Posts by gentlemaker46

Kate Thompson45 said:gentlemaker46, I think you might be getting a little mixed up here. First you were talking about a hump, then you switched to bone fusion—it’s all a bit muddled, so now I can't even tell what exactly is wrong with your nose?! 🤷 Look, I didn't mean to offend you, but it honestly bugs me when people talk trash about a doctor who actually made my life better. He fixed something that bothered me for years, and I'm genuinely happier for it. You know how it is... Since I'm so happy with his work, I don't see why I shouldn't say so. In my experience, he was always incredibly kind and upfront. He told me exactly what to expect from the surgery—what could be fixed and what might still look "off." At the end of the day, he's a surgeon, not some magician. That honesty meant a lot to me, and it's why I respect him. He could have easily lied to me and promised a miracle just to get the job done, but he didn't. If he only cared about the money, like you're claiming, he wouldn't have acted the way he did.
I am truly sorry you aren't happy with your results, but I'm certain you realize that any surgical outcome depends on both the surgeon's skill and how your own body decides to react...
Either way, I really hope you get this sorted out soon so you can finally be satisfied. I think we all deserve that, especially after dropping so much cash and dealing with the pain, the anxiety... well, not even going to mention the fear...

I'm not bad-mouthing the doctor; I'm just stating the facts of my situation. I already said there's something wrong with my nose. I just didn't know what it was at the time, which is why I went to a different specialist to explain things—because the doctor who operated on me either didn't see anything or chose not to. The hump is still there, but I'm not going to dwell on it anymore; if anyone actually cares, I can send a photo privately. I'm done talking about this because some people make me feel like I'm some crazy person just trying to smear a doctor's reputation or acting dissatisfied because I have nothing better to do... or because I'm just being difficult. So, I'm stopping. It's pointless anyway—I'm still unhappy, so what does it matter? I just want it on the record that I'm neither crazy nor stupid... and I won't be saying anything else...

Kate Thompson45 said:Noah Moore4, I totally get where you're coming from. Honestly, I second-guessed myself about a hundred times before finally deciding on Smith. I just had a good feeling about him right from the start—and looking back, I don't regret it one bit. From what I could gather through the grapevine, there was only one girl who went to him for a rhinoplasty who wasn't happy, but we never actually saw any photos or anything... She claimed the bump she’d had removed came back, then started talking about bone malunion or whatever... so, who knows what the actual deal was. Some people are just wired to never be satisfied, no matter what.

As for Johnson, personally, I’d never make that call. I’ve heard way more horror stories about him than I ever have about Smith. For instance, I know that after surgery, he doesn't provide any discharge papers or documentation regarding the implants used. That just doesn't sit right with me—it makes me question his professionalism, frankly. BUT, hey, different strokes for different folks... I've seen plenty of posts from people who were thrilled with his work, so just keep that in mind 😕

I think your best bet is to book consultations with both of them and just see which vibe fits you better. That’s exactly what I did, and my gut instinct didn't steer me wrong—Smith turned out to be a total win for me! 😁

You can't just sit here and talk about something you clearly don't understand—you're insulting me publicly, acting like I'm some crazy person talking nonsense. I know exactly what my situation is and how I feel. And just for your information, several people on this forum and a whole bunch of people in my own circle have seen my nose. Stop rambling about my problem when you don't have a clue what's going on. If your goal is to praise and exalt this doctor, go right ahead, but leave me out of it because you have no idea what you're talking about...

Ashley Young34 said:I'm wondering if Ostojić messed you up? I have an appointment scheduled with him, so now I'm curious if there's anything I should know about his work... if anyone else has been under his care, please give me the lowdown, please 🙏

He operated on me—it's almost been a full year now...

The doctor I saw actually wrote everything down—so yeah, I have the paperwork to prove it. But honestly? I’m terrified of going back there. If they missed this the first time around, who's to say they won't just overlook it again... it feels like a losing game. I’m thinking about trying to get my money back, though God knows how I’ll actually pull that off. To be blunt about doctors in the hospital system—anyone who actually knows what they're doing usually has their own private practice on the side. In the actual hospitals, they just hand you over to the interns so they can "learn" on you... so really, your options are pretty much nonexistent. I could sit here and cry about it for years, but instead, I'm stuck paying off the bill for a procedure that didn't even work right... if only I had actually gotten what I paid for... it's just awful.

Joseph Hughes7 said:I’m still waiting on an answer... if you could please get back to me.

So, I’ve got to go under the knife for a septoplasty to fix this deviated septum... nothing life-threatening, obviously. I can breathe okay for the most part, but my left nostril feels constantly restricted—just a constant, nagging struggle. It all goes back to one of my boxing matches; took a nasty hit right to the face, and that little piece of cartilage inside my nose ended up shifted and cracked on the left side. Now, the doctors say they need to remove that tiny fragment just so I can actually draw a full breath through the left side again... simple enough, I guess, but still...

