No Hope left

[Mahair]

I have cannot beleive what is happening to me.I am Two months out from a transplant which I got at MHR and it has destroyed me to the point that I can not describe. From the third day I had swelling to the face that my eyes were almost shut and black eyes for over two weeks . After that I noticed the bumps that were on my head and temples that are still not fully gone.My hairline has been lowered to three fingers above my eyebrows.The hair that I had has mostly disappeared due to shock loss .now I am loosing hair on the rest of the top of my head . I was only a 3 on the scale with a receeded temple on the left side and thinning to the front area were they put 2000 + grafts . I dont know why I went along with this now I guess because I felt that it would be preventative and was assured this would be a one shot deal and he seemed like a concerned Dr.There is nothing I can do now and the Dr. denied the problems or said I was a slow healer . He now admits that I am thinner in the midscalp and back after I took him to task on HIS pre op photos which were taked to show that I was developing a bridge around the frontal island. He now refuses to discuss anything more with me and is saying it is due to my progression or stress and not related . I beleive it has been shocked by the surgery I had thick hair everywere but the front I am so distraught I can barely function . Their laywer called me to instruct me not to call the consultant or the doctor about the problem and that the Dr. stated to him that the surgery is healed and I should get great results and to wait a year. But he would have another doctor from MHR look at me in a months time .The lawyer wants to talk to me on Monday to hear my complaints I dont know what to do about any of this can anyone advise a course of action .

[Mahair]

I have cannot beleive what is happening to me.I am Two months out from a transplant which I got at MHR and it has destroyed me to the point that I can not describe. From the third day I had swelling to the face that my eyes were almost shut and black eyes for over two weeks . After that I noticed the bumps that were on my head and temples that are still not fully gone.My hairline has been lowered to three fingers above my eyebrows.The hair that I had has mostly disappeared due to shock loss .now I am loosing hair on the rest of the top of my head . I was only a 3 on the scale with a receeded temple on the left side and thinning to the front area were they put 2000 + grafts . I dont know why I went along with this now I guess because I felt that it would be preventative and was assured this would be a one shot deal and he seemed like a concerned Dr.There is nothing I can do now and the Dr. denied the problems or said I was a slow healer . He now admits that I am thinner in the midscalp and back after I took him to task on HIS pre op photos which were taked to show that I was developing a bridge around the frontal island. He now refuses to discuss anything more with me and is saying it is due to my progression or stress and not related . I beleive it has been shocked by the surgery I had thick hair everywere but the front I am so distraught I can barely function . Their laywer called me to instruct me not to call the consultant or the doctor about the problem and that the Dr. stated to him that the surgery is healed and I should get great results and to wait a year. But he would have another doctor from MHR look at me in a months time .The lawyer wants to talk to me on Monday to hear my complaints I dont know what to do about any of this can anyone advise a course of action .

[NW]

Nobody can judge a HT at 2 months.

 

Plain & simple.

 

MHR should have better explained shock-loss, it sounds like you had no idea what it was & are now surprised ??. No Doc should leave any HT Patient so clueless, I understand your anger.

 

but,

 

after the initial 6 months is a better time to judge.

 

Not defending MHR by any means here.

 

NW

[Mahair]

As a matter of fact the consultant told me it does'nt occur here at all because the Dr.was so careful. Minutes before the surgery the Dr. did mention that some people get something called "shock"and loose a few hairs but it does'nt occur often and will grow back, that was minutes before the operation according to my girlfreind and I did'nt understand as I was on valium.If I knew then what I know now.

[NW]

I will tell you I too was devistated by shock-loss, it did grow back in the initial 6 month period, honestly on my 1st HT I had to wear a hat for the 1st 4 months, I lost a great deal of top scalp hair (it really sucked!!).

 

Shock-loss is far more typical on a patients 1st HT, I actually had zero shock-loss on my "2nd" HT.

 

My advice is to hang in there ! I am extremely happy after 2 HT's, but I know how I felt during the shock-loss period, I had several doubts about what I did.

