John,
Stop, relax and take a deep breath for a second. Okay? Look I KNOW EXACTLY what you are going through. I myself was also a repair patient. My first procedure was really done out of desperation and I was uneducated at the time.
It was from an unrecommende doctor. I PAID FOR IT IN EVERY WAY. Emotionally I was more paranoid than ever. Before I just looked like I was balding. After I looked plain "weird"
and thought everyone was looking at my hair. Oh yeah then there were the "eye wanderers" I hated those muther effers! Really it was all my fault. The self disappointment and humiliation I felt was literally eating me from the inside out. I had no idea how much one bad decision would impact almost every part of my life.
That decision affected EVERYTHING. My personal life, professional, friends, my girl, family and myself. I had cobblestoning, scalp irritation and it just plain looked pluggy.
My hat became my toupe. When people thought of me they thought "hat guy" IT SUCKED! I became withdrawn, big time depressed and I was not the person I once knew any longer. Life was dark.
How am I doing so far? Are you feeling at all like some of the things I mentioned? It was not until afer my second procedure with Dr. Hasson that hope returned and the darkness started to clear. You are only 5.5 months post op. That is nothing. I only just started seeing results at 5.5 months. That means I saw nothing significant yet. I ditched the hat at 6 months because I just wanted to. My hair is not perfect and my final results are not in yet. I at 7 months today. Have some faith. DR. Feller is very ethical and HE CARES ABOUT HIS PATIENTS.
He is passionate about his work and this is evident because he somtimes is quick to lash out against citisism and different opinions when he feels they are unwarranted. If I played football I would want a QB on my team with that kind of passion. You are on that team. The doldrums seem long and hard and they can screw with you. "Is is growing" "where is that mirror" "It looks good today and now it doesn't". I for one really hoped I would be an early grower and have some of the RARE impressive results that some others had at 5 months. I just wasn't. I hope this helps ease your mind some