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[Silvertiger]

This is a diary of my experience at Ilizarov Centre in Kurgan, Russia. I wrote it to help anyone that is thinking about getting limb lengthening surgery.

[Taller]

Welcome to the forum! Thank you for your willingness to share your experience with us.


How was your leg lengthening procedure?

How much did you lengthen?

What was your initial and final height?

What complications did you face and how were they addressed?

How did your self-perception change after the procedure?

What would you have done differently?

How is your athletic recovery?

How do you feel about your leg to upper body and tibia to femur proportions, now?

Can you sprint/how fast can you run?

Do you regret limb lengthening?

How did people/society react to your change in height?

Is there any other wisdom you'd like to share with our community?

[Silvertiger]

I did not want to post my Leg Lengthening diary until after I have left the place that was going to do my Leg Lengthening surgery. Just in case there will be any problems, I do not want to have to stop writing it. I did not want the doctor or workers there to get mad at me when I was there.

Hello everyone, I am an Asian American male in my 30's. I am five feet zero inches or 152 cm tall. I have been planning on getting Leg Lengthening surgery for the pass two to three years. I have saving up enough money to get Leg Lengthening surgery and was planning on doing it in March of 2014. I will try to increase my height by 7cm or 2.7 inch with the surgery.

At first, I was planning on doing it in India with  Dr. Amar Sarin because I heard he was very good and never had any patients with any major problems. The weather there would be better then Russia for me. The pictures of the rooms that I would be staying in looks good enough for me to stay in comfortably for 6 to 7 months.

About 4 month before I was planning on going on the trip for the Leg Lengthening surgery in India, I started to hear a lot of patients having problem in India with Dr. Amar Sarin. I started to get scared. I was thinking about changing to a different doctor in India. But, I found out that the other doctors in India have not been doing it for a long time The  other doctor's places at I would have to stay at was not very clean or their patients were also having problem.

So, I decided on go to Russia to get my Leg Lengthening surgery. I was thinking between  Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre (Kurgan, Russia) and Dr. Alexander Barinov, RUSCOM (Volgograd, Russia) . I call both of them and ask them many questions. So, I could find the best place for me to get my surgery.

I finally decided on going to Dr. Alexander Barinov, RUSCOM (Volgograd, Russia). I picked him because heard he has done over 60 cosmetic leg lengthening with out one major problems. The great dairy from Rgkey. I have read some of their patients dairies on www.  and it feel like a place that I would like to have my surgery done.  The plane ticket there was a little cheaper. The price of the room that I was going to be staying at was the same price as the other place, but the room in Volgograd, Russia would be more private. Because, I would only have one roommate and in Kurgan, Russia I would have 7 other roommate. The rooms in Volgograd, Russia was more roomy so it  would be easier to do thing and two bed instead of seven for the same price. And finally, Volgograd City is much bigger then Kurgan City so after  I finish the lengthening process it would be easier to find a cheap  hotel or apartment for 3 month to heal. There would also be a lot more thing to see and do around a bigger city.

In early January 2014, I told RUSCOM (Volgograd, Russia) that would like to get Leg Lengthening surgery done there in March or early April. I ask them to help me get a letter of invite so i can get a visa to travel to Volgograd, Russia. They told me the Olympics was going to happen in January in Russia and they could not start the process until the beginning of February, after the Olympics ends. I told them fine but can they start it as soon as possible. I start to call them once a week every week starting in February to see were the process was.

Final on April 6, 2014, they told me that Moscow lost all my information and letter of invite and if  I wanted to start over again? I told them yes and sent them all my information again. But, this time i also ask Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre to send me a letter of invite also. On May 27, 2014, Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre sent me the letter of invite. It is July now and I still have not heard anything or gotten an e-mail from RUSCOM (Volgograd, Russia) about my letter of invite.

[tx1111]

What was your rate of lengthening?

How was wifi in hospital?

What is the food like?

