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Woodrow

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Everything posted by Woodrow

  1. I won't name my surgeon -- he's a very good surgeon who is spoken highly of on this web site. I'm confident he did things right. I just wanted to let prospective patients know that, in general, they might need to be prepared to experience discomfort, even with anasthetic. Individuals will all experience pain differently. And patients should actively inquire about signing waivers before the day of surgery.
  2. I wanted to note a couple of items for the benefit of people considering hair transplant surgery. I should say I had a good experience. It has been 2 months since my surgery and everything has healed well and hair is starting to grow nicely. These points could help other transplant candidates. DONOR STRIP - Day of Surgery ??“ after the donor strip has been removed and stitched, you have to spend the rest of the day with your head resting exactly where the wound is. It's important to make sure your head is supported as much as possible (the staff should provide you with a pillow that cradles your neck ??“ this will take some pressure off the wound). I had to reposition my head every 15 minutes or so to relieve the discomfort, which was considerable even with anesthesia. Unconsciously, I was trying to minimize the pressure on my head by holding it slightly up, which caused my shoulders to burn with pain. You cannot do this for 6 hours. The attendants will help keep you comfortable, but also let them know when you have to reposition yourself. Otherwise, you won't make it through the day -- the pain will drive you to distraction. IMPLANTING - after the donor strip has been taken and dissected, staff start to implant the follicular units into the scalp. I have a fairly high pain threshold ??“ I usually fall asleep in the dentist's chair. But I felt the steel of the transplant instrument penetrating my scalp with each implant. I was gripping the upholstery of the arm of the surgical chair while I was wondering how I was going to manage six more hours of the incredible discomfort. One of the staff realized I was in discomfort and asked if I needed more anesthetic. "YES," I shouted, relieved. After that, I let the staff know whenever the anesthetic would wear off (and I could feel pain from the instruments). This happened about every 90 minutes (more often toward the end of the day). The doctor would return and shoot me up again. Let your doctor know when you are experiencing discomfort ??“ if you need more anasthetic, you need to know you can ask for it. NAPPING - For me, lying on a painful donor strip wound, monitoring when the anesthetic would wear off - and I would start feeling surgical steel again - made it impossible to fall asleep as some patients claim. My experience was that I was hyperaware of each minute passing during the long day of surgery. Save your napping for next time you're getting you're teeth drilled at the dentist. LOSS OF SENSATION - One thing that I think patients should know more about is the loss of sensation that results from the removal of the donor strip. I haven't read much about it on the Internet, so it came as a bit of a surprise. I think the loss of sensation results from the cutting of nerves. The loss of sensation was quite significant for me (as I imagine it is for many, if not most, patients). For example, I was working on a carpentry project a month after surgery, and dropped a two-by-four on my head (clearly I am not a great carpenter). I felt the board, but had no sensation of pain. I'm heading into the third month now and I'm slowly beginning to feel some of the sensation return to my scalp. The loss of sensation on the scalp is something you should be prepared for. SIGNING WAIVERS - Last piece of advice: Ask you doctor to provide you with waiver forms at least one day prior to surgery. I was quite surprised to be presented with an extensive multi-page disclaimer of liability presented to me first thing in the morning, just minutes before surgery starts. Six weeks earlier, when I paid my cash deposit, I had asked for any documentation to be provided to me. The senior office administrator responded with explicit assurances that there would be nothing further to sign. I was clearly disappointed six weeks later to be presented with a thick waiver agreement just moments before surgery. It contained a lot of information which I was reading for the first time. Consent can only be considered meaningful or informed when it is provided without duress. Doctors who wait until the morning of surgery run the risk that courts will find the waiver invalid by reason of duress. During your intake interview, tell your doctor that, if there is a waiver agreement to be signed, you want to receive it prior to the day of surgery. That will give you reasonable notice to ask questions that may arise from the waiver agreement.
