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Author Topic: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.  (Read 2153 times)

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Maalane

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My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« on: April 28, 2023, 04:25:31 PM »

My surgery date is booked to late June 2023, in Athens with dr Giotikas. Im doing femurs with G-nail. My consultation with dr Giotikas went very well and Im very exited for the surgery. all questions and recomendations are welcome!
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

Kanye Western

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2023, 04:41:32 PM »

Congrats on achieving the first stage!

Tips would be improve your upper body strength as much as you possible can before surgery. You’ll need to lift yourself a lot and support your self on crutches.

Ask to not have catheter used during surgery, will hurt alot.

Lastly, enjoy life as much as you can now before surgery :)
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Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2023, 10:42:33 PM »

Congrats on achieving the first stage!

Tips would be improve your upper body strength as much as you possible can before surgery. You’ll need to lift yourself a lot and support your self on crutches.

Ask to not have catheter used during surgery, will hurt alot.

Lastly, enjoy life as much as you can now before surgery :)
where did you do the surgery?
I didnt know that they used catheters during surgery, haha.
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2023, 10:57:59 PM »

where did you do the surgery?
I didnt know that they used catheters during surgery, haha.
Also I wanted to ask, did you have spinal or epidural enesthesia
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

p00293

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2023, 12:11:50 AM »

I'm gonna disagree about the catheter. Yes it hurts when it's removed but it's quite quick. The alternative is having to get up and go to the toilet several times on your first day post-surgery. This isn't pleasant either - your legs feel like dead weight attached to your body, and for the first couple of days you'll need the nurses to do pretty much everything for you, even down to moving a pillow or a blanket. I wouldn't want to have the pressures of walking only a few hours post surgery personally.
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Kanye Western

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2023, 06:29:09 AM »

I'm gonna disagree about the catheter. Yes it hurts when it's removed but it's quite quick. The alternative is having to get up and go to the toilet several times on your first day post-surgery. This isn't pleasant either - your legs feel like dead weight attached to your body, and for the first couple of days you'll need the nurses to do pretty much everything for you, even down to moving a pillow or a blanket. I wouldn't want to have the pressures of walking only a few hours post surgery personally.

You get a pee bottle, a much better solution. Also if he’s planning on doing gnail he has to walk day 1!


I’m currently 3 days after my surgery date, and was walking from day 1! I did betzbone on femurs….
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Kanye Western

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2023, 06:30:08 AM »

Also I wanted to ask, did you have spinal or epidural enesthesia

General will be your best bet. You’re asleep before surgery then suddenly you’re awake haha
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p00293

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2023, 09:14:01 AM »

You get a pee bottle, a much better solution. Also if he’s planning on doing gnail he has to walk day 1!


I’m currently 3 days after my surgery date, and was walking from day 1! I did betzbone on femurs….

This must be surgeon dependent because I did gnail femur 9 days ago and definitely didn't walk on the day of surgery. They removed the catheter day 2 I think although I still needed help to get off the bed and go to the toilet at that point. Pee bottle - yeah we got one of those too after they removed the catheter but I actually found in practice it's still hard to use, as you'll need to at least be sitting up in bed with your legs hanging off the side to pee downwards into the bottle - this movement isn't easy 1-2 days post-surgery, your legs feel like a couple of concrete blocks.

Personally I didn't find the catheter painful except when it was removed - which yeah, hurts, but it's also only about 15 seconds. The inconvenience of having to walk the day of surgery would vastly outweigh the pain of the catheter IMO.
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thankscience

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2023, 09:29:45 AM »

You're on very powerful pain meds the first few days so having the catheter removed is not so bad.

Dr G's anaesthesiologist will likely use a mix of general anaesthesia and epidural for the best effect.
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Kanye Western

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2023, 11:21:53 AM »

This must be surgeon dependent because I did gnail femur 9 days ago and definitely didn't walk on the day of surgery. They removed the catheter day 2 I think although I still needed help to get off the bed and go to the toilet at that point. Pee bottle - yeah we got one of those too after they removed the catheter but I actually found in practice it's still hard to use, as you'll need to at least be sitting up in bed with your legs hanging off the side to pee downwards into the bottle - this movement isn't easy 1-2 days post-surgery, your legs feel like a couple of concrete blocks.

Personally I didn't find the catheter painful except when it was removed - which yeah, hurts, but it's also only about 15 seconds. The inconvenience of having to walk the day of surgery would vastly outweigh the pain of the catheter IMO.

Legs were heavy but I could walk. I’m 4 days post surgery as walking faster with crutches and even can go up down stairs!

Im documenting my journey on Victors - Cyborg4life d page, so if you wanna see my progress, videos, etc DM me :).

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Kanye Western

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2023, 11:23:04 AM »

General anesthesia was all I used for surgery, then oxicodine for first couple days! Doctor trying to reduce my medication now as I feel fine.
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Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2023, 04:36:06 PM »

You're on very powerful pain meds the first few days so having the catheter removed is not so bad.

Dr G's anaesthesiologist will likely use a mix of general anaesthesia and epidural for the best effect.
Yeah I think I would rather prefer epidural to spinal, becouse spinal seems more invasive.
Although maybe I could do only general anesthesia without any "extra anesthesia" in the back?
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

Bagga

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #12 on: May 03, 2023, 03:20:11 AM »

Yeah I think I would rather prefer epidural to spinal, becouse spinal seems more invasive.
Although maybe I could do only general anesthesia without any "extra anesthesia" in the back?
No need Catheter if you can piss. You can use the urine jar for first two days.
After that you should be able to use walker to go toilet. If not, call the nurse to help you.