Looking back, are you confident you made the right decision by choosing the Ilizaroc Center as the place to get yor surgery done?

regarding visa, did you get a medical visa and just extend every three months or a normal visa?

im also interested in the asnwers to Taller's question.

Im going there next month   so thanks alot for ur diary.

[Silvertiger]

On July1,2014, I arrival today in Kurgan, Russia. I am stay in a hotel near the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre that they have recommended to me. They told me it will be over a week before I can be admitted to the Center. 


On July2,2014, I have visited the Center. I have meet with the head doctor at the center. They told me that I will have to do the tests again. I have look at the room that I would be staying in. There is just 7 small beds, each with there draw and one closet that we all share. Everybody there share the one bathroom. There is also no way to have any privacy in the room

[Silvertiger]

In the past few days I have had many tests done inside the Center and one done outside the Center. I have had many pictures taken of me. I had to meeting with a different  doctor and then I had go to meeting with all the doctors for approve for the surgery, six doctor. I meet and talk to the doctor that was going to be my doctor. His name is Dr. Roman. He is a big guy that know some English and is currently the doctor of  four international patients in that department

They told me the reason that it is taking so long for me to be admitted is because I got liposuction done a week before coming to Russia. Most people usually take a week or two to get admitted and  2 to 7 days after being admitted to have the surgery.

They have approved me for surgery. They told me that  I had to pay for the full Leg Lengthening surgery with 4 month stay before i can be admitted to the Center. 
So, I open a bank account in Russia so that I can have my parents wire me my money. It is July 17, 2014 today and a Friday so I can not get a wire sent until Monday morning.


Letter of invite mailed and Visa  =  $300
General Physician health report and test = $625
Report signed by psychiatrist  =  $250
Round trip plane ticket =  $2500
Tests before you can get Leg extension surgery  = $475
About 17 days staying in Kurgan, Russia. The experience for taxi, food and hotel before being admitted to Center  = $700
The Leg Lengthening surgery with 4 month stay at Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre in a 7 group room will around  = $15.500.
Extra food, snacks, laundry and etc for the 4 month stay at Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre = $1000
I think the cost of stay at a cheap hotel for the three month in Russia will be around =  $3300.  I do not want to leave Russia until my frames are removed here.

So, the total cost of everything for me to do Leg Lengthening surgery in Kurgan, Russia would be a little over $24,000 if nothing goes wrong. That is at the current  USD to RUB exchange rate, 1 USD = 35 RUB.

[Overdozer]

1 USD = 35 RUB.

The rate is 1 USD = 65 RUB. Should be good news for you. 35 rub is the old rate which was before all that situation with Ukraine. By the way, after you've lengthened your legs, there's really no reason to stay in Russia. You can move back and then remove the fixators at your local Dr. when your legs are consolidated. In fact, you can remove them yourself.

Good luck!

[just_me]

Can you explain what kind of test you have to do inside the Ilizarov Center and outside the Ilizarov Center before you were aproved for the surgery?

[tx1111]

Also the psychiatrist report.

What did you tell psychiatrist. Did you mention the letter you needed was for surgery or just in general?

[Silvertiger]

yes, the rate is better. But, they have been raising some of their prices.

[Silvertiger]

They did some blood tests, urine test, poo test and check up. I had to get an Ultrasound Testing test outside because one of the blood test was a bit off the first time.

[Silvertiger]

I have been trying to post my pictures here. I got like 30 of them.  I would like to post them at different parts of the diary. But the forum will not let me. So, i guess I have to post my diary with the pictures. I know pictures would be a lot better.

[Silvertiger]

On July18, 2014, I was admitted to Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre. I have meet three guys and one girl that are patients here that speak fluent English. All four of them are getting Leg Lengthening surgery here. There are many other Russia patients, but most of them are not here to get Leg Lengthening surgery but to having bone correction or repairing bone problems.

I have talked with the guys a lot the past few days before my surgery. They have told me what they are going though, everything I should expect, things I need to buy and what should do. After trying the food here the past few days I would say the food  is mostly eatable but not good at all. I am small and do not eat much but they do not give you enough during the meals. You will have to buy extra food outside are you will still be hungry.


