Internal Femurs with Dr. Mahboubian - Los Angeles

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@ Purushrottam and short2tall .  Thank you! 

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter, while my legs are getting tighter,  even a bit of my skin below the back of the knee seems tight.

Serious stretching with the PT this morning renewed and strengthened my desire to hit my goal. After I left his office I felt loose again.

Seems like this last "stretch" to 6.5 or 7 cm will be tough though,  as past LLers have told us. You stretch hard and feel good, but as the day goes by and as you do your daily lengthening, the tightness comes right back.

God willing another 3 weeks.  I also see Dr M on Friday.

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Quote from: LAGrowin on March 19, 2018, 09:37:36 PMHi MirinHeight,  thank you, I appreciate it. I too have benefited from past diaries, without which I probably would never have taken the plunge. Hopefully I can push through to my goal.

I would be happy to do so.  We can set it up as it gets closer.  Hopefully by then I'm as to close to normal as possible.

Good for you,  sounds like two good choices within the US.  If you have the option to travel for surgery, it certainly broadens your choices.

sweet man. i will message you once you get closer to the end of this journey!

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Quote from: MirinHeight on March 20, 2018, 06:05:30 AMsweet man. i will message you once you get closer to the end of this journey!

Sounds good MirinHeight. 

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** 9 WEEK UPDATE **

Hi everyone.  Tomorrow I hit 9 weeks post op.  It seems like it has been an eternity and I can't wait to get back out to the world!   At the same time,  it has all flown by and I can't believe I'm in the final stretch now.  Hopefully between 15-20 days more to go.  IF I continue lengthening 3 times per day.

TIGHTNESS

As I have mentioned in recent posts. My legs have become considerably tighter in the past week roughly. There isn't really any pain per se,  just major discomfort. Dr. Ms PT, Patrick, says I'm doing well and that it's all normal.  My knees are still flat thank God.  They do lock up after a small period of limited or no movement. This allows you to sleep very limited amounts at a time. Very frustrating.

ALSO,  it feels like my skin on the outer and back part of my knees is about to tear from how tight it feels. The PT says its likely the nerves that are stretching which makes it feel like that. He says no one has complained of that in the past.


HEIGHT

I'm currently at 5.4 CM or slightly over 2".  I went out to a brief event yesterday (not easy) for the first time.  I used wheelchair and walker, as it is impossible to be on the walker full time still.  When I stood up and engaged with people, I noticed the difference!  My shoes are almost 1" so I stood about 5'9" with shoes.   What an UNBELIEVABLE difference already.  I can just imagine another 0.75".   I am happy I did this.  Just hope I can fully recover quickly.


MEDS

I have been down to one Norco before bed, one muscle relaxer, and one sleeping pill (Ambiem).  During the day, I typically take 2-4 Tylenol.   As for vitamins I'm taking calcium,  and vitamin D.


GENERAL

I am happy I did this. But still can't believe I did.  It is not easy folks.   You have to be ready to deal with being dependent on others to different degrees, to put your life on hold for 3-4 months +.  I read a lot, but some of the details you read about slip right by until you're going through it. I thought I'd be out and about and working a few hours after about 4 weeks.  Yeah right!!   

Everything is HARDER.  The smallest things. Even grooming yourself like before.   I also thought I'd be reading a lot and catching up on paperwork while at home.  It doesn't happen,  you don't have the energy and your days other than therapy, are not productive.


WEIGHT

I don't know that there is a way to avoid muscle atrophy and general weight loss.  I'm the thinnest I've been in over 20 years. I've lost nearly 18 lbs.   My legs are tiny, and my butt which I was always proud of and worked hard to maintain,  is all bone.    Everyone says it will come back.  I hope so.


DR. MAHBOUBIAN

Dr. M has been good to me and professional, including his selected hospital, and office staff. There is really no interaction between us in between follow up visits, but it's not needed, I also respect his time and never want to be 'that patient'.  The two times I've reached out,  he has responded quickly.  Even early on, on a Sunday.

