I've been a long time lurker on this/old forum for more than a decade. Have been thinking about doing it and finally this year decided to pull the trigger and move forward. My height has always been something that just didn't feel right and my body proportions have always just looked off to me.
Spoke with Dr. Becker and his team in June, they were very professional, polite and helpful. My surgery is scheduled for Friday
I chose the Betzbone for the full weight bearing capability and patient experiences I have read
Starting Height: 170.2cm
Goal: 177.5cm
Age: 39
Weight: 88kg (Have a good amount of upper body muscle)
Fitness: Pretty fit, can do a lot of cardio, spent the last few months in the gym (avoided legs)
Wingspan: 175cm
Type of lengthening: Femurs
Will be spending at least a month or two, possible even the third, in the rehab center in Germany near the Betz institute. Hoping to set myself up for the safest lengthening process possible
There is a lot of variation in how many clicks I hear patients are doing and this is what I'm mostly thinking about in the lead up to the surgery. I don't want to spend 5 months lengthening if I can help it
Will be updating this as regularly as I can, as it will give me something to do
Dr. Becker (Betz Institute) Femurs December 2023
@Limbfan2020
I'll be doing it alone and hiring help. I'm trying to keep the operation as discreet as possible. Been wearing elevated shoe for many years, I don't think it will be too shocking being a cm or two taller for most people
Lied to my girlfriend that theres something wrong with my knees and needed surgery. She'll come visit me, I'm sure, hope I can keep up the pretense. No idea how that will work out, but I really don't want to have a conversation about cosmetic limb lengthening with anyone. Most people just wouldn't understand, it's something I have been thinking about everyday for more than a decade, if I don't do it now, I'll never do it
@Christopherbulder I wear shoe lifts that put me at around 175cm, instead of 170ish that I am at. It doesn't look off, I walk completely normal, I have longer arms and torso, and I choose quality shoes that don't look like they have a heel
After the surgery I plan to wear shoes that are almost flat so it doesn't look like too much of a difference
Quote from: Bagga on December 07, 2023, 06:05:49 PMDo whatever you are happy. You dun have care or explain to these people.
You live only once!
We are Dr.Becker's patients, staying at Rehab Centre...so far the experiences are positive one.
We shall see you next week at Dorint Hotel.
Thanks! Wearing the lifts in the past definitely made me feel more confident.
I have my surgery in 5 hours, my legs are now smoothly shaven 
I don't feel nervous or worried at all about the surgery; Maybe that will change when I get to the hospital.
I've already been in the Dorint for the last two nights, looking forward to meeting you!
Quote from: Moshek on December 08, 2023, 02:10:34 PMSo it has been 9 hours after your last message!
How is everything now? Are you alive?
TL;dr: Amazing
UPDATE:
Showed up to the hospital, and met the staff there, Daniela, his assistant, then the anesthetist and Dr. Becker. Whole staff was really kind, relaxed and chatted a bit with all of them one at a time.
I wasnt nervous at all until I was dressed in the hospital gown and walked in the operating room. Then it hit me and I felt kind of emotional and worried. I laid on the operating for a minute and then Dr. Becker walked in while they were giving me anesthesia and held my hand, didn't expect it, but it was a great moment. Great touch as a surgeon and made me feel much calmer and helped me breathe.
Was out like a light and woke up maybe an hour or two later. When I initially woke up, I was groggy as heck. My pain was about a 7. Wasn't pleasant, they couldn't give me pain meds yet because anesthesia had recently been administered. Had to wait about 20 minutes until they gave me some pain killers via some pump system I van control. 5 minutes later the pain began to subside and was gone. I was a bit giddy by the lack of pain and felt great
I saw a diary recently from another Becker patient who was able to lift his legs and move them around immediately post surgery and felt inspired to try and do the same because I felt pain free and confident that the surgery had gone well because of how I felt. It worked and didn't feel pain at all doing it! Felt really excited about this, I made a video, I'll try and figure out how to link it at some point.
Dr. Becker came in later and told me the surgery went great, gave me some details about the nail and some bonemarrow difference in my right leg. And then we went through some light bed stretching. He seemed really pleased by how easily I could do the stretching in the bed. Later he helped me sit up and stand a bit on my own and then gave me crutches to teach me how to walk with them properly, I took a few steps but felt nauseous from the pain meds, so I opted to just sit back down. This is was only maybe an hour post OP I think, hard to keep track of time when on pain meds and a tiny bit groggy.
I felt extremely stable standing without crutches, like I could walk without them, but obviously did not try. Really encouraging to feel that. Weight bearing is a great feeling.
After that the next few hours was so pleasant, talked on whatsapp with some people and just relaxed. Pain was a zero. Did stretching exercises in bed. My right leg clicks sometimes when I do a specific stretch. Dr. Becker told me before hand of this and said it was a good thing. It's absolutely pain free when it happens.
Slept a bit. An hour here and there, I'm a bad sleeper my whole life. Woke up for other reasons, not pain.
Now it's 12 hours post OP. My pain is about a 1. Ate some food recently because I felt too nauseous to eat before. Nurses are really awesome. Incredibly helpful and kind. One even went out to buy me some Coke Zero, because they only had Coke original.
Plan to try and sleep soon. Watched some youtube videos on my laptop while I ate.
So far, my general feeling is relief and I'm really glad I chose to do it with Dr. Becker
Quote from: Moshek on December 09, 2023, 12:16:18 AMDid you do the clicks? Was there any pain?
And how long this surgery lasted?
You said about 1-2 months staying there in the center.
How much money would it be extra to the surgery?
I still cant choose the doctor.
Might do it in Montreal because I'm in Canada but want weight bearing nail.
Are there many Becker patients who stay a week or two after surgery and then leave?
I didn't do clicks on purpose, my legs have been clicking occasionally from just moving. The doctor says it's because there is low tension in the leg which makes it so easy to click. I've unintentionally clicked 20 times on the right and 2 times on the left.
The surgery was about an hour and half I think.
I talked about pain in my previous reply, there was obviously no pain during the surgery
I think I will only stay in the rehab hotel 2-3 weeks. The process of distraction seems simple enough because of the weight bearing capacity of the betz bone and most patients don't stay to do it because of this. As long you find a physiotherapist near you at home and get x rays done regularly it shouldn't be too much of a difference where you do it. I was being overly cautious by believing I would need to stay in the Dorint so long. The cost with room and board + physical therapy per month would probably around 10k euros when you factor in all the expenses
Small UPDATE: turns out I can't pee in the cannister near my bed, I just can't get myself to pee, even if I have to go badly. So I have to walk to the toilet and stand to pee every time. Its a pain in the ass, I cant even sit and pee, don't know why. Luckily I can easily stand while peeing and none of it is painful
Decided to stop taking pain meds for now, since I don't need them(I feel uncomfortable sometimes but no pain) and was feeling a bit nauseous yesterday. I don't feel nauseous since for now
Quote from: Moshek on December 09, 2023, 02:33:28 AMYou didnt start limb lenghtening yet with clicking?
No. You're supposed to wait a few days after the surgery before you start. My lengthening/clicking now is not intentional
Quote from: Beemer m3 on December 09, 2023, 10:20:17 PMi heard alot about this surgery.. goodluck with your lengthening . definitely not the same when your turning a screw around haha.
Thanks, wish you the best of luck too man
Quote from: Bagga on December 10, 2023, 04:36:55 PMsee u at Rehab Centre next week..
We will definitely meet and sit together for meals.
A Table is reserved for Dr. Becker's patients.
Looking forward to it!
Update: I get to shower tomorrow and remove these compression shorts and bandages, looking forward to that too!
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