Limb Lengthening Forum
Limb Lengthening Surgery => Limb Lengthening Patients Experiences => Topic started by: badwolf on September 19, 2015, 10:12:40 AM
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Hello fellow LL-candidates, LL-ers, and LL-alumni,
Tomorrow, I will undergo surgery for classic Illizarov in Saint Petersburg at MEDEM clinic. My surgeon will be Dr. Solomin, assisted by Dr. Kulesh.
I know it will not be an easy process, but I hope to keep a written account of the experience in its entirety. Please feel free to join in on this adventure with any questions or advice that you may have.
I would like to begin my diary with a quote from Joseph Campbell:
We have not even to risk the adventure alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us; the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; and where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.
Warm regards,
Badwolf
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Congrats on starting your LL journey! I hope that it benefits you in many ways in addition to making you taller and more confident.
Cool quote by the way.
May I ask why you picked the username badwolf? Sounds like a heavy metal band or something :)
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Hey badwolf - I'm really grateful to you for starting a diary because I am planning on getting LL with Dr. Solomin in summer 2016 :D, I'll definitely be reading every post.
Would you mind asking a few questions:
1) Why did you choose external only over LON/LATN?
2) How easy was it to get a visa? - If you don't mind saying roughly what country you're from that would be cool too.
3) Have you already decided where you're going to stay after hospital? is it an apartment?
4) What's your goal?
Wishing you all the best with your surgery tomorrow and the entire process.
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Hi Taller,
It's an old username from the first season of the 2005 Dr. Who reboot... which gives you an estimate of how long I've been thinking about undergoing LL;p
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Hi Wintersleep,
I hope my experience can be useful to your own journey in some way.
In answer to your questions:
>>1) Why did you choose external only over LON/LATN?
While I don't intend to undergo LON (due to the prices of MEDEM clinic), I am still entertaining the possibility of LATN -- in which case I would undergo the nailing at Saint Elisabeth, as they are less than half the price of MEDEM. There are, however, several factors that may dissuade me:
1. One primary reason for considering nailing in the first place was due to the unpredictability of visa extension in Russia. However, it may be possible for MEDEM to extend my visa for as long as my treatment requires me to stay.
2. The thickness of my tibia will only allow me to place an 8mm rod inside. 8mm is hardly weight-bearing and its instability decreases the benefits of nailing.
3. I have a mild case of genu varum (bow-leg). If this is corrected during lengthening, there is a chance that the rod will not fit inside, due to my tibia no longer being straight.
4. The risk of deep bone infection, permanent knee pain, and the possibility of losing gained height after nailing.
That being said, I am still considering it, but will take my time reaching a decision.
>>2) How easy was it to get a visa? - If you don't mind saying roughly what country you're from that would be cool too.
I am roughly from the east Asians:) As, originally, I planned to go to a different hospital in Russia, I received my visa invitation from them. Unfortunately, by the time the invitation had been sent, severe price changes had been made and they were no longer a very viable option. I still considered them even after arriving in Russia, but ultimately I chose Saint Petersburg.
MEDEM offers visa support (invitation) as well, but plan in advance as these little slits of paper can take up to a couple of months to arrive.
>>3) Have you already decided where you're going to stay after hospital? is it an apartment?
Yes. I have already rented an apartment that's a few minutes walk from both Vreden Institute (from where Dr. Solomin works out of) and Saint Elisabeth hospital. There is an elevator and the room is fully furnished. Dr. Kulesh has, among many other things, helped me find this apartment and rent it.
>>4) What's your goal?
7.5 cm. Unfortunately, the optimal lengthening limit of my current height is 5cm, but I will see how far my body lets me go.
>>Wishing you all the best with your surgery tomorrow and the entire process.
Thanks! Whatever the outcome, I'm sure it'll be an unforgettable adventure;)
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hope everything goes well, i am looking into dr Solomin in the summer 2016.. looking forward to more posts
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I spent most of today at MEDEM taking pre-surgery tests; one thing I can say is that they’re thorough! Preoperative examination, C-Reactive Protein Test, Complete Blood Count Test, Radiography, ultrasonic examination... I know their names because they’ve been considerately written on the bill that accompanies their costs;) This document itself, along with all contractual agreements are written in English, translation costs at around 37 dollars per page. (Totaling in about 262 dollars!) That being said, this is the only slightly outrageous cost and, all in all, things are turning out to be cheaper than I originally expected... for now.
Having visited both Saint Elisabeth and MEDEM, while MEDEM’s prices are a lot higher, it shows in the difference of quality.
