Please post advice for 2013 HST Patient

[sanook]

Hey guys, I'm booked in for an appointment at the HASCI clinic in Amsterdam next year and was hoping to get some advice from those who have been there already or anyone who's got any useful tips to help make things run as smooth as possible.

• Where's a good hotel to stay at?
  
  
• How long would you recommend staying in Amsterdam for?
  
  
• Is it easy to get around only speaking English?
  
  
• Is it ok to travel solo? or would you recommend I bring a caretaker with me?
  
  
• Do you recommend I bring a hat or some sort of headwear to cover up?
  
  
• Is there anything useful I can bring to help me sleep better?
  

Any advice is appreciated - Thanks!!

[NeedHairASAP]

Hey guys, I'm booked in for an appointment at the HASCI clinic in Amsterdam next year and was hoping to get some advice from those who have been there already or anyone who's got any useful tips to help make things run as smooth as possible.

• Where's a good hotel to stay at?
  
  
• How long would you recommend staying in Amsterdam for?
  
  
• Is it easy to get around only speaking English?
  
  
• Is it ok to travel solo? or would you recommend I bring a caretaker with me?
  
  
• Do you recommend I bring a hat or some sort of headwear to cover up?
  
  
• Is there anything useful I can bring to help me sleep better?
  

Any advice is appreciated - Thanks!!

a. I dont know I went to england

b. maybe 4-5 days after surgery? I'd say a week or more if you can afford it. You can fly the next day if you really have to. but, I got surgery on a monday and flew out on a wednesday night. I would have liked to stay at least a few more days if I could have.

-- i traveled solo with no issues. getting from the clinic to the hotel after surgery is probably the biggest step. Then be prepared to get room service etc. for a few days.


-- They'll give you a hat that is a little more tailored to avoid hurting the grafts. Avoid wearing a hat as much as possible.


I think you should be pretty happy with your experience. I'm happy thus far. I shed maybe 30-35% of the grafts but it's 2.5 months on and a lot have grow back in and everything is all ready thickening up. Looking forward to the 12-16 month result. Unfortunately, still balding, so may be seeing Gho again in a year or so. We'll see.

Good luck


-- I'd say the number one thing is to hang out as long as you can after surgery. You're definitely mobile and everything pretty much right away, but I was definitely wishing I had a few more days to kick it when I checked out that wednesday.

[garethbale]

Needhairasap

Where are you from mate?

[NeedHairASAP]

Needhairasap

Where are you from mate?

The greatest country that ever was: America.

[Arashi]

Just had my own HST so maybe I can give you some useful answers.

[*]Where's a good hotel to stay at?
Any hotel you like (www.hotels.com or whatever site). One thing you need is a minibar, so you can keep the coolingpad they give you, cold. But I guess every hotel has a minibar nowadays ? Other than that, it's just up to you how much money you want to spend on a room.

[*]How long would you recommend staying in Amsterdam for?
You are allowed to use a hat after 4 days (so if you have the procedure wednesday, then sunday you can wear a hat). If you don't mind people staring at you, you can fly the next day. For what it's worth, I traveled by train after 2 days (so without a hat) and didn't find people staring at me. And even if they would, I wouldn't mind myself.

[*]Is it easy to get around only speaking English?
Everybody in the Netherlands speaks english.

[*]Is it ok to travel solo? or would you recommend I bring a caretaker with me?
I was solo myself, had really no problems at all. You might want to bring a small mirror though, so you can see the back of your head, where you have to apply an antibiotic creme for the first 2 days.

[*]Do you recommend I bring a hat or some sort of headwear to cover up?
If you plan to stay 4 days, yes, you can do that.

[*]Is there anything useful I can bring to help me sleep better?
Well I wouldn't advice to use sleeping aid. It's important you don't sleep on your side the first few days (so the transplanted grafts dont get pressure). If you sleep 'deep' with a pill, I think you wont notice turning over, so I suggest not to do that. I'd suggest sleeping with your head elevated (using a few pillows, 2 or 3 under your head and 1 under your back), which will keep swelling down AND you won't turn over in your sleep.

Good luck !

[garethbale]

The greatest country that ever was: America.

I always think of the US as London's finest creation

[534623]

Just had my own HST so maybe I can give you some useful answers.
[*]Where's a good hotel to stay at?
Any hotel you like (www.hotels.com or whatever site).

hmmm, why do I find your post highly comical, in fact, somewhat suspect?

