday! Since you are done with lengthening, i assume you are paying extra for PT sessions now? If yes how much is it per session, how often do you go to PT and are you still doing it in the same facility that's included in Dr G package?

MorningStar · « **Reply #130 on:** December 20, 2021, 03:05:07 PM »

Quote from: canterk on December 20, 2021, 11:53:39 AM

Good to know you are improving everyday! Since you are done with lengthening, i assume you are paying extra for PT sessions now? If yes how much is it per session, how often do you go to PT and are you still doing it in the same facility that's included in Dr G package?

Dr. G is paying for a few more weeks. But I don't know if it's related with LATN or because my condition is worse than expected. Later I'll pay by myself.

I go 4 times per week. And yes, later I'll go to the same center. They have Antigravity treadmill which is crucially useful for me now.

MorningStar · « **Reply #131 on:** January 05, 2022, 02:36:27 PM »

Hello, update (6 weeks after nailing surgery):

Today's (2022-01-05) X-rays:
https://i.ibb.co/wNk7NpB/IMG-20220105-152615.jpg

Right leg consolidation is very good, left leg - less ok. I still use a walker and dr. Giotikas thinks that I'll need it or crutches for at least 6 more weeks. My knees are still little bended, especially when I standup. Probably my upper legs muscle are too weak to keep all upper body weight stable. Also my heels are around 2,5 cm up but Giotikas is sure that I don't need ATL. I haven't been using painkillers for 3 weeks because I don't feel any pain. Funny thing: today after PT it appeared that elevator in the building is broken. So I had to go down 3 floors with my hand on PT coach shoulders. It wasn't difficult.

canterk · « **Reply #132 on:** January 05, 2022, 03:53:19 PM »

thanks for the update. x-ray looking good, surely your Left leg will catch up soon!

with this update i assume you will stay even longer in athens now? at least 6 weeks until the crutches are gone? the apartment and other necessities costs must be adding up with the extension of stay.. i hope when i do my surgery i wont have to extend my stay for long.

MorningStar · « **Reply #133 on:** January 05, 2022, 04:08:12 PM »

Quote from: canterk on January 05, 2022, 03:53:19 PM

thanks for the update. x-ray looking good, surely your Left leg will catch up soon!

with this update i assume you will stay even longer in athens now? at least 6 weeks until the crutches are gone? the apartment and other necessities costs must be adding up with the extension of stay.. i hope when i do my surgery i wont have to extend my stay for long.

Hi, canterk! My initial plan was to stay until I'll be able to walk normally. But later I've changed my plan. I have to return to my country until the end of February so I have roughly about 6 weeks from now.

By the way, I've moved to hotel 3 weeks ago. It's much much more funny to live here. Ok, hotel is far more expensive than apartments but it has full infrastructure for disabled people so I don't need to pay for a nurses to help me to go to PT center or hospital. Also it has a bar.

So I mostly spend my weekends now in a bar with other guests or hotel owner.

jievince3 · « **Reply #134 on:** January 23, 2022, 08:50:32 AM »

Hi, why do you choose LATN rather than TSF?

MorningStar · « **Reply #135 on:** January 23, 2022, 10:37:02 AM »

Quote from: jievince3 on January 23, 2022, 08:50:32 AM

Hi, why do you choose LATN rather than TSF?

Do you mean why not a pure externals? Because too long to be with a frames.

MorningStar · « **Reply #136 on:** January 24, 2022, 01:49:56 PM »

Hello,

So we have almost 2 months after nailing surgery. Despite really difficult recovery (probably one of the hardest of the current patients), finally I see some light at the end of the tunnel. Today I've tried to walk unsupported. Slowly, not very perfect, but confidently. Left leg is weaker. Still doctor doesn't want me to walk unsupported, at least until the next X-rays. But now I am pretty sure that in one more month I'll be almost perfect.

By the way, today I had to skip physiotherapy. Athens is full of snow, all the life has stopped and I wasn't able to call a taxi. Some guys managed to go into PT. I hope they will be able to come back also.

ReadRothbard · « **Reply #137 on:** January 24, 2022, 03:52:00 PM »

Quote from: MorningStar on January 24, 2022, 01:49:56 PM

Hello,

So we have almost 2 months after nailing surgery. Despite really difficult recovery (probably one of the hardest of the current patients), finally I see some light at the end of the tunnel. Today I've tried to walk unsupported. Slowly, not very perfect, but confidently. Left leg is weaker. Still doctor doesn't want me to walk unsupported, at least until the next X-rays. But now I am pretty sure that in one more month I'll be almost perfect.

By the way, today I had to skip physiotherapy. Athens is full of snow, all the life has stopped and I wasn't able to call a taxi. Some guys managed to go into PT. I hope they will be able to come back also.

You have to SKIP PT?