However, without going into details, just a quick note concerning the obvious: Make sure you're well aware of what they're charging you for before you make your payment and also be sure to read the fine print of the papers you sign!
The first picture of their lobby is from their website, since I forgot to take one while I was down there – but it really is huge!
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101498_54300.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101498/54300.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101495_4yr_PUeJbQWQVdn6RJF0Dgpjvda96GSZ_luvmQvzfgo.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101495/4yr_PUeJbQWQVdn6RJF0Dgpjvda96GSZ_luvmQvzfgo.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101502_X4kaQAT_nWo-exGO9my9bjEpJAjzYAnpRFeO7vL_euY.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101502/X4kaQAT_nWo-exGO9my9bjEpJAjzYAnpRFeO7vL_euY.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101496_9nCjMpg_ga48cC5GB_0tsqzmJnqYherbnzfhu6Qr_3k.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101496/9nCjMpg_ga48cC5GB_0tsqzmJnqYherbnzfhu6Qr_3k.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101494_3-BPOi1R6o9nxiPGGDcSP2BwJGXGR5S1nCNNduOKUa0.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101494/3-BPOi1R6o9nxiPGGDcSP2BwJGXGR5S1nCNNduOKUa0.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101497_763Sy1rsXik44Y63TC9cvbckyjzUgfAaTz0sq4ydBiw.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101497/763Sy1rsXik44Y63TC9cvbckyjzUgfAaTz0sq4ydBiw.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101492__qou80Gy5jxlcqT_7NmB_E2wTyA6M3NA7x-xLoHH32o.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101492/_qou80Gy5jxlcqT_7NmB_E2wTyA6M3NA7x-xLoHH32o.jpg.html)
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24101501_WNsCBw1LZm837I3WoV_SZM5aSobWF-WrghTHmPxDfME.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24101501/WNsCBw1LZm837I3WoV_SZM5aSobWF-WrghTHmPxDfME.jpg.html)
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can you tell us your initial height wingspan etc? :)
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My current height is 163 cm. Wingspan is 168 cm.
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What I'm also 163, did the doc advise you to not go past 5cm? That sounds terrible
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Just out of surgery! Will update later;)
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Hope you're feeling okay, badwolf! Looking forward to reading what you have to write post-surgery!
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Hey MDOW!
I remembering following your diary. It was one of the things that made me consider China for the longest time until the prices went up. Good to hear from you!
My surgery was at 1 pm and now it is around 1 am. So far I've experienced close to no pain. The anesthesiologist seemed quite surprised! Once the pain increased (very) slightly, they hooked me up to a iv drip cktail of pain killers, antibiotics, and anti-swelling medication. The temporary effect of the antibiotics was a lot worse than the pain!
It's way too earlier to tell, but the accommodation here has been great. I've undergone surgery once in a fairly developed country, but the service and facilities here have been a lot more professional in general. Time will tell though.
I've yet to hear the details of how successful my surgery was and only caught a glimpse of my frames because right after surgery they bandaged it tight.
My mind is alert and wide-awake right now, but the nurse just came in and said I should sleep.
So, peace out;)
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Good morning. All seems well. Sleep is pretty much normal with still hardly any pain. The nurses came a couple of times and offered me painkillers, but I didn't take them. I seem to be getting the random bouts of hiccups though, which is odd;3
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What I'm also 163, did the doc advise you to not go past 5cm? That sounds terrible
They didn't advise me not to go over 5cm, but, according to the ratio of my current tibia length, under 5cm is the optimal length to avoid complications.
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im 164.5 so i sortof know what its like to be 163, but honestly 168cm is pretty normal, if you wear any lift you will be taller than alot of guys in the room so hopefully 5cm will get rid of the worst of your height problem, im assuing you are from a western country or maybe your indian in which case ignore what i said.
but yeah this is where i would have gone if mitkovic wasn't available, the only issue i had with solomin is that he is unknown and i was skeptical of the very cheap price.
if there was 4 more diaries like this and mitkovic wans't available id be very happy to have gone with solomin.
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im 164.5 so i sortof know what its like to be 163, but honestly 168cm is pretty normal, if you wear any lift you will be taller than alot of guys in the room so hopefully 5cm will get rid of the worst of your height problem, im assuing you are from a western country or maybe your indian in which case ignore what i said.
but yeah this is where i would have gone if mitkovic wasn't available, the only issue i had with solomin is that he is unknown and i was skeptical of the very cheap price.
if there was 4 more diaries like this and mitkovic wans't available id be very happy to have gone with solomin.