On July 23, 2014, today was my surgery day. I went in at 2:00pm. I could not eat the day before after 8:00pm. I was not allowed to eat or drink anything before my surgery. Before the surgery they give me a spinal tap on my back bone. They then give be meds to knock me out. When I woke up it was past 5:00pm. I have no memories of what happen during the surgery, just waking up in bed. I do not feel any pain at all after the surgery, the pain killer has not worn off yet.

When I went to sleep that night, I woke up around 3.00am because of pain was starting getting bad. After, an hour it got much worst. I was in real pain, it felt like a 9 of 10. So, I call the nurse for the first time of pain killer. It take an hour for the pain to go down after taking it.

[Silvertiger]

On July 30, 2014, this is just a report for the week. On Friday, July 25,2014, was the day I took my first steps. I use crutches but I could only take five steps. Every steps were very painful and did not have much energy afterwards.

They told me the gym is only open Monday thru Friday and our department patients only have a hour a day set time that we can use it. So, you can not go when you want or stay as long as you want. You can walk inside or outside the building or even leave, but have to be back in the Center before 8:00pm. If you do not get back on time they can kick you out. Then you will have to stay at a hotel or an apartment and come to the Center to get treatment You need to be in your room at 10:00pm by you can sleep anytime you want.

 I know a Russian patient here that was kick out of the Center because he came back very drunk. He stay at an apartment now but comes to the Center for treatment. He come to visit other patient here but can not stay very long.

On Monday, it was my first time to the gym. They just showed me some easy work out to get my leg strength back. Tuesday and Wednesday, I walking a little with the walker in the gym. So, it has been a week. I feel much stronger now then after the surgery but I still can not walk very far.

I think there are a few major difference between Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre and other places that use external fixator leg surgery. The first one is that they make you get a half ring around your feet if you are doing more then 4 cm.. That half ring is much more painful then the rings around your leg. It is about three to four times more painful then the leg frame when you walk. They told me reason why we need it was to prevent getting ballerina foot.

The second difference is that they do two breaks on each bone instead of one if you are getting more then 4cm. The reason is so they can lengthen faster and spread the lengthen to two area and not just one. And, also when you are healing you will healing in two area. So, the healing will be more faster.

The third difference is when they remove the frames they will put a cast on your entire legs for 2 weeks. They will do one leg at a time. They say it will help you have less scars, prevent things like bow leg and make your leg stay straight. Because of these reasons the full treatment for 5cm - 7cm should be 4 - 6 months.

I just read what happened to Rgkey at   last week. Damn, after all that hard work and after returning home he later got bow leg. He is one of the main reason I made Dr. Alexander Barinov, RUSCOM (Volgograd, Russia) my first choice. I do not know if it is his faint or Dr. Alexander Barinov, RUSCOM faint for letting him go home so soon. I know 9 cm is a lot. But, if it was RUSCOM faint I am so glad they fked up my invite letter to Russia twice.

[Silvertiger]

On August 5, 2014, it has been a week since my legs has started lengthening. Saturday and Sunday lengthening was very bad. I was having 6-7 pain in my right leg and it would not go away. There was bad electric shock that keep running through my right leg. If i move it wrong, workout, or touch it i feel a bad shock. The foot of that leg get very hot if something touch it. When that foot get hot anything that touches it there is a 8-10 pain. It was very bad. I got scared. Just 1.5 cm into the surgery and my right leg was in great pain how was i going to take it when to get to 5, 6, or 7 cm. 

Tuesday, I had my first X-ray and my bandage change again this morning. After the doctor looked at my x-ray he made 3 big movements to the nuts on my leg frames, One major correction on the left leg and two major correction on the right one. I am still having the problems on my right legs but it is much less and the constant pain on it went down to a 3. I hope the problems with my right legs do not come back after i start lengthening again. That is my greatest fear now.

