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Grace Williams19 said:🙂eeee ... Drew Vaughn5, you described that perfectly. Thanks. 🙂🙂🙂
I have a bit of a random question—maybe it isn't random, though. When you get a referral from your primary care doctor, do you ask for a specific hospital, or how does that work?
I’ve been reading here on the forum—that some doctors (like ENT specialists) don't want to perform certain surgeries, almost acting like they can't even if they could. I think that's just silly. Honestly, I don't have the time to go bouncing between all those massive hospitals just to be told "we don't do that" in the end. Any expert should see that if it needs doing, they should be able to do it. 🙂
By the way, how many days after being discharged without any tubes or anything like that do you have to go back for a follow-up?
Here is my answer:
1. My doctor gave me a straight-up referral for an exam with a diagnosis to see a specialist. I think it works anywhere since there wasn't a specific hospital listed or anything. I could have taken that referral to Mount Sinai or Mercy, but I just felt like going to Dubrava. Once the specialist told me we were moving forward with surgery, I went back to my primary doctor to get the referral for inpatient treatment. That’s basically how the paperwork works.
2. After I got home, my follow-up appointment at the hospital was in 7 days.
Since they closed a similar thread, and I had already posted there, I’ll just start a new one here in case anyone else finds themselves in my shoes.
Reading through these 20 or so pages, I see people discussing both what works and what doesn't, so I decided to add a few words to this topic.
I dealt with some long-term nasal issues myself—specifically a deviated septum. About 15 days ago, I had surgery at Dubrava Medical Center in the ENT department. I don't think the specific doctor's name matters much; during my seven days in the hospital, I saw them handling incredibly complex nasal cases, and everyone seemed genuinely skilled. You can tell right away that they are serious, professional people. Usually, the protocol is to head to the ward the day before surgery. You’re allowed to eat and drink until 11:00 PM that night, but after that, nothing. On the day of the surgery, you can brush your teeth, provided you don't swallow anything and you just moisten your mouth. Before the procedure, they give you an injection to calm you down—at least, that's what they told me. It wasn't scary; you just feel the prick and then it's fine. After that, you go down to the pre-op room where they insert a silicone needle into your hand—a tube used to administer medication or IV fluids during and after the procedure. After about ten minutes, they take you into the operating room, where the anesthesiologist applies a gas mask to put you under. You don't feel the surgery, obviously, but waking up in the recovery room is... well, it's tough. Your eyes hurt, it's hard to lift your eyelids, and you feel completely crushed—literally. They lead you back to your room, where you have to lie on your back; there isn't really any other way to be. Now, here comes the difficult part: blood and small clots tend to drain into your throat. It’s a good idea to have some small cups nearby so you can spit everything out; it lasts for quite a while. (I was actually still spitting up blood a day after surgery.) Personally, I was in pretty bad shape from the anesthesia, so instead of spitting, I ended up swallowing it all, which made me feel faint. I sort of stumbled my way to the bathroom and threw up. I crawled back to bed and tried to sleep, though that was hard because you have to cough periodically to clear your throat. They advise you to drink plenty of fluids to help ease the process. By dinner time, I felt a bit better and managed to eat a little—you're usually allowed to eat a few hours after surgery once things stabilize. After dinner, I walked to the neighboring rooms and chatted with people, so it wasn't too bad once the anesthesia wore off. As I realized after the operation, besides the packing, I also had two tubes in my nose. I'm not entirely sure what they are for, since I was breathing through my mouth the whole time. You also have gauze over your nostrils that gets changed frequently because of the bleeding and other drainage, but that was the smallest issue. I don't know how it was for others, but for me, nothing hurt after the surgery itself. It was only on the third or fourth day that I started getting headaches. I'm not sure if it was due to labored breathing or maybe a minor virus, but I did have a fever. To be clear, I didn't have any chills. My nose might have been a bit swollen, but when you have packing and tubes shoved up there, you can't even tell; you just feel like your nose is massive. Regarding the packing, some doctors remove it the second day, but mine were removed along with the tubes on the seventh day. While you're in the hospital, you'll be on antibiotics, so that part is easy; the only downside is a dry throat. I recommend bringing juice, tea, or something similar. Grape juice is good because it keeps your throat feeling moist for longer. Anyway, like I said, the packing and tubes came out on day seven. The removal is quick—they pull the first one, then the second, along with the tubes. It feels like they might rip your whole nose out. It's a bit awkward, but you just grit your teeth and get through it because it's almost over. Immediately after they were removed, I felt like I could breathe through both nostrils. To be honest, it wasn't full strength yet because your nose still feels wooden, but you can feel the difference and you finally enjoy the fresh air. I was discharged the same day. I was given antibiotics to take until my follow-up, a nasal spray, and some drops. You shouldn't lift heavy objects or do any strenuous work—just rest!! And try to sleep with your head elevated.
I am incredibly pleased with how the surgery turned out. My only regret is not doing it sooner; I really shouldn't have spent those ten years struggling just to breathe. I truly hope the procedure brings the same relief to all of you if you decide to go through with it.