Go for General Anesthesia - u sleep and wake up - all done.
Epidural - u will feel a slight pain at lower back, the legs were totally numb for hours and giddizness.
Anyways, it is up to your choice - jus tell the doctor what you want.
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Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2023, 02:39:13 PM »

I wrote to anestysiologist, and he said that they use spinal anesthesia, not epidural anesthesia, becouser with spinal theres no need for spinal catheder. Maybe I will request just a usual general anesthesia with no extra anesthesia for spine. But propably I will follow the adwice of the anesthesiologist.

One thing that Im worried about is the diameter of the nails, G-nails have a diameter of either 11mm or 13mm, Giotikas said that If its possible, they prefer to insert 13mm nails rather than 11mm. I really hoper to do as litle ramming of the bone as possible though, so I really hope that My bones are just big enough for 11mm with minimal ramming.
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

oeioei2

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2023, 12:16:09 AM »

I was just wondering about the sitting height that you wrote on your profile, how did you measure it exactly? By sitting on the floor or by sitting on a chair?

Because I am around 169cm and I get 86 cm when sitting on the floor but 90 cm when sitting on a chair and I dont know which one of these is most accurate.
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ballsackoffury123

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #15 on: May 06, 2023, 12:50:03 AM »

Lol at the people who says no catheter (for the first 24 hours). You either never had it during your surgery, or never had CLL surgery at all.

They put it in when you are under general anestesia so you wont even be concious when they stick it in. Even trying to move your body up to pee during the first 24 hours (probably once every hour) is super annoying. Youre going to be sooo thirsty you are chugging water and asking for refills. IV is putting 100mL of water in your blood every hour. The ability do not even worry about pissing is such a good advantage. You can nap well without having the "urge" to pee. Cause you're going to want all the sleep you can get in the first 24 hours.

And taking it out doesnt hurt. It's only like 1-2 seconds of uncomfortable feeling. Like take a deep breath and it'll be done before they take it out.
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Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #16 on: May 06, 2023, 09:41:38 PM »

Lol at the people who says no catheter (for the first 24 hours). You either never had it during your surgery, or never had CLL surgery at all.

They put it in when you are under general anestesia so you wont even be concious when they stick it in. Even trying to move your body up to pee during the first 24 hours (probably once every hour) is super annoying. Youre going to be sooo thirsty you are chugging water and asking for refills. IV is putting 100mL of water in your blood every hour. The ability do not even worry about pissing is such a good advantage. You can nap well without having the "urge" to pee. Cause you're going to want all the sleep you can get in the first 24 hours.

I agree

And taking it out doesnt hurt. It's only like 1-2 seconds of uncomfortable feeling. Like take a deep breath and it'll be done before they take it out.
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #17 on: May 06, 2023, 09:46:13 PM »

I was just wondering about the sitting height that you wrote on your profile, how did you measure it exactly? By sitting on the floor or by sitting on a chair?

Because I am around 169cm and I get 86 cm when sitting on the floor but 90 cm when sitting on a chair and I dont know which one of these is most accurate.
I think iröt was sitting on dloor with back against wall
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

sphenopetroclival

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #18 on: May 20, 2023, 03:21:52 PM »

If you have recent imaging data please put it at this thread. Redact any information that could be used to dox you.
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Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #19 on: June 05, 2023, 04:06:07 PM »

So, I have booked an airbnb apartment in Athens for 6 weeks. the surgery will be on june 27. One thing that worries me, is that i have heard of cases of people bending theire G-nails, I really hope that this does not hapen to me....
I still dont know what diameter nail will be used on me (11mm or 13mm).
The airbnb I rented is otherwise wheelchair friendly, but it has bathtub instead of shower and no toilet with handle bars, so I dont know yet, how will this turn out.
I dont know exactly, how long will I stay in Athens, maybe I can return sooner than 6 weeks
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

Maalane

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #20 on: June 29, 2023, 11:27:35 AM »

So, I havent written here for a long time, becouse ive been quite busy. I had my surgery on 27th of June and I will check out from the hospital tomorrow. Ive had 3 accidental clicks on my left leg, I hope that accidental clicks happen mostly only in the beginning.
I had 13mm Guichet nails inserted, and I was worried, b ecouse this would mean rimming 0,4 millimeters of my femurs, b ut I was propably just overly anxious.
For the first day there was basically no pain, but the second night was very hard, becouse Im not used to laying in bed for such extended periods of time.
I hope, that everything will get easyer as time goes on.
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19M  current height 172,5 target 179,5 - 180,5
Wingspan≈176
Sitting height≈90
my diary- http://www.limblengtheningforum.com/index.php?topic=83262.0

Mini0510

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Re: My femur lenghtening journey with dr Giotikas.
« Reply #21 on: July 02, 2023, 02:48:05 AM »

So, I have booked an airbnb apartment in Athens for 6 weeks. the surgery will be on june 27. One thing that worries me, is that i have heard of cases of people bending theire G-nails, I really hope that this does not hapen to me....
I still dont know what diameter nail will be used on me (11mm or 13mm).
The airbnb I rented is otherwise wheelchair friendly, but it has bathtub instead of shower and no toilet with handle bars, so I dont know yet, how will this turn out.
I dont know exactly, how long will I stay in Athens, maybe I can return sooner than 6 weeks

So you are planning to live in Athens for 6 weeks. After PT, then going home?
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