Distracted around 1cm. Getting quite difficult to walk and its getting painful. Also walking is very slow now. I was expecting all this at maybe 4-5 cm but clearlyg not at 1cm. I thaught 1cm would be a breeze but no. Also a little numbing in right leg and discomfort.
Idk if anyone else felt all this so early on in distraction. Its kind of demotivating
There’s always going to be unexpected parts in this journey.
Just keep going. Time your painkiller pills consumption so you’re not chasing but preventing the pain beforehand as much as possible, perhaps.
All the best.
Read my diary. My first 2 months were the worst part. Pain management and motivation are key to the distraction phase, and a good doctor/nurse/physio to put your mind at ease. EVery new pain you will think is the end of the world, but in the bigger picture it's not. I literally distracted at a rate of 0.4 mm to 5.5cm so my distraction took double the time than normal. It sucked and the pain was so high that I couldn't go fast.
Hi Sanity
I feel sorry for you. Looks like you have a very severe pain apparently due to a spinal headache. I didn't do external so I don't really know how you really feel but do understand how difficult cll can be. First 3-4 weeks are hardest due to the surgery. Your body needs quite long time to recover just from the surgery since this surgery is so invasive. Take any pain killers if available during this time. Pain management is the most important thing during the first month! Then you will feel better and better until your legs reach a moment of serious tightness. Although you may feel tightness already at 1 cm distraction, it may be due to complex reasons including surgery, inflammation, swelling, and pain, etc. After you get over the first stage of pain, you will face the real tightness which normally happens around 4-5 cm, as you mentioned.
Good luck!!
Quote from: jcayabo on May 14, 2019, 07:01:55 PMRead my diary. My first 2 months were the worst part. Pain management and motivation are key to the distraction phase, and a good doctor/nurse/physio to put your mind at ease. EVery new pain you will think is the end of the world, but in the bigger picture it's not. I literally distracted at a rate of 0.4 mm to 5.5cm so my distraction took double the time than normal. It sucked and the pain was so high that I couldn't go fast.
I see, But all this mustve happened to you atleast after 3 cm right and not at 1cm?
Quote from: Sanity on May 15, 2019, 08:16:43 AMI see, But all this mustve happened to you atleast after 3 cm right and not at 1cm?
Mate I had struggles at 1cm. It was my hardest part. Things were bleeding and painful.
1st xray and consultation. Things look very weird.
I turned around 0.9-1cm and on the xrays it shows only 2mm gain. I think 2 is probably even the space there is right after surgery. I dont know wats happening but i can swear i turned 1cm its recorded and even the rods are longer. Does this mean my bones have preconsolidated.
I started turning on 10th day of surgery and turned 1mm everyday uptil today my 10th day of turning. The Doctor used the key to make several turns instantly and he said it looks like i have very hard soft tissues.
Anyways did any1 else face this. Looks like im preconsolidated right? 1cm turning and 2mm which is usually the gap after surgery itself.
I wonder what your surgeon thinks about your situation? Isn't he in the best position to advise you?
Nonetheless, when you hear hoof beats behind you, please don't immediately think "zebras". Stated differently, the simplest explanation for a situation is often the correct explanation.
If you are only seeing 2 mm of distraction; then, the simplest answer may be that you only distracted 2 mm.
It would be challenging to accept that you distracted 10mm but had the most miraculous healing in the world so that it looks like you only distracted 2 mm.
Bone simply does not heal like that. I encourage you to read some journal articles that explain the biological course of healing for broken bones. Once you do, you will likely agree that you are not pre-consolidated.
What's more, so long as the top of your fibula is captured by at least one screw; then, pre-consolidation is nearly impossible with external lengthening. This is so because when you distract, you will merely pull apart your bones at the osteotomy site because the site is the weakest part. (If your fibula is not captured; then, the cartilage at the top of your fibula can be the weakest point; thus, a risk of pulling that cartilage exists.)
While I encourage you to discuss your project with your surgeon and to take your guidance from him, two possibilities come to mind to explore. First, it is not uncommon to turn nuts in the wrong direction so that you cancel out turns in the correct direction. Some folks wrap tape around the rod just below the nut to help ensure you become used to turning the nut away from the tape.
Next, it is also possible that you merely "took up slack" in your first week of distraction; thus, you will see more normal distraction next week.
All-in-all, it is probably too soon to sort things out definitively. I encourage you to talk with your surgeon. This is a new experience for you. It is likely NOT a new experience for your surgeon.
Quote from: California2 on May 16, 2019, 03:50:20 PMI wonder what your surgeon thinks about your situation? Isn't he in the best position to advise you?
Nonetheless, when you hear hoof beats behind you, please don't immediately think "zebras". Stated differently, the simplest explanation for a situation is often the correct explanation.
If you are only seeing 2 mm of distraction; then, the simplest answer may be that you only distracted 2 mm.
It would be challenging to accept that you distracted 10mm but had the most miraculous healing in the world so that it looks like you only distracted 2 mm.
Bone simply does not heal like that. I encourage you to read some journal articles that explain the biological course of healing for broken bones. Once you do, you will likely agree that you are not pre-consolidated.
What's more, so long as the top of your fibula is captured by at least one screw; then, pre-consolidation is nearly impossible with external lengthening. This is so because when you distract, you will merely pull apart your bones at the osteotomy site because the site is the weakest part. (If your fibula is not captured; then, the cartilage at the top of your fibula can be the weakest point; thus, a risk of pulling that cartilage exists.)
While I encourage you to discuss your project with your surgeon and to take your guidance from him, two possibilities come to mind to explore. First, it is not uncommon to turn nuts in the wrong direction so that you cancel out turns in the correct direction. Some folks wrap tape around the rod just below the nut to help ensure you become used to turning the nut away from the tape.
Next, it is also possible that you merely "took up slack" in your first week of distraction; thus, you will see more normal distraction next week.
All-in-all, it is probably too soon to sort things out definitively. I encourage you to talk with your surgeon. This is a new experience for you. It is likely NOT a new experience for your surgeon.
Il agree it is not premature consolidated i meant pre-consolidation by which i meant was soft callous putting resisting forces especially fibular
Anyhow what you said would not apply to my case because before my 1st day of turning i specially put a mark with a red marker pen on each lengthening screws that are inside the rods and that mark has gone past below lower and also the top of the screws has lesser space and 2 screws were finished and the doctor needed to replace them with longer screws. Lol i was particularly attentive to not turning it backwards each and everytime. I was always attentive and 100% focused during turning and turned 4 times everyday for 1mm. Its clear.
Something else is going on which I dont understand. I talked to the surgeon he says its because my soft tissue is resisting alot but i dont know about that one.
I am glad to know you are being attentive and implemented a protocol to better ensure you turn the nuts in the proper direction.
The body puts tremendous pressure on your rods. If your body was not allowing distraction, you will often see your rods start to bow. If that happens, additional rods are sometimes added to spread the load.
If you see no bowing of your rods, I would speculate that you just took up slack with most of your first centimeter; however, I defer to the judgment of your surgeon.
It seems unusual to replace rods already--usually rods are installed with at least a few centimeters available for distraction.
It is apparent you did significant research before undertaking this project and approached the project with a good level of knowledge. I encourage you to rely on the input of your surgeon and your understanding of the process while listening to your body.
Best of luck!
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