 

Keep in touch

[Smoothy]

Dude, I'm sorry your going through this emotional rollercoaster, but your at the 8 wk stage that most people go through-- I myself 5 different times. Your new hair will not start growing until 12-16 wks and might take 6 months before some grow. Just calm down, style your hair a different way to cover any procedure (but that too should start going away anytime). Hang in there, it only gets better. The less you think about it and let the HT do their thing, and your schock loss will come back also. But your Dr. is partically correct in that the stress your giving yourself isnt doing you any good-- It will be better as the months go along.

[Patricia]

My suggestion is Do NOT talk to their lawyer (I can tell you this because I am one) on Monday. Remember it is THEIR lawyer, not yours and it is not for your benefit. You can be sure that the lawyer is taking careful notes on every word you say. You are concerned about a medical conditon and the lawyer is not equipped to answer anything for you-everything you say can and will be held against you.. The guys here are saying give it time and they have gone through it--relax take their advice...but don't talk to their lawyer. ..

 

[This message was edited by Patricia on July 27, 2003 at 12:27 AM.]

[Guest]

I agree with the other posters who are telling you to calm down. You probably won't know how things will turn out until 10 months to 1 year has passed. I've had two surgeries and so far your experience does not sound particularly abnormal. Unfortunately, it does not sound like you were well prepared for your surgery. This seems to occur quite often. I think that many surgeons could do more to prepare 1st time patients on what to expect during the year after surgery.

 

Paul

[Mahair]

I know there is no way to judge the results as far as the amout of hair I gain or loose goes but it is unfortunate that I went forward as I had a decent amount of hair to begin with and even one of the techs doing the transplant said I did'nt even need a transplant. The unfortunate thing is that I already have asthetic issues with the skin as far as pitting and bumpiness where the hairline was lowered and a fibroid patch just below were the forelock area was lowered which I was told by the Dr.. would resolve itself and scarring to the scalp area where the grafts were placed . I am now acutely aware that I have been botched as I now remember that after surgery I thought the grafts were coming out because skin was protruting from the graft sites which was the result of poor trimming. Is there a remedy to being a transplant victim ? I am getting more anxious and need to find a way to cope . I was wondering if I have any recourse at all as I signed a waiver just prior to surgery . Also I have list of the mistruths and deceptions that were presented to me during the consult which I WAS going to convey to their lawyer. I have also had to stop the propecia as it is not agreeing with me and am thinking of gettig a hairpiece to hide the unsitely mess below my former hairline I just dont know if they go that low.Can I get justice or will I be in misery for whatever life I have left ?

[Son of a Plug]

Listen to Patricia,

 

I also have a great deal of experience in these type situations too. Let lawyers deal with lawyers, because he/she will eat you alive especially in your current state of mind.

 

Take pictures of yourself with a good quality digital camera (sounds like it may be WELL worth the investment in your case).

 

Better yet, document the results on a video camera and while taking the video of your head explain what is being recorded and how you are feeling about it.

 

If you dare talk to that Dr again you need to be aware that he may be recording your conversation. And if you go talk to that lawyer, you need to know that the Dr sucked you into his web again.

 

BE CAREFUL! GOOD LUCK

[corpo]

Do not give up hope by all means. You may not have long term cosmetic damage, and if you do, it can be repaired.

 

At this stage, you should not speak to their lawyer. If you have your own personal lawyer, or if your parents or other family members can refer you to a lawyer, call and schedule an appointment immediately. Many attorneys will handle a case like this on a contingency basis. If you cannot find a lawyer, do a search in your geographic area on www.martindale.com for lawyers specializing in medical malpractice.

 

Good luck. This will be resolved in your favor if you take the proper initiative.

[Guest]

If you do a search for postings on MHR, you will see that MHR has a bad reputation with posters on this board. It's not a shock to hear that you are unhappy. It seems like you have three complaints: 1) you had plenty of hair before surgery and didn't need transplant surgery, 2)you were given false and misleading information by the surgeon or staff and 3) the surgery itself was botched.

 

I have quite a few questions, but it would be helpful to understanding your situation if you would respond.

 

Why did you believe you needed surgery in the first place? What was your reaction when the technician told you that you didn't need surgery?

 

You now recall that grafts were protruding from the recipient sites. Did you call the surgeon about this, and if so, what did he/she tell you? Was there anything said to you about this possibility before the surgery and/or anything written about this possibility in the post-op instructions?

