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[auguste_compte]

Hi everyone, I’m a 32 years old male living between France and Thailand, and my current height is 162.5cm. 

Some background on my motivations (feel free to skip this part if you’re only interested in the surgery experience itself !)

As I child, being constantly the smallest kid in class I urged my parents to see if anything could be done. Doctors kept saying I would reach an average height (between 170 and 175) so my parents dropped it. Up until about 16 when I kept noticing that the height gap was only getting bigger. This time around, the Dr said my plates had fused and so my height at the time (162) would pretty much be my final height.
It was definitely a bummer but nothing to be depressed about. I’ve been very lucky in life in general, and I’m quite a joyful and optimistic person.
I always thought that height would be this characteristic of mine that wasn’t the best, but that I would never let it define me as a person, you gotta play the cards you’re dealt with.
Being short hasn’t prevented me from having really good friends / social life, many beautiful girlfriends, and securing a decent career.
Most of the time I don’t even mind/think about it, the only thing that does reminds me about it really, is the dating scene. Flirting/dating/sex is very important to me and I think my face is pretty attractive so I’m definitely able to get attention, but many girls that I’m into just alright disqualify me because of height. I remember back when I was 14, many senior girls would joke about the fact that they were “making a reservation on me" until I grow and am taller. Their comments hyped me up much, but as the years went by and my height didn’t change, I realised it would remain an unfulfilled assumption.
I’ve often times enjoyed the bar/clubs nightlife but attracting in those environments has definitely a challenge !
I always thought: do best with what you have. Although if you CAN improve things, which this surgery allows, at a reasonable cost to benefit ratio, then why not ?
So in the background I’ve always been interested in the surgery, lurking on the web. I saw that it was getting quite popular and that the risks, even though real, are definitely manageable. So I always thought to myself that if one day I had the money I would do it. This time has come !
Also it’s always weird/funny to see the 170+ guys here (basically my desired height or more) doing this surgery. I think to myself like: damn what would I give to be this height (actually quite close to the average) without doing anything. I guess, the same way many of my friends/family don’t understand why would I go through it, I guess it’s a matter of perspective.
I know that at 170 I’ll still be short. But as height is normally distributed I would go from 2% male percentile to 21% in France, and 11% male percentile to 48% (so basically average height) in Thailand. Most importantly I’ll go from being slightly shorter than the average female height to taller than most (88%+).
Also I don’t think I would look proportional going for more as my wingspan is 162.
In the end I don’t expect it to change my life. It’s an improvement, and I‘ll take what I can get !


Why Dr.Giotikas ?

I was initially looking into options in Europe and for a long time my eyes were set on Betz intitute. Lately the Turkish clinics have been very good at communicating, there's a lot of YouTube content with patient experiences too, which was interesting, but after reading so many bad things about them pretty much everywhere other than their own content I quickly steered away. Although I do wish more clinics would take example and be more proactive on their communication, especially videos of patient's end to end experiences, I think it’s a format that works quite well.
Anyway, after a bit more research I came across Dr.Giotikas, his reputation is quite good, and the price was about 10k less than the Betz Institute. Also recovery wise, Athens sounds much better than this lonely city in Germany.

Surgery plan

Surgery is planned on February 25th.
My goal height is 170 if possible so +7.5cm, using the internal G-nail method on the femurs.
I booked an Airbnb for 1 month in Athens, and depending on how I feel I’ll extend or finish the lengthening back in home in France, btw what do you guys think about that, is it feasible or should I be close the Doctor and clinic for as long as possible ?
My best friend will be with me in Athens to help, which I super grateful for.


Preparation

Been reading more regularly here and there about what to expect (timeline, pain, recovery, etc)
I’ve started the stretching routine that was sent to me by Dr.Giotikas’s team. Surprised at the flexibility improvements in only a few days !
Bought vitamin D3 + K2 and magnesium to help with bone healing.
If you guys have more tips/information for me to better prepare let me know !

What to Expect from This Thread

I’ll keep this thread updated with everything:
* Pre-surgery thoughts and preparations
* Surgery day and the immediate recovery period
* Post-op pain management and challenges
* Daily updates during the lengthening phase
* Reflections on the physical and psychological aspects of the process
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I’ll do my best to answer.