 The doctor will give me a two day break from lengthening. This is so I can rest a little to get my energy back and so I will have the strength to walk more. I have walk two 30 feet distance today any will try for another one after writing this. Wish me the best of luck because know I will need it.

[Silvertiger]

On August 11, 2014, it has been a long week it is still painful when I walk. I try to walk three time a day and do about an hour of workout in my bed everyday. We have gotten a Russian that could speech some English to order us some take out food on days with real bad food. The restaurant at do take out has pasta, sushi, pizza and burgers. The food is good but not as good as in the United States of America. The price is about the same or a little higher then back home.

One guy that is that was doing Leg Lengthening was having high blood pressure problem and was not walking but he was still lengthening everyday. Now he can not bend his leg. He had to pay 1200 usd to get more ring on his legs to straight them. I think he has to have it on for around three weeks to fix the problems.

The girl that is doing Leg Lengthening surgery here going to be staying at a hotel near here. She has two months of healing until she can go home. If you go to stay at the hotel it is much better then here but if you come in for x rays or bandage change they will charge you like double price because you are an out patient.

The guys here that are doing Leg Lengthening try to get along and become friends. We all talk with each other when we can. One guys give me his bottle of olive oil so i can put it on my feet because it was drying out very badly. Another guy lend me has walk because he was not using it. And another guy give me his extra sandal because my sandal was not going to be soft enough. He told me i can have his walker in nine more days when he is done and returns home.

[Silvertiger]

On August 28, 2014, it has been a having a rough time with lengthening. I has been a while since my last x ray but i  just got one today. Dr Roman told me that i have only lengthen my legs by 3.5 cm and they are just going to lengthen the top half of my leg. It was disappointing news I thought I have length a bit more like almost 4 cm. It will now be lengthening my top half of my leg at 1 mm a day. I ask if he can go at .8 or .7 a day he told me I can not if I do my top right leg will consolidate.

My left leg is fine but my right leg is in bad shape. I can not only walk like 15 steps on my walker before I have to return to my bed. The right leg has very bad nerve pain because of that I get shock running up my legs and  it stings when i stretch or walk. My right leg foot is also badly swollen. Because of the swelling in my right foot when that foot is not relax or moving to much it will get painful at the lights tough or presser to it.  That is why I am trying to slow down the daily lengthening rate.

It take a lot of painful work  to keep walking on that leg. I am also afraid of long term nerve damage to that leg if the doctor makes me keep going so fast. I am still have problem with dry and cranking skin on my foot. The olive oil do help but not total.

Because of the problem that i am having with my nerve in my right leg I have lower the bar. I am trying for another cm to 1.5 cm. So, if the nerve problem gets very bad that I feel like I may have long term nerve problems I will stop. I do not want to be in pain for the rest of my life for just one cm. My mother want me to stop now, but i feel 3.5 cm is to little for all the time I will need to heal and the money I put down to get taller.

I also had a problem with water running up and down my feet and legs. When your legs are full of water your leg get very heavy and you can not walk. When your feet is full of water it is painful. To get the water out you have to raise you legs higher than your body. You have to do it for an hour and it is painful. When you walk or sleep the water slowly run back down. It will also be painful. After about two week of this and trying out thing I found out that if you drink as little water as possible it will stop this problem. So, I drink about only 10oz of water a day and it stopped the water problem.

A girl from the USA here that is also doing lengthen to increase her height is also had a lot of the  problems that I had. She is almost done. She has gotten one of here frame off and is about to get the other frame of in a few days. Even after the frame were remove she is still having nerve pain now.  She said if she know about all the problems she was going to have she would have never have done external Leg Lengthening. She had water running in her leg problem, problem with her nerves in both legs, feel like your feet is on fire and else. She was going for 6 to 7 cm but the pain was so bad at 4.3 cm that she had to stop. She work very hard walking everyday and can really take pain. I am afraid I will have the same problems with my nerves if I pass 4 cm in my bad leg.

