Limb Lengthening Forum
Limb Lengthening Surgery => Limb Lengthening Discussions => Topic started by: Nestor on December 26, 2019, 06:31:16 PM
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Hey guys, just wondering does the process get much easier after distraction is over and done with? I'm hoping to be finished lengthening in a couple of weeks but my legs are very tight and weak and I'm still a long way off walking unassisted.
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Yes, it does. You get to "keep" the stretching and strength gains you make after you finish lengthening. Before that, your body is just barely playing catch-up with the devices.
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Incomparably better. Distraction is an uphill battle where every day you are fighting off the tightness and pain. During consolidation every day gets better. The biggest challenge during consolidation is patience, the improvement each day is minor- it's a mental game where you have to stay positive and patient.
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Thanks guys. Yeah at the moment it feels like one step forward and two steps back with lengthening. Does sleep quality improve at all or does that take longer to get better?
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You can also look forward to better sleep.
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Nestor, imagine this...
The first 3 months your legs lengthen day by day, back APT seems to get incrementally worse, NO SLEEP, the pain, the nerves, the tightness get worse and worse every day, its a battle just to maintain, and yes by day 90 or however long it takes you to reach your goal, you feel like your legs, your back, your pelvic, are a mess (WE ALL BEEN THERE).
Then Month 3+ through 6, ever day, you begin to return to your normal self, your back, your knees, your tightness, even your mind, anxiety, SLEEP, everything incrementally day by day gets better. You literally "Straighten out".
It is almost spiritual, you see how powerful your body is, and you learn to respect it more, once you are healed.
Just hold on, you will BE GREAT, when this done. Not by your height, by the strength and character you build by going through this.
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Thanks @Medium
@Bones truly inspiring words. Everything you described is what I'm going through right now, my legs, butt and back are a mess of different pains. I've been feeling a little down lately but it really gives me hope that my body might gradually get back to normal in due course like you mentioned.
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Some things will take longer, but when I did my femurs, I think most of the usual pain had gone away like a week after finishing lengthening.
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well i came out of the lengthening phase 4 months ago although my phase was longer(4-5 months because i had alot of pauses and slow rates later on) but yea the others summed it well. basically when ur lengthening ur causing trauma to the tissues which causes pain and repair and more trauma in a repeated cycle. the body is just trying to mend the damage ur doing deliberately and as a result u experience discomfort. after the distraction is over it gets better and keeps on getting better with time. hope that helped
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Thanks guys! Can't wait to get the lengthening finished, hopefully it'll feel less of an uphill battle after that.
I'm planning on possibly going about 5mm more above my original goal. Would it be easier on my legs if I lengthened 0.5mm per day or is it better just to get it over and done with quickly?
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Definitely easier to do less and spread it out as long as you aren't at risk of premature consolidation.
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I’m 3.5 months after lengthening and I still have considerable pain and stiffness. It’s getting better and I’m much stronger all the time but it’s very gradual. Don’t expect miracles right away. I did 3 inches femurs.
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Thanks @Medium
@inches I appreciate the heads up, I guess everyone's body responds differently. I'm only doing 2 inches on femur so I'm hoping this might help with a quicker recovery but you never know with these things. Do you mind me asking who your surgeon was? Have you been stretching/walking every day since the surgery?
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Dr. Betz. Yes, I’ve been walking and stretching every day but I could walk more, I admit. I’m seeing noticeable improvement all the time. It’s just that it’s gradual.
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Dr. Betz. Yes, I’ve been walking and stretching every day but I could walk more, I admit. I’m seeing noticeable improvement all the time. It’s just that it’s gradual.
Are you already off crutches?
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I’m off crutches for the most part. In the morning, after waking up but before stretching or taking any painkillers, I may use crutches or my trekking poles, but I don’t need them during the day when I’m on painkillers. I’m still having to take a narcotic plus extra acetaminophen once a day, and then I feel great and can walk all over the place at home with no pain. Sitting down for hours still causes stiffness and soreness, and I may reach for my crutches in those cases.
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I’m off crutches for the most part. In the morning, after waking up but before stretching or taking any painkillers, I may use crutches or my trekking poles, but I don’t need them during the day when I’m on painkillers. I’m still having to take a narcotic plus extra acetaminophen once a day, and then I feel great and can walk all over the place at home with no pain. Sitting down for hours still causes stiffness and soreness, and I may reach for my crutches in those cases.
Thanks for answering! But do you go out at the weekends without crutches? When do you think you will walk completely normal? Wish you a nice recovery!
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I dont go out much at all. I recently went shopping for about an hour using the shopping cart as a crutch and it was very tiring on my legs. I am far from being able to even go shopping unaided. I’m hoping by June, which mean it will have taken one year. I’m sure I’ll be able to go out and do errands sooner than that, but I expect I’ll be really tired doing it. Recovery is very slow.
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Sorry to hear that inches, still though the time will soon go in and you'll have your full mobility back. Was it the Fitbone you had done? Did you choose that over Stryde or was it not available at the time?
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I did the Betzbone.