Neptune's HT with Dr. Epstein

[Neptune]

Wow is all I gotta say!

 

Had my procedure yesterday with Dr. E. Will post pics when I get home but wanted to give you this update now.

 

First of all, you can pretty much take RJVW's comments and post them here verbatim. I arrived about 8:30, had a review of the procedure with Doc E, followed by a drawing of the hairline (which I felt was perfect). Had planned on 2000 graphs, and ended up just shy of 2200. Also decided to go with about 50 to 80 graphs per side for temple restoration.

 

Dr. E is a very nice man. Whistles pretty much throughout the office all day and asks lots of questions about you on and off during the long procedure. And the staff? They are perhaps the friendliest people you'll meet. One by one they introduced themselves to me and they all spent the day chatting both with each other and with me. Very nice group!

 

As for the procedure, the whole thing went off without a hitch. Took a Valium but skipped the optional Ambien cause I didn't want to snore them out of the room! Everything was explained to me and then we got started. The numbing was no worse than little shots that just sting a little. If you can handle a dentist, you can handle this stuff. Really the only pain I experienced all day were these numbing shots and they weren't that bad, especially once the areas got numb initially. The strip was out so damn fast I couldn't believe it! All the techs went to work on that while Dr. E starting making the incisions. Before I knew it, he and one of the techs were carefully putting in the graphs. Dr. E. in the hairline and the tech in the temple. Later, as we got past the hairline, the techs did more of the placing, but Dr. E was either placing more himself of keeping a close eye on what went where by one, two or three hair graphs.

 

Once most of the initial hair line work was done by Dr. E, I was sat up and they all looked at me from all angles. They agreed one side needed more refining and a little lowering, so off to work Dr. E. went. Then they worked their way back till they were finished. Before I knew it the whole thing was over. Started the actual procedure around 10:00 and finished around 3:30 or so.

 

Got my post op directions and my wife took me back to the hotel which was just a few miles away. Only had to take one Tylenol w/cod. and that was really just to help me get comfortable with the back of my head on the pillow.

 

Only had slight bleeding in the back. Nothing too bad. Look pretty much like I expected on the top. A little red/pink and the typical little scabs. Many of these melted down once I started spraying with the graphcyte. Had a headache (probably from the temple work) but it was gone in an hour. Watched a movie with my wife, had some dinner in the room and got packed so we could head out today to go back home. I'll get you pics and some graph counts by hair once I get home.

 

Thanks again for all your support guys! I would never have done this without you and I a glad I did as I spent all night looking in the mirror thinking how cool this is all going to be when it all grows in!

[its-only-hair]

Congratulations Neptune, you'll have to fight your wife for the mirror now

 

For sleeping, you might want to try rolling up a small towel and place it just below your stitches or staples. It takes all the pressure off that area.

[hairbank]

Neptune,

 

Glad to hear you had a good experience with Dr. E. I'll be anxious to see the pics when you have time to post them.

 

Heal quick!!

[Here I Grow Again]

Congratulations Neptune,

 

The hardest physical part is finally over and you can now sit back and relax. Now comes the hardest mental part:

 

(Is my hair growing as it should, does it look right, did I lose any graphs, are they going to fall out-some did not fall out, is it dense enough, are hairs still growing or have they stopped, etc, etc.) All questions your mind is going to run but be not afraid just sit back and let the transplant run its course.

 

I sure am glad to see another peer approx 3 months behind that I can track to see how far I've come. Keep us posted

[Neptune]

Thanks guys. And thanks for the tip about rolling the towel up. Damn I wish I had been smart enough to think of that last night! I had the kind of night where you aren't sure if you can get comfortable, aren't sure if you are going to rub your head in the middle of the night, aren't sure if your bleeding and generally, just can't sleep kind of night. Kind of like the one before. I'll be glad to get home and relax a few days in my own bed. I'll be sure to post some pics soon.

[rjvw]

H I G A.....You are dead on with your reply. Everything you wrote is so true. The mental aspect is so much harder than the physical. It's all due too the fact that we want instant gratification. Just ask my wife!!

[Toad_NW3]

Cheerio Neptune. Happy healing and growing. Don't forget about the "search" function on this forum. hahahahaha. Myself, I was searching about something everyday for the first few weeks. (i.e. "Is my hair supposed to look different when wet?" )

 

Toad

[Hairfree]

Congrats on making it thru. I had seriously considered Dr. Epstein. He didn't have the date I was looking for (April 4th). If he did I would have gone with him. I hear great things about his work. I am now 3 weeks away and counting the days to the surgery with Dr. Rahal. If I am counting the days to the surgery I can't imagine how hard it will be to wait till the hair grows! I guess I am excited about going through all this

 

Good luck and happy growing! Keep us posted on your progress!