Hi, I'm from a typical Asian country where the average height is around 170cm. With lifts on I was pretty much average height there. Thus, the few friends whom I've told about LL were surprised that I would even consider going through with this.
I was also very cautious about Saint Petersburg, due to the lack of information and visa support. It was really after extensive communication with Dr. Kulesh and the MEDEM clinic that I felt comfortable enough to at least go for a consultation. That being said, I'll refrain from forming my ultimate opinion until after the entire process is finished.
My main reason for not going with Dr. Mitkovic was the limitations that the monorail frames seem to have:
1. Seems best suited for lengthening under 5cm.
2. I have genu varum (bow-leg) and this is best fixed with classic illizarov method.
3. Not related to the frames, but Dr. Mitkovic does not seem to offer nailing at the moment.
Other than that, he seemed like a very viable option and visa issues would've been less of a problem.
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yeah when people state their starting height if they are not in a western country where average is 177 they should probably say that 'oh yeah male average here is 170 (asian) or 165 (india) etc'
well okay then even if you do 5cm that will be you taller than half the men in the room assuming you wear a small 1cm lift of sorts so i guess you need not worry about the limitation.
and yeah i sent my passport to dr kulesh and he was preparing my letter but mitkovic said he would operate on me within 2 or so weeks so i jumped at that chance and i have had to do nothing visa wise at all in serbia.
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They didn't advise me not to go over 5cm, but, according to the ratio of my current tibia length, under 5cm is the optimal length to avoid complications.
This is a very rational approach that will serve both you and your body well. Seen too many guys do what they want rather than what their body can handle and end up with both mechanical and aesthetic problems. What is your starting ratio?
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Here's an update from yesterday:
I've been amazingly clear-headed today, one day after surgery. Once again, hardly any pain. Dr. Kulesh came and gave me an update on how the surgery went. Apparently, it was a success and certain alterations in the osteotomy were made to allow the possibility of implanting nails even after bow leg correction. Apparently, I have very hard bones and it took a lot of effort for Dr. Solomin to fracture them. I was told this is a good thing.
Just to make a few points clear:
As far as I know, I am the first patient to undergo limb lengthening surgery at MEDEM clinic. I chose MEDEM because they were an international private clinic that offered full visa support and only required me to perform surgery there and check-ups once a month.
In Russia (or at least Saint Petersburg), unless they have their own private practice, most doctors do not work solely out of a single hospital and it is possible for them to hold contracts with several different medical facilities. Both Dr. Solomin and Dr. Kulesh signed on as contract surgeons for my operation at MEDEM. While both doctors are highly experienced in limb lengthening and correctional orthopedic surgery (Dr. Kulesh spent hours openly showing me countless cases of his past patients, both the successful and the less so), they do not have much experience with international patients.
The nurses here have been lovely. And you never have to wait on them after pressing the call button. Today's physio-therapist spoke perfect English and Dr. Kulesh was blown away with how professional and skilled she was. So far he has been thoroughly impressed with MEDEM as a whole.
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Two days after surgery:
My lovely Svenska friend has kept me company on Skype video whenever she is not at work and I've never been too bored. Other time is spent writing, reading, and overall trying to be as productive as possible. Dr. Kulesh has told me with amusement on several occasions that most patients come for lengthening making bold claims about all the productive things they'll do during the lengthening/consolidation process and always end up just becoming couch potatoes, watching TV, and browsing the internet.
This is something that I want to avoid at all costs.
Other time I've spent talking with the nurses and staff whenever they come to visit me for administering medication, cleaning, and helping with my toiletries.
The young nurses are Anna, Ina, and Maria. None of them speak much English, but we've managed to communicate using iTranslate Voice and lots of eye contact and gestures. Maria is beautiful and especially communicative. She's only been in Saint Petersburg for seven days and I guess this is all pretty new for her as well.
The cleaning and cooking staff are more elder, but equally as gracious and interesting. Oxana does the cleaning and mostly helps me feel more human by providing face and body wipes, emptying my chamber pot (I've yet to use my bed pan yet and hopefully won't have to before I can walk to the toilet.) and setting up a system for me to brush my teeth and shave in bed.
Nina, the cook has pretty much shared her entire life story to me over the iTranslate app and she's been very affectionate and concerned about my well-being.
The chief of MEDEM clinic, Alexey, visited me today and said that my condition was very good. He told me that, if my condition remains stable, I may be able to attempting walking with support tomorrow.