 

Have you gone to a reputable transplant surgeon for an evaluation of your current condition? If this was my head and I had your concerns, I would definitely do so ASAP.

 

Is there any chance you would post pictures of the recipient area of your scalp? It is difficult to offer a reasonable opinion about your situation or offer helpful suggestions without seeing what you are talking about.

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

[Guest]

Swelling to the point of black eyes DOES HAPPEN. It it normal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Also what are these bumps you talk about? They sound like zits which again are totally normal. There is NO WAY you can judge ANYTHING at this stage. Wait at LEAST a year.

 

Also shock loss does occur and this should have told to you.

 

 

My results

 

http://www.dralvihairtransplant.com/page_Patient11MS.htm

[Mahair]

I had noticed that I was thinner in the front area than the rest of my head and was starting to be able to see my scalp throgh my hair especialy after a shower and had some reseccion in my left temple I had heard about Rogaine from others and was under the impression that these products did'nt work ,so I though I would cut to the chase and do something so I would'nt have to worry about loosing my hair. The consultant empithized with me and said that I may have already lost 50% and that this would take care of it. So he called the Dr. in who said I needed 2500 grafts to rectify the situation.(which I know after seeing a recommended Dr. was absurd to put into such a small area and that is why I am loosing hair on the rest of my head and suffered such significant shock loss in that area.)My goal was full hair as I had written on my consult sheet and bolster my existing hair which I now have very little of .I guess when the Dr. recommended this I was in and wanted to do what was best.

I was horrified when the tech said I did'nt need a transplant half way through the surgery but figured at the time what did she know ,the Dr. had seen me and I trusted in doctors .It haunted me shortly after as it does now.

The nurse saw me about the grafts and said they were up in that area because "I did'nt want to look like a golf ball did I."When I asked why they all did'nt look like that I got a blank stare. I now beleive it was poorly trimmed grafts that were the problem and this is why the area looks like a golfball to a lesser extent. I also beleive this is why I healed so slow.

 

I was told just before surgery by the Dr.there was something called shock loss which does'nt happen that often is minimal and grows back

I am tormented by this deception that was done to me.

The reason I am so messed up is the fact that I am losing the rest of my hair that was not worked on from the point were they stopped all the way back to my crown even more so than the area they worked on before the surgery.[This message was edited by Mahair on July 27, 2003 at 11:37 AM.]

 

[This message was edited by Mahair on July 27, 2003 at 12:18 PM.]

 

[This message was edited by Mahair on July 27, 2003 at 04:41 PM.]

[Guest]

Dude, chill out. It sounds like you're trying to make a case against your doctor by citing problems that almost everyone has with HTs.

 

As far as shock loss is concerend, I have heard about shock loss in the area that was transplanted. This hair always grows back. it is not uncommon to have less hair after the surgery and wait for it to grow back.

 

They probably transplanted into you existing hair which is why you see it falling out. It will return, you just need to wait.

 

Nothing you have said seems out of the ordinary for a HT. However, it must be unsettling that the doctor doesnt want to talk with you. Perhaps your threats and accusations have had that effect on them.

[Mahair]

Just for the record I did not threaten or accuse anyone , just pointed out the difference between what was told and what was SOLD . And the defects and problems that resulted . I guess they don't like that.

Thanks to everyone for their concern and advise.

[Guest]

There is no way you can judge the final outcome after only 2 months. I knew that before getting an HT, and I know that now, 2 months after. You are also very likely to experience depression, as is the case with every plastic surgery. Give it a little more time. What's done is done, and there's nothing you can do about it now, but wait. In the worst case, there's plenty of options for somebody who needs repair work, but first you need to give it at least 6 months to evaluate the results. It looks like you rushed into HT without doing too much homework, don't make the same mistake again. You may want to check out jotronics homepage - he has pictures of his HT taken week after week, which will give you some idea of what to expect. I would also recommend that you don't meet with the lawyer - you can only get screwed that way, unless you bring your own attorney with you. The bottom line is - you have to wait.

 

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic''. Arthur C. Clarke

[vocor1]

Document every step of the process and take high-quality digital photos. That is your best defense.

Two months is a bit too soon to judge the outcome, like many said.