Closing Note

Reading threads such as http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=85962.0 or other patient’s threads with severe pain or complications (even with Giotikas) definitely made me think twice, but after carefully weighing the pros and cons, I’m ready to go through with it.
I’m both excited and nervous about what’s ahead, but I know this forum is a great place for advice and encouragement. Thanks in advance for following my journey, and I hope this thread can be a valuable resource for the community on the long term!

[angelica]

Why not Guichet who is the inventor of the Guichet nail and pioneer? Milano is also a better city.

I have seen that most patients here go to Giotikas for Guichet nail so I am just investigating why.

[SailingEngineer]

Maybe because of the numerous deaths and handycapped patients? Giotikas is definitely the better option for G-Nail.

[Azerty12]

How many deaths please ?

[SailingEngineer]

You can find at least 3, which means that there was at least double or more that were not reported or we have no info on. A few dozen non unions are also evidenced on verious limb lengthening forums. But really itsd not that, its the attitude and dangerous pracricse he uses and ignorance in fixing complications. Search the  forum and read up, UNICORN's diary is one that comes to mind.

[auguste_compte]

D -1

I arrived yesterday late in the evening and checked into my Airbnb in the city center. The ride from the airport took about 40 minutes by taxi.

This morning, I took a short walk around the city center. Athens isn’t ultra-modern, but everything works well—public transport is efficient, and the food is both dirt cheap and delicious. I was pleasantly surprised by how warm and welcoming people are.

At 1:30 PM, I had my pre-op checks at Mediterraneo Hospital. The hospital is well-maintained, very clean, and the staff is incredibly helpful. Everyone I interacted with spoke good English, and the overall atmosphere here feels reassuring.

Ms. Voula, the head nurse, has been particularly amazing—she even gave me her direct WhatsApp contact beforehand. The communication with her has been excellent, and she genuinely makes things feel easier. So far, I couldn’t be happier with how everything is being handled.

The pre-op process was smooth and well-organized:
   •   First, nurses took my blood, checked my blood pressure, and did an ECG.
   •   Then I saw the cardiologist, followed by X-rays.
   •   There was barely a 10-minute wait between each step.
   •   The only longer wait was for the anesthesiologist.
   •   I was out of the hospital by 4 PM.

They told me my girlfriend would be able to visit me at 7 PM after surgery, and in my room, there’s a long “comfortable” sofa where she could stay overnight if she wants to. Definitely nice to have that option.

Ms. Voula told me to come back tomorrow at 10 AM, where I’ll meet Dr. Giotikas. Surgery is scheduled for 12:30 PM.

Mentally, I feel good. Of course, the thought of canceling last minute did cross my mind—it’s one thing to read about the process, another to actually go through with it. But at this point, I’m feeling confident. Dr. Giotikas has done this dozens of times before, and seeing all the positive patient experiences is reassuring.

Tomorrow’s the big day. Let’s do this.

[Arcon]

Been there...Done that...Recently! Don't worry, you're in good hands...everything will go well! Wishing you the best of success in your journey...If I can be of any help, do let me know!

[Ted68]

Yeah, you really need luck and mental strength when you will be alone in the hotel or Airbnb, looking every day by yourself for food and regular taxi to get to the PT... in that crazy, noisy and polluted city, full of bad immigrants and drug addicted people...
I also really wish you luck with the attrocious clicking pain.
If you dont have enough money for Precice and good conditions for living and PT at your bed... IS BETTER TO NOT DO IT AT ALL !

[auguste_compte]

Yeah, you really need luck and mental strength when you will be alone in the hotel or Airbnb, looking every day by yourself for food and regular taxi to get to the PT... in that crazy, noisy and polluted city, full of bad immigrants and drug addicted people...
I also really wish you luck with the attrocious clicking pain.
If you dont have enough money for Precice and good conditions for living and PT at your bed... IS BETTER TO NOT DO IT AT ALL !

Hey To be honest that hasn't been my experience with Athens, maybe I'm lucky and I'm staying in a nice neighbourhood ? Also like I said, my best friend is with me for the entire stay in Athens, and girlfriend here for a week as well so hopefully I won't be too lonely. But in any case I also really enjoy being alone too. Yea clicking does worry me a bit, but like the doctor said: no need to worry about something that didn't even happen, so we'll see. Thanks for the encouragements though! Now... back to the diary !