MorningStar · « **Reply #138 on:** January 24, 2022, 04:06:27 PM »

Quote from: ReadRothbard on January 24, 2022, 03:52:00 PM

You have to SKIP PT?

Yes, I skipped PT session.

ReadRothbard · « **Reply #139 on:** January 24, 2022, 04:15:46 PM »

Oh, I misread that as you skipping PT altogether lmao

7cm · « **Reply #140 on:** March 18, 2022, 10:24:30 PM »

@morningstar, how is your consolidation going, any new update buddy ?

MorningStar · « **Reply #141 on:** March 19, 2022, 08:12:21 AM »

Hello, sorry guys for a pretty long silence. I’ll try to update even after a few years, but for sure updates will be more and more rarely. OK, so let’s go.

Consolidation? I have only six weeks old X-rays and they looked good. So now should be even better. But I am pretty lazy to go for the X-rays now. Maybe I’ll check after one more month.

Walking? I’ve been walking unsupported for 1 month now but still I haven’t regained my walking gait yet. I have to admit that I was a little wrong when I was thinking at the end of the January that "in one more month I’ll be almost perfect". I can walk almost normally but I have to be warmed up and use 1,5 cm lifts. Without lifts I still can’t fully reach the ground with both bare feet in the same horizontal line and with 50% of weight on each leg (if I put at least a little more weight on one leg, then I easily reach the ground fully). Especially difficult in the mornings just after the sleeping. I need around 5 minutes of warm up before starting to walk because calves are very stiff in the mornings. I can easily climb up the stairs and a little bit more difficult to climb down. A little strange, but after a long walk my legs aren’t tired but feet become very tired, even painful. Maybe wearing some antiballerina shoes at night would help to get rid of this slight ballerina faster but I value good and comfortable sleeping more than a fast removal of this ballerina.

Permanent knee pain? No knee pain.

Reaction from others? I’ve heard a comment for at least a few times: "strange… You look taller than before… But maybe I haven’t seen you for a long time and I don’t remember…", haha.

Was it worth? Without any doubts - yes. Even with my extremely difficult recovery. If I am not living my dream life now, so at least closely. I’ve bought Porsche (instead of one more LL, haha), I date taller girls (I just say that I am after the injury). Everything is going well.

Would I do it again? I would definitely do LL again. But maybe femurs, not tibias. Since I’ve realized that you can do more centimeters on the femurs and they are easier to recover albeit longer tibias look better. Still I am happy.

Best regards to all brave men and women who already did, are doing or will do LL

Issun-Boshi · « **Reply #142 on:** March 21, 2022, 10:25:16 PM »

Hi Morningstar, thanks for your diary!

Can I ask why you did tibia instead of femurs?

MorningStar · « **Reply #143 on:** March 23, 2022, 09:40:50 AM »

Quote from: Issun-Boshi on March 21, 2022, 10:25:16 PM

Hi Morningstar, thanks for your diary!

Can I ask why you did tibia instead of femurs?

Hi. Because when I've done my choice, Giotikas provided only LATN.

FreedomFighter · « **Reply #144 on:** May 02, 2022, 08:39:39 AM »

Thank you for your pointing the importance of finding an apartment with no entrance stairs.

I wonder how did you manage to climb up/down those stairs while sitting on a wheelchair?
- Do you stand up, climb up/down the stairs with your legs, and then grab the wheelchair by hand?
- Or you simply climb up/down the stairs while sitting on the wheelchair?

I will have my surgery in Athens in several months. I hope I can figure out these important details before the surgery so that I will face less problems during my lengthening in Athens.

canterk · « **Reply #145 on:** May 02, 2022, 01:34:39 PM »

Morningstar, glad to know you're doing okay. Are you still doing any stretchings now? do you feel that your flexibility is back to pre-op without doing any stretch or do you need to stretch often now just to keep flexibility? Any estimate on when you think you'll get back to normal gait?

Cheers and again congrats on finishing lengthening

MorningStar · « **Reply #146 on:** May 04, 2022, 06:43:47 AM »

Hey, folks!

@FreedomFighter first of all, I was in a wheelchair for a very short period of time. Most of the time I was walking with a walker. Second - I was hiring a nurse to help me. Anyway, if you feel pain or you are uncomfortable to climb down the stairs, one of the easiest technique is climbing down on your ass. Yes, it looks a little bit embarrassing, but at the same time it’s very effective. Just sit on the ground and go down on your ass step by step. Later sit to the wheelchair with a help of your hands or a help from the nurse.

@canterk thank you! Yes, I’ve bought simple slant board from the Amazon and I am trying to stretch everyday. It really helps a lot. Of course, sometimes I forget to do that.