I was over at Johns Hopkins Hospital earlier for an exam with... Dr. Martin Jurlina Just based on a recommendation...
So, this guy spends all of three minutes looking me over—barely enough time to grab a coffee, really—and then just casually drops the bomb that I’ll need general anesthesia for this... As if it's no big deal. Just a quick glance and suddenly we're talking about being knocked out completely...

And then, out of nowhere, comes this absolute shocker from his mouth. He actually says—get this—that he isn't responsible if the procedure doesn't go according to plan. I mean, seriously... WTF! 😲

When I actually sat him down and asked what his take was—you know, how he thought the whole surgery should actually go down—he didn't give me a single word... just acted like he couldn't hear a thing I was saying. Just pure avoidance...

So, what now? Is the move to just head over to a private specialist—like seeing Dr. Ostojić, for instance—and pay out of pocket... $2667 So, I’m stuck weighing my options... do I actually go through with this surgery, or do I just take my chances with a surgeon who acts like he couldn't care less? Honestly, dealing with someone who treats you like just another number on a chart—as if they aren't even invested in whether you get better or not—is enough to make anyone hesitate. It's a hell of a gamble when you don't feel like you have someone truly in your corner...

Has anyone here actually dealt with this doctor over at Johns Hopkins Hospital?

Honestly, you might as well just go see Ostojić... he'll probably do an even worse job than this, and you'll end up paying a premium for the privilege, too...$3.75So, I went to see another doctor for a second opinion, and honestly... it’s just as bad as I feared. The verdict is in: my right rib didn't heal properly—it basically shifted, leaving this weird gap where it feels like there's a literal hole because the bone didn't knit back together right. To make matters worse, they removed way too much cartilage during the first go-round—the stuff that was actually supposed to be rebuilt with the graft—and the nasal bridge didn't even settle correctly. Long story short: I’m looking at another surgery, and we're talking about $2,500 out of pocket for the whole thing. And now I'm just sitting here wondering... what do I even do? Every time the thought of going under the knife again crosses my mind, I just freeze. The idea of that grueling recovery process all over again—going through the same pain, the same setbacks—is exhausting. And the big question hanging over me is... will it actually be better this time, or am I just throwing good money after bad? Has anyone else been through this kind of mess? I could really use some advice... or even just a little bit of comfort...

mellowraven14 said:It’s been three months since my surgery, and now that the swelling is finally dying down, I can see this bump—I can actually feel it under my fingers. This is my third procedure, and honestly, I’m just out of strength. I don't even have any hope left that things will improve... I haven't heard of anyone getting an implant specifically to make their nose look flat, so if anyone has experience with that, please let me know.

Good grief, it’s the exact same story for me. Only, my doctor kept insisting there was nothing to see... but now that the swelling is receding, everything looks even worse. I started noticing it around month four. Do you have any idea when this "growth" phase actually stops? I’ll be hitting the one-year mark in two months. And please, tell me—who did your surgery? How does it work when they just go in to fix that specific part, is it the same process as the first operation? How long is the recovery? Please, I really need an answer because I am spiraling here...

driftingsurfer96 said:Look, everyone, let’s stop talking in circles here... and I don't want anyone to take this personally or feel attacked, but you just can't say things like that to people. You can't have someone walk into a hospital with zero deviation and absolutely no actual medical issue, and then demand an aesthetic nose job! For crying out loud!!! A crooked nose isn't a medical condition!! Just think about it for a second—what if we were wasting money on beautifying someone's nose while, on the other hand, someone with a legitimate, serious problem can't get surgery because there's simply no money left in the budget?? If you want cosmetic work, go to a private clinic; it shouldn't be Medicare's job to pay for your vanity project.

She has no leg to stand on if there's no deviation. On what grounds could she even insist? What’s going to happen—is she going to walk up to an ENT and they'll tell her there's nothing medically wrong, and she'll just snap back that they *have* to operate because she "demands" it? It doesn't work that way.

First things first, the girl needs to get an exam. If they diagnose a deviation, any doctor will perform the surgery because that IS a medical issue, and in that specific case, she’d be entitled to it. And *then* she could ask the doctors to touch up the aesthetics while they're at it. But I'm telling you, if there is no deviation whatsoever, there is nothing to insist on—let alone expecting a hospital to give her free plastic surgery.

I personally know a girl who tried the exact same thing—trying to play the doctors, faking a deviation and breathing issues just to squeeze out some cosmetic work... and they told her straight up that she had no problem and that the hospital—and certainly Medicare—wouldn't be covering it. So, in the end, she went to a private surgeon and paid out of pocket.
I mean, by that logic, some idiot could just wander into a hospital and insist on getting breast implants and expect Medicare to foot the bill.

