I had mine fitted at St Peters in Chertsey, they brought Ilizarov’s to the UK and are specialists so I’ve been told.

Although I was on oral morphine in hospital I was discharged with only 10 Tramadol tablets at 2 per day which was worrying. I’ve since got my GP to prescribe more of them which she says I can take more frequently as necessary as well as oral morphine for any high pain occasions which has helped me relax knowing I now have a backup.

I know what you mean about morphine dependence, been there before when I had original accident. I’m much more careful about it now and take it only when I have to.

With me they added an artificial break further up my leg which was “stretched”, the original break was compressed so the frame was doing two things.

After a month I found the golden rule is “keep moving”. If you try to avoid moving as much as possible the scabs have a chance to form around the pins and wires and stick to them. When they’ve done that its hurts like heck when you do try to move!

Keep as mobile as you can (wander into kitchen to make cuppas, etc) and the scabs don’t form and its a lot less painful.

And also to keep it clean. Very clean.

Oh, and if you can get into a shower, god, it feels better than sex. Honestly, just feels sooooo good, but dry all the pin / wire sites off very thoroughly afterwards.

(different doctors and nurses have different opinions on showers, some say avoid them or wear a bin bag over your leg, others say they’re good. I can see that a bath would be very bad, but a showers got running clean water, so as long as you dry off afterwards it’ll be fine. And thats what my Dr and nurses said too)

Where did you have yours fitted? Mine was done at the Nuffield, Oxford, Dr McNally.

I remember looking at the other people with frames on in the clinic and thinking “why are they in a lot less pain than me?” – heh, low pain threshold I guess.

Morphines great to start with though Horrible withdrawl symptoms though if your GP messes up and you totally run out at the start of a long bank holiday weekend…

But please don’t assume because one or two people who’ve worn an Iilzarov frame had an easy time of it, you will. I obviously hope you do have an easy time of it, but some people go though hell.

I gained 4.5cm of length back after a bike accident. The frame was doing two things, gaining length and compressing the original break trying to get that to heal so my case did have complications.

The docs gave me the same stories before I had mine fitted. (I didn’t have a choice, it was frame on or leg off) Had the frame on for 9 months, one big infection, on high dosages of morphine for nearly all that 9 months.

Would I have one put on again? Never. Ever. Again. Take the leg, take my life, nothing is worth going through that again.

But if that picture is of you, then you’re obviously able to stand up so you’re about 1000% better than I was quite soon post op

Good luck.