Thoughts before the Surgery Day

The night before, we went to a really nice restaurant and chatted a bit with the waiters. When they asked why I was in Athens, I told them I was getting the surgery!

I've noticed that many patients prefer to keep their surgery a secret from friends or new acquaintances. While I get the reasoning—sometimes you just don’t want to deal with questions—I personally don’t mind talking about it. To me, it’s important to be honest with myself. I have no shame in going through this, and I’ve openly shared it with my friends and colleagues. So far, everyone has been kind and supportive. Some people don’t fully understand, but that’s just how it is.

Surgery Day

So today was the big day. I arrived at 10 a.m. and met with Dr. Giotikas and Mr. Thassos, the PT trainer. Both were very knowledgeable and took their time answering all my questions. The doctor showed me the x-rays and told me I would get the smaller nail (there’s 11m and 13mm).

Thassos helped to take measurements of my mobility.

A bit later, they showed me to my room, which is really nice (let me know if you guys want pics). Before that, though, I had to get the IV vatheter. Not a fan of needles, but I powered through setting up the IV and was relieved when it was done. Then, because they saw my blood pressure was low, they wanted to raise it by injecting saline—and that was the trigger for me to pass out! The rush of cold liquid into my veins felt weird psychologically, and that’s when I blacked out for a bit. But they were super helpful and waited for me to recover before taking me to my room.

Then a male nurse came to shave my thighs—not that there was much to shave. After that, they put me in a gown, transferred me to the surgical bed, and wheeled me down to the surgery level. The operating room was quite cold, but the anesthetist, who surprisingly spoke French, and her nurse were very reassuring. I told them I wasn’t a fan of needles and was nervous about the spinal injection, but they gave me something through the IV to calm me down. After that, I barely remember anything. Apparently, the doctor spoke to me before and after the surgery, but it’s all a blur.

When I woke up, I felt fine. No pain. The doctor came to check on me, asked me to wiggle my toes and move my legs a bit, and confirmed that everything went well. My girlfriend was waiting for me in the room, which I really appreciated. Since I can’t stand yet, the catheter is still in place, but it’s necessary. After all that, I got hungry (which I assume is a good sign). They brought me a plain meal, and my girlfriend and I tried watching Netflix, but I was too tired and just went to sleep, feeling pretty confident about everything.

---

Day +1

I actually slept quite well, though I woke up at 5 a.m. after sleeping most of the day before.
I accidentally clicked multiple times in the night. 6 on the right side and 1 on the left side.
Between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., multiple nurses came to take blood, check my pressure, and change my IV bag. The male nurse also removed my catheter—not exactly a pleasant experience, but at least it was quick.

Breakfast at 7 a.m. was a pleasant surprise—a proper French breakfast with pain au chocolat, croissant, and coffee. Definitely made my morning better.

Miss Voula came in, as cheerful as ever, and had me test my mobility—raising my legs in different directions. She told me I should do this multiple times a day to relieve soreness and tightness. She also explained that tomorrow, either she or Thassos will come with me to my Airbnb by taxi and help me get up the three small stairs and set everything up (shower stool, etc.). This afternoon, they’ll bring me the walker so I can start practicing walking with it—looking forward to that.

Dr. Giotikas came by to check my mobility and reassured me that everything is going great. He also checked my blood results—apparently, I didn’t lose much blood during the surgery, so no transfusion needed. Big relief, considering how I reacted to the saline. Can’t imagine how I’d feel getting someone else’s blood (I don’t even like drinking from the same glass as other people 🤣).

My girlfriend went back to the city for a bit and will return tonight, so now I get to chill on my computer. Pain level is still between 0 and 1, and besides the epidural, they’ve only given me paracetamol so far—no heavy meds, which is a good sign. We’ll see what happens when the epidural fully wears off.

So far, everything feels great. The surgery seems to have gone well, my pain is basically non-existent , and everyone has been beyond nice. What more could I ask for?

Big thanks to everyone here for the encouragement. I’ve also had some fellow patients message me with tips and support, which I really appreciate. Some really good people in this community. I hope this thread can give back a bit as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[4cm]

Hi,

Do you know, if you are french, you can get the surgery done for free if you are under 163 cm (this is your case). A lot of doctor in public hospital in France de the surgery and I believe they are the best, however most of them accept only under 25 years old, if you are very motivated you can find some doctors who do the surgery for you. To advoid fat embolism they always do one leg at a time and three days after they do the other leg this is much expensive and safer, but they don't care about the money as everything is payed by the gouvement (la sécurité sociale).

