Body Builder - External Tibias - Doctor Withheld - 2011 - Building upwards!

[Chompu Sodsai]

Good to know that you are doing well, and that you are at the end of it, only a few days now dude 

And thanks so much for you answer BB, much appreciated. I guess I will have to keep stretching the hell out of my tendon.

[Body Builder]

hey BB glad to hear everything is going well and your almost at your goal.
just 1 more question. how long after your operation were you able to walk.

(i ask because i want to know if after i do monorails if after the 10 days in hospital i could fly back home and continue my office job)
after the 10 days resting in the hospital could you walk without a aid?? can you ask your doctor what the average time period is for being able to walk short distances again?

i only need to be able to walk 20 metres from the car to the office, and sit down for 12 hours maby every so often walk 5 metres. but i cant use a walker.

thank you for your time, and thank you for your diary it has been very helpfull.

YOU CAN'T WALK unaided with monorails my friend, I've written that before.
You could only do just a few steps (20 metres may be possible) but only with walker and this until you reach about 4-4,5cm. Then, it is very hard and may cause problems to callus formation, so you shouldn't walk at all. Maybe just stay up for a few minutes, using walker, to work out achilles tendon a little. But nothing more.

For sure it is impossible to get in/out from a car with monorails, because to stay up you'll always need a stepper, so it is impossible to use the stepper to gen inside and outside from the war.
The best you can do is to use a wheel chair and go next to driver's seat and with the use of your hands get inside and outside.
But it is very difficult without having another person to aid you.

So, if you want to go in your office and continue your work, monorails are not for you because you'll always need another person to aid you.
The best option for you, if you can't avoid internals, is Ilizarov.

[GROWtallORdieTRYING]

thank you for your information, i  guess the only solution is to forget the job and hope i can get it back when im finnished ll. would 9-12 weeks be enough for consolidation to start (6.5cm on femour) and be able to walk without a n aid? well i guess i will have to pay close attention to your diary in the near future to know .

(iv decided to abandon the idea of 2 weeks then returning to my office job)(now i must consider if i can return to my office job after lengthening finnishes and consolidation starts(estimates are 9-12weeks for lengthening)) i look forward to your results.

again thank you, your information has been invaluable

[Body Builder]

SOS

Today I've taken new X rays.
I am very very disappointed and I really want your help, more than ever.
My doctor told me that I should stop lengthening because my gap is nearly closed and I should not continue turning because my pins will bend without lengthen my gap. Also, there are risks for my callus formation if I continue.
Finally, he said he can't do a new operation to my callus, because it may cause non healing and I've already lengthened abouy 6,8cm so the risk doesn't worth.

But I really DONT WANT to stop so soon because I really need about 1cm more and I feel very bad to stop for this reason, premature bone healing, at 6,8cm!
But guys, I saw my last X rays and bone fotmation was about the same as now!
Nothing so serious imo to stop right now.

So as you understood, I completely disagree with my doctor and I really don't want to stop here.
Now I want your help and I only talk to LL veterans.
PLEASE see my X rays and tell me your opinion, is my gap closed? Watch more careful my right feet because there callus is stronger than left.
Also, I'd really appreciate if you show these X rays to your doctor, (my friends Crazy 6, Roc, and everyone else please do me a favour if you can).
R






And now a comparison between my old X ray in 5,8cm and my today X ray in 6,8cm, both in right foot

R 5,8cm



R 6,8cm



What do you think guys? Should I really stop now? Is there so much difference between these two X rays?
 

[Roc]

I'll try to show them to my doctor if he comes by my room (I can't get up yet).

Best of luck BB, will be rooting for you!

[Body Builder]

I'll try to show them to my doctor if he comes by my room (I can't get up yet).

Best of luck BB, will be rooting for you!

Thank you, I really need encouragement and opinions.
For at least a week I'll continue turning, even if my bone is consolidated, to try and divide it again into two parts.
All these in my right foot. Left is much better. I pray to God to help me fulfill 100% my dream. I'll do my best.

[Arche]

Dude, I don't know why you aren't happy with 6.8 cm. The extra centimeter won't help you at all, and you surely won't notice the difference. Your bone growth looks good, so you should stop.

