restlesspanther42 said:Just figured I’d chime in. It’s been two weeks since my surgery, and I have my follow-up tomorrow. I went in for a rhinoseptoplasty, but because the internal bone structure was such a mess—basically crushed and healed all wrong—the surgeon decided not to touch the tip. He had to break the bone in two places and, besides the packing, he had to trim back some hypertrophic mucosa. The bruising was a total disaster on day two, and I’ve still got some lingering discoloration on my cheekbones and just above my eyelids. My nose, the surrounding area, and my eyelids are all pretty swollen. They gave me dexamethasone in the hospital because the swelling was getting out of hand (which, honestly, is just how it goes 😁 ) The doctor explained right away that he couldn't do what we initially discussed (the cartilage graft on the tip), and he left a tiny bit of the hump because he didn't want to over-resect and risk the whole thing collapsing. Tampons came out on day 7; the cast came off on day 10. Even with the swelling, my nose already looks visibly smaller, narrower, and flatter. I can go back for a revision in 8-10 months if I'm still not happy once the swelling finally subsides.
To be clear, I specifically asked to keep "my" nose—nothing tiny or artificial. I'm actually quite happy with that little bit of the hump remaining, mostly because people don't realize I've had work done; they just notice something looks different, haha. I'm satisfied with the profile so far... so now I just wait to see the final result in 3-6 months.
I could breathe immediately after the packing was removed, and breathing is definitely better than it was before.
Update. It’s been a little over three months since the surgery. Both the doctor and I are happy with the recovery. The bones are healing nicely, the mucosa looks great, and breathing is perfect. Given how much work went into resetting those bones, this wasn't the doctor's first time working on a nasal tip. Since everything is healing so well, we've scheduled the revision for February 2014. If anyone happens to be in the downtown area in early February, let me know. 😍🎉🎉
You need to get a referral issued for outpatient care or day hospital treatment (if that's what the head nurse told you), because any referral they issue now will still be valid even after September 1st, 2013, provided you already have an appointment scheduled.
Regarding the drug formulary, there’s actually a specific set of regulations outlining how medications get added to the list. Everything has to be cleared by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
Professional medical associations or even the actual patent holders can submit proposals to change the guidelines, which they send directly to that aforementioned committee.
The guidelines determining how a medication is prescribed are strictly defined by a professional association under the American Medical Association
Take Article 22, for example.
restlesspanther42 said:If anyone actually cares, this explains what the new guidelines mean and how you're supposed to handle them.
@vividsailor7 Sure, you can tell a patient they have a right to a specific drug, but you're required to include a clause on every single one of your findings stating that Medicare has the authority to issue a different drug of equal strength from the same class.
neonnomad21 said:I was wondering if anyone could clarify how long those current referrals for Category C specialist appointments actually remain valid—specifically, will they still be honored once we hit September 1st?
The old referrals will probably stay valid for about another year, depending on the specific service and type.
All referrals are valid for 30 days, during which you need to contact the facility and actually book the appointment listed on the referral. If you end up being scheduled six months out, don't sweat it—the referral will still be valid.
The main thing is just making sure you place the order within 30 days of it being issued. 🙂
Regarding the drug formulary, there’s actually a specific set of regulations outlining how medications get added to the list. Everything has to be cleared by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
Professional medical associations or even the actual patent holders can submit proposals to change the guidelines, which they send directly to that aforementioned committee.
The guidelines determining how a medication is prescribed are strictly defined by a professional association under the American Medical Association
If anyone actually cares, this explains what the new guidelines mean and how you're supposed to handle them.
@vividsailor7 Sure, you can tell a patient they have a right to a specific drug, but you're required to include a clause on every single one of your findings stating that Medicare has the authority to issue a different drug of equal strength from the same class.
Personally, my doctor told me there's no way I can do anything for three months, even though some people claim you can get back at it after just a month.
@Donna Johnson16/">@@Donna Johnson16 thanks. Regarding my experience, I’m actually pretty happy with the results. I only brought up a revision as a possibility because the tip isn't quite where I want it yet—though it is slightly lifted, so I might not even need to go back under. There are plenty of us who are satisfied but just like checking in to make sure our recovery process is following the standard playbook. 🙂
The swelling has gone down a bit more than it was before, but honestly, it’s still pretty noticeable. And you’re totally right about this heat—it’s doing zero favors. I’m seriously debating whether it's worth turning on the AC just yet. 😢
Maya, I don't have a headache per se, but there's this weird pressure right above my nose and along my cheekbones. Breathing feels fine though—actually better than before. Honestly, I think the pressure is just coming from the swelling that hasn't fully gone down yet; I probably only feel it when I move my face around. I also get dizzy if I accidentally touch the spot near my ear where all the congestion seems to be lingering.