  3. I wanted to note a couple of items for the benefit of people considering hair transplant surgery. I should say I had a good experience. It has been 2 months since my surgery and everything has healed well and hair is starting to grow nicely. These points could help other transplant candidates. DONOR STRIP - Day of Surgery ??“ after the donor strip has been removed and stitched, you have to spend the rest of the day with your head resting exactly where the wound is. It's important to make sure your head is supported as much as possible (the staff should provide you with a pillow that cradles your neck ??“ this will take some pressure off the wound). I had to reposition my head every 15 minutes or so to relieve the discomfort, which was considerable even with anesthesia. Unconsciously, I was trying to minimize the pressure on my head by holding it slightly up, which caused my shoulders to burn with pain. You cannot do this for 6 hours. The attendants will help keep you comfortable, but also let them know when you have to reposition yourself. Otherwise, you won't make it through the day -- the pain will drive you to distraction. IMPLANTING - after the donor strip has been taken and dissected, staff start to implant the follicular units into the scalp. I have a fairly high pain threshold ??“ I usually fall asleep in the dentist's chair. But I felt the steel of the transplant instrument penetrating my scalp with each implant. I was gripping the upholstery of the arm of the surgical chair while I was wondering how I was going to manage six more hours of the incredible discomfort. One of the staff realized I was in discomfort and asked if I needed more anesthetic. "YES," I shouted, relieved. After that, I let the staff know whenever the anesthetic would wear off (and I could feel pain from the instruments). This happened about every 90 minutes (more often toward the end of the day). The doctor would return and shoot me up again. Let your doctor know when you are experiencing discomfort ??“ if you need more anasthetic, you need to know you can ask for it. NAPPING - For me, lying on a painful donor strip wound, monitoring when the anesthetic would wear off - and I would start feeling surgical steel again - made it impossible to fall asleep as some patients claim. My experience was that I was hyperaware of each minute passing during the long day of surgery. Save your napping for next time you're getting you're teeth drilled at the dentist. LOSS OF SENSATION - One thing that I think patients should know more about is the loss of sensation that results from the removal of the donor strip. I haven't read much about it on the Internet, so it came as a bit of a surprise. I think the loss of sensation results from the cutting of nerves. The loss of sensation was quite significant for me (as I imagine it is for many, if not most, patients). For example, I was working on a carpentry project a month after surgery, and dropped a two-by-four on my head (clearly I am not a great carpenter). I felt the board, but had no sensation of pain. I'm heading into the third month now and I'm slowly beginning to feel some of the sensation return to my scalp. The loss of sensation on the scalp is something you should be prepared for. SIGNING WAIVERS - Last piece of advice: Ask you doctor to provide you with waiver forms at least one day prior to surgery. I was quite surprised to be presented with an extensive multi-page disclaimer of liability presented to me first thing in the morning, just minutes before surgery starts. Six weeks earlier, when I paid my cash deposit, I had asked for any documentation to be provided to me. The senior office administrator responded with explicit assurances that there would be nothing further to sign. I was clearly disappointed six weeks later to be presented with a thick waiver agreement just moments before surgery. It contained a lot of information which I was reading for the first time. Consent can only be considered meaningful or informed when it is provided without duress. Doctors who wait until the morning of surgery run the risk that courts will find the waiver invalid by reason of duress. During your intake interview, tell your doctor that, if there is a waiver agreement to be signed, you want to receive it prior to the day of surgery. That will give you reasonable notice to ask questions that may arise from the waiver agreement.
  4. I wanted to note a couple of items for the benefit of people considering hair transplant surgery. I should say I had a good experience. It has been 2 months since my surgery and everything has healed well and hair is starting to grow nicely. These points could help other transplant candidates. Donor strip ??“ after the donor strip has been removed and stitched, you have to spend the rest of the day with your head resting exactly where the wound is. It's important to make sure your head is supported as much as possible (the staff should provide you with a pillow that cradles your neck ??“ this will take some pressure off the wound). I had to reposition my head every 15 minutes or so to relieve the discomfort, which was considerable even with anesthesia. Unconsciously, I was trying to minimize the pressure on my head by holding it slightly up, which cause my shoulders to burn with pain. You cannot do this for 6 hours. I The attendants will help keep you comfortable, but also let them know when you have to reposition yourself. Otherwise, you won't make it through the day -- the pain will drive you to distraction. Implanting ??“ after the donor strip has been taken and dissected, staff start to implant the follicular units into the scalp. I have a fairly high pain threshold ??“ I usually fall asleep in the dentist's chair. But I felt the steel of the transplant instrument penetrating my scalp with each implant. I was gripping the upholstery of the arm of the surgical chair while I was wondering how I was going to manage six more hours of the incredible discomfort. One of the staff realized I was in discomfort and asked if I needed more anesthetic. "YES," I shouted, relieved. After that, I let the staff know whenever the anesthetic would wear off (and I could feel pain from the instruments). This happened about every 90 minutes (more often toward the end of the day). The doctor would return and shoot me up again. Let your doctor know when you are experiencing discomfort ??“ if you need more anasthetic, you need to know you can ask for it. Napping -- For me, lying on a painful donor strip wound, monitoring when the anesthetic would wear off and I would start feeling surgical steel again made it impossible to fall asleep as some patients claim. I was aware (hyperaware) of each minute passing during the long day of surgery. Save your napping for next time you're getting you're teeth drilled at the dentist. Loss of Sensation -- One thing that I think patients should know more about is the loss of sensation that results from the removal of the donor strip. I haven't read much about it on the Internet, so it came as a bit of a surprise. I think the loss of sensation results from cutting the nerves. The loss of sensation was quite significant for me (as I imagine it is for many, if not most, patients). For example, I was working on a carpentry project a month after surgery, and dropped a two-by-four on my head (clearly I am not a great carpenter). I felt the board, but had no sensation of pain. I'm heading into the third month now and I'm slowly beginning to feel some of the sensation return to my scalp. The loss of sensation on the scalp is something you should be prepared for. Signing waivers - Last piece of advice: Ask you doctor to provide you with waiver forms at least one day prior to surgery. I was quite surprised to be presented with an extensive multi-page disclaimer of liability presented to me first thing in the morning, just minutes before surgery starts. Six weeks earlier, when I paid my cash deposit, I had asked for any documentation to be provided to me. Office staff responded with explicit assurances that there would be nothing more to sign. I was clearly disappointed six weeks later to be presented with a thick waiver agreement just moments before surgery. It contained a lot of information which I was reading for the first time. Consent can only be considered meaningful or informed when it is provided without duress. Doctors who wait until the morning of surgery run the risk that courts will find the waiver invalid by reason of duress. Better for you (and for your doctor) to make sure you receive his/her waiver form 24 hours prior to surgery.
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