Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

I honestly have no clue where I got this from before—I swear I read somewhere that you head back home the very next day, and then you've gotta go back in maybe 5 or 6 days later just to get those tampons pulled out.

redranger82 said:I don't know, I think I read somewhere that you head home the next day and then have to go back in about 5 or 6 days after the surgery just to get the packing removed.

That's only if you're going through a private clinic.
If you're at a public hospital, they actually keep you admitted until they pull those tampons out.

redranger82 said:Hey there, it's me again. 😁

I’m looking for some insight from anyone who has undergone a septoplasty—specifically, how long is the hospital stay following the procedure, and how many days pass before the follow-up appointment to have the packing removed? I'll be heading to Mount Sinai, though I'm not actually based in NYC.

You aren't "going for" a septal deviation; you are going to undergo surgery to correct a septal deviation😉.

Your actual hospital stay depends entirely on the scope of the work—whether they are simply correcting the septum or performing a full nasal reconstruction once the surgeon opens things up—as well as the specific technique used (open vs. closed surgery). Ultimately, the timing for removing the packing, films, or whatever internal supports they use is dictated by the surgical approach and what the doctor decides is necessary for your specific case.😉

Sam Kim12 said:you aren't just going in for a deviated septum; you are undergoing a deviated septum surgery😉.

Your hospital stay depends entirely on the scope of the procedure—whether the surgeon is addressing only the septum or performing a full nasal reconstruction after an initial examination—and which technique is utilized, such as open or closed surgery. Furthermore, the specific surgical approach and the duration of recovery depend on when the surgeon removes your packing, dressings, or any other internal supports used during the process.😉

Predicting the timeline, the complexity, potential complications, or even the type of nasal packing is impossible. When I had my procedure during high school, I planned for a four-week break from classes for a simple septoplasty. That was accurate. It took two and a half months before I could return to physical training, and a full year before things completely stabilized.

I recently underwent surgery to fix a deviated septum along with some cosmetic adjustments, and after about a month and a half, everything seems to be going smoothly... actually, things felt okay even after just two weeks. However, I’m still struggling with this thickened, swollen mucous membrane in my right nostril—the side they didn't even touch during the procedure—while breathing through the other side (which was being corrected) feels absolutely perfect. A few years back, I had a nasty wipeout on my mountain bike that broke my nose, so there's definitely some history there. I suspect the issue stems from how much I relied on over-the-counter nasal sprays before the surgery, which probably did a number on that first nostril. My doctor mentioned that we could perform another procedure to remove that excess tissue so I can breathe normally on both sides (I'm not sure if he could have handled that during the initial surgery, but it is what it is at this point). Has anyone here gone through a follow-up procedure to remove excess mucosa or significant swelling like this?

Has anyone here had nose surgery with Dr. Cikojević in San Francisco? 😊 thanks

Jerry Davis48 said:And then there's the age factor—the sheer complexity of the surgery itself, the potential complications, the type of packing used, well, everything. It’s impossible to predict. I remember when I went under the knife; I was in my mid-twenties and planned for a four-week break from work—just a simple septoplasty. And sure enough, it went exactly to plan. Two and a half months before hitting the gym again, and about a year until things finally felt stabilized.

The bolded part has already been mentioned😉

Naturally, you have to account for a massive range of variables, making it incredibly difficult to say how someone's recovery will actually play out.

In my case, I underwent an extremely grueling procedure that lasted nearly two hours—a closed reconstruction—when I was 33. They had me packed with foils and various dressings that had to be removed after four or five days, and all in all, my recovery was lightning fast—😁pure luck, really—whereas my neighbor, who only had a basic septoplasty, took three times as long to bounce back as I did.
Recovery is entirely dependent on a multitude of factors, which is why even the surgeons won't give you a hard guarantee on timing; they simply can't know exactly how the healing process will unfold or what hurdles might pop up along the way.

That said, I strongly recommend the procedure to anyone struggling to breathe. Looking back at my own experience, I feel like a fool for waiting and suffering through it for years just because of what people were saying. It wasn't until after the surgery that I truly understood what it meant to actually breathe properly and clearly through my nose.🙏

I have searched through all the threads regarding rhinoplasty, yet nobody seems to mention how much Klapan charges for aesthetic surgery, septoplasty, or the combination of both. From what I can gather, he refuses to even provide a quote when asked. I guess he’s just built differently if he can operate that way.