You should turn your left leg until it is caught up to your right leg and stop.

[Body Builder]

Dude, I don't know why you aren't happy with 6.8 cm. The extra centimeter won't help you at all, and you surely won't notice the difference. Your bone growth looks good, so you should stop.

I agree that 6,8 are good Arche. But 8cm are better and I know I could reach them, because my tendons are ok and generally speaking, I didn't have any major problem to stop now.
Except from premature bone healing, which imo isn't so crucial to force me to stop here becuse I trully believe that my bone isn't fully consolidated..

But this is why I need the opinions of veterans, who really know how a premature consolidated bone is (especially the ones who had the same problem as me).
I respect peoples opinion about how good are 6,8cm but it changes nothing from me.
Especially because I don't want to do another operation in femurs, so I must do the best I can now. I won't have any other chance.

Veterans, please give me your opinion about my bone's consolidation.

[Body Builder]

I've already sent my X rays to Sysop so they are on the way to be posted again.

Stay tuned my friends, I really need feedback cause this is the most crucial time since the beginning of my LL journey.

[chuck norris]

The best advice I can give you is to stop lengthening.

Then again, the quality of the image is not very good but from what I see the gap is not fully closed yet. I don't think you'll have a problem if you'll continue, but you could turn a bit more for a few days. I don't know your daily turning rate but maybe you could turn 1mm for maybe 4-5 days to be on the safe side (although this 'safe side' is a double edged sword considering you're already at almost 7cm). After that you can even take a day or two of rest before continuing your usual amount.

But again, from my experience, I'd still stop if I were you, especially considering you don't want to go for femur. The main reason, something I've yet to read on the forum from a veteran, is that your balance will be off, and it's not a negligible thing. I find myself loosing balance quite often and I'm still not sure if I'll ever fully get rid of this unless I'll have femurs done, and I did 4,5cm. It's your decision though, think it through.

[Chompu Sodsai]

Ummm sorry to hear about your problems bro. I am not in the position to tell you to stop lengthening or not, but if I were you, I would listen to your doctor. Because after all, he is the professional here. And 6.8cm is no doubt a great great gain. I would be extremely happy with that gain. 

[SysOp]

I have re-hosted Body Builder's photos, so you should be able to see them now.

Body Builder, you should listen to your doctor before you listen to any of us on this forum. With that being said, I am very very surprised that he says you should not lengthen any longer. Yes your callus formation is strong, but it does not look strong enough to prevent you from continuing to lengthen. You should email this image of your x-ray to few other orthopedic doctors to get their professional opinion. Do not rely just on the unprofessional opinions of those of us who have done LL, but are not doctors.

[Body Builder]

Dear fellows, your support is really helpful and I really need it.

Please, don't misunderstand me but I didn't want to hear opinions about why I must not exceed 6,8cm (loosing balance etc). I know all these, but I still want to do about 1cm, as my tendons let me.
But most of all, I would like to decide MYSELF when to stop, not stop because my doctor forces me for a reason that I don't believe.

This is why I asked your opinions about ONLY if my gap is so closed that I can't continue.
And as I saw, most of you agree with me (Sysop I agree 100% and the same with Chuck), that my callus isn't so strong that I can't continue.

I'd like to know even more opinions, and maybe if someone could show them to his doctor (thanx Roc for your help) but please stay on my question, if you think I can continue.
NOT if 6,8cm are good (which they are), just if I have the possibility to continue.

Also, if you know, please tell me if there is any risk to try to lengthen if my gap is really closed. Could I cause any problem, or I just turn without lengthening?

Personally, I will continue 100% for a week to do at least 3 turns (0,75mm) per day and maybe 4 (1mm) and next Wednesday I'll do a CAT scan to measure precisely my lengthening.
This is my final stand and I'll fight till the end. I am not ready to stop now and I'll take the risk (?) to continue.

[crazy+6]

Hi BB,

I don't see any reason for you to stop at 6.8 cm. I don't understand how your doctor is saying your callus is consolidated. As per X ray- your callus will take at least 1 month to consolidate if you stop now.

