Lengthening with Dr Bagirov in Moscow (9th December surgery date)

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Perhaps the rate of lengthening is so slow such that scar tissue does not form.
Perhaps, the reason for the contracture, is that, simply, certain muscle groups are not long enough, not stretched enough so to speak.
But I agree with you that under extreme stresses to muscle, scar tissues will form.
But anyway or how, I will do this slower.
Dr Fahri said that 0.5 mm a day is better than 0.75 mm a day.
I do not agree with the loss of athletic function.

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do you know if dr bagirov has height restriction?

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I think I have already contributed enough to this forum (and repaid the members who have helped me earlier)... I think it is time to put an end to this diary. I might still update when I go back to Russia for a check-up in mid-march, and when I remove my frames. If I disappear suddenly, it is not because I encounter complications or anything. I will update when I remove my frames, unless I was silenced (ie, killed) by somebody

Why I decide to stop this diary is because it has also not been very helpful for me, I do not get responses to questions I ask.. So i will instead post my questions elsewhere in this forum. I will still be active in this forum.

Also, I am now working, and thus, I do not have so much time to update this diary. I also think it is unfair to post a review stage-by-stage. It might be unfair to the doctors because when you look back, you might feel that you were not very mature in writing that, and that the doctors actually acted reasonably, or whatsoever.

At this point of time, I would say the nurses and doctors are really great (most of the time). Dr Fahri has been very responsive on Skype.

I am at 3.3 cm, I lengthening faster than crimsontide actually, and I have no ballerina, or whatsoever. Fibula is displaced on one leg, even though the top and bottom are fixated, so things should be fine.

Pain and sleep are currently good. I am not wannabegiant, I do have pains when I stop painkillers, so, yeah. I am not sure if I will make it to 8 cm, just wish me luck.

I also think nobody is really interested in Dr Bagirov now since there are issues with antibiotics and painkillers, but I think if you bring your own painkillers and anti-B it should be really fine. Singapore surgeons are usually skeptical and cynical and critical of other surgeons' work. But, this time,my Singapore surgeon seems really okay with everything.

So, all in all, I will stop this diary at this point of time. I cannot have so much negative energies ruining my mind. Placebo effect is well documented, and I need to keep positive. There are people here who are critical, and discouraging, and scolding you and allthat, when all you are doing is a SERVICE to the community by updating your progress.

This is all I have to say, and at this premature point of time, I would say that Dr Bagirov is a pretty good clinic. The two half rings and one full ring enable full range of motion. Knee contracture and ballerina is at a minimum, though in the morning it can be pretty stiff. By the time its night time, you walk really well. I can even walk to work.

Take care, and I hope the members here are more encouraging (that is why some members do not post diaries, and instead message me directly; you know who you are); then people would post their diaries.

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Another function of the diary is to provide information to people interested in following in your footsteps. Couldn't you post short updates like this every week:

-lengthened amount
-physical state
-emotional state
-general development

Also please, please tell us how you recover you know how much it means to us prospects to hear other peoples experience and recovery is always at the top of the list. We need as much info on this as possible please don't hold that part out on us, it shouldn't take that much effort to have a short Q and A after you've recovered but it would mean the world to us.

Good luck with the rest of the process.

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Hi Itsmylife, Your x-rays looking good - Your bone formation is great. I follow your very informative diary every day. Keep your good work with your legs. Soon you will have great long legs as you want no matter if it ends with 3 or 8 cm - Good luck.

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Alignment and callus formation both look good to me.

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hi MDOW

can you please download my x-rays?

on the website, it just does not show the complete picture..

those reading this can also download the image files because the complete picture is not showed because of the large dimensions

download and view in an image viewer...

im actually counting myself lucky no major problems! crimsontide, wannabegiant they are pretty okay. I read horror stories about indian doctors

my Singapore surgeon was very happy with the alignment and consolidation and I just wanna confirm here if theres anything wrong as I see some misalignment??

as an update I am now at 3.6 cm. so far no pin loss. x-ray measurements are same as the device distraction (but different from my spreadsheet as I believe the turns are not totally 90 degrees); when I turn 90 degrees usually it ends up having less than 0.25 mm, maybe 0.2 mm. so the days I actually turned 1mm, I was actually turning close to 0.8 instead.

so I was pretty safe turning extra. but nowadays I turn 0.75.

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Please  update dude

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Update, so now I am at about 4.3 cm. The latest X-rays are out, and they show that my bone healing is kinda too fast. I was asked by my local ortho to do at least 0.75/0.5 on alternate days, which is an average rate of 0.625 mm/day.

For a few days (about 1-2 weeks ago), I actually did 0.5 mm a day for a few days because I was having severe archilles strain and hamstring tightness.. After that, I started doing alternate 0.5/0.75. Even now, after doing 0.5/0.75 for almost a week or so, I do not have any archilles tightness or hamstring tightness.

Dorsiflexion is still 20 degrees, and knee contracture is still absent, but I think sometimes my right leg gives problems. and I have to straighten it and stretch it. Walking does wonders to straighten up your knees.  My left knee is always straight even without stretching.

I am allowed to sleep with knees flexed but I find that if I keep one leg totally straight and sleep on my side, then in the morning, it is not so bad.

I am able to take food (ie, stand momentarily without holding the walker) , I am still able to walk without any loss of mobility, I am still able to walk properly with walkers, and I am still working a few days in a week (for a few hours, teaching).

I stand and walk for a total of about 30 minutes a day, I occasionally stretch my knees and my archilles tendon.

Sleep is perfect. I am on Lyrica, so I guess it kinda helps as an indication of Lyrica is anxiety disorder and so I guess its sleep inducing. Tramadol is also ... makes you so lazy and sleep inducing. Hence, I did not do much PT, its all because of Lyrica and Tramadol but I am trying to fight the laziness. For the past few weeks or maybe two months I did not use any sleep aids, or anti-histamines, or sedatives. Sleep is just perfect. I guess it is probably since I am doing all this in the comfort of my own home, so I can sleep well.

Pain? Pain is almost zero. Zero when tramadol and paracetamol is in full effect. Some slight discomfort when walking even though tramadol and paracetmaol is 8 hours past the last-dose.

If I can reach 5-6 cm, and stil have no problems with sleep, pain and mobility , I will do 8 cm.

I have many many cards up my sleeve: anti-histamines for sleep. possible increase of dosage of tramadol from 150 mg to 300 mg, Xanax and benzos for sleep, Trazodone for sleep, Phenazepam injection to relax muscles and sleep,  many codeine pills, eperisone for muscle pain and spasms, etc . All these cards can be played when I approach 8 cm, because I have not even used them at all. I think I can do this

Somehow, dr fahri is right, around 4 cm the pain is zero, and it might get worse as I approach 8 cm. At 4.3 cm, WBG was also doing very well. Crimsontide got problems at 5 cm. Another guy (who strongly protests against and refuses to disclose his identity, for god knows what reason) also has severe ballerina problems at 5 cm. So I might be, I might be doing well enough, to do 8 cm.

Time will tell.

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If your flexibility and dorsiflexion are so good, why don't you walk more than 30 minutes each day? Walking more (I'd say at least 2 hours per day, but I'm just a biomedical student, not a doctor) would be amazing for your soft tissues, helping them adapt better to lengthening. Walking also reduces lengthening pain in the long run, from what I've gathered, and it will make your post-lengthening recovery much, much easier. Walking will probably also make it easier to reach 8CM, since that's your goal.