any last advice?

[SETT]

hi guys my time for my 1st HT is alot most here (this friday) i was woundering if any one had any tips on what i should take with me or just helpful advice. i am traveling a long way but i wonldnt be, if i didnt think the results would be well worth it. i am not to scared on having the surgery just on more how i will feel after.

 

all replies i get i will be very thank full for and all advice to

[SETT]

hi guys my time for my 1st HT is alot most here (this friday) i was woundering if any one had any tips on what i should take with me or just helpful advice. i am traveling a long way but i wonldnt be, if i didnt think the results would be well worth it. i am not to scared on having the surgery just on more how i will feel after.

 

all replies i get i will be very thank full for and all advice to

[Guest wanthairs]

who is doing the work ?

how many gafts?

what is your norwood level?

[10 years out]

Well, for what it is worth:

1. If you need to change your hairstyle to cover the work, do it a few days before th esurgery. That way, people will be less likely to notice the work. Wearing a hat is better though.

 

Have a lot to keep you occupied after the surgery-you will get bored.

 

Have some ice packs ready to control swelling.

 

Depending on where ad how muich work you are having done, a head band might be a good idea to keep swelling from falling into your face and eyes.

 

I fell asleep during mine, so a book wouldn't have done me much good.

[SETT]

wanthairs/

i am having 2000grafts with DR.Feller and NW3

 

10 years/

thanks for the advice i didnt think of a headband i'll put that on my shopping list

[balody]

sett,for what its worth i came straight out of my surgery and was so hyped i went shopping in manchester and then into an italian resturant for a meal.i got some funny looks especially from the waiters then i caught myself in a mirror the top of my head was shiny blood red!still i didnt care the hair was in its rightful place.nothing to worry about mate,good luck

[Burt1973]

Great Topic! My big day is Thursday. I'm a bit nervous, not really so much of the procedure just in terms of the anxiety of what to expect. I try to visualize myself in the chair, in the moment and cant quite grasp that it is actually here. Its all very overwhelming for me. I havnt had a good night sleep in 5 days. My wife says it shows. I feel pretty drained right now. I just keep trying to look unto the bright side of what will be the final result! No more matching hats with clothes, grabbing my hat when someone is at the door or even dreading other such functions where hats are not appropriate.

 

Sorry for hijacking your thread, I'am not much help here, just more or less venting...

 

Good luck to you and I am following this thread.

[10 years out]

When I had mine, I was given some oral pills-I do not remember if they were xanax or valium, but they took a bit to take effect. I asked for a reduced dosage, and it might have had an effect on the time before I was in a daze. Well< I was numbed uop when the strip was removed, but I was pretty much sober when it was done.

 

The next days, I didn't feel bad, but not really energetic either. I kind of dragged around. I could not wait to get back to normal though. You might want to use a saline rinse to keep your grafts moist-they heal quicker and you return to normal quicker.

 

I never took the prescription pain meds he gave me, but I could have used them once or twice-I made it through with extra strength tylenol.

[pokerbrat]

10 years..who did your ht? When you say saline rinse, what exactly do you mean..like saline solution for contact lenses? If so specify which kind so i can get some, if you say it works. How often do you use it and how do you use it? Just soak the grafts and leave it on till it dries? Could you use the saline and aloe vera on the grafts..i heard that works well also. Thanks for the help.

[10 years out]

Hey,

 

The label reads, 0.9% sodium chloride irrigation, USP. It is made by Baxter Lab. At first, I saturated some gauze strips with it and let it rest on the recipient area and I also used a little spray bottle, like a small bottle of glass cleaner and sprayed it on it. (Please don't use a windex bottle!) something like that worked well for me.You can probably pick it up at any pharmacy or Wal Mart.

[MrJobi]

Hi

 

Bring a loose hat.. Take your pain meds and relax after it is done ( a movie or whatever).. After, be sure to be careful about bangin your head.. Also , keep the donor area clean the first couple weeks to avoid scarring..

[its752]

SETT, I've heard some real good things about about Dr. Feller. I know that he is using stainless steel staples to close the donor area instead of sutures which is suppose to be an advantage. I just went through an HT 3 weeks ago today, and I can tell you I worried for nothing! It will be over before you know it, and you'll want another. The only thing that I had a concern with was how and when to start removing the scabs in the newly transplanted area. They should tell you at the clinic but ask at the time they remove your staples. It's important. I poured a mixture of shampoo and water over my head for the first 10 days or so using a picture. Good luck!

[Hair to Style]

Spray the grapfs with a spray bottle.They gave me the sprayer bottle. The next morning then after and spray for a long time each day to stop the crusts.Keep em wet! I even put the copper petite

shampoo in the sprayer them sprayed clean water rinse. Did not loss any grafts to crusts.

Your whole head will be a scab if you do not work hard on cleaning and care.

[SETT]

thanks for all the kind words guys i feel more relaxed about it now it doesnt sound to painful after, il be sure to take pics of before, after, and post op when i get back

 

p.s Good luck burt1973 with your HT

[Jersey23]

SETT/Burt,

 

First, best of luck with the upcoming HT's. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

As far as advice, I'd look into one of those neck pillows you use on a plane (blow up kind of other). I had a hard time laying back on a bunch of regular pillows (even though I was pretty upright) since I was afraid to put any pressure on the still tender donor area.

 

I think the neck pillow will allow you to have less pressure on the donor since the pillow allows you to keep your head more uprignt and therefore the brunt of the pressure will be below your scar line. If not, you should try to use some towels to achieve the same concept.

 

Also, my biggest problem after the HT was finding a restaurant or other food store that I can go into without feeling self-concious about the big white wrap sticking out from under my hat. If you are staying at one of the local hotels, you might want to either pack a sandwich on ice in a cooler or get the number ahead of time of some places that might deliver to your hotel. I ended up miles away from Dr. Feller's office at Dunkin Donuts and felt funny being seen the way I was.

 

Anyway, that my $.02.

 

Jersey

[bmmeup]

Don't forget a travel pillow if you are staying overnight after the procedure. The kind like you see for sale in airports. They make sleeping upright much easier and your recipient area will stay off the pillows!

[bmmeup]

Oh...also don't be embarrased how you look right after the procedure. That's the best thing about traveling to have it done...you don't know ANYBODY...and you'll never see anyone who may give you funny looks again.