The physiotherapist today didn't speak much English and, while he was nice, he was no where near as helpful as the lady from yesterday. In any case, I still remember most of the physiotherapy from yesterday, so I'll probably do it on my own.
I'd like to make an apology if you find this diary neither as entertaining or informative as some of the others on this forum. While I definitely hope this can provide all of you with information regarding the situation here in Saint Petersburg (and thus you are welcome to ask any specific questions you might have), I am writing this mostly in stream-of-consciousness and as Blaise Pascal once said to a friend he wrote, “I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter."
So please feel free to skim through the bulk of it and find whatever information you deem relevant to your own personal journey.
(http://s5d4.turboimagehost.com/t1/24121999_unnamed6.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24121999/unnamed6.jpg.html)
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This is a very rational approach that will serve both you and your body well. Seen too many guys do what they want rather than what their body can handle and end up with both mechanical and aesthetic problems. What is your starting ratio?
I'll ask the doctor and get back to you regarding my starting ratio.
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Btw, last night I had some pain from my gauze foot holder support, so I asked for some extra painkillers (injection). Problem solved. Pain really has been a nonissue for the most part.
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Sounds like you're having a really good start. Would be interested in seeing a full picture of your frames later. I bet they look similar to the ones I wore.
Will you be seeing much of Dr Solomin or do you see Dr Kulesh primarily? Does Dr Solomin perform the surgery on both legs or does he do one and Dr Kulesh the other?
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Hi KiloKHAN,
Dr. Solomin did the osteotomy on both legs, although, after considering your question, I would probably have felt comfortable with Dr. Kulesh performing them as well. I will see Dr. Solomin once or twice a month for a check-up and X-ray (one of these will be at MEDEM, per the conditions of their visa support).
Dr. Kulesh will come visit me regularly (around 3 times a week) and has promised to be on call whenever I need him. This was very surprising to me at first, but there is another patient from NY (that is an active member of this forum) whom I met before surgery and he has confirmed that Dr. Kulesh has gone beyond and above the call of duty to be there for him whenever he needed help of any kind. I was a little skeptical at first, but already I've experienced this first hand. Once again, this is only my current opinion of the situation and time will tell.
I've added a picture of my frames. The photo was taken from a lower angle with my feet tilted, so my femurs appear oddly short. From the start, I've been worried about ballerina foot as I've worn 6cm+ lifts for over a decade. With the doctors, I've gone over options of how we will deal with this when stretching alone will not suffice.
(http://s5d2.turboimagehost.com/t1/24123858_unnamed2.jpg) (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/24123858/unnamed2.jpg.html)
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Hey man
I'm glad you're doing fine, seems like Dr Kulesh is taking everything seriously. Btw would you be able to post some xrays, Id love to see if fibula if fixed to tibia and what technique has been used. Thanks.
Take care.
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Those are some compact frames, which also seem more securely attached than mine were (I didn't have any of those thick bolts going into the leg.) Maybe you'll have better mobility and less pain when moving than I did.
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Thanks for the info, badwolf. Those are some cool looking frames. I like the look of them more than Dr Barinov's or Dr Bagirov's frames as they appear more stable.
What was your consultation like with Dr Solomin? Was it easy to get your questions answered? How's his English?
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Sorry for the lack of an update. I moved to Saint Elisabeth Hospital 3 days after surgery to save on hospital fees and currently don't have internet. Saint Elisabeth Hospital is a municipal hospital and obviously the level of service here is no where near MEDEM's. That being said, one of my goals during this process is to be as independent as possible and so the changes have not affected me much (other than the lack of Internet access and maybe the quality of the food -- but Doctor Kulesh will buy me any food I request when he visits and one of the nurses, another girl that I met, and this one random Russian writer have been kind enough to bring me other food to eat as well.)
Today is my 6th day post surgery and I've started lengthening. Already, I can stand and walk (with some difficulty) on my own. My main issue is a low, throbbing pain (tension? pressure?) that I've started experiencing after intense training with my new trainer yesterday. Dr. Kulesh told me the Russian patients call this a "pressing" and it is basically the soft tissues being stretched/manipulated. This may or may not get worse as I lengthen. It would suck if it got worse, but already I am attempting to re-associating this feeling, in my mind, as a positive sensation. Seriously guys, after all the years I've spent waiting to do this procedure, only pain that I should perceive as undeniably permenantly damaging will stop me from entertaining any doubts or regrets.
