Posts by Dana Alvarez

So, the takeaway is basically that Anika doesn't really have a clue what kind of chaos might be brewing or how to spot it. She's also unsure if her thoughts actually align with her core beliefs... I guess she's also wondering if there's any way to prevent this illness or catch it early on. Also, does anyone know where that girl from out of the blue disappeared to?

Harold Anderson3 said:It was something both I and the people around me realized... honestly, it’s such a long story that I could probably write dozens of posts just about it. The main thing is that I spent two weeks in a manic state right before the episode hit, and that’s when the paranoia and hallucinations started creeping in. Luckily, I happened to have a referral for a psychiatrist tucked away in my pocket—I had this gut feeling I might need it—so when the police eventually found me, they called an ambulance, and that’s how I ended up being admitted to Beverly Hills. At the time, I wasn't really aware of what was happening, other than knowing deep down that I wasn't okay. I looked like a total wreck.

Did anyone notice you were acting strange, or did you think everything was totally fine? Were you scared of those hallucinations and paranoia? How long ago was this, and how are you holding up now? Sorry for the interrogation, I'm just asking because I'm pretty worried.

Harold Anderson3 said:You should really take a look at my thread from about five years ago. I went through that exact same fear of schizophrenia myself, and it turned out I actually did develop it. But please, don't let that rattle you too much; it was purely a coincidence in my case. Right before it hit me, I honestly thought I was perfectly sane—I felt wonderful, almost manic, and didn't have a single worry in the world, including any fear about schizophrenia.

Was it something hereditary, or did it just come out of nowhere? And how exactly did you realize something wasn't right with you?

Sarah Wood8 said:There’s a massive gap between having an anxiety disorder and actually living with schizophrenia. Don't sweat it 😁

Fair enough, but if those intrusive thoughts are constant, I guess what I'm really wondering is how you actually tell the difference?

Could someone explain the difference (in terms of schizophrenia) between someone who is absolutely convinced they are seeing a demon versus someone who just fears or thinks they might see one? Does that distinction even matter when it comes to schizophrenia? Thanks!

Anthony Kern43 said:I went a long time without any cartilage, and right after the surgery, I honestly thought the tip of my nose had gone numb or like I’d messed up some nerves or something. 😁 But then they told me later that they actually used cartilage I'd crushed playing sports... I was thrilled! I can't stop touching it; I just love this new feeling. Basically, there's a little incision to insert the cartilage, you get one stitch (it won't show because it's internal), and that's it. It’s basically like a nose job, just with a much faster recovery time.

I still have about a month to go before my bones fully heal. If you feel those little lumps under the skin, don't freak out—that happens when the bone is knitting back together and it'll smooth out on its own, so don't worry... My procedure was strictly to straighten things out; since I'm a guy, I didn't want them to shrink the size of my nose, because a big nose is a point of pride. 🙂

As for maintenance, after the surgery, you should use some oil-based drops or compounded ointments, applying them inside the nostrils three times a day along with the same amount of saline solution.

It's been a month since my surgery and I can still feel those bumps on one side—basically the bone—but I'm sure it'll clear up eventually.

Amanda Morris76 said:Wow. This is just plain rude.

Oh, absolutely.😲

I'm back from my surgery! Everything went incredibly smoothly. I'm feeling a little bit of discomfort, but otherwise, I feel great.

redangler13 said:Just wanted to weigh in on the posts... For me, looking at the before and after photos from Ostojić’s rhinoplasty was enough to see that they all end up looking a bit upturned and pointy.

About a year ago, I had my nose done by Dr. Munitić over at Mercury in the city, and I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the results.

The only thing that bothers me is that my nose tilts slightly to one side. It's not super obvious—you might not even notice it at first glance—but I’d really love to get it straightened out. Has anyone else here gone in for a revision, and how did it turn out?

Can you please tell me how your experience was via DM? I actually have my surgery scheduled with Munitić this Wednesday.🙏

Emily Campbell36 said:I haven't posted much on this thread, but I had surgery about a year ago. My main goal was to get rid of some excess cartilage because the tip of my nose was way too rounded—it looked like a little ball. It actually did shrink at first, but now I feel like it’s gone right back to how it was before. I'm wondering what I should do, and if anyone else here has dealt with something similar?

How can that be? You mean it went right back to how it looked before the surgery? You had your procedure done at the Mayo Clinic, right?

I am truly sorry to hear that your surgeries didn't go as planned; that is honestly the last thing anyone wants to deal with after making such a big decision.

Melissa Ward29 said:This is the honest truth of it! I’m talking about Dr. Ostojic, who has been such a massive disappointment—not just as a person, but as a surgeon too. My nose is a complete mess, yet he keeps trying to convince me it looks amazing. As soon as the splint came off, I could see it was crooked; there's actually a lump left on the right side. On top of that, he didn't respect my wishes at all and just did whatever he wanted! He shortened it and lifted it way too much... way, way too much. During a recent follow-up, he actually admitted the lump is there, but he's trying to tell me he can just fix it by using fillers on the left side to make it look symmetrical. When I asked him about how high the tip is, he told me that's just his style and it's meant to prevent a sagging look when I get older... honestly, who is crazy here?!