No, my flexibility is not at the pre-surgery level. Now I can touch the ground with both feet so more or less I’ve overcome ballerina but that means that my dorsiflexion is at 0 degrees. I need to continue stretching to be able to push my heels lower. Actually, when I am with a shoes my walking gait is already normal. I will make a video in a few weeks. When I am with a bare feet it’s still not perfect. Also I can’t walk in a normal pace for a very long time. Maybe 2-3 km. Later my legs become tired. I hope that will increase in time. Also one little problem - when I sit for example for 20 minutes or more, then I standup, I have to stand for about 10 seconds before starting to walk. Of course, I can walk immediately but then my first 4-5 steps look strange, like with a gelatine legs. Seems like muscles become relaxed and they need some tension before starting to walk. And still I can’t run.

Regards

Unknown · « **Reply #147 on:** July 22, 2022, 07:35:38 AM »

Any updates?

Thehighest · « **Reply #148 on:** July 22, 2022, 04:38:11 PM »

Did You lengthen exactly 6 cm?? Which is your height now?

MorningStar · « **Reply #149 on:** August 11, 2022, 02:21:10 PM »

Hello folks,

Almost a year passed from the first surgery. I still have only old X-Rays (from the February). Every week I think: "this week I’ll really go into hospital to do new x-rays", but every week I am too lazy.

How I am in general? More or less very good.

From the good things: I have no ballerina, my normal walking gait has returned, my feet pain has disappeared, I can walk pretty fast and long distances (maybe around 10 km now), even after sitting for a few hours there is no problem to walk immediately, I can even go to the club and dance, haha.

From the bad things: I can run very slowly, in the mornings my legs are still stiff for a few minutes, I can jump very little (actually I afraid to try more). The main bad thing: despite normal walking, my legs are weak as hell comparing with the normal legs. I tried to do leg press in a gym with 40 kg (which is a pathetic weight), so I was able to do 10 reps but with an effort. Another example: I was standing and kissing a girl and I lean a little bit towards her (I put my weight in front of the legs). And she said: "relax, your legs are shacking", lol

Of course my legs were shacking because of the muscle weakness.

Was it worth it? Without any doubts YES. I am living my best life. Yes, I sacrificed my athletic abilities, but I don’t care. I am not a professional athlete. Maybe one day my legs strength will return but even if no, then all good.
BUT. I have to warn all of you who plan to do that. Only now I’ve started to understand how fuc*ing complex it is. And how lucky I am. Maybe not the luckiest one but far better than the unluckiest one. I’ve seen one guy dead. I’ve seen one person almost crippled (non-union) (if you are reading this I really hope you will heal, just don’t lose the hope, stay strong). I’ve seen so much pain from myself and the others. Yes, I didn’t understand before how complex it is and what a lottery I am trying to play. And maybe that’s good because otherwise I wouldn’t have been brave enough to go through all this. I’ve won my lottery but there is also a pretty big change of losing it, even with a skilful and experienced surgeon (I am not even talking about the butchers from the third world countries). Sometimes your body just acts how it wants and no science can explain that.

The highest: I’ve added 6,1 cm. Now I am around 177 cm.

Regards

P. S. Sorry, I still haven’t made my walking video. I’ll try to do that until the end of the summer.

thankscience · « **Reply #150 on:** August 11, 2022, 10:34:00 PM »

Congrats on a successful journey!

The patient with the non-union - did they say what treatment they will do to fix that?

MorningStar · « **Reply #151 on:** August 12, 2022, 08:23:05 AM »

Quote from: thankscience on August 11, 2022, 10:34:00 PM

Congrats on a successful journey!

The patient with the non-union - did they say what treatment they will do to fix that?

I am not sure if I have a right to talk a lot about this case. I asked many times this person to come here in the forum and write the story. But for now this patient still declines to do that.

They tried PRP and stem cells injection. I think now they are thinking about the bone graft.

Sadly no option provides 100% guarantee.

Limbfan2020 · « **Reply #152 on:** August 12, 2022, 10:01:26 AM »

Quote

I’ve seen one person almost crippled (non-union)

@MorningStar

Is (or was) this patient a smoker?

MorningStar · « **Reply #153 on:** August 12, 2022, 10:20:42 AM »

Quote from: Limbfan2020 on August 12, 2022, 10:01:26 AM

@MorningStar

Is (or was) this patient a smoker?

No smoker, no alcohol drinker. Actually I was drinking much more alcohol while lengthening.

Hatch · « **Reply #154 on:** August 12, 2022, 10:23:56 AM »

Quote

The patient with the non-union - did they say what treatment they will do to fix that?

G-Nail has no reverse function? As i have understood, stryde and precise nails have it.

Do you thing reverse function would solve the problem?

Limb Lengthening Forum

Author Topic: +6 cm tibia LATN with dr. Dimitrios Giotikas (Read 13678 times)