Hi LL veterans,
I have looking into doing this since over a decade. But I have been putting it off due to anxiety. I have even booked and cancelled the surgery. I can't forget the surgery and move on. And I can't get myself to do it. I am stuck in this middle state, unable to mentally function normally.
I probably suffer from generalized anxiety disorder where I imagine the worst outcome of taking any decision. Doing any type of surgery is new to me. With LL, I constantly think about fat embolism, infection, blood vessels bursting during surgery, amputation, prosthetics, etc. Irrational, but I can't control this.
So I have decided to get one leg done at a time. Left femur first and then right femur (or the other way haha).
Benefits
I have to be worried about one leg at a time. Lesser at stake. Worst thing that happens would happen to one leg. I still have a good leg. If LL is my worst decision ever, I will have one good leg and can still live independently. I can finally get past this nightmare of having to decide whether to do this procedure or not.
Now I do know the disadvantages of doing one leg at a time:
* 2 surgeries. 2 times anesthesia. 2 times first 2 week horror.
* longer duration of pain
* I can't really walk until both legs are equal length. I must use insoles or lifts on the shorter leg.
* if one leg goes smooth, the other leg might not. at what length do I stop with the first leg?
* I am CREATING a deformity by lengthening the first leg. I am knowingly creating a discrepancy with the goal of fixing it later.
* 2x the costs for surgery, travel, hotel, whatever else that needs to be repeated
The doctor advises against this. He says it's better to do both at the same time and stop whenever and be done with it. I agree, but can't get myself to do it. I will spend another 10 years on this forum reading every word and still not be done with it.
People who have done LL, please let me know your opinions. Is this doable? Please don't tell me how it's faster to do both together, I know that haha. Do you see any major problems of doing one side at a time that would make you advise me to not do it at all?
any suggestions guys? Do you know of people who did one leg at a time? how was their experience?
Quote from: Medium Drink Of Water on September 01, 2020, 02:47:50 PMI can't think of any other downsides other than what you posted. The problem with the second one going wrong and leaving you with a first one longer than it, therefore needing a third surgery for shortening, might be solved by doing tibias.
If you do tibias, the worst that could happen would be half a bad leg (cut off below the knee). Then you could build your resolve up to living with the fear of two half-legs being the worst case scenario if you did them both at the same time.
You are right. Tibias are "safer" in the worst case situation. In terms of long term outcome femurs seem to be more reliable based on the experiences of members here and preference shown by surgeons.
Quote from: m7liam on September 01, 2020, 03:59:42 PMFrom thinking about doing this surgery to actually doing this surgery was a total of one months time. Just fyi
That's insane man. I'm clearly not like you haha. I worry way too much. It's probably genetic, how much we all worry.
Quote from: BetzLandLiberator on September 01, 2020, 04:28:23 PMYou didn't think this through. You are actually increasing your risks. Don't be stupid.
How so? I am foregoing the base case outcome (where I can live normally only 3 months after surgery) but I'm bettering the worst case outcome (if something goes wrong it will be on one leg).
Time and money are not a problem. I just don't know what it's like to lengthen and how it will be to spend a full year through the process. And whether any rehabilitation is possible with one lengthened leg and one short leg.
Quote from: HobbesTheDog on September 01, 2020, 05:48:57 AM
However, if your anxiety is really bad you might want to see a therapist. Maybe then you might get over it and do LL normally.
No therapist will help me if my goal is to get LL haha.
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to update everyone that I went ahead with this plan but have only lengthened one leg so far. I have mixed feelings about this approach.
- I was much less anxious going into the operating room knowing it will be one leg. This was huge for me.
- I was very mobile during lengthening. In fact, I did not feel "disabled". I have known people who had injuries in one leg and I was like them. I was overall in good spirits. I knew the risks of most complications were only half for me. That gave me peace of mind.
- I stopped at only 4.8cm because I became paranoid about something going wrong while lengthening the other leg. My goal was 7cm so I fell short of it. This was primarily because I knew every mm I distract on my left leg, I would have to repeat on the other.
- Now, I feel like there is a mountain to climb again since I have to match my leg lengths now. I am quite tired of this whole ordeal. I am not afraid anymore, but just tired.
- I haven't been able to go out because my discrepancy will be visible to others. So this sucks big time.
- Cost wise it will not be twice as expensive, obviously. But it turns out to be around 40% more expensive than doing it bilaterally.
Hope this helps someone. I think doing it bilaterally is better but if you can't get yourself to do both sides together, it's a way to start I guess. Better than being afraid of doing it for years. I did it this way only because I was extremely afraid and there was no way I could do both sides together.
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