Posts by Jesse Sanchez90

From a specialist's perspective, there’s really no need for an X-ray here; instead, you should just ask for a referral to an ENT. There's honestly no point in putting yourself through unnecessary radiation when it won't change anything.

Casey Kelly2 said:Thanks for the reply! Most of the comments I've seen so far are about getting procedures done at private clinics. Does anyone here actually have experience going through the public healthcare system?

I'm actually describing how it works through the public health system.

Casey Kelly2 said:Has anyone here actually gone through the process of getting an outpatient procedure covered by Medicare? If you have, I’d love it if you could walk me through the whole thing from start to finish! I'm looking for the firsthand details on how it all works.🙂

So, you head over to your primary care doctor, and they end up giving you a referral to see an ENT specialist. At that point, all you can really do is show up for the appointment and see what the specialist has to say.

Jerry Myers3 said:I've already had three checkups, and at the last one, the doctor told me they'd mail out my surgery date and all the details. But I haven't received anything yet, and it's been about a month and a half since then. 🙂

By the way, I'm currently under Medicare, so I'm not sure if the wait times are tied to the specific hospital or how the whole process works. 🤷

They definitely do.

I told you exactly how it would go down...

Hannah Taylor34 said:Hey everyone, I’m looking for some advice here (maybe this sounds a little silly, but I really need some help) — how do I tell my family and my boyfriend that I want to get a nose job?? I’m 25, so it's not like I need anyone's permission, but I still feel like I need to let the people close to me know. They have no idea I even struggle with this complex; everyone always tells me how pretty I am, and honestly, nobody has ever said anything negative about my nose. But I’m not being delusional, I can see it. My nose feels too wide, and from the profile, it looks way too long and large... I just don't look right in photos, and it doesn't feel like "me." 😢 I know my mom will probably try to talk me out of it, and others likely will too. Ultimately, I want to go through with it, but I'm just stuck on how to bring it up to everyone. I even thought about telling them I need the Operation for health reasons, 😢 but I don't know... how did you all handle this kind of conversation?

At the end of the day, this is your decision and yours alone—nobody else has a say unless you specifically ask for their opinion. That being said, since it sounds like there might be some underlying psychological hesitation, it might be a good idea to work through those feelings first. You wouldn't want to end up disappointed with the results, especially since the outcome depends entirely on your unique anatomy. You can't force every material to do everything perfectly.

stormycrane3 said:Yeah, I get that, but honestly, I’m just not feeling great about going back to my own doctor to demand changes and ask for everything to be redone. Plus, the wait times would probably stretch out for several more months. 🤷 Is there any chance I could go there for an initial consultation and then request to have the Operation performed somewhere else? I have no idea if that's even a thing. 🤷

Of course not! I mean, would you ever actually perform a procedure just because someone else told you to?
🤔

If you’re actually planning on having the Operation, you should look into getting your OS or SB results right away. Otherwise, you'll end up dragging this out—first you'll have to come in for an exam, then again for the Operation, then a third time... it's much better to be prepared.

The more operations you perform, the more experienced an operator becomes. You should also look into checking out the clinic in Slavonski Brod; they have a really highly experienced medical team there.

You should really look for a larger medical center.

So, what exactly am I getting for those 5 bucks? 😁

It doesn't really matter—if things have shifted, they've shifted. What you're looking at sounds like a typical Trumats injury, which can often be corrected later through a redressment procedure. However, when you're dealing with a nose that was just operated on, everything is incredibly unpredictable. Honestly, the packing alone could cause enough deformation that even a surgeon wouldn't be able to save it.

Alex Moore62 said:Alright, thanks! But what could actually be going on here? Like, why would an unpleasant smell pop up specifically when sneezing? Is there anything someone can try at home before they finally get their appointment with the ENT specialist?

The person isn't dealing with any sinus issues and hasn't had any previous treatment for this.

Sorry, I'm not really the type to start guessing things before an actual exam—it could honestly be anything at all, or nothing significant.

Also, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "getting in line."

Melissa Thomas35 said:I could really use some advice... I have an Operation scheduled for this Monday, but I woke up today with a slight fever of 98.6 degrees.

Is it actually a good idea to push through and go to the hospital for the surgery?

At the end of the day, the anesthesiologist will be the one to make that final call.