I disagree on one point... a crooked nose is a health issue if it messes with a person's mental health.

mellowraven14 said:Hey, I’ve been lurking here for about a month now just watching everyone talk... I’ve actually had nose surgery three times here in the States—the last one was just a month ago. And now, just when everything should be settling down, that damn cartilage at the root of my nose has suddenly swollen up again. I’m honestly baffled... how is this even possible? Especially since I had surgery specifically for this exact issue two years ago. I think George Robinson58 had something similar going on... the tip looks great, but there’s still this hump that isn't just going to disappear on its own. They say they have to shave it down again and maybe use a tiny implant—kind of like a little shim—to get the profile straight. I don't get any of this anymore and I'm honestly spiraling because I have no idea what the end result is even going to look like... George Robinson58, please, send me some photos so I can see what happened with your nose, and I’ll send you mine.

Good God... maybe that’s my issue too. I truly don't know what's happening because my doctor keeps insisting he doesn't see anything at all. But the middle of my nose, right where the hump used to be, is constantly swollen... the skin looks discolored and it just keeps growing until it looks like a hump again. What is that even supposed to be? It'll be a full year since my surgery this February...

I've been wondering... does anyone here actually know what it’s like when they only do the nasal strips—just the narrow ones? Has anyone gone through that? And honestly, how long does the recovery actually take...

driftingsurfer96 said:Yeah, look, everyone reacts differently, and sure, some people just hear everything clearly while they're under anesthesia... but I really don't get this idea that we wouldn't know what was done to us. Like, how would we not know if the surgeon actually broke a bone or just filed it down?? Of course I know what happened during my procedure—for God's sake!! Who even goes into surgery without asking questions beforehand or having any clue about what’s actually going to happen once they knock you out?!

Take me, for example—I was fully expecting my discharge papers to include a detailed breakdown of the actual procedure, but nope... it doesn't say anything except for the anesthesia used and the meds I was given afterward. It makes me wonder, did anyone else who went through it with Dr. Ostojic actually get a written account of what was performed...

Ashley Young34 said:Yeah, but what I really want to know is—did you have a hump on your nose before the surgery? Because I don't, and all I wanted was just to slightly shorten it...😁
Regardless of everything else, he really ought to own up to his mistake and make it right in your situation.🤷

Look, I definitely had a hump before. And just when I thought I was finally done with it, here we go again—it’s smaller, sure, but it’s growing. I called him yesterday and he told me to come in next week so he can take a look, but then he hits me with that line—"I can't do anything for you guys until a year has passed, and besides, every surgery carries risks; maybe something else won't turn out right, just imagine..." God... I get it, okay? I understand and accept that every procedure comes with risks, but if I just wanted a prettier nose—and I paid good money for it—and he couldn't actually deliver that result, he should have just been honest from the start.

Rebecca Gomez37 said:did they break your nose or just reshape it?
I've got my little scar, but it’s only been three weeks since the surgery...
I honestly feel so lucky that my doctor actually listens to my concerns—even when things don't turn out perfect. He told me straight up that in medicine, you can never be 100% certain, that sometimes 2+2 equals 5... he said his main priority is making sure I'm happy with the result. He basically told me, "Look, this is just two hours of work for me, but it's your happiness and your life."
I can't even explain how much easier it is to deal with all this uncertainty because he's being so reasonable about it.

Honestly, I have no clue. My discharge papers just list the anesthesia used and what injections or IV fluids I received... nothing about what he actually did to the structure itself. I think he might have broken it, but I wasn't even happy right away—the nostrils look way too wide, I look a bit like a primate whenever I smile, and the left nostril looks wider than the right one. It feels like the bone split or something... I don't know how to describe it, it's like there's missing cartilage or something. I tried to take comfort in the profile because it looked nice at first, but now suddenly there's this bump that just keeps getting bigger. It scares me because he's claiming he's never seen a case like this and insists it has nothing to do with the surgery. Can you imagine the state I'm in? I've already thought about seeing someone else just to get a second opinion on what happened to my nose, but damn, I paid a fortune for this and I just want a normal nose. I'm calling him tomorrow and I don't care what he says—I want him to fix it however he can. He knows exactly what he did, he's just playing dumb...

Ashley Young34 said:So, I finally made my call... I've decided to go with Ostojic. 😉
I have no clue what's driving me to go see him—honestly, I can't quite put my finger on it—but I did spend some time scrolling through his portfolio earlier... and looking at his work, he seems alright, I guess...🙂

I actually went to see him myself, and honestly, I’ve still got this bump on my nose eight months later—so maybe you should take a beat and think this through... Look, there's a chance everything might turn out fine, but if things go south, he isn't going to own up to his mistake. Not a chance. He’s spent the whole time playing mind games with me, trying to make me feel like I'm the one losing my grip on reality...