How about the following recommendation/offer?

We also offer clients who live more than 150km from our clinic, a 1 free night overstay in a hotel of our choice on the day before the treatment. There are 2 hotels to choose from, the Qbic hotel, which located just in the corner of our clinic and the Hampshire hotel, which located in the center of Amsterdam.

I will give you some pro’s and contra’s of each hotel.

Qbic hotel is a hotel within walking distance from the clinic, so you do not have to take a taxi to the hotel. But the hotel is located in business district, so there is not much you can see or visit during your stay.

Hampshire hotel is a 3 stars hotel located in the center of Amsterdam. In order to get to the clinic, you will need a taxi (about 5-10 minutes driving). Since the hotel is in the center of Amsterdam, you can see and visit lot of places during your stay.

If you would like to use this offer, please inform me your preference and I will book the hotel for 1 night for you.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Evil

[Arashi]

hmmm, why do I find your post highly comical, in fact, somewhat suspect?

I'd say it's because you are a total nutcase. You sound like you have Asperger syndrome. I know for sure you have no life, cause only sad and lonely people like you, longing for attention, clutter op forums like these with tons of useless posts.

[534623]

... clutter op forums like these with tons of useless posts.

Don't such an extremely clever guy like you think that my previous post is more useful for sanook than your useless "any hotel you like (www.hotels.com or whatever site)" recommendation? No? Oh well ...

[Arashi]

Don't such an extremely clever guy like you think that my previous post is more useful for sanook than your useless "any hotel you like (www.hotels.com or whatever site)" recommendation?

I just said that it does not matter at all which hotel you book. Before I had my procedure, I thought as well 'is there anything that makes one hotel more favourable than the other, because of the procedure'. Like a recliner in the room for example. But really, all you need is a way to cool the icepack and a bed to sleep. So, go to hotels.com and book a hotel you like (and forget about that 1 free night, they can keep that 38 euro that Qbic costs a night, I'd rather stay at at GOOD hotel).

[534623]

I just said that it does not matter at all which hotel you book.

Does that mean you think sanook is an idiot?

[Arashi]

Does that mean you think sanook is an idiot?

The only idiot here is you, Ironman. As nutty as they come. Well it's not even that you're an idiot, you clearly have a certain level of autism, which
makes it very difficult for you to understand other people.

[534623]

The only idiot here is you, Ironman. As nutty as they come. Well it's not even that you're an idiot, you clearly have a certain level of autism, which
makes it very difficult for you to understand other people.

hmmm, sorry, what did you say?

[aim4hair]

[QUOTE=sanook;89235]Hey guys, I'm booked in for an appointment at the HASCI clinic in Amsterdam next year and was hoping to get some advice from those who have been there already or anyone who's got any useful tips to help make things run as smooth as possible.
[LIST][*]Where's a good hotel to stay at?
They offer u one free night pre op in either Qbic or Hampshire, i recommend Qbic since it's like 2 minutes walking from the clinic.
After OP i stayed in one of those hotel apts. for like a week since i was planning to spend alot of time in the hotel and wanted something big so i don't go crazy getting stuck between 4 walls. Hotel apts. prices are similar to regular hotels in booking.com
[*]How long would you recommend staying in Amsterdam for?
I stayed for 1 week post op, 3 days pretty much stayed in the hotel, from day 4 i started to go out site seeing and discovering the city, one week post op i went to hasci for follow up, then i left Amsterdam..
[*]Is it easy to get around only speaking English?
Everybody speak english

[*]Do you recommend I bring a hat or some sort of headwear to cover up?
They will give you a hat post op and they can put it on for you right post op where you can take it off when you reach your hotel. After that they recommend you not to wear a hat till day 4 post op (op is day 0)

[*]Is there anything useful I can bring to help me sleep better ?
You should sleep on your back not sides for few days post op, so the best thing you can do is that if you usually sleep on your sides, you might wanna try to get used to sleeping on your back pre op so that by the time you have your op you will be used to that position and won't have issues sleeping or turning on the sides all the time.


Good luck!!

[sanook]

ok, so do you guys think staying there for 2 weeks is a bit over kill?

By the sounds of it 1 week should be enough?

By the way, thanks heaps for the feedback. It's really appreciated!