Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Carol Hernandez94 said:rustygardener172, how did the checkup go??

The exam went freaking awesome! Surgery is officially a go! 🙂 I’m heading back to see Dr. Glück... either on the 24th in the Afternoon or the 25th in the morning (later this month)... we’re gonna touch base again on Monday to hammer out all the specifics. Honestly, I can't wait! 🙂

Amanda Stewart58 said:I actually went to Rib for treatment under Dr. Smith—absolutely top-notch stuff!

Yeah, I'm with you there—Rib really is the gold standard. 😉

I was over at Rib about a month back myself, and honestly, the entire staff was just incredible... truly impressive work all around. 🙏

That being said, though—I still feel like surgeries at general hospitals should be strictly reserved for people who are actually struggling to breathe... we need to prioritize the real emergencies, right?

I wanted to drop this here because I honestly feel like none of us who jumped on this bandwagon actually raised our baseline level of happiness—and even if we did, it was just a temporary high:
"The fallout from forcing drastic physical changes hits us right where it matters:
our relationship with our mental and emotional selves. Focusing solely on physical
fixes actually makes our mental and emotional states worse. The more we try to mask our
inner struggle by leaning on physical transformations, the worse we feel
on the inside. Eventually, that fragile little bubble of a surgically perfected body
is going to burst into total mental
chaos and an emotional disaster. It’s inevitable. The second
people stop staring at your new look in awe, you're going to be
hit with a wave of pure internal despair. When you try to fix the deep-seated
unhappiness in your quality of life through purely physical means, you're basically
building an emotional time bomb. And one day, it's going to blow up."

So, I’m currently sitting here in the hospital; I had surgery yesterday. From what the doctors have told me, everything went smoothly. However, I’m feeling pretty anxious because there’s this constant bleeding that seems to be getting worse. My nurse has had to apply heavily folded gauze several times, and within just half an hour, it’s already soaked through. Has anyone else dealt with something like this before?

ironsurfer10 said:So, I’m stuck in the hospital right now—had surgery yesterday. Everything went fine, at least according to the docs. But honestly, this constant bleeding is starting to freak me out because it seems to be getting worse. My nurse keeps coming in to swap out my gauze, but even after she folds it up tight, it's soaked through again in like thirty minutes. Has anyone else dealt with this crap?

Hey, don't sweat it too much... it happens. When I was going through this, the nurse eventually just handed me a stack of gauze and told me to change it myself whenever needed since she couldn't keep up with me. It’ll settle down soon enough.

Hello. I am preparing for surgery to correct a deviated septum. I had a consultation with Dr. Tony Stark at Rib Hospital. He advised me to coordinate the procedure with my sister. However, when I spoke to her, she informed me that they cannot schedule it. They simply don't have the funding for these operations. I wouldn't even be on the list until December of next year—and even then, nothing is guaranteed. Apparently, because the healthcare system doesn't reimburse them, they can only prioritize emergency cases, like patients with nasal tumors, while leaving the rest of us waiting. Has anyone here dealt with this? I finally worked up the courage to do this, only to be blocked by their budget issues. Does anyone know of another hospital with high-quality doctors? Thank you.

So, I finally had my septoplasty yesterday with Dr. Miller. No out-of-pocket costs, but I had to wait seven months just to get on the schedule.

nimbleharbor14 said:Hey everyone—I’m actually getting ready for surgery because I have a deviated septum. I went in for a consultation with Dr. Bilić over at Rib, and he told me I should coordinate the procedure through my sister's department. But when I finally reached out to her, she broke the news that they can't even schedule anything right now... apparently, there just isn't any budget allocated for these kinds of surgeries. They said I wouldn't be seen until maybe next year around December, and even then, nothing is guaranteed. Since the healthcare system doesn't cover the costs, they're strictly prioritizing emergency cases—like people with nasal tumors—and leaving the rest of us hanging. Has anyone else dealt with this? I finally worked up the courage to get this done, only to be blocked by their budget issues. Does anyone know of a different hospital nearby with really high-quality doctors? Thanks!

Ugh, waiting over a year?? That sounds brutal... I only had to wait about 7 months, and luckily, I didn't have to pay a dime out of pocket.

nimbleharbor14 said:Hey everyone—so, I’m actually getting ready for surgery because I have a deviated septum. I went in for a consultation with Dr. Bilić over at Rib, and he suggested I coordinate the procedure with my sister. But when I finally sat down with her to get things moving, she told me it’s just not an option right now—they don't have the budget for these kinds of surgeries. Apparently, I wouldn't even be on the schedule until next year around December, and even then, nothing is guaranteed... since the healthcare system doesn't reimburse them, they can only prioritize emergency cases, like people with nasal tumors, while the rest of us are left waiting. Has anyone else dealt with this? I finally worked up the courage to do this, and now I’m stuck because of their funding issues. Does anyone know of a different hospital or clinic with high-quality doctors where I could go instead? Thanks!

Honestly, just find yourself a great doctor and go for it. Don't let this stop you! It really isn't as scary as it sounds—not the surgery itself, not the anesthesia, and certainly not the recovery process.