Out of pure desperation, I decided to go for a consultation with Dr. Gulic (after hearing through the grapevine that her clinic employs top-tier specialists for revision rhinoplasty). Well, I got a huge surprise there! Once she examined me and heard who performed my surgery, she told me that a ton of patients come to her specifically for revisions because of this exact same doctor... (and yes, he offers the filler thing too). She said the noses always end up looking identical because he shortens them so drastically, and once he actually opens the nose up, it's a total disaster inside. She confirmed everything I suspected: the remaining bump, the nose being far, far too lifted, and way too short. Even with the swelling still there, she warned me it might look even more upturned once the swelling goes down... oh my god!!! I also showed her my pre-op photo, and she was, to put it mildly, shocked at what a catastrophe my nose turned into...

I really could have kept this to myself, but I feel like it would be a sin not to warn others. Please, just decide for yourselves based on this information.

That being said, I am genuinely happy to see that some girls are thrilled with his work!!!

Just please, think long and hard about whose hands you are putting yourself in!!

I hope I haven't offended anyone...

Oh my god, that is truly awful. There is nothing worse than deciding to do something like this only to have it turn out this way. I really hope everything works out for the best for you when you go in for your next surgery.

Jamie Ruiz said:Thanks for the response. Here is my situation: my 17-year-old son has decided he wants to get a nose job this year. I’m fully behind him on this decision. He has an appointment scheduled with Joe next week, but we also met with Glumičić recently, so we haven't quite made up our minds yet on which surgeon we're going to go with.🙂

I've heard nothing but glowing reviews about Dr. Mladin, so I honestly think you can't go wrong with him. As for Glumičić, people are saying all sorts of things—some good, some bad—so I'd say it's probably wiser to stick with the sure thing.😉

Melissa Ward29 said:I had my rhinoplasty about a month and a half ago, and I honestly feel like the surgeon was just rushing through it and completely botched the whole thing. So, if anyone out there has gone through a revision nose job, please share your experiences because it looks like I'm definitely heading back in for a correction.

Yeah, seriously, who did you go to? I'm actually getting interested...🙄...was it a private practice or at a hospital?

rustygardener172 said:About 95% of these surgeries use an internal technique—meaning incisions are made inside the nostrils. That remaining 5% uses an open technique where cuts are made just below the nose. However, this isn't because the surgeon lacks the skill for a closed approach; rather, the open method is reserved for more complex cases where the surgeon needs full visibility by lifting the skin from the entire nose. To quote: "The 'open' technique is indicated for particularly severe tip deformities or noses that have undergone multiple previous surgeries or trauma, making a successful 'closed' approach impossible."

As for the incision under the upper lip... I've mentioned before that this is done for patients whose nasal tip droops during facial expressions or when they speak. It isn't actually tied to the specific surgical technique used (whether open or closed). ☕

I suppose so... several surgeons told me this personally, so I'm just passing along the gist of what I was told...

Jamie Ruiz said:Can someone explain why some nose surgeries involve an incision inside the nostril while others require a cut underneath the nose or near the lip? I wonder if specific private clinics or hospitals have different standard approaches for this. Also, does anyone happen to know how Dr. Smith operates over at Mayo Clinic?🙂

It all comes down to technique, really. Everyone approaches their work differently based on their specific skill set, but I think most people end up cutting corners simply because they don't truly grasp the underlying mechanics. They skip the foundational steps, which leaves those obvious, messy marks on the surface instead of a seamless finish.

Adam Johnson said:When my nose was still swollen, it looked perfectly symmetrical and nice, but now that the swelling has gone down, it feels like some irregularities have appeared from the front view. It's almost like an infinity symbol—narrow at the top, then widening, then narrowing again, then widening... though the profile looks fine.

Oof, that doesn't sound great🙄...did you have the procedure done privately or at a hospital?

Adam Johnson said:I don't mean to scare you, but rhinoplasty can't really change the overall scale of your nose... it's more about the shape. If someone starts with a massive nose, I don't think they can ever get one of those tiny, cute little button noses.
The swelling will definitely go down, but in my experience, my nose actually looked better right after the surgery when it was still puffy than it does now. It's been a full year and I honestly feel like I need to go back under the knife again.🙄

Oh man, why on earth would you have to do it again? Did something happen, or do you just not like how it turned out, or did the surgeon mess something up?

Joseph Edwards31 said:Unfortunately, it doesn't really work like that... doctors at public hospitals don't have much time for the little details because they're working against quotas and seeing way more patients every single day. Basically, their focus slips, they're exhausted, and they're always rushing because they're being pushed to finish the daily surgical schedule. In private practice, things operate completely differently—they're well-rested, they aren't rushed, and they might only see one patient that entire day. To my endless chagrin, I know exactly what it's like to undergo nose surgery in a state hospital.

Okay... if you don't mind me asking, which hospital did you have your surgery at?🙄...and was it cosmetic or something else? Come on, tell me! It's not awkward, I'm genuinely curious since I'm heading in for mine in three weeks, so I want to know everything about it...🙂🙂

Chloe Watson35 said:I have another question. If anyone knows the answer, please let me know.

The thing is, I don't live in Washington, D.C., but I need to go there for surgery. I'm actually out near 124 miles, so traveling back and forth constantly just doesn't make sense for me.

So, once the surgery is over, how long am I expected to stay in a hospital room? Is it possible to stay longer than originally planned, or can I just pay for an extended stay at the facility? It really isn't worth the hassle for me, and I definitely don't have the budget for hotels in Washington, D.C.—I assume they're pretty pricey.

Can anyone give me some insight on this? Thanks!

Well, if you're going to a hospital, you'll probably be there for about 5 or 6 days at most, which I think is better just to be safe in case things don't go perfectly🙂...but if you go through a private clinic, you might be able to head home the same day or maybe even the next, which has its own perks too...I guess.🙂