I've started studying again since yesterday, something I have set my mind to do while lengthening. Once I get Internet access back, I'll start working again as well. I'll also try to upload my post-surgery X-rays:)
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Hello badwolf , good luck with your journey. I'm also from Asia, my starting height was 164 and have been lengthening for two months now , I have reached 4.8 cm my target is 8cm. No problems so far only very little ballerina.
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does dr. solomin have a 6cm limit, it is implied in his FAQ.
what is your ratio anyway, i take it if you go above 5cm your tibia becomes longer than your femur?
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Good luck with your journey. I am planning to do surgery on my tibia as well with dr.Kulesh sometimes next year. Eager to see you recovering fully. Best of luck and please keep up the diary.
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Hey man!
How is going lengthening ? Any complications or maybe everything is going smooth? :) Keep up!
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Looking at your frames are there two breaks in the bone or is the bottom wire just there for stability?
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does dr. solomin have a 6cm limit, it is implied in his FAQ.
what is your ratio anyway, i take it if you go above 5cm your tibia becomes longer than your femur?
No, he doesn't have a 6cm limit, but he seems to generally discourage lengthening past 6cm.
To be honest, I did not measure my tibia to femur ratio prior to surgery, mostly because my tibias are quite short in comparison to my femurs to start with and I've been wearing 8cm lifts for about close to a decade without any problems. I know some people may consider this careless, but at the end of the day, proportions are not so important to me as height gained.
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Hello badwolf , good luck with your journey. I'm also from Asia, my starting height was 164 and have been lengthening for two months now , I have reached 4.8 cm my target is 8cm. No problems so far only very little ballerina.
That's awesome! How much have you lengthened now? I've been really wary of ballerina foot, as, having worn lifts for over 10 years, I know that my Achilles tendon isn't as flexible as most people. I've been stretching 3 hours daily and been walking about an hour a day as well and so far have been able to avoid it.
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Good luck with your journey. I am planning to do surgery on my tibia as well with dr.Kulesh sometimes next year. Eager to see you recovering fully. Best of luck and please keep up the diary.
Thanks for the well wishes:) Are you planning on undergoing surgery directly with Dr. Kulesh or Dr. Solomin as well? Matters around when next year, but maybe I'll still be around!
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Hey man!
How is going lengthening ? Any complications or maybe everything is going smooth? :) Keep up!
Hey! Sorry for the lack of update. I've been juggling full-time work, stretching, and walking everyday and it's been keeping me pretty busy. No complications so far except slight misalignment of my right tibia which Dr. Kulesh and Dr. Solomin have assured me can be corrected post lengthening. I'll upload my x-rays soon. I'm at 3cm at that moment and stretching a lot to avoid ballerina foot.
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Looking at your frames are there two breaks in the bone or is the bottom wire just there for stability?
No, there's only one break in each bone. The bottom wires, along with all the other wires and rods are there for support.
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Good luck, badwolf.
Try do everything against the ballerina. It is worse than any pain.
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Does Dr Kulesh reccommend a certain amount of walking to fight ballerina? I've read of people walking 10 minutes to 30 minutes a day, is that enough
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I am planning to do with Dr.Kulesh, have been chatting with him through emails during summer. The reason why I chose him is because I can speak Russian fluently and he seems the best as far regarding the correspondence and Russian patients' reviews. I've been reading patient's experiences in Russian and in English and it seems there is always little complications. Eager to see your recovery and there is another patient he is also undergoing lengthening right now, he was operated by Dr. Kulesh. I thought to do my tibias with Dr.Paley since i live permanently in Canada, it wouldn't be too far for me but it will cost me an arm and leg. I am debating... your diary pushes me to do it in Russia ;-). Recover fully and recover well!
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Thanks for the well wishes:) Are you planning on undergoing surgery directly with Dr. Kulesh or Dr. Solomin as well? Matters around when next year, but maybe I'll still be around!
Sorry I am not familiar with forum and replied to you without quoting
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Hey Badwolf,
How is it going? Could you give us a brief update about your lengthening?
I´m pretty interested in Dr. Solomin since I only want 4cm´s and he has pretty decent credentials.
Greetings
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Hey Badwolf,
How is it going? Could you give us a brief update about your lengthening?
I´m pretty interested in Dr. Solomin since I only want 4cm´s and he has pretty decent credentials.
Greetings
Hi,
I'm doing well so far. I've lengthened 5.7cm on paper. (Actual lengthened amount is probably a few millimeters less due to pin bending, etc.) I stretch 2~2.5 hours everyday and walk for 30 min to an 1 hour using a walker. I have 30 minute physiotherapy sessions pretty much every other day. I'd like to do more, but work keeps me busy for most of the day.