It’s not even about the cost for me. A nurse was actually quite blunt when I inquired about scheduling my surgery; she asked why I was insisting on staying at this hospital when we are completely overbooked. She mentioned that the Department of Health isn't releasing any funding for elective procedures right now—they're strictly prioritizing emergency cases. Since my condition isn't considered an immediate life-threatening emergency, they basically told me I just have to live with it. But how am I supposed to "just live" with being unable to breathe at night, especially during the winter? Now that I finally want to fix this, I'm stuck because the government is in total chaos and there's zero budget for anything less than a crisis. After looking around some forums, I’m thinking about heading over to Mount Sinai (maybe Dr. Smith, Dr. Jones, or Dr. Miller?) and hoping they'll take me in 🙂..Does anyone know if the wait times there are long, or which specialist would be the best choice to see?

The bleeding is a little more manageable today. To be honest, I was genuinely bracing myself for a total nightmare after reading all the horror stories online—you know, the stuff about having gauze stuffed down your throat, constant nausea, and the struggle of swallowing blood... but none of that actually happened to me. Aside from struggling to get some sleep and dealing with a bit of discomfort, it hasn't been nearly as bad as I feared. My surgeon did mention that he couldn't quite achieve the specific aesthetic look I was aiming for, since that would have required a much more invasive procedure involving breaking the bone, but he assured me he did the absolute best he could within the scope of the surgery. Now, I’m just playing the waiting game to see 😉

nimbleharbor14 said:It’s not even that I have to pay for it myself; it’s just that an incredibly honest nurse told me straight up, "Why do you specifically want to have this surgery at our hospital?" She explained that they're completely overwhelmed right now because the Department of Health isn't releasing enough funding to cover elective procedures. They've basically said they can only handle emergency cases. Since my condition isn't considered an immediate life-threatening emergency—because, apparently, I've been living with it this long, so I can just keep doing that (wtf)—I'm stuck. I can't breathe properly at night, especially during the winter, and now that I actually want to fix this, I can't because the government is in such a mess and there's no budget for anything that isn't critical. I did a little digging on some forums and I'm thinking about heading over to Mount Sinai (maybe Dr. Smith, Dr. Jones, or Dr. Miller). Hopefully, they'll be able to take me in 🙂.. does anyone know if the wait times there are long, or which doctor would be the best choice to see?

As for the staff at Mount Sinai, I honestly have nothing but praise for them, though I wouldn't recommend Dr. Miller. I’d suggest seeing Dr. Smith or Dr. Jones instead. Dr. Jones actually operated on a colleague of mine from my office, and he’s incredibly approachable; he actually takes the time to come into the room and check on her properly. Dr. Miller, on the other hand, just breezes into the room and barely asks a single question.

Thank you. Which doctor performed your surgery? And how long was your wait time before the procedure?

Hey, I have a quick question for you guys. I need to get my deviated septum fixed, but while I'm under the knife, I really want to go for a full aesthetic nose job too. I’m talking about a noticeable transformation—I want it to actually look better, not just a minor tweak. Does anyone know a top-tier surgeon in Los Angeles who specializes in both functional and cosmetic work? If anyone has a recommendation, Please!

nimbleharbor14 said:Thanks! By the way, which doctor did your surgery? How long was your wait time before they operated?

I saw Dr. Miller. He’s a true expert in his field, and I have zero doubts that he fixed my septum perfectly. That said, as a person, he doesn't seem particularly approachable. He hardly speaks to patients and always seems to be in a massive rush. Even the nurse in the room knows exactly when she’s supposed to change the swabs or head home, but I’m just left guessing!

What’s the typical price tag for a private septum deviation surgery?

Anonymous said:Hey, I’ve got a question for you guys. I’m looking to get my deviated septum fixed, but while I'm under the knife, I want to go all out on the aesthetic side of things too. I’m not talking about some minor tweak—I want a noticeable transformation, something that actually makes my nose look good, you know? Not just a "while I'm at it" fix. Does anyone have a recommendation for a top-tier surgeon in Los Angeles who really knows their stuff when it comes to both functional and cosmetic work? If anyone knows a pro, please!

If you’re talking about some big state hospital, I honestly haven't a clue. But if you're looking at private practice? Man, you've got to see Dr. Glück over in Santa Monica. I actually have an appointment booked with him in eight days. 😁

Noah Johnson63 said:Anyone know what a private septoplasty runs me?

Honestly, you could've scrolled up through the last two or three pages... I literally just answered a question exactly like this one. You're looking at anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000... it really just depends on which surgeon you pick and how messy the procedure is going to be.

rustygardener172, what was the exact price he quoted you? If I'm not happy with how the surgery turns out, my backup plan is either going to be Tony Stark or Glück—though I'd probably lean toward Tony first since he's right here in the city.

rustygardener172, what was the exact price he gave you? If I’m not happy with how the surgery turns out, my next move would be either Tony Stark or Glück—though I’d probably lean toward Tony Stark first just because he’s right here in the city.