Posts by neonhawk78

Melissa Wright8 said:Did you get cosmetic surgery or something? My god, how did they mess up your nose like that? 😢(
Well, I have these blood clots stuck right in my nose, and I can't get them out because they're basically glued to the sutures. It’s honestly awful; I have this feeling like the threads aren't going to pass through anytime soon.

No, I actually had functional surgery done because I couldn't breathe—my septum was pretty crooked, you see—but I didn't have a lump before. I developed the lump after the procedure, and now I'm just hoping someone in Chicago can fix the aesthetics for me.
For me, the mucous membrane was also an absolute disaster for the first three weeks, especially whenever I changed environments; there was this constant discomfort, those little dots were tightening my nose, and the tip of my nose was aching (and honestly, it still hurts a bit if I touch it with my finger). You really need to use as much saline solution as possible to soften those clots. Every single time I tried to blow out those bloody bits, it felt like my legs were being cut off. 😢 I think I used more saline than I actually drank water. 🙂

Melissa Wright8 said:For those of you who’ve had rhinoplasty, could you please tell me WHEN your stitches finally came out? I had my nose surgery about a month ago, and honestly, I am losing my mind dealing with these threads.

Ugh, don't even get me started. I was absolutely losing it waiting for my sutures to fall out too, especially since I kept reading online that some people see them drop within just two weeks. In my case, the first two didn't come out until a month and five days post-op, and the next two took another full week after that. To make matters worse, I feel like my surgeons actually messed up my aesthetic results, so I've been crying constantly out of pure frustration. On top of that, whenever I blow my nose, I find these massive blood clots mixed with mucus in the tissue. Has anyone else gone through something similar?

Charles Gonzalez9 said:Hey there, I actually had my nose surgery at the Holy Spirit Hospital. You can find my previous post over on page 375—Dr. Parazajder was my surgeon, and honestly, I can't say enough good things about the doctors and the staff; they were always right there when you needed them.

I read it. 😁
The problem is, how am I supposed to figure out which doctor is actually the best when everyone here just praises the one who helped them? It seems like very few people in this thread have dealt with an equally complicated case. What I really need is a specialist who excels at reconstructive surgery to fix the mess they made of me back in Miami. I mean, I breathe a little better now, but let's be real—like Alex Moore62 mentioned, the original surgery was a total hack job, and I have no idea if they even got the functional side of things right. 🙄

Betty Edwards22 said:A review?

That kind of information belongs in a textbook nowadays, which is exactly why it wouldn't make sense as a magazine article.

There’s already a dedicated thread on anesthesia; you can go there and ask colleagues who actually specialize in that field.

If you really are a doctor, as you claim, then you would have sat through lectures on anesthesiology, resuscitation, and intensive care—so why don't you tell us something substantive about it?

Alex Moore62 said:General anesthesia is definitely being used more often now, and honestly, they don't even perform those kinds of surgeries under local anymore. I know a guy who had it done under local a long time ago, and he said the whole sensation was just awful—not something I'd recommend at all (and > already shared her firsthand experience on this).

Did you run into any issues with the general anesthesia during this procedure, or did everything go smoothly? You always meet with the anesthesiologist before surgery, so you can really sit down with them and ask whatever questions might be on your mind.

I didn't experience any physical complications or difficulties post-op. Throughout the entire preparation phase and on the day of the surgery itself, I consulted with three different anesthesiologists. My first meeting was about five days prior to the procedure. He asked about my medications, if I had any allergies, checked my blood pressure and pulse, gave my blood and urine results a quick glance, and then handed me the paperwork to sign for consent. Right before the surgery, a younger female anesthesiologist came into my room carrying a bag—she looked like she’d rushed in, threw on her white coat, but forgot to put her bag away (I assume she was a resident). She asked if I was taking any meds and told me she'd see me in the OR in an hour. After that, a floor nurse arrived with my charts, told me to use the restroom if needed, and escorted me to the operating room. Once in the OR, I was met by an older, rather stout and arrogant-seeming anesthesiologist who simply put me under. I assume an anesthesia tech had already placed the electrodes, the blood pressure cuff, and the IV line for analgesia before that. I didn't receive any psychological or mental prep, which I think is just as vital as the physical preparation. Following the surgery, I actually went into a bit of an emotional shock. To make matters worse, the nurses didn't change our bed sheets once during our five-day stay, claiming they were short on linens. I should also mention that during rounds, there was a young doctor (likely a resident) who would address us solely by our diagnoses rather than our names.

neondriver15 said:Oh, please... I can still vividly remember the blood rushing and hearing the sound of the hammer hitting bone ringing in my ears. I had nightmares about those surgical flashes for at least two years after the fact.
General anesthesia is actually quite gentle... you just drift off, dream for a bit, and wake up feeling like nothing even happened. 🙂 An hour after my surgery, I was already out at a restaurant grabbing lunch with a friend because I was absolutely famished. 🙂
If a person is healthy, general anesthesia shouldn't have any adverse effects on the body whatsoever (look, I'm not an MD, but I do hold a PhD, so I know how to process data. 😉 )

I’m really not sure how accurate that is. I stay active and live a pretty healthy lifestyle, so personally, I much prefer local anesthesia since it doesn't leave you feeling wiped out like general does. It would be helpful if actual specialists—like real doctors—would lay out the actual consequences of general anesthesia, because I'm certain they exist. I had surgery under general anesthesia back when I was in Miami, and I'm really hoping I won't have to deal with that again in NYC. 😢

I definitely plan on making the trip. Thanks.