While I am experiencing more and more stiffness since going past 4.5cm, after a stretch session I can still stand with my legs straight and my feet at 90 degrees.
My bone formation has been somewhat slow and this is my main concern right now. I haven't had an x-ray in close to a month, so hopefully things have improved since.
Currently, I'm aiming for 8~9cm depending on how things go in the next couple of month.
At this point and stage, I have no regrets at having chosen to have surgery here in St. Petersburg.
Hope that helps!
I may take awhile to reply, but feel free to ask any specific questions you might have.
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Does Dr Kulesh reccommend a certain amount of walking to fight ballerina? I've read of people walking 10 minutes to 30 minutes a day, is that enough
He recommends stretching more than walking. And he recommends doing it as much as you can.
Personally, I recommending doing at least 30 minutes walking and 2~3 hours of stretching a day. To be honest, if it were possible, I'd spend the whole day stretching and walking just to get the optimal results.
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I am planning to do with Dr.Kulesh, have been chatting with him through emails during summer. The reason why I chose him is because I can speak Russian fluently and he seems the best as far regarding the correspondence and Russian patients' reviews. I've been reading patient's experiences in Russian and in English and it seems there is always little complications. Eager to see your recovery and there is another patient he is also undergoing lengthening right now, he was operated by Dr. Kulesh. I thought to do my tibias with Dr.Paley since i live permanently in Canada, it wouldn't be too far for me but it will cost me an arm and leg. I am debating... your diary pushes me to do it in Russia ;-). Recover fully and recover well!
I'm glad my experience can be a help to you! There is a Russian patient (who I never got to meet) from Moscow that had surgery and and went home to lengthen. Maybe you are talking about him.
I've been fortunate in that at 5.7cm I've yet to have any complications. Fingers crossed!
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I'm glad to hear that you are doing fine! Could you make a list of the spendings you had so far?
Keep us updated
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Heya Badwolf!
I hope you are having a smooth trip.
I'm planning to do the surgery with Dr. Solomin too, but doing LON so I can consolidate at home in Brazil after 3 to 4 months.
I was thinking about the expenses and how much I would need exactly.
Last time I made the calculations, I think I had to take 500000 Russian rubles with me, which would be around 7000 american dollars, or 30000 brazilian reais.
Do you think that would be enough for the other hospital they do the surgery in?
There are 2 right? I was planning on going to the cheaper one.
Thanks!
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I'm glad my experience can be a help to you! There is a Russian patient (who I never got to meet) from Moscow that had surgery and and went home to lengthen. Maybe you are talking about him.
I've been fortunate in that at 5.7cm I've yet to have any complications. Fingers crossed!
Yeah I think so, he did go back home to lengthen, it seems painful and complicated :S. I wonder if I can go back to Canada to lengthen but at the same time it is such a long journey and extra money but I really really don't want to stay in Russia argh
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Yeah I think so, he did go back home to lengthen, it seems painful and complicated :S. I wonder if I can go back to Canada to lengthen but at the same time it is such a long journey and extra money but I really really don't want to stay in Russia argh
I recommend against that. Throughout my lengthening phase, the doctors kept an eye on me and corrected misalignments while they were still minor. If you lengthen at home and then come back at the end, you could end up with a serious misalignment needing to be fixed with drastic measures.
Misalignments happen with external frames. The resistance of the muscles is just too powerful for the devices to handle.
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I am sure you are right, I also think that I must to plan in a way so I stay in St-Petersburg, I wonder how long it takes in total to be recovered and be allowed to come back home? From other patients' it seems it takes on average 6 months. And also do you know by any chance whether your tibia size increases in width due to surgery? Thanks so much.
I recommend against that. Throughout my lengthening phase, the doctors kept an eye on me and corrected misalignments while they were still minor. If you lengthen at home and then come back at the end, you could end up with a serious misalignment needing to be fixed with drastic measures.
Misalignments happen with external frames. The resistance of the muscles is just too powerful for the devices to handle.
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Hmm, it seems that badwolf was online yesterday (Feb.1, 2016).
I've been closely following this diary. Hopefully badwolf gives us some update. I'm curious how much has he lengthened so far.
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Any updates will be so appreciated as I am sure i am not alone anxious about your results, hope all is well!
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my it is fake profile
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Hey Badwold,
Could you please update your diary? I´m really thinking about 3-4cm´s with Dr. Solomin so your diary is my main source of information.
