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Things to consider when having a HT


kw877

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I recently underwent a HT with Dr Erdogan, 3000 grafts. I thought id share a few things I wasn't fully prepared for and maybe it can help prospective patients. 

1. It is not a painless procedure. I have quite a high pain threshold, have previously had surgery whilst awake (and will again next week in fact!) but the injections sting like a mf. Don't be afraid to ask the anesthetist for a little something extra in your IV to counter the injection pain, as there are many injections. The techs and my coordinator were so nice though and made sure I was comfortable at all stages. The thing I don't see many people talk about either is the pain following the procedure. My donor area felt like it had been burnt. I couldn't sleep decently for a week after, it was constantly aching and burning and stinging. I wish to god id asked for some strong painkillers as I didn't really experience this pain till after id flown home. 

2. The staff at the Radisson are very knowledgable when it comes to Asmeds patients, they will literally bend over backwards for any request. They had someone running up and down from my room to freeze and refreeze my ice packs as theres no freezer in the room. They will pretty much bring you anything they reasonably can if you just call them. Also, the breakfast buffet ran till 1 or 2pm I think, so if you get hungry after an early breakfast, hit the buffet again. I didn't realize this till my last day that it was on for so long. I also didn't want to venture far due to my swelling and the hot sun, so room service was much appreciated.

3. The swelling. My god I looked like id been hit by a truck! this is a more rare reaction to the surgery though im sure, as I always swell ridiculously after surgeries (ive had my share of facial procedures!) but this was another level. First my entire scalp ballooned, then my forehead, they it came down to my eyes and nose and at its peak I could hardly see. My entire face bruised yellow too and I had the worst black eyes ever. It dissipated within a week though, except the eyes, I still have minor bruises. My advice is to cut out all salt and sugar a week before, sleep upright after the surgery and be diligent in applying the ice packs. Maybe (with the Drs say so) take bromelain supplements a week before and after.

Ive probably just repeated what a lot of people have posted so my apologies if so. Its just that I considered myself well researched for the op (even the Dr was surprised at how prepared I was and how much id researched lol) but I didn't expect the pain and swelling to the degree that I experienced. Again im a special case, but it is a possibility nonetheless! Ill be posting pics and a review soon :)

 

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I posted about the pain on my thread and I was also surprised that very few people talked about it. For me it was almost unbearable for one week when trying to sleep. Fortunately, after a week the pain decreased, because when I asked about this the staff said the pain could last for months...

I am pretty sure that (almost) everybody gets a deformed head to some extent but in my case it was two days later and only lasted another two, with the area around the eyes needing an additional day. I also talked about it on my thread.

The hotel is nice, I agree, but a waiter (the oldest one) told me a bit rudely that the buffet was only until 10:30, 11:00 in the weekends, because I went at 10:30 the first day thinking it was until 11 because I arrived really late in Istanbul the night before. Another waiter realised that I wasn't comfortable and was extremely kind with me from then on asking me if I needed anything. The room is nice and you have a safe for the cash required by Asmed.

There is a shopping centre close to the hotel where you can buy anything, this is the address (copy it on Google Maps or the app of your choice):

 Küçükbakkalköy Mahallesi, Küçükbakkalköy Mah Şehit Şakir Elkovan Cad Novada Ataşehir No: 20 Kat: -2, 34750 Ataşehir/İstanbul, Turkey

***

Let us know how everything is going. When did you undergo the surgery?

Edited by BigBen
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1 hour ago, BigBen said:

Let us know how everything is going. When did you undergo the surgery?

Everything’s going good so far! All the scabs were off a couple days ago (around the 9th day) I think my surgery was on the 26th? Im just waiting for it to all fall out now haha 

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6 hours ago, kw877 said:

Everything’s going good so far! All the scabs were off a couple days ago (around the 9th day) I think my surgery was on the 26th? Im just waiting for it to all fall out now haha 

Hey mate, my scabs also fell off quite quickly. Now we have to be ready for shedding. :P We'll keep in touch.

 

One thing that we should add to the list is that patients should not drink any coffee or alcohol days before and after the surgery. Eleven days later and I still haven't drunk any alcohol. :D

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4 hours ago, BigBen said:

Hey mate, my scabs also fell off quite quickly. Now we have to be ready for shedding. :P We'll keep in touch.

 

One thing that we should add to the list is that patients should not drink any coffee or alcohol days before and after the surgery. Eleven days later and I still haven't drunk any alcohol. :D

For me coffee was the hard part, especially early on surgery day ha

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2 minutes ago, kw877 said:

It’s strange because tea has just as much caffeine apparently

 

Yeah but despite that doctors always tell you not to take coffee and not to smoke... It seems that smoking and drinking coffee affect blood pressure.

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No real pain for me 1700 FUE, i have plenty of tattoos, on a pain scale i would put tattoos at a 6 or 7 depending on where you have it, FUE HT i would put on the scale as a 1, in fact the injections at the beginning were the worst part but even that was only a 2 on the scale. Root canal pain, now that is the mother of pains.

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For us the real pain was in the donor area during the first week.

Of course FUE can be "1" and even 0 once the anesthesia is working. If they did it without anesthesia you would have died, macho man. :P

Just kidding.

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I have a sleeve, including on my elbow and inner elbow, one on my ribs, and on my spine and top of my foot. They were a piece of cake in comparison haha everyone’s different I guess. I was one of the unlucky minority lol

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There’s no pain when u numbed up with anesthesia . It’s afterwards when u are left with thousands of puncture wounds from the donor n thousands of slit wounds in the recipient .. but I guesss it’s all worth it .. no pain no gain .. 

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10 hours ago, Legend007 said:

There’s no pain when u numbed up with anesthesia . It’s afterwards when u are left with thousands of puncture wounds from the donor n thousands of slit wounds in the recipient .. but I guesss it’s all worth it .. no pain no gain .. 

Yeah the procedure itself was painless, after the anesthetist jacked me up with some more meds in my IV haha the needles in my scalp beforehand were horrific though, but only when at the nape of my neck. How I thought I’d be fine with 6000+ holes on my scalp I don’t know lol

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