@Jeffrey Parker42/">@@Jeffrey Parker42 Whether you need another surgery really depends on what you had done the first time versus what you’re looking to fix now. For example, if you have broken bones and the follow-up is just addressing the tip, you might be looking at an 8-month window. But if you’re planning to go back in on the actual bone structure in that same area, you’re looking at at least a year. Give it 3 to 6 months after the initial procedure before you even start judging the outcome; that's when you'll actually see anything worth noting.
I don't know... I have dry skin too, but right now my face is just a mess. I switched over to the La Roche-Posay line, so we'll see if things improve in a few days.
I'm not sure about blowing your nose, but when I wash my face and press a little harder on the left side near my eye, I can hear a clicking sound. My doctor told me it’s normal since the bones haven't fully fused yet, but he warned me to stop doing it so I don't cause a displacement. I end up soaking it with saline solution first, then wait a few minutes before blowing very gently. I don't actually squeeze my nose shut when I blow; I just hold a tissue against it.
I’m looking at a revision surgery because they didn't actually touch the tip of my nose. They managed to lift it from the inside by tightening the septum, but I'm going to wait 3-6 months to see if it actually stays up before making a final call. There’s also this tiny bump left over; honestly, it doesn't bother me that much and isn't super obvious, but if I end up going back under the knife anyway, I might as well have them fix that too. On another note, did any of you deal with excessive oiliness on your nose after surgery? Ever since the cast came off, my skin has been incredibly greasy, even though I’m washing my face three times a day. :O
Just checking in. It’s been two weeks since my surgery, and I have my follow-up tomorrow. I went in for a rhinoseptoplasty, but because the internal bone structure was such a mess—basically crushed and fused unevenly—the surgeon decided not to touch the tip. He had to break the bone in two places and trim away some hypertrophied mucosa while he was at it. The bruising was absolutely brutal on day two, and I’m still dealing with some lingering discoloration on my cheekbones and just above my eyelids. My nose, the area around it, and my eyelids are all still pretty swollen. They actually had to give me dexamethasone in the hospital because the swelling was getting out of hand, which, honestly, is 😁 The doctor explained right away that he couldn't do what we originally discussed (which was a cartilage graft on the tip). He also left a tiny bit of the hump because he didn't want to over-resect and risk the whole thing collapsing. The packing came out on day seven, and the cast was removed on day ten. Even with the swelling, the nose already looks visibly smaller, narrower, and flatter once the cast is off. If I’m still not happy once the swelling finally subsides, I can go back for a revision in about 8 to 10 months.
I specifically asked for my nose to still look like "me"—nothing tiny or artificial—so I’m actually really happy with leaving that little bit of the hump. Most people can't quite put their finger on what I had done, they just notice something looks different, haha. As for the profile, I'm satisfied for now... I guess I'll see the final result in 3 to 6 months.
I could breathe instantly after the packing was removed, and so far, breathing is better than it ever was before.
@Maria Thompson4/">@@Maria Thompson4 literally drove me insane... I finally snapped.... and just walked out to go light up a 😁 After what just happened, I am definitely wearing protection from now on to avoid getting herpes... and staying away from plastic cups
@Chris Moore3/">@@Chris Moore3 -I always carry my own TP and wet wipes.
The anesthesiologist pulled the plug on my surgery because I broke out in a cold sore the night before. Now everything is pushed back two weeks. Just some friendly advice for anyone prone to this: from my own experience, find a way to boost your immune system at least two weeks before you go under. 😢
I have a pretty silly question. I’m heading in for surgery at Mayo Clinic this Monday. They want me there by 9:00 AM. I’m not sure if I should head straight to the ward or if there’s some check-in process I need to complete first? Did you guys just show up with all your stuff right away... it feels a little awkward because I’m flying in tomorrow morning and would be arriving with a suitcase that I plan on using while I'm in the hospital. Is that weird?? Also, what happens to my belongings if I get moved to ICU... do they take everything with them?? Or is there some kind of safe? I definitely wouldn't want to leave my laptop sitting out there alone. thanks
Speaking from experience, it was fine for me. They give you the anesthetic through the IV, you count down to five if you can actually manage it 😁, and then after a few seconds, I got that sensation in my lungs—kind of like inhaling eucalyptus airway spray—and I was out cold. When you wake up, your throat might be a little sore from the intubation, but that’s about it. At least that was my experience; it was totally positive. I didn't feel any pain because they hit me with enough Tramadol to make me feel great 😁 😁 😁 I wish it could be like that again...