Alex Moore62 said:Hmm, if Ivan Raguž is seeing patients this quickly, it suggests he isn't exactly swamped or playing in the big leagues just yet. Personally, that would set off some alarm bells for me—especially since you really need someone with seasoned experience for a revision surgery. But hey, that’s just my take; I’m the type who would strictly stick with Rebro no matter what. Listen to your gut rather than me, though. I truly wish you the best, so please keep me posted on how things unfold. 🙂

For surgeries like this, hospitals typically use general anesthesia. It’s usually only those private clinics that lack a dedicated anesthesiologist who try to cut corners by just sedating patients, but that’s not true local anesthesia—it's more like a cocktail designed to knock you out.
Honestly, the thought of being awake during a local anesthetic while they work on my septum 😲 is completely out of the question for me; I think I'd have a total nervous breakdown.

Dr. Raguž is relatively young in medical terms, maybe around 35, but everyone I know who has gone under his knife seems really satisfied with the results. Maybe he doesn't have a massive backlog because he only started practicing at Holy Spirit back in 2011.

Alex Moore62 said:I think there was some recent media coverage about those specific scans, especially when they started cutting back on our health insurance benefits. My impression is that they usually have you do them at a local clinic near you rather than at the hospital—you should probably check with your primary care doctor.

If my memory serves me right, you need to wait a few months between surgeries (maybe three, I can't recall the exact number), which an ENT specialist could confirm. It’s definitely way too soon for you to be looking at anything else. You really shouldn't rush things because of the anesthesia; every time you go under, there's a risk involved, and it takes a toll on your body.

Generally speaking, it's actually better to schedule surgery during the colder months to minimize complications like bleeding or infections. I wouldn't recommend going under the knife in the summer unless it’s an absolute emergency.

Honestly, I'm pretty shocked to hear you had your surgery so recently. I was under the impression that any issues you were having were due to long-term ossification, but it sounds like they may have done a subpar job on the initial procedure. 😢

Based on my own experience with two surgeries, I’d suggest focusing entirely on recovering from this one first and letting everything settle before even considering a second operation. Your nose is still going to change shape. Regardless, I would strongly advise booking a consultation in Washington, D.C. immediately; by the time you actually get an appointment, you'll have fully recovered. If I were in your shoes, I'd call Rebro or Holy Spirit, explain the situation, and ask if they could squeeze you in for an urgent evaluation.

Thanks for the info. I’ve already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Raguž, though I just have to wait for the strike to end. It's been nearly two months since my surgery, but I don't think my nose is going to change much more. The mucosa has almost healed, but that lump is still right there. I’m just hoping the doctor will agree to operate on a nose that’s already been worked on, because I honestly don't know who in Miami could handle this without being a private specialist. I could see Dr. Lisec, but I’ve read he specializes more in functional repairs than aesthetics. On the other hand, there's Dr. Kurtović, whom I read about in a case where he allegedly ruined a patient's nose while working with a hospital physician—he ended up having to refund half her money (I think she posted about it here under the name lana_st). That leaves me with Dr. Gulić from San Diego, but I've heard mixed reviews there too, so it seems my best bet is sticking with the specialists in Washington, D.C.😢
P.S. I was put under general anesthesia, even though I much prefer local.

Alex Moore62 said:Look, try to get on the schedule. There are only two months left until 2014, and half of that is just the holidays. 🤷 Maybe you should just go do Holy Spirit in the meantime.
Honestly, I think you have a serious issue on your hands and you need to tackle it head-on instead of rushing through things just for the sake of it. In my opinion, timing isn't really the deciding factor here.

By the way, regarding which hospital is considered the top tier, I just Googled this:

Edit: I see you updated your post—if you have a recent CT, you probably won't need to undergo another one.

It’s honestly exhausting just thinking about having to re-register for a CT scan, seeing the anesthesiologist again, doing all those blood tests over, and traveling back and forth from St. Louis to NYC so many times just to see various doctors. I wonder if it's possible to get those tests done in Miami 😢 and does anyone know how much time needs to pass between the first and second surgery? I had my operation in September; my sutures recently came out and the mucosa seems fine.

