Finally done!!! news from 1 day post-op

Mortimer · December 27, 2003

First time I saw an HT specialist was in 1999. Then I was 33, and I thought it might be little early until getting some more of it fall down so that the operation makes sense. So, I buried this subject for a loooong time until about last year, where I was seriously bothered with my gradually shedding hair. In some public apperances or tv spots where I occasionally go for my job-related activites, I take the tapes to watch them later, and what I see shows me a guy going to bolding in few years. So, I am not considered bold, or too advanced type sufferer, but if I don't do anything nowadays, it would not make sense for me in the future.

Anyhow, the big decision was made in November, got a date from an Istanbul-based Transmed clinic, and started to wait for the big day.

The operation was yesterday. They took me to the op.room about 13:30. Here are the impressions and what happened afterwards:

- The doctor gave me a pill, called Bromelain-POS to take 3 days ahead of the op. so that the swelling doesn't occur.

- On the day of the op. he gave me one more pill to reduce excitement. First they took my photos to show before-after views

- then they started to apply some deep coolers along with the injections into my donor area. Actually, the injections hurted a bit, but it wasn't like any of those horrible and unbearable denstist pains. I just would like to let you know, it hurts some, and it takes few minutes since the donour area was a pretty big area.

- the doctor himself took the FUs, and gave to the specialised nurse teams to segment.

- the interesting thing happened just around that time, when my doctor got a call that one of his relatives was suffering from a serious heart attack. That was bad for him, but equally bad for me, sitting in the operation chair, with half finished condition. Luckily, one of the other doctors was there, and he came after a while. Again, luckily, when this happens, he was just finished taking my donour area, and didn't get into the placing the FUs yet.

- When I met this doctor first around October, he said the operation would be around 1,800 grafts. After the incision, it turned out to be that they had 2,600 grafts, and they were very happy that my donour area was very good with 3 hair FUs all around. So, I said, "good, let's use them all around so that I wouldn't need a second one".

- the second doctor started to place them, and right around his 40th minute, my first doctor came back, after he places his relative into a safe hospital. So, the he it took over.

- the op. started at around 1:30 pm, and ended around 6 pm

- right after the operation, they washed the sides of the head, and put a bandage on the donour area, and a tennis player's band around the forehead. The doctor said I should keep this for 3 days to make sure swelling doesn't come down from the head. He also gave me ice treatment in every hour or so.

- The doctor gave me the following pills to take for the next 5 days: Monodoks, Vioxx ve Ultralan

- I didn't have any serious pain in the evening of the operation. I just had some around the donour area, and I took one pain killer anyway.

- I applied the ice treatment anyway, and kept my tennis band all the other times

- the only pain I had was when I moved my eyebrows upwards which makes the headskin to move upwards a little. Then I feel that the whole head area had some pain, but again, nothing unbearable.

- the first night sleep went well.

- this morning I went to the clinic to get the first wash. I was told not wash tomorrow, but start washing myself once a day starting from monday, each moving a bit more gradually.

- I am told not engage in any sports, sauna, hot sun tanning, smoking for the next two weeks. The doctor also told me not bend forward for a few days.

Anyways, here are the instant thoughts of a fresh HT indulger. I am glad that this is over. It has been bothering me for a long time, and I don't intend to do again (not because of anything to do with the operation) because I just wanted to do whatever I can while there is still time, and if doesn't work out, then I'll take boldness in full fairness. I am hoping that 2,600 FUs with my existing hair would do pretty good for me.

As for Transmed in Istanbul, so far I can say that their customer relation maangemement is excellent. Although I was given a price for 1,800 FUs, they didn't charge anything eventhough the result was done with 2,600 FUs. This was a very impressive treatment, a strong point for them.

Lastly, there is one thing I'd like to share with you and have your thoughts. The doctors (both) were all around during the entire session, but, when the time came to place the FUs to the designated holes of the scalp (opened by the doctors themselves), the placement of the entire 2,600 units were done by 6 different and specialised nurses. They said each of them are 2 to 6 years experienced, handling at least 2 operations a day. The doctor was also around, looking into my scalp, but the actual placement was done by these nurses. Is this a normal procedure?

Mortimer · December 27, 2003