Greetings
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Hi,
Apologies for the lack of updates. So far I have lengthened 6.5cm. Due to slow bone regeneration, I have stopped lengthening for the time being and am undergoing ultrasound therapy and may ultimately undergo a bone graft. The cause of my slow regeneration is, most likely, my genetics as I am eating and sleeping well, taking a large array of supplement, and am performing small amounts of weight bearing daily. (Not as much weight bearing as I would like, due to the fact that I broke one of my half-pins in December because of too much walking and had to undergo and pay for an additional operation to fix it.)
Other possible causes could be:
Lengthening too fast. (For the first 3cm, I was lengthening 1mm a day.)
Taking NSAIDs, which some say can inhibit bone growth. (I took 90mg of Acroxia a day for the first 4.5cm. Now I take nothing.)
Not enough weight bearing. (As mentioned above.)
There are other possible causes, but these are the probable few I can think of right now.
That being said, my bone IS slowly regenerating. My last X-ray shows there is noticeable cloud formation (more so on my right leg, than left), but being that it's been 5 month since my initial surgery, things are progressing slower than I would like -- especially since I would like to lengthen another centimeter.
On the bright side, I've had plenty of time to stretch and so I have neither ballerina foot nor knee bending.
Also, I've been working, studying, and taking violin lessons, so I feel like my time here so far has been well spent. (Although lacking on the social side.)
I've had quite a few requests to quote my total financial costs so far, which I will try to do in the near future. It's just quite a hassle, as I haven't been keeping an active log of all my expenses.
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Hi,
Apologies for the lack of updates. So far I have lengthened 6.5cm. Due to slow bone regeneration, I have stopped lengthening for the time being and am undergoing ultrasound therapy and may ultimately undergo a bone graft. The cause of my slow regeneration is, most likely, my genetics as I am eating and sleeping well, taking a large array of supplement, and am performing small amounts of weight bearing daily. (Not as much weight bearing as I would like, due to the fact that I broke one of my half-pins in December because of too much walking and had to undergo and pay for an additional operation to fix it.)
Other possible causes could be:
Lengthening too fast. (For the first 3cm, I was lengthening 1mm a day.)
Taking NSAIDs, which some say can inhibit bone growth. (I took 90mg of Acroxia a day for the first 4.5cm. Now I take nothing.)
Not enough weight bearing. (As mentioned above.)
There are other possible causes, but these are the probable few I can think of right now.
That being said, my bone IS slowly regenerating. My last X-ray shows there is noticeable cloud formation (more so on my right leg, than left), but being that it's been 5 month since my initial surgery, things are progressing slower than I would like -- especially since I would like to lengthen another centimeter.
On the bright side, I've had plenty of time to stretch and so I have neither ballerina foot nor knee bending.
Also, I've been working, studying, and taking violin lessons, so I feel like my time here so far has been well spent. (Although lacking on the social side.)
I've had quite a few requests to quote my total financial costs so far, which I will try to do in the near future. It's just quite a hassle, as I haven't been keeping an active log of all my expenses.
I'm sorry to hear that man :-\ Could you give us a little update about your current situation, how would you rate the treatment you have received so far?
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Thanks for sharing your experience with us, badwolf :)
I'm also considering Dr. Solomin / Dr. Kulesh to do 6cm on my tibias using external fixators (maybe LON), so I'm very much interested in your diary.
The fixators you have don't appear to be that big compared to the others I've seen. Do you think one could lead a somewhat normal life wearing these things (e.g. going to university)?
Is it possible to hide them from the gazes of other people when you wear pants with wider legs?
Do you think it was worth the money to have your surgery done in MEDEM instead of Saint Elisabeth?
Sadly, I don't speak any Russian. How hard had communication (talking to the nurses ect.) been while you were in St. Eli?
And I would love to know your total expenses too (whenever you find the time) ;D
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Hi.this is the first time ever i post on this forum.
dr solomin is the most affordable doctor.
i intent to do my surgery with him and this is the only diary of him.i am dying to know what happened for the last 5 months now...
badwold please let us know you are ok and tell us what has happened.....please..
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Had someone got news about badwolf ? That's frightening he didn't give news for 8 months. He posted a response on another topic 1 month ago though.
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Hi,
Just wanted to update people on my situation.
I have removed both frames, inserted nails, and am currently walking with crutches, occasionally using a single crutch.
The reason why I haven’t started walking full unsupported yet is because my regeneration in my left leg was not very good – in fact I had a bone transplant just to speed up the process.