[Silvertiger]

It is September 15, I have gain 4 cm. I feel like I should stop at that height on September 7. I am afraid if I lengthen another half cm that I may get some problems with my nerves on my right leg. I think it is better to be safe then to have nerve problem for the rest of my life. I am already having a lot of problem with my right legs.

I  have gotten two x ray on my legs and a correction on legs last week. The doctor told me  on my last x ray  my right leg way not straight and I need to do another correction and then any x ray tomorrow. I hope it will be my last one. When the doctor make a correction on my left leg it is not painful but if it is on my right leg it is painful. The first correction it took half an hour each legs.

For August 24 to September 7, the doctor has been giving me muscle relax. That is two weeks. After, I stop taking the drug for a week it is still in my system and still get the side effects. Muscle relax has some benefits, but it also has side effects. The benefits are it help you stretch your legs with little or no pain. So, you will have less nerve pain when you stretch you muscles. The side effects is after you start taking it for a week you will get dizzy and throw up air. Your throw up but nothing come up. When you take tramadol, narcotic-like pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe pain, you will get the dizzy and throw up air side effect.

I ask the doctor today if I can get sometime that will help me with the swelling in my feet. He told me he will start giving me something tomorrow. He told me that the medicine may or not help. Some people it will work on but other people it does nothing. He said the swelling will really go down when they take off the frames. The girl that was here told me it took her three weeks  into fixation until the swelling went down for her.  I just hope the swelling will go down for me soon.

[Silvertiger]

It is September 17, two days ago, on one of my everyday walks one of the cuts from the top frame pins tear totally open. So, I now have a big one inch wound on my leg. It still is very painful every time I move that leg. I told the doctor about it. After he looked at the wound all he did was tell the nurse to put some disinfection and change the bandage. I could not even get any painkiller until an hour after the bandage change. He told me after two days they will change it again. That was all.

It was hoping that they could have done more. I was hoping to get suture or stitch the wound, If not somehow cover the wound better and give me something that will help me not get an infection.

The wound has been very painful. When I just lay in bed there is always some pain. But, if I move it or walk it can get very painful. So, I am trying to stay in bed more so it can heal faster, less painful, not get infection and not make the cut tear bigger. The doctor told me that i need to walk as usual.

I should be getting the bandage change today. I know it will be painful again and I will try to get painkiller before the change this time. I just hope this do not get any worst. I have heard bad story about infection and I am really nerve.

[Silvertiger]

It is October 15, I am not doing ok. Everybody told me when I get to fixation it will be all down hill from there. After my last update it had not gotten much better for me.  The big tear on the top frame has almost healed up on my left leg.

I am having other problems now. A week after my wound open and I was walking and I put all my weight on my left leg so the cutting would finish and I would walk normally in a few days. When I went to bed that night my other leg started hurting too. I did not know why. Maybe I was all the stretching I did in bed. O well, both my legs will be fine in a few days I though.

The next day my temperature when up past 38 and stay up there for three days. I left leg got better but my right leg got worst. It has no energy and has a lot of pain on the foot ring and the top ring. The center has been changing my bandage everyday over a week now. It is a bit painful but I do think it is helping me heal faster.

I ask the head doctor if I could take off my right foot ring because it was so painful. I only got 4 cm and do not think I will have ballerina on it. He told me I needed and X ray because my last one was to old. I got one the next day. I do not think it is a problem with the foot ring now because they will not remove it.

[Silvertiger]

It is November 03. I am doing good. A lot of things has happen in the past month. I move back to the seven beds room. It was ok at first. Then after a week we got some new patients in the room. One of them was a very loud snorer and he like cold weather and smoke. He guy always open the room balcony door all day and night. So, I could not get any sleep for about two weeks.

My body's immune system got weaken and i got an infection on my top right leg. When I move that  leg three of the pins really hurts and the wound those pins would not heal at all. It hurts when I bend that leg knee. I lost all the strength in that leg so I could not lift it. When I got out of bed that leg was in a lot of pain and when  I got back into bed it was also painful. But, every time I got into bed I had to call a cleaning lady to help lift that leg to get into bed. 

