Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?
in Health ·
Greetings,
I had septoplasty three weeks ago, though it turned out to be a bit more extensive than expected. My ENT performed a full septal reconstruction; he took cartilage from behind both ears to rebuild my septum because it was too weak, causing my nose to sag and obstructing airflow through my right nostril.
So, here is the timeline of my hospital stay:
Wednesday: Arrived around 10:00 AM and spent the day acting like a tourist...
Thursday: Took some Upethen in the morning, followed by other meds and an IV (they left a silicone catheter in my arm). Around 11:30 AM, they wheeled me into the OR. They injected something into my IV, I felt a bit lightheaded, then the mask went on, and I was out within ten seconds...
I woke up around 2:30 PM feeling groggy. I received a small injection for pain (barely felt it). I stayed in recovery for about half an hour; no pain at all. My nose was packed with tampons, so I had to breathe through my mouth for the next five days. They moved me back to my room. It took an hour or two before I could stand up, though I could speak softly, call home, or look in the mirror. No bruising, as the doctor didn't dig too deep into my nasal cavity. By evening, I had dinner and could walk to the restroom or down the hall, but they insisted I stay in bed. I didn't get much sleep that night.
Friday: The grogginess mostly cleared, though I still felt slightly dizzy. No pain. I’m on antibiotics and something for swelling via the IV. Eating is a bit of a struggle because of the packing...
Saturday through Wednesday morning: Pain-free. I can go outside whenever I want, provided I come back for my antibiotic doses...
Wednesday morning: Tampon removal. First, they sprayed something into the packing to soften it, and then... it wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. A few seconds per nostril and the tampons were out. There was some minor bleeding, so you spend most of the day using tissues... I headed home around 10:00 AM.
Today (three weeks post-op), breathing through my right nostril is slightly easier (the left is fine), but it's only at about 50-60% capacity. The doctor warned me beforehand that my nasal structure is quite problematic, so he couldn't guarantee full airflow in that side.
Looking back at the whole thing... my nose looks fine (it's actually not as crooked as it used to be), breathing is better, and there was virtually no pain (which I suppose is why people hesitate to decide on surgery in the first place).
To anyone considering this surgery but feeling hesitant: if there is even a slight chance of improvement, go for it. In my case, the chances were slim and the change is modest, but it is definitely beneficial.
By the way, I was at a local hospital in the Midwest under Dr. Vartarić.🙂
I had septoplasty three weeks ago, though it turned out to be a bit more extensive than expected. My ENT performed a full septal reconstruction; he took cartilage from behind both ears to rebuild my septum because it was too weak, causing my nose to sag and obstructing airflow through my right nostril.
So, here is the timeline of my hospital stay:
Wednesday: Arrived around 10:00 AM and spent the day acting like a tourist...
Thursday: Took some Upethen in the morning, followed by other meds and an IV (they left a silicone catheter in my arm). Around 11:30 AM, they wheeled me into the OR. They injected something into my IV, I felt a bit lightheaded, then the mask went on, and I was out within ten seconds...
I woke up around 2:30 PM feeling groggy. I received a small injection for pain (barely felt it). I stayed in recovery for about half an hour; no pain at all. My nose was packed with tampons, so I had to breathe through my mouth for the next five days. They moved me back to my room. It took an hour or two before I could stand up, though I could speak softly, call home, or look in the mirror. No bruising, as the doctor didn't dig too deep into my nasal cavity. By evening, I had dinner and could walk to the restroom or down the hall, but they insisted I stay in bed. I didn't get much sleep that night.
Friday: The grogginess mostly cleared, though I still felt slightly dizzy. No pain. I’m on antibiotics and something for swelling via the IV. Eating is a bit of a struggle because of the packing...
Saturday through Wednesday morning: Pain-free. I can go outside whenever I want, provided I come back for my antibiotic doses...
Wednesday morning: Tampon removal. First, they sprayed something into the packing to soften it, and then... it wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. A few seconds per nostril and the tampons were out. There was some minor bleeding, so you spend most of the day using tissues... I headed home around 10:00 AM.
Today (three weeks post-op), breathing through my right nostril is slightly easier (the left is fine), but it's only at about 50-60% capacity. The doctor warned me beforehand that my nasal structure is quite problematic, so he couldn't guarantee full airflow in that side.
Looking back at the whole thing... my nose looks fine (it's actually not as crooked as it used to be), breathing is better, and there was virtually no pain (which I suppose is why people hesitate to decide on surgery in the first place).
To anyone considering this surgery but feeling hesitant: if there is even a slight chance of improvement, go for it. In my case, the chances were slim and the change is modest, but it is definitely beneficial.
By the way, I was at a local hospital in the Midwest under Dr. Vartarić.🙂