OTHER

I've established communication with a few of Dr. Ms recent and upcoming CLL patients and everyone seems to feel the same.  His technique is good and pain is not excruciating or excessive. One of the things that attracted me to Dr. M when I was first starting my research for LL, is that he trained with Dr. Rozbruch, who was also a consideration for me.

Unfortunately this forum has its share of toxicity, and although this diary is meant to help future LLers have an idea of what it's like (as I searched for in the diaries of those before me), I've at times been accused of being a fake or of 'promoting' Dr. M, not true at all.

It takes time and energy to write these updates. All I can say is that I'll help others where I can, and everyone can believe or not what they want.   I've been on the other side, wanting and waiting for updates of other's diaries. Past diaries have been an incredible resource for me,  whether they were Mahboubian, Paley, Rozbruch,  etc.   


Thank you all for reading !!

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Has Dr. Mahboubian recommended that you eat more during the whole process? We were discussing just that subject a while ago.

Has he recommended you take vitamin d3 and calcium supplements too? If so, during or only after the lengthening?

I wish you the best with the final stretch, man. You're almost there, and then it's taller forever!

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Feels like yesterday that you were counting down the days to begin surgery, and here we are counting down to finish lengthening. Time sure goes by fast!

Great update, love the little details, including productivity level and weight loss. Thanks.

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@myloginacct  -  thank you.  So far I feel like it's  worth the sacrifice.   

Dr. M just said to eat well. Not so much increased calories, just eat well. It's hard though as appetite decreases.   I've been taking vitamin D and calcium since the beginning of my lengthening.


@Android - thank you so much. Can't wait to be done with this and get back to life.

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I really appreciate your post, it's been very helpful. I've selected Dr. Mahboubian to be my doctor, so its great to hear good patient stories!I'm also glad to hear everything went well for you, and it seems like you're recovering fast. How do you entertain yourself/structure your days? And, if I may ask as well.. are you paying for the physical therapy or is that covered by insurance?

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Quote from: llnextyear on March 23, 2018, 02:40:52 AMI really appreciate your post, it's been very helpful. I've selected Dr. Mahboubian to be my doctor, so its great to hear good patient stories!I'm also glad to hear everything went well for you, and it seems like you're recovering fast. How do you entertain yourself/structure your days? And, if I may ask as well.. are you paying for the physical therapy or is that covered by insurance?

Hello llnextyear.   Thank you.  Glad to hear that you've made the decision to do LL.  It's a life changer in so many ways.  I cannot comment much about life with new height yet,  but I've gotten a small taste and seems incredible.   Just hope that life as normal comes back soon.

I'm glad my diary has helped. It is my goal to be detailed.  Any questions just ask,  or feel free to PM me.  I remember the doubts and questions I had before taking the plunge.  Other's diaries and a couple of past patients helped me tremendously.

Days for me fly by.  I'm used to being on the go constantly. Now between breakfast, stretching at home,  traveling to physical therapy, and fielding a few work calls and texts,  the day is gone.  I thought I'd be reading and watching movies but days fly by. The first few weeks are a little slower as you might not travel to therapy.  As I mentioned before, the days just aren't as productive as I thought they would be.  You'll fall into your routine little by little.

I'm paying for physical therapy myself, but I understand through Dr. Ms office that sometimes the insurance covers it and most medications.

All the best!

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Hi LAGrowin,

Congrats as you're winding down on the last pages of this chapter of your life. Keep it up and I think you can push it to the limit. I'm still trying to reach my first inch in my tib/fib. The femur surgery went well but the pain is much more worst. Currently, I'm experiencing a lot of tightness in my femurs. I have locked knees every time I wake up from sleeping or even a quick nap. It gets better when I stretch or sit in my wheelchair. My stretching is at a standstill. No improvement whatsoever. Did you experience this when you did your femurs? I am hoping the tightness is not from the lengthening in my tib/fib as I'm lengthening only .75 mm a day in my tib/fib now. I haven't been able to speak to Dr. M. My post-op with him is tomorrow and I think he'll let me lengthen my femurs tomorrow. I spoke to my PT who said the tightness in the femurs could be from the swelling from the surgery. I notice that I have absolutely no swelling or bruises from the outside from the femur procedure. Thank you for your help.