Posts by Karen Ross84

Look, I didn't realize how deep this went. I’m just heading in for surgery myself—I’m not a med student, I haven't spent my life obsessing over clinical details, and frankly, half of the jargon you people are throwing around here goes right over my head. Honestly, you all have made this whole situation look so chaotic and terrifying that if I were anyone else facing an upcoming procedure, I’d probably want to cancel it right now. You actually managed to scare the life out of me. Let’s be real: every doctor makes mistakes. That isn't a valid reason to launch a smear campaign against someone. Most of the patients who have successful outcomes don't bother coming online to post about it, so all we end up seeing is this concentrated wave of negativity designed to make it look like a surgeon is incompetent, despite them performing this exact job for years. I get wanting to share a bad experience once, but when one single person spams ten different posts just to insult and tear down a professional, it stops being "feedback" and starts looking like a targeted hit job. It gives the impression that the doctor hasn't even performed a single proper operation in their entire career, which we know isn't true. I know I’m going to catch heat for saying this, but I had to get it off my chest!

Since we’re already talking about cartilage, I’ve got a question of my own. When you undergo rhinoplasty and they actually reduce the tip of the nose—meaning they're working directly on that area—do they have to mess around with the cartilage there, or what exactly is the process?

slyjackal14 said:Look, you head to your primary care doctor at the local clinic, tell them you’re struggling to breathe, and ask for an ENT referral.
Then you take that referral to a hospital, and they’ll put you on a waiting list. Depending on how backed up they are, you’re looking at anywhere from twelve days to a month for the actual exam. Since it's summer right now, the wait isn't too bad—though everyone is out on vacation, which complicates things.
When you finally show up for the appointment, the doctor examines you, you lay out all your symptoms, and you see what they have to say about it.
After that, you try to coordinate the surgery. Honestly, if I were you, I’d try to find an ENT who also specializes in facial and neck aesthetics—there’s someone great over in the suburbs who handles both.

I’ve actually already had my initial exam. Now I’m heading in for a CT scan, and then I have to go back for another follow-up... so I really just want to know: once that final consultation is done, how long does it typically take before they actually get you into surgery?

Can anyone give me a heads-up on how long the waitlist usually is for nose surgery through insurance at most hospitals?

That doctor is both an ENT and a plastic surgeon.

Of course it bothers me. It’s hard to even catch my breath on one side—honestly, I feel like I'm barely breathing at all.
So, here’s what’s on my mind: I went in for my checkup today, but the doctor didn't even bring up the idea of surgery. Instead, he just told me to come back in a month once we get some imaging done. Now I'm sitting here wondering: is he actually going to suggest the procedure himself, or am I going to have to be the one to push for it?

So, here’s the situation: my nasal pyramid is shifted to the right, I’ve got a right-sided septal deviation confirmed by rhinoscopy, and my mucosa is looking pretty hyperemic. What’s your take on this?
Do you think surgery is going to be my only real option here?

Can someone please walk me through what an ENT exam actually looks like? I need to know exactly what they’ll be doing, which tests I should expect to undergo, and all that good stuff...

So, here’s the deal: I’m dealing with a deviated septum. My nose literally points to one side, my sinuses are constantly inflamed, and I can't breathe through my left nostril to save my life. On top of all that functional mess, I actually want to get some aesthetic work done too—just clean up the look a bit. Can anyone point me toward the best place to go right now? I’m torn between Dubrava and Mercy Hospital. Thanks!🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂😕😕:confu sed:

quiettiger21 said:That was actually my second surgery. My first one was a total disaster because I ended up under the knife of an incompetent surgeon who completely wrecked my nasal structure. They performed a septorhinoplasty—basically trying to fix a deviated septum while reshaping the bridge of my nose.

Man, I am so sorry to hear that....
Where did you have that first surgery?

Hey, mind if I ask—what exactly did you do to your nose? 🙂

Does anyone have a rough idea of what the wait times look like at public hospitals? Honestly, I’m in no rush—I’ll wait as long as it takes to find someone who actually knows what they’re doing and will provide high-quality care. I called Mercy Hospital today just to try and schedule an appointment, even though I’ve already been in for a consultation to get a second opinion and decide which facility to go with. I asked my sister if she could give me a ballpark estimate on the wait, but she told me there was absolutely no way for her to know...

Nancy Perez74 said:It’s definitely doable. You should look into Mercy Hospital—I’ve heard they’re top-tier. A colleague of mine actually went there for nose surgery, and he said they can handle just about anything.

I also have one more question: roughly how long is the waitlist at these hospitals for that kind of procedure?
Thanks so much!🙂

I have a question, and I’ve been scouring everything online so I don't end up bothering you all for no reason, but I haven't found an answer anywhere.
So, here's the deal: I recently had some sinus imaging done, and it turns out I have chronic sinus issues caused by a deviated septum. Basically, I broke my nose back when I was a kid and never bothered seeing a doctor about it, so it healed all crooked. Now, I’m facing surgery to fix the septum. What I really want to know is: based on your experiences, which specialist or hospital would you recommend for this under Medicare? Also, is there any chance they can perform a cosmetic correction on my nose if I request it? If that isn't an option, would it be possible for me to just pay the difference out of pocket while they are already fixing the septum?
Thanks!