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  • Stupid question of the day!

    I have a stupid question. After I have my surgery will I be any taller?
    It sems like straightening my curve some would make me a bit taller.
    Please do not laugh at this question!

  • #2
    Well, as my doctor put it. You wouldn't necessarily be any taller than you were. It won't make you grow, just straighten you out more. You could very well be taller than you were before the surgery. I was 4ft10, 4ft11, and now I am standing a proud 5ft even! YAY! However the amount of height you 'gain' is dependent upon how big your curve(s) were before the surgery. Hope this helps ya out. It shouldn't be too big of a jump in height to where you would have to get a new drivers license
    25 yr old female =^_^=
    Thoracic curve 48 degrees (with kyphosis)
    Lumbar curve 23 degrees
    surgery from t5-l1 25 July 2005
    Two rods and 16 screws later . . . 0 degrees YAY!

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    • #3
      I was 2" taller immediately following surgery (they measured me on the doorjam in my hospital room!) and then according to my surgeon's measurement in the weeks following, lost about a 1/2 to 1 inch of that as things settled...I certainly feel taller, that's for sure! The first thing I noticed when I got home from the hospital was how much shorter my kitchen and bathroom counters seemed!

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      • #4
        Hi...

        You will almost certainly be taller. How much taller depends on the techniques used by the doctor. I've heard of people gaining as much as 3". I gained less than 1" because 4 discs were removed during my surgery.

        Regards,
        Linda
        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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        • #5
          I was told I'll be taller when I have my surgery. Quite honestly, despite all the major health risks/issues that come with having the surgery, one of my top worries/reservations about having the surgery, is that I will indeed gain a few inches of height. I am already 5'11'', which for a woman is quite tall. My husband is only 6'0''. I will be taller than my husband! I have always been self conscious of my hieght, and am not looking forward to being anymore of an amazon than I already am!
          Meg is Spinewhine
          31 years old with thoracic curve
          Wore Boston brace as teenager, but curve continued to progress.
          Surgery on 12/13/2005 with correction from over 55 degrees to under 25 degrees. (Ya baby!)

          The nitty gritty at:
          http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/

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          • #6
            i would love to be that tall. i am 5'5". i do hope i gain an inch or two. the guy i like is about 6'3".

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            • #7
              I started out at 6'00" even, my curve accelorated and I dropped down to 5'08" in two years. After surgery, I stand at a proud 5'11". I was quite pleased because getting my height back was a huge motivation for me, soomething I could see right away. I felt better once I was taller and straighter.

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              • #8
                I gained 3 inches from my surgery in 1966. I went from 5'2'' to 5'5". The first time I stood up after surgery, I felt like a giant.

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                • #9
                  My daughter didn't gain any height after her surgery and she was so disappointed!!! She is only 4'10" and was only hoping for a reasonable 5' even.

                  Mary Lou

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                  • #10
                    My daughter grew 2 1/2 inches. She was thrilled to be as tall as her younger sister for the first time since they were 6 & 7 years old.

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                    • #11
                      When I went in for surgery I was shorter than my mom (who is 5'5") and afterwards, I towered over her. Now I am 5'8", but I haven't grown any since my surgery, which I had when I was 14 (Dec. 9, 1991).
                      P.S.- That wasn't a stupid question

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                      • #12
                        I was wondering the same thing. I am 5 4-1/2 (when you are short, you always add the 1/2). I am hoping that I will be at least 5'6" I will still have to look up to my kids, but not quite as much. My daughter says that if I gain an inch and a half I can look her in the chin!

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                        • #13
                          my son gained about an inch, depending on whose measurements we go by as his surgeon's office measured him at 5'11 and we measured him at 6'1 - his dad is 6'3 and he is just shy of his height. Anyway, he is now a solid 6'1 according to his surgeon but oh my goodness, he seems so much taller because of how improved his posture is. And, before his scoliosis was pointed out to us, it was not an obvious thing. He is a big kid and always wears loose clothing so we didn't notice anything about his back until the school nurse sent a note home and then when meeting with the specialist/surgeon and being in the office when he examined him, it was noticable. We always thought it was just his posture. I'm 5'2" and now whenever I stand near him or go to give him a hug, I can really tell the difference in how straight he stands now. Anyway, he had anterior surgery on June 22 and is doing very well. I wish you the very best as you go through this. It is a tough thing to face but so worth it after you have recovered.

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                          • #14
                            I started out at 5'3", I am now 5'1 1/2". After my first round of surgeries I lost half an inch due to having 6 discs removed. After the last surgery I went down another inch but it's okay because I feel taller now that I'm straighter.
                            Theresa

                            April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
                            Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
                            Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
                            Fused T2 to sacrum
                            June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
                            MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

                            FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

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                            • #15
                              I used to be about 5'4", maybe a bit less and am now 5'5", so I gained a little over an inch. I did notice that the first month after surgery was when I was tallest, as the curve came back a tiny bit more after the second month and then stabilized. It's really weird when you walk around that first month, I felt like a wooden board and really tall.
                              35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                              Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                              Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                              Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                              Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

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