[auguste_compte]

Hi,

Do you know, if you are french, you can get the surgery done for free if you are under 163 cm (this is your case). A lot of doctor in public hospital in France de the surgery and I believe they are the best, however most of them accept only under 25 years old, if you are very motivated you can find some doctors who do the surgery for you. To advoid fat embolism they always do one leg at a time and three days after they do the other leg this is much expensive and safer, but they don't care about the money as everything is payed by the gouvement (la sécurité sociale).

Wow so are you saying I paid nearly 50k for nothing ? Couldn't find anything related to that on the Internet though, but I'm curious

[4cm]

You should've asked your doctor (médecin traitant), who probably doesn't know, however he has direct line to ask the securité sociale that confirms everything is free for you. You don't have to do anything except finding an orthopedist who do the LL for you and it's him who will ask the securité sociale to finance the surgery. But in my opinion you don't have PT, your personal can give you prescription for free PT (not specialized in LL), and you can have as many sick leave as you need.

[auguste_compte]

Day +1: First Steps & Strange Sensations
Dr. Giotikas’s team provided all necessary equipment—wheelchair, crutches, walker, and a shower stool— brand new and all included in the package for me to keep.
In the afternoon, all the equipment arrived, and the head nurse guided me through some leg exercises. Moving my legs felt weird—it’s like they weren’t fully attached, almost wobbly and disconnected from my body. Every movement made me a bit dizzy, but apparently, this sensation fades as the brain adapts.
We then tried standing up using the walker, which I managed instantly without pain. Walking was relatively easy, using the hopping technique: since the nails are weight-bearing, I can stand as long as my legs are straight, but bending my knees under load is a no-go. The toughest part is going from sitting to standing (bed → walker, walker → toilet, etc.).
Still no real pain, likely because the epidural was still in effect. 

Day 2: Reality Kicks In
Woke up at 4:30 AM with swollen legs and pain creeping in, especially in my right leg—about a 2/10 at rest, but any movement spiked it to 5-6/10.
Tried walking to the bathroom but got really lightheaded. Almost felt like I was about to pass out, so I forced myself back to bed with cold sweats. Decided I was going to use the pee bottle instead of risking a fall. The nurse reassured me this was normal and gave me tramadol, which helped a lot.
PT with Mr. Thassos was tougher than yesterday. The same exercises that were easy on Day 1 became difficult, especially for my right leg due to the pain. We practiced walking, stairs (since my Airbnb has three steps), and basic movements I’ll need for daily life.
Later in the day, the entire team was there (Dr.Giotikias + Ms.Voula + Mr.Thassos) were here, they changed my bandages (all wounds were dry—good sign!) and fitted waterproof bandages so I can shower.
At that point I realised how happy I was with my choice to go with Dr.Giotikas and his team. They’re professional and super attentive. Until now they exceeded all my expectations.
By late afternoon, it was time to leave the hospital. I was still loaded up on painkillers, so the ride to the Airbnb was fine. My girlfriend was waiting for me, and I managed the three small stairs without trouble. The head nurse took her time to show me how to shower, use the bathroom, move around the apartment etc.
Being out of the hospital felt great. My girlfriend went to buy groceries. I tried to shower but got the same cold sweats again. Ordered food, watched Netflix, and eventually managed to shower before crashing for the night. Still taking all my pain meds for now.

Day 3: Managing Pain & Finding a Routine
Slept okay thanks to painkillers but woke up around 5 AM as soon as they wore off. Today, I decided to skip tramadol and stick with paracetamol + gabapentin to see how it goes.
Getting from bed to the bathroom is easier now. First attempt was a bit fast, which made me lightheaded again, but I slowed down the second time and managed fine.
Now it’s just about resting and getting used to the new normal. Looking forward to my first clicking session and PT on Tuesday.

[auguste_compte]

Hey guys, not much happening here so I'm posting only on reddit instead, you can check out the entries and future ones here: https://www.reddit.com/user/Impressive_Friend785/submitted/