Although there were some moments I was worried about, other than my slow regenerations, I am mostly happy with my results.
For those who are considering Saint Petersburg, I would recommend it if you are tight for money and cannot afford the more expensive alternatives (such as Paley).
That being said, I did have quite a few problems with Dr. Solomin. If Dr. Kulesh was not available, I believe my experience would have been very different, perhaps along with the results.
In fact, if you are not considering any form of nailing and just plain up externals, I might even say that it would be best to contact Dr. Kulesh directly and undergo surgery with him.
That being said, Dr. Solomin’s experience with the whole process is extensive (albeit somewhat unorthodox at times), and, when it comes to nailing or bone graphs, I believe he does produce good results. All in all, though, you definitely want Dr. Kulesh to be involved.
Anyway, I’m moving on from this entire process, and only occasionally check this website. That being said, I’ll try to answer questions if anyone has any.
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Happy to have got news from you :). How much time do you need before independent walking again ?
That being said, I did have quite a few problems with Dr. Solomin. If Dr. Kulesh was not available, I believe my experience would have been very different, perhaps along with the results.
Dr. Solomin’s experience with the whole process is extensive (albeit somewhat unorthodox at times), and, when it comes to nailing or bone graphs, I believe he does produce good results. All in all, though, you definitely want Dr. Kulesh to be involved.
Can you precise these words ? What were the problems with Solomin ? He is a unknown doc outside Russia and we have very few information about him.
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Any other diaries on Dr. Solomin ?
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I think the Main cause of your problem was that you took nsaid for a very long time.
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I think the Main cause of your problem was that you took nsaid for a very long time.
No it wasn't I took NSAIDs every day for 3-4 months after every surgery.
Any other diaries on Dr. Solomin ?
My diary is on Dr. Kulesh who works closely with Dr. Solomin. And also Kulesh takes care of Solomin patients and stuff.
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Then just genetics. Damn.
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Just a quick update:
I've been great. Consolidated. Walking. (still not running too often, but that's more being afraid than physical limitations) Taking bachata lessons. Awesome, beautiful Spanish girlfriend. Haven't thought very much about my height or about my surgery. Traveling the world. Just as I had always imagined, limb lengthening was one of the best things I could've done.
One issue I ran into since last week though was a loose screw, which is pressing against my skin. Gonna have it removed over the next few months probably. Otherwise, all is well.
Wish you all the best!
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Just a quick update:
I've been great. Consolidated. Walking. (still not running too often, but that's more being afraid than physical limitations) Taking bachata lessons. Awesome, beautiful Spanish girlfriend. Haven't thought very much about my height or about my surgery. Traveling the world. Just as I had always imagined, limb lengthening was one of the best things I could've done.
One issue I ran into since last week though was a loose screw, which is pressing against my skin. Gonna have it removed over the next few months probably. Otherwise, all is well.
Wish you all the best!
Congratulations man, you deserve it! And is your girlfriend as beautiful as RGKEY's? Just kidding, happy for you and her
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Thanks man:) haha well I hate to brag and beauty is in the eye of the beholder (also I haven’t seen RGKey’s gf since I don’t read these forums anymore), but she’s one of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever met: physically, intellectually, and in all those other ways I won’t discuss here;) I won’t say that I wouldn’t have ended it up with her if it weren’t for LL (since I knew her prior to my surgery), but I doubt I would have had the confidence I have now to have her in my life in the way I do.
Women were never my greatest motivation for doing LL I’ve been with more than I can count; some incredibly beautiful (some less so) and at times with more than one. However, I do believe that LL can closer align you to the man or woman you aspire to be...thus bringing your confidence to a level that balances someone who could be your ideal partner. That being said, it’s just one small aspect of the entire picture...and I’ve seen some people who’ve made it the biggest (or worse, only) focus of their time, money, and attention.
There’s much more to life than one’s height, but LL can give you that boost (pun intended) to see beyond it.
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Thanks for sharing your experience badwolf, glad that you came back to update us. Really helps to hear what happens after a length of time, always reassuring to hear phrases like "haven't thought about height in a while" -- it must be liberating.
Good luck with your new girlfriend!
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can someone tell me how to contact dr solomin?
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can someone tell me how to contact dr solomin?
Glad you finally saw my other post (http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=5016.msg82348#msg82348), deleting what I originally wrote here.
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hey badwolf,
can you tell me, how is it like doing surgery on tibia and having Ilizarov frame on feels like?
i wanna know if you can drive an automatic car for 30 min, sit inside and get out of the car, and walk with crutches during distraction period?