It’s not really anyone's business, but honestly, that’s a question for the health authorities—definitely a tough one for us regular folks to wrap our heads around.

We’re dealing with massive backlogs right now, and with the current schedules, it’s honestly going to be tough to give everything 100% focus without our surgeons feeling rushed into the next procedure because we're short on anesthesiologists.

As for your other question, I’m going to pass on answering that one—I hope you can understand why I can't go into the reasons for the absence.

A person could honestly go years without needing to touch an osteoma.

You should head over to an ENT specialist. That’s what it says, anyway. It really depends on what kind of referral you have—if you want it to be valid for six months, it needs to be a Type D. You can go to any doctor you choose. Since traumatic deformity can involve both functional and aesthetic issues, they aren't really separate things; it’s not just about how it looks, but how it works too.

Alex Moore62 Asks:
Does anyone happen to know why there might be an unpleasant odor that escapes whenever someone sneezes?

That doesn't seem right to me. Usually, you'd expect someone to be complaining about shortness of breath or respiratory issues, but instead, they’re just saying that whenever they sneeze, they catch this unpleasant smell. 😕

Just had an endoscopic exam over at the ENT clinic.

silentridge9 said:A question for Betty Edwards22...🙂

I’ve noticed from your posts that you really know your stuff and that you work over at Vineyard, so I wanted to run my situation by you. I just got my CT scan results back for my paranasal sinuses, and here is what it says:

- slight mucosal reaction in the ethmoid cells, where a sclerosis zone measuring 0.7x0.5 cm is visible on the right side, which could indicate an osteoma

- significant right-sided septal deviation with a bony spur pointing toward the right inferior turbinate

- left concha bullosa

I’ve been dealing with unbearable headaches for years—right above my right eye. Honestly, it feels like my eye hurts too. I’ve been popping painkillers like they’re candy. My doctor at Merkur mentioned they can fix the deviation, but because of the osteoma, I need to head over to Manhattan or maybe a major university hospital like Johns Hopkins because the area is so close to the brain and they might not have the specialized equipment. They suggested if I get the deviation fixed, the osteoma surgery might not even be necessary. So, I’ve been scheduled for a septoplasty + FESS.

The thing is, I’m really hoping for a one-and-done solution because I definitely don't want to go through all this twice, so I'll probably seek a second opinion anyway. Is it actually possible to handle everything at once—septoplasty, the osteoma, plus rhinoplasty? Or is that just asking for too much during a single surgery? Also, does Prof. Baudoin perform rhinoplasty, and what is he like? Should I just stick to fixing the deviation first?

Sorry for the long-winded post, but I am just so stressed out about this...🤷

Hi there!

First off, keep in mind that not all doctors approach things the same way; they won't always decide on the same course of action at the same time. My perspective might differ quite a bit, especially since, from what I understand, Merkur follows a different rhinology school of thought than Manhattan.

Basically, the philosophy I advocate for is treating the clinical symptoms—meaning, we focus on what the patient is actually feeling rather than just looking at the CT scan.
I don't have specific data on how clear that right cavity is, but based on those intense headaches you described, I would certainly lean toward a septal reconstruction to remove that bony spur. It sounds like it could be causing trigeminal pain by pressing against the inferior turbinate.

As for the CT scan itself, it isn't particularly alarming: osteomas are usually just monitored, and a minimal mucosal reaction isn't typically enough reason to jump into FESS.
In short, the concha bullosa could be resected, as it likely developed as a reaction to the uneven volume in certain cavities, leading to hypertrophy on one side.

A septoplasty and FESS can be done at the same time, though it really depends on the surgeon's speed and skill, as well as the resources available in the operating room—we deal with those kinds of limitations sometimes.

Rachel Vaughn85 said:I honestly can't say for sure, since I feel like this way all year round ://

Do you guys happen to know the best way to go about getting those tests done? Should I start by getting a referral from my primary care doctor first, or can I just head straight to a specialist somewhere? (Sorry if I sound clueless, it's just that I rarely find myself at doctors' offices or hospitals, so I'm not really sure how the whole process works 😢 )

You should talk to your primary care physician—if they're smart, they'll probably just skip the runaround and initiate the process themselves. If they take the long route, you'd likely go to an ENT first, and then follow the same pattern from there.