Met with Dr. Paley today. He told me that the clicking noise in my femur sounds mechanical and that it is probably the rods rubbing against each other internally. I asked him if I should be worried and he said no. But he will check my X-rays tomorrow and give me a better idea of how I'm doing. Also, he told me to expect to stay at least an extra few days after my lengthening is complete. Mine should be complete in 22 days (so next next next Monday). I have a doctor's appointment with him that day. But he said not to expect to leave the next day. I was quite surprised by that. He said to expect to leave Friday, but he will let me go home early if he sees that I am doing well. So for future patients, expect to be in West Palm Beach around 90 days instead of 80 days of lengthening. Seems like everyone doesn't lengthen the exact amount each time. Everyone seems to lose .25 mm of lengthening every two weeks. So they want patients to lengthen to 8.4 cm to get to exactly 8 cm. Their explanation is that it is hard to lengthening perfectly each time. I don't buy it. I lengthen exactly as they told me to without any mistakes. My explanation is that the machine is not exactly "precise".
DoingItForMe's Precice 2 Internal Femurs with Dr. Paley
I have heard several times that the Precice sometimes doesn't give you the full amount that you click because the muscles (as they tense up) fight against the lengthening mechanism. I've heard this happen for Precice and Fitbone patients (seems to be the motorized nails). Clicking nails like the Gnail and Betzbone are more painful and probably not ideal for soft tissue, but they seem to give you a bit more than what you click. But I'll probably go back whenever I can and finish what's left on my nails (2-3cm) to feel fully accomplished.
Very happy that you seem to be able to get your full goal man! Congrats in advance, you're almost home!
Thanks YellowSpike. Congrats to you in advance as well to achieving your goal if you get the extra 2-3 cm.
Quote from: DoingItForMe on August 31, 2015, 05:15:03 AMThanks YellowSpike. Congrats to you in advance as well to achieving your goal if you get the extra 2-3 cm.
Thanks. You are reaping the rewards of being a model and dedicated patient. I thought I worked hard, but apparently not hard enough (my main mistake was not walking enough early on). Maybe I shouldn't have done LL in a foreign country all alone with zero help (do all your own shopping, getting food prepared, laundry, etc.)...but I digress lol
At this point, I know exactly what I have to do for a better recovery (stretch more and walk a lot, even with broken legs). So 2-3cm more will be a walk in the park for me relative to what I just did (7cm). Proportions won't be ideal, but I don't think they'll be too terrible (mockups looked about the same as what they are right now). Being 5'9" I think will be worth having slightly off proportions (although the two girls who have seen me nked that know I did LL have said my proportions, even standing up, look fine, and I pressed them both to tell me the truth and not lie).
How are you able to walk though, I thought Precice wasn't weight bearing? Do you mean with crutches/walker? Keep on doing what you're doing. If Dr. Paley believes your recovery will be fine at 8cm, go for it and don't look back. You might not need to do a second LL like me if you can get close to 5'9.
I walk and stretch in the pool 3 hours a day. I always look like a grandpa afterwards from the wrinkly fingers and feet. PT is my full time job. And I'm a hardworker.
The nerve pain that I used to have on my left leg when doing a straight leg raise is gone. So things are looking up for me. Now there's clicking on my left lags as well, but it doesn't bother me. I just hope that it doesn't cause me arthritis in the future, because it is the sound of my knees rubbing against the joints. They haven't told me to stop lengthening yet, so I am hopeful. Only 20 more days of lengthening left!!!! I can see the light!
What's the deal with this procedure and alcohol? I know cigarettes are obviously a no-go. But I'm a little over halfway done and this surgery stresses the hell out of me. There are times I could really use a drink.
Alcohol reacts with your drugs.
18 more days and hopefully I can go home. Clicking noises in my legs are getting louder. One of the theories is that the nails bent enough to cause a gap between the rod and the bone. And the clicking is the rod rattling inside my leg. There's also clicking in my knee caps that's normal with tightness at this stage. Either way, I am still a go for 8 cm and my next X-ray and appointment is with Dr. Paley next Friday. I should be at 7 cm then (7.4 cm according to X-ray). So far my adductors are tight and my hamstrings are tights. I can only leg raise on my right leg to 70 degrees (85 on the left). The cut off point is 65 before they stop my lengthening. Luckily I got from 65 to 70 when I at 4.5 cm. I am working extra hard to at least keep it at 70 degrees so they give me the go ahead for 8 cm. One patient managed to get from 70 back to 90 by the time he got to 8 cm. Challenge accepted!
Hey Doingitforme, glad to hear that you're going strong in the final stretch. It's amazing that patients are actually able to gain flexibility during lengthening! I can't imagine the amount of dedication to PT required to do this.
Just wondering to what point are bent nails acceptable? I've read some diaries of bent nails that need to be replaced, but others like yours and programdude where slight bends are ok and can keep lengthening. Would really love to hear Dr. Paley's thoughts, if any, he shared with you on how much bending is considered ok. Also if there is any concern about the bone healing curved? Really appreciate it!
You must be logged in to post a reply.