I was not getting any better but was feeling worst. So, I final decided to move back to the two beds room. After I moved back I could sleep with any problems and after three days infection started to get a lot better.

On October 22, they remove my left leg frame and put on a cast. Five days later they cut the cast and wrap it. When I walk in the cut cast it was more painful for me. The bottom break was fine the top break was more painful the more I walked. The doctor told me to take a day off and start walking normal the next day.

They have told me that if my right leg bone was strong enough, they would remove my right leg frame on November 05. My visa is going to expired on November 18, so if my right leg frame is remove on that date I will not need to renew my visa and can go home on November 16 if everything works out.

[Silvertiger]

November 6 , 2014, It looks like I will have to be here a little bit longer. I just got tested to get my frame remove and the bottom bone was still very soft. The top bone break was fine. So it will be 2 more weeks until they test it again. They did remove my foot ring on that leg. so, it will be a lot less painful walking on it. I would like to wait 10 days in the cast before going home. I just hope the next test will be better so I can go home.

Yes, I have been home sick and I am starting to feel a little lonely here. The dinner here for the past four days has been horrible. Two was breakfast and other two was just nasty.

I will be getting an x ray on Monday. I hope it will be good with out any problems. The top break bone that is in the cast still hurts but it has been getting a little better. I just think it has not harden enough.

[Silvertiger]

November 19, 2014, After my x ray Dr Roman said my bone move out of place because he remove the foot ring when my bone was to soft. He tried to move it back into place by hand two time but it did not work. I had to get a second surgery to take out the pins and put new one in one the bottom set of my foot. I just get the surgery yesterday .

Dr Roman said the surgery went fine. I will get another X-ray on Friday to be sure. He say two week later then he well see if the bone is hard enough. Three of the breaks have harden just that last break well not. So it look like I will be here a bit longer.

The reason I did not go to the hotel was first i had an infection so I was not walk very well. Then then doctor remove my first frame so I though I was not going to be in Russia much longer. Now with the second surgery I do not think I should go to the hotel any time soon.

I did not think this is the best time for me to be in Russia but I can not help it. I should not leave until they tell me I am ready to go. Yes, 4 cm is good but I was really wishing for more. But, I do I should have stopped.

I am glad you are feeling much better. Are you still using the walker boot? When do you think you well be strong enough to see your father and friends? I know you really miss them by now.

[Silvertiger]

November 29, 2014,They had to replace the pins on my bottom ring. I did not have to pay extra for the surgery. It was painful for two or three days but not anymore. The x ray look good the doc says. My next test to see if my bone has harden is on Dec 8. If it is good I can go home before Christmas

December 12, 2014, My right leg was having nerve problems. I still can not raise my right leg ankle after they remove my frame. The doctor recommended me to have a nerve test and see a nerve doctor at the center. The test cost me about $100. They are giving me four shots everyday for it. When I get home the doctor recommend me to keep taking meds for it and see a nerve doctor there.
 
On my last bone test, my final bone was still a bit soft. The doctor said it was good enough to take off the frame. I can be home for Christmas but I have to wear the cast for a month then get an x ray to see if the bone is hard enough to remove the cast. So, some good and some bad news. But, what can you do. I am glad that i will be able to see my family and friends for Christmas. I have been a bit home sick lately. My flight will be on Dec 14. I hope the flights will not be to bad because it will be 23 hour and I will have to fly with both cast on. Dr Roman told me i just need one cast on at home but both if i go outside or travel.

When I got home everybody said I was a bit taller and lost a lot of weight. The flight was not to bad because the airlines and airport helper really helped me out. I got DonJoy Telescoping IROM PostOp Knee of my leg so I do not have to wear the cast. It is for comfortable, easier to remove, and can bend the knee. So, after getting home it life has been much better.