Many things MHR says is misleading. Just look at their BS infomercials after you do some research here and you'll see what I'm saying.

Hang in there, too. MHR can do okay transplants, and it may take up to 12 months to see your final results.

EVERY HT patient goes through some uncertainty. It is such a roller coaster because we as patients have to put such tremendous trust in our docs. These are people we really don't know and we can only go on their reps or how they treat us in person. It is a big risk to take.

Document, document, document. Toppik the thin areas.

And think of it this way: If you are unhappy with your result, there is no way now to undo it. But you can get repair work from a top doc. I know things suck now, but hold on to the idea that you still have some control over the outcome.

I think that is the only way to think here in your situation. You may have suffered a setback, but you can regain control of this situation. Keep that in mind through these trying times for you.

 

vocor1

Knowledge is Power

If the worst question is the one never asked, then the worst answer is the one never shared.

[Mahair]

I appreciate everything that you guys are saying the problem is that I have already experienced a severly rapid progression up the scale to where I have thinned out all the way back to my crown .I am trying to find someone who can make me a hairpeice that will cover this mess as I have micrograft problems with skin bumpiness and pits in the new lowered hairline and realize what these are.I think it is the only solution at this point because the hair line has been put so low. I have limited resourses left and want to try and move on.Are there any problems with doing a hairpeice at this stage ? Could the rapid progress of the balding be attributed to the long scar they made in the donor area (ear to ear)or is this just the result of the amount of grafts put in the frontal area shocking my scalp?

[Guest]

The answer to the question about the rapid balding due to donor scar in absolutley no.

Though you may experience some small hairloss in the donor region very minimal if any, it would not affect your crown at all.

I would take it slow before getting a hairpiece. I wore one for 6 years and have had transplants the last 4 years which now I wear an orange size piece in the crown, until my last surgery in Oct.

The hairpiece is the worst thing that I ever did in my life. Its uncomfortable, its noticeable, it restricts every aspect of your life, it is BONDAGE!!!

If you think your DR. at MHR was bad, wait until you see the shucksters with hairsystems!

You will be paying huge money. $1000.00 for the system which lasts 1 year! $50.00 month to maintain it! Color! Hair adds! Just forget this idea quickly!

You have options:

1.) If the hairline is too low, a good HT DR. can remove the implants eventually, and replace them somewhere else needed.

2.)The pits and bumps can be concealed with further transplants to thicken the density.

3.) Time: Like all the guys here said,Wait! Give it time

4) Buy concealer. Like Toppix or something to thicken your hair artificially.It really works alot of guys use it to cover the shock loss after surgery!

 

I hope this helps you. Please re-consider the wig. Its awful!!

[Guest]

I've had two transplant surgeries. After both surgeries I experienced a great deal of shock loss. I did not have particularly large sessions. 900 grafts were transplanted in the first session and 1300 were transplanted in the second session. In both cases the grafts were placed in the front 1/3 of the scalp. However, shock loss extended all the way back and into the crown area. The shock loss was far greater after the first procedure. In both cases the hair grew back, but I have used and continue to use propecia and topicals.

 

Whether the donor incision can cause shock loss is an open question in my mind. Logically, it would seem direct trauma to follicles near recipient incisions would cause shock fallout. But, I had shock loss that could not be accounted for by that explanation. Others have reported the same experience. So, who knows if the trauma of a large donor incision or the trauma of many small recipient incisions accounts for shock loss in areas outside the recipient area? Maybe both exert an effect.

 

After my second surgery I had an unusual and persistent flare up of a skin condition on my face. The condition had been well controlled for many years. It took about six months to get it back under control after my transplant surgery. The condition is known to be affected by physical stress. The physician who treats me for the condition was almost certain that the flare up was caused by the trauma of the transplant surgery. So, stress reactions do not necessarily manifest only in the area where grafts have been placed.

 

The good news is the hair lost to shock loss will most likely grow back. Particularly if you use medications.

 

Of course, like everyone else, I would urge you to be patient. You might be surprised at how things look one year from now.

[Joecifus]

Hairseeker is 100% right. Never get trapped in a piece - you'll never get out of it. They suck! And no matter how much you convince yourself otherwise - people definitely know it.