Alex Moore62 said:Jurlina specializes in maxillofacial surgery and handles serious stuff like oncological procedures—he's literally saving lives—so I honestly believe he could help you. But, he needs to actually examine you first; we can't just make assumptions here. You really need to ask him yourself.
I’d suggest getting a consultation with both him and Raguž to see what their individual assessments and recommendations are. You should also ask them plainly what can realistically be done at this stage. The real issue is what they actually did to you back in Miami; it’s pretty obvious there isn't much "material" left to work with because they clearly botched it.
Jurlina doesn't play guessing games. Before every single one of my surgeries, he sent me for a sinus CT so he could see exactly what was going on before making a call on the procedure. It is notoriously difficult to get an appointment with him unless you’ve been a patient of his before, and even then, there's a wait. I know that in recent years, they've even stopped taking new patient referrals as early as the spring because he's just so overloaded. So, your best bet is to try booking a consultation with a referral and see what they tell you—whether you'll be stuck waiting until early 2014 or if they can squeeze you in sooner.

Mayo Clinic ENT Department
12 Kišpatićev St (White Building, 1st Floor)
E-mail: predbiljezbe.poliklinika.orl@kbc-chicago.hr
Fax: 01 2367 188
Information via phone: 01 2367 192

In any case, regardless of where you decide to go for surgery, please think this through carefully. For this second operation, it is absolutely vital that you find an elite surgeon who knows how to perform the necessary repairs while preserving both function and aesthetics.

Waiting that long just for an initial consultation is way too much time, and frankly, I’m not looking forward to undergoing another sinus CT. I don't have any issues with it, which was already confirmed by the first CT I had done in Miami. I think I'll go ahead and see Dr. Raguž instead; I haven't heard a single negative thing about him. On the contrary, plenty of patients have praised him for fixing both the function and the look of their noses.

Alex Moore62 said:I’ve honestly never heard anything about the ENT department at Holy Spirit, so I assume it isn't anything special; if it were, people in Washington, D.C. would be talking about it.🤷 It certainly isn't as reputable as Rebro.
I know quite a few people who have had surgeries at Vinogradska, but I don't know a single soul who went to Holy Spirit, so I personally wouldn't recommend them to you. As for Rebro, it's common knowledge that they are top-tier—their ENT department used to be over at Šalat before they moved into the newly built Rebro facility.
Personally, I haven't had great experiences with Vinogradska, so I wouldn't suggest it either. Since I struggled with sinus issues for so many years, believe me, I've visited plenty of ENT specialists. The most skilled and effective one turned out to be Dr. Jurlina at Rebro. He was the first person (after years of bouncing between different clinics) to provide a high-quality assessment, accurate diagnostics, and an effective treatment plan—my allergies really wreak havoc on my nasal mucosa, and I had a severe deviated septum—and he eventually performed two surgeries on me.
Before my first surgery, I did seek a second opinion from the only decent ENT at Mercury (I can't recall the name right now; I'm not digging through my files), and he completely agreed with Dr. Jurlina's diagnosis. I didn't go there because I doubted Dr. Jurlina's decision—I know I can rely entirely on his expertise and experience—but rather because a friend gave me the chance to see another good doctor, so I figured, why not?
If you're looking for info regarding accommodations—the ENT at Rebro is in a new building. The rooms are doubles with private bathrooms (they have singles too) and TVs; everything is modern and comfortable.
When I had a surgery in a different field at Holy Spirit, everything felt outdated. The accommodations were terrible; the bathroom and toilet were shared by the entire ward and were pretty bad, and there were four or five of us squeezed into one room...

I had my septum deviated corrected in Miami, but strictly for breathing purposes. Now, I’d actually head to Washington, D.C. to get my nose fixed properly, because a huge bump formed after that functional surgery in Miami. Does Dr. Jurlina perform reconstructive procedures? They couldn't manage that for me in Miami. Functionally, they did a decent job—I breathe much better—but aesthetically, they absolutely ruined my nose. I have this massive bump. I've heard that Dr. Raguž is a highly capable doctor, so I was thinking about seeing him. Right now, I'm stuck in a dilemma. 🤷

Alex Moore62 said:I don't have any firsthand experience with hospitals in St. Louis, but speaking as someone who has personally undergone two surgeries, I would absolutely suggest sticking to a major hospital rather than going private—specifically Rebro in NYC.

Alex Moore62, wouldn't the Holy Spirit hospital be a better option? Personally, people recommended Dr. Raguž over at the Holy Spirit to me. 🤷

I seem to have lost my previous thread, so I’m coming back to ask if anyone could tell me a bit more about Dr. Ivan Raguž over at the Holy Spirit hospital in Washington, D.C. All I’ve heard so far is that he’s a relatively young physician, and a few girls I know mentioned they were quite happy with his care. Does anyone else have any actual experiences to share? I’d really appreciate some insight because I have a follow-up appointment scheduled with him in Washington, D.C.

Has anyone here actually dealt with Dr. Raguž over at Holy Spirit? I’m curious about what his approach to anesthesia is like during surgery. Personally, I much prefer local anesthesia if it's an option, but I have my initial consultation scheduled with him next Friday.

I’d honestly suggest everyone go see Dr. Poljak in Miami. 👍