[Silvertiger]

January 16, 2015  My legs feel a bit stronger now. I can bend my knee a lot further then II use too. I can now move my small toes on the right foot now but just a very little bit but still can not move my big toe at all. I am now walking with a cane and still wearing the DonJoy Telescoping IROM PostOp Knee. I think by the end of the month it will be long enough. Frank told me he was still wearing his case. I do not know why. I guess he do not feel safe enough yet.
 
February 2, 2015, My legs feel a bit stronger now. I can bend my knee a lot further then I use too. I can not move my small toes on the right foot now but just a little bit. It has been two months and still can not move my big toe at all on that foot up. Because of that it is harder to put on my shoe and I sometimes bump my big toe the ground. I am think about seeing a doctor next week about it.
 
 I do not need to use a cane anymore to go around the house but I still use it. I can not go up and down stairs without it.

[Silvertiger]

In conclusion, if I know before hand everything had to go through I would not have done it in the first place. But, no one can know until they do it. Everyone experience will be different. Out of the five people that had Leg Lengthening surgery with me here, three of the five would not have done it if they know before hand everything had to go through.

I would give Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre an ok but not good place to do leg lengthening surgery.  It is a quick and safe place to do it. But, I think it is one of the most painful place to do it. There they do two breaks on each bones so they can lengthen faster but it is more painful. They will only give you one or two day break period some time but not often. For some people here the foot ring was not at bad, but for most include me it was one of the worst part.

Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre a great place if you need a correction. You will not need to do lengthen or need the foot ring. Most of the people there is very nice. I just had a problem with two of the helpers or cleaning ladies there. They where just lazy and not very nice at all.

The total cost for my experience was around 25,000 USD including my airfare. The time that I had to be in Kurgan, Russia was almost 6 months. It will be 3 to 4 months for me at home before I am good enough to work. If you are going to do this I do wish you the best of luck. But, It will be a more harder experience for some then others.

[Silvertiger]

How was your leg lengthening procedure?
It was painful and had many small problems

How much did you lengthen?
at the end i only got 4cm

What was your initial and final height?
tring for 7cm could only get 4 cm

What complications did you face and how were they addressed?
read diary

How did your self-perception change after the procedure?
I feel the same

What would you have done differently?
I do not think my body is right to do LLC. So, I am canceling my LLC on my femur

How is your athletic recovery?
I can walk with out help, still can not us the stairs with a cane. Do not think I can play sports yet

Can you sprint/how fast can you run?
I use my trendmill on speed two. So, a mile in 40 minutes

Do you regret limb lengthening?
Yes, if I knew everything that I personal had to go through before hand and could not even get the 7cm i was hoping for. I would not have done it. But, it is better that i did it then wondering for the rest of my life what life would have been if I have did it.

How did people/society react to your change in height?
My family can tell I am a little tall. I have not recover enough to real go out yet

Is there any other wisdom you'd like to share with our community?
Knew before you do LLC that it will be very long and painful. Even after you go home it will still not be over. For some people I know it is about a year of their life. Time will move very slowly.

[Silvertiger]

What did you tell psychiatrist. Did you mention the letter you needed was for surgery or just in general?

He ask me why I wanted to get LL surgery and did I know everything that i have to go through. We talk for almost an hour.

[ForcedPuberty]

I still don't understand why you had to stop at 4 cm?


to be honest it seems like the reason is not because your body cant handle lengthening, but rather because your doctors performed the double cut which in my opinion is stupid.

the soft tissue has speed limits, and the double cut doubles the strain on the soft tissue. I think if you only did 1 cut you could have reached your 7cm goal.

[ForcedPuberty]

still don't loose heart. 4cm is still acceptable. certainly a bitch considering your starting height. I would be pissed to, but its still better than nothing.

the average girl in western countries is like 5"3 so your dating pool has increased. its really sad you couldn't squeeze out that extra 3cm.

[just_me]

Silvertiger! Very good diary. I've learned a lot - Thank you for sharing your experience.