Samuel Reyes26 said:I’ve been massaging this thing every single day for a year and a half now, and it just won't budge!
It’s shrunk a bit compared to when I first noticed it, but you can still see it—it looks like some leftover
crunchy bits or whatever.
I didn't even have this at the start, it just kind of developed over time.
I have no clue how it even happened, but I just want it gone!
Deep down, I knew something like this would happen to me... I just knew it!
I always end up getting screwed over. It’s like the universe has a personal vendetta against me, I’m such a magnet for bad luck...😠😢😢

Well, I'm dealing with the exact same thing... it's been 8 months since my surgery. Around month 6, I noticed this tiny little bump—you could only see it from my right profile—but then I woke up yesterday and the little bump had turned into a full-on lump... I am losing my mind, honestly, and I'm just miserable. What did I even pay $12,000 for? I can't stop touching it and poking at it, and it's driving me insane.... What scares me even more is that my doctor basically just brushed me off. He tells me he's never seen a case like this before and he doesn't know what to do next—like, he's done his part and he's washing his hands of it, while I'm stuck here rubbing corticosteroids on myself because the area is itching like I was bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes. I just knew this would happen to me too... I always seem to be the one who gets the short end of the stick.

Laura Booth6 said:Ah, I honestly can't tell if they messed something up—this was my first surgery ever, and fingers crossed it’ll be my last 😁—but I’m assuming they did, because it felt absolutely terrifying...

I only posted the nose incision shot earlier; once everything is fully healed, I'll put up actual before-and-after photos. Until then, you'll just have to settle for the bruising... which isn't even that bad. Everything feels pretty much the same, maybe there's some swelling under the tape at the top, maybe it's all purple, but from what I can see, it's mostly just in the corners of my eyes. I'll snap a photo tomorrow and brighten it up a bit so you guys can actually see what's going on... people always act surprised when they visit because they expect me to be unable to open my eyes...

I don't know about specific hospitals, but yeah, if it's general anesthesia, you feel absolutely nothing. You're basically "dead"—that's why the anesthesiologist stays right by your side, since they're the one responsible for making sure you keep breathing... 🙂

Girl, you look great. When I went through this, I was all bruised and swollen around my eyes and corners—it peaked on day two and three. Honestly, I was terrified my kid would go into shock just looking at me. How are you handling the tampons? That was hands down the worst thing in my life, even though I only had them for a day... I felt like I was choking, and my mouth was so dry constantly. As for the anesthesia, it sounds like they dropped the ball; I work in the medical field and you shouldn't have had that experience, but it'll all pass quickly. The main thing is that the nose is going to look beautiful

He didn't clear up a single thing for me—honestly, I felt more like I was just hanging out in the waiting room than actually getting treated. It’s pretty obvious everyone handles this stuff differently, but my gut tells me this guy just wants to collect his insurance money and get me out the door as fast as possible... which explains why I still have this lump. I'm planning to call him tomorrow to let him know it's still there. Last time we spoke, he basically told me he'd never seen a case quite like mine and suggested I just keep rubbing corticosteroids on it because something probably just got nicked during the procedure. Can you imagine? There's this hard little knot right where he was working... oh man, help me, it's already starting to mess with my profile. I'm not foolish enough to go running to some other doctor just to have them tell me what it is and what to do next...
d

ruggedpanther25 said:I was wondering what actually happens at the two-month follow-up?
They don't do anything special, or does the doctor just take a quick look...
And do you have to pay for it? I'm really hoping not...🙂

In my case, they just checked out my nose and took a couple of photos—took maybe five minutes tops—and I didn't have to pay a dime.🙄

I really wish wispher would check in... I'm dying to hear what she finally decided to do about her nose

wanderingangler8 said:Every single procedure carries its own set of risks... Honestly, when I first sat down for my consultation, the first thing the doctor told me was that there’s no such thing as a risk-free surgery.
But nowadays, these things have somehow become routine—which is how they approach them, too. Whether that's actually a good thing or not... well, I think that's something every patient needs to weigh for themselves.

How long has it been since your surgery?

Still thinking about it... it’s been six months now, and I can’t stop spiraling. I’m constantly panicking, wondering if he just completely botched the whole thing. It makes me wonder why I even bothered—as if my life wasn't already complicated enough without adding this to the mix. You go into debt for a nose job because you think, "Hey, maybe I can finally fix just one thing in my life," and then instead, you just end up with a whole new set of problems. Honestly, when I look back at what I actually paid for this... it just breaks my heart. For a single mom like me, that money is basically what I’d spend on daycare for a year. Just... ugh. Maybe I'm just being a pessimist, but I am so incredibly angry at that doctor—and even angrier at myself...