My opinion is very clear that you should go minimum to 7.5 cm. 6-7 mm is not going to change anything.

But again I agree with Sysop that your doctor is the main person who you listen to in first hand.

Crazy+6

[Dookieman]

Damn, sorry you have to go through this Body Builder. I hope it works out in your favor. I really mean that!

[Body Builder]

Hi BB,

I don't see any reason for you to stop at 6.8 cm. I don't understand how your doctor is saying your callus is consolidated. As per X ray- your callus will take at least 1 month to consolidate if you stop now.

My opinion is very clear that you should go minimum to 7.5 cm. 6-7 mm is not going to change anything.

But again I agree with Sysop that your doctor is the main person who you listen to in first hand.

Crazy+6

Crazy, I really give much gravity to your opinion, because you are one of the most experienced here.
As I remember, when you did tibias your callus was ready to consolidate in the beginning (3-4cm if I remember right).
Was back then your callus thicker than it is mine now, or about the same? Because if you made it to avoid premature consolidation and your callus was about the same as mine or even thicker, then I can do it too.

Also my friend, if you see your doctor please show him my X rays.
I'd trully appreciate that, because dr Sarin seems to be a very good doctor.
Mine is a good doctor too, but very conservative and this is why I think he wants me to stop right now.

Times like this is when I understand how important this forum is.
Thank you all mates and God bless you.
I have my fingers crossed to continue my journey.

[crazy+6]

Crazy, I really give much gravity to your opinion, because you are one of the most experienced here.
As I remember, when you did tibias your callus was ready to consolidate in the beginning (3-4cm if I remember right).
Was back then your callus thicker than it is mine now, or about the same? Because if you made it to avoid premature consolidation and your callus was about the same as mine or even thicker, then I can do it too.

Also my friend, if you see your doctor please show him my X rays.
I'd trully appreciate that, because dr Sarin seems to be a very good doctor.
Mine is a good doctor too, but very conservative and this is why I think he wants me to stop right now.

Times like this is when I understand how important this forum is.
Thank you all mates and God bless you.
I have my fingers crossed to continue my journey.

Yes, You are right. I had risk of premature consolidation. I speed up the process and did 1 mm per day which made my callus thicker.

If your callus goes thicker than there is no chance of pin bending and you will achieve your target.

However I must add that 1mm per day might give you ballerina foot very fast.

your doctor is being conservative and he is trying to stop you at this level to avoid other complication. As a doctor he is doing right.

[Roc]

Okay, got them. I'll show them to my doctor tomorrow when he comes by.


That said, it would be best to listen to your doctor.


Good luck man, will be praying for you

[Body Builder]

Yes, You are right. I had risk of premature consolidation. I speed up the process and did 1 mm per day which made my callus thicker.

If your callus goes thicker than there is no chance of pin bending and you will achieve your target.

However I must add that 1mm per day might give you ballerina foot very fast.

your doctor is being conservative and he is trying to stop you at this level to avoid other complication. As a doctor he is doing right.

Thick callus doesn't mean much formation?
If a callus is very thick, doesn't that mean that the bone is consolidating fast?

I will do 1mm per day to make callus more thin and avoid premature consolidation.
Am I right?

Sorry dude but my english are not so good and I didn't understand well your post.
Please tell me, when you were close to premature consolidation, your X rays seemed to be better or not than mine (I talk about how strong was your formation, strong formation=bad, not so strong formation=good).
I appreciate much your help.


Roc, thank you man!

[crazy+6]

Thick callus doesn't mean much formation?
If a callus is very thick, doesn't that mean that the bone is consolidating fast?

I will do 1mm per day to make callus more thin and avoid premature consolidation.
Am I right?

Sorry dude but my english are not so good and I didn't understand well your post.
Please tell me, when you were close to premature consolidation, your X rays seemed to be better or not than mine (I talk about how strong was your formation, strong formation=bad, not so strong formation=good).
I appreciate much your help.


Roc, thank you man!

Fast distraction means thin callus to avoid premature consolidation.

My callus was strong and hence risk of premature consolidation.

Your callus is ok right now for distracting some more mm.