Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?
in Health ·
Hey! Thought I'd jump in and share my own experience from last month. Honestly, I put off this septum surgery for a whole year because of all the horror stories floating around—people saying it’s brutal or that it doesn't even work. But once I realized I didn't have much choice, I finally pulled the trigger. First, I had to get all the pre-op stuff done: blood work, blood type, chest X-rays, heart scans, seeing an internist, and checking in with the anesthesiologist. Once those results were ready, I met with the surgeon. The day before, they admitted me to the hospital because I needed an anti-clotting shot 12 hours before the procedure (in the stomach; nothing crazy, just a little sting). You can eat and drink until midnight, but after that? Total fast. In the morning, there was the doctor's visit, then they stuffed some medicated gauze up my nose—kind of a spicy, uncomfortable sensation. About half an hour before surgery, I popped half a blue pill and had to strip down (kept my boxers on, obviously). Then they came to grab me and rolled me into the OR. The next thing I remember is waking up in recovery feeling insanely thirsty. You aren't allowed to drink anything right away after anesthesia, though. As for my nose, it was a bit swollen but no bruising. My teeth actually hurt for a long time, so I was popping the pain meds they give you whenever you ask. Also took Oakland KB twice a day. Eating was a bit awkward since it hurt when I chewed. On the fifth day, they removed the tampons and man, it hurt so bad I almost passed out. They ended up sending me home with nasal strips instead, which they took out on the third day. That was way easier. Current routine is Meralis spray and some ointment. I've had three sinus rinses so far, which can be a bit sore too. Right now, I'm just rinsing everything with saline. I am seriously stoked with the results—I can finally breathe through my nose, no more headaches, I'm not sleepy during the day, no more random yawning fits, and most importantly, my sleep apnea is gone. The surgery itself isn't "fun" and the recovery is a bit rough, but it's definitely not worth putting off. Oh, and I had general anesthesia, even though I heard some people do local. They told me straight up it would be general.