My issue involves a deviated septum and a crooked nose. If I decide to go through with it, I would prefer to handle everything at once. I visited a clinic in Seattle where I liked Dr. Vlašić, and she sent me for a few minor tests before scheduling a date. When I showed up for my final appointment hoping to secure a slot, she told me she wanted to try using a nasal spray for two months first. Being naive, I agreed, though I really should have had the backbone to simply tell her I want the surgery done. Based on what I've read, they can perform the aesthetic work alongside the functional correction. I haven't brought it up yet because she always seems to be in such a rush, looking like she’s just praying to make it through the workday.

My plan was to settle things with Orešković so I could finally have some peace of mind. I have a feeling that if I tell this woman exactly what I want, she'll just end up referring me to a clinic in Plano. 🙂
Since my case involves both functional and aesthetic corrections, it might be complicated, so I am interested in the pricing; I am honestly considering looking into private specialists instead. No one will give me a price until they actually examine me—not even a range—and the consultations run about 200-$133...
Does anyone have any feedback regarding costs if you have had both procedures done?

amberjackal90 said:Has anyone here had nose surgery performed by Dr. Cikojević in San Francisco? 😊 Thanks!

I find myself in the same boat; the more I read through this thread, the more uneasy I start to feel.🕺

Ryan Davis2 said:I’ve been scouring every single thread about nose surgery, and honestly, nobody seems to mention what Klapan actually charges for cosmetic work versus a septum repair, or what the combo deal looks like. From what I can gather, the guy won't even give you a ballpark figure unless you're staring him in the face. Man, he’s got some serious nerve being able to pull that off.

My whole issue is this deviated septum and a crooked nose. If I’m going to bite the bullet and go under the knife, I want to get everything fixed at once. I went down to a clinic in a suburb near San Francisco where I met Dr. Vlašić, and she had me run a few minor tests before we could even talk about a date. I showed up for my last follow-up hoping to finally nail down a schedule, and she tells me she wants to try using some nasal spray for two months first. I was such a pushover—just sat there nodding like an idiot instead of just telling her, "Look, I just want the surgery done." Apparently, they can do both the aesthetic stuff and the functional repair together, but I didn't bring it up because she seemed totally frazzled, like she was just counting down the seconds until her shift ended.

The plan was to wrap things up with Orešković so I could finally sleep easy at night. I have this nagging feeling that if I tell this woman what I actually want, she’ll just try to send me straight to the ER. 🙂
Since my case involves both functional and cosmetic tweaks, it's probably pretty complicated, so I really need to know the price before I decide whether to just find a private surgeon elsewhere. Nobody will give me a number until they see me in person, not even a range, and apparently, the consultations run about 200 bucks $133...
Does anyone have any intel on the cost if you're doing both?

I’m also looking into getting a deviated septum fixed.
I live in the Northwest part of Canada, and the doctor who checked me out here gave me the diagnosis but told me I should probably head over to the States to get it handled. There just aren't
the facilities or the specialists around here to manage a case as tricky as mine. We used to have Dr. Esad Avdagic working here, who eventually moved over to work at
Salad and Holy Spirit, but he retired and moved to Canada.
Everyone I talked to said he was a top-tier expert.
When I was Googling around to see where to go, Dr. Ivica Klapan kept popping up at the top of the results. I sent an email to his clinic explaining my whole situation in detail.
His response? He can't give me any answers until he sees me in person.
So, fine, I booked a consultation. I didn't even bother asking about the exam fee since I saw online that they start around 200-$117.
I went in for the appointment and walked him through everything I’d written in that email.
He took notes, poked around my nose with those little metal tools for maybe two seconds, and then spent about 30 or 40 seconds looking around with a camera. While he was typing away, I asked him if he knew Dr. Avdagic, because I heard he does some freelance work for him when he's visiting the US.
"Oh, Esad? He's a great friend. Now that he's in Canada, we just catch up over Skype," he said, before looking up at me and adding, "You know, Skype—it's that thing where you look at each other through the computer while you talk."
I just stared at him. Part of me wanted to tell him that just because I'm from Canada doesn't mean I'm living in the Middle Ages and don't know what Skype is. I decided right then and there that there was no way I was letting him operate on me.
Right then, he starts talking about the price. He says for my situation, the basic procedure is one thing,
but he needs to use a laser to widen the nostril that's too narrow. He called it a simple 20-minute job and told me the nurse would give me the final price and all the details when I walked out.
And sure enough, when I left, the nurse pulled out a file and found that my "basic procedure" was going to cost 15 $0.00 plus $233 for the pre-op internal checkup. So, I figured I'd just pay for this today and think about it.
Then the other nurse sitting at the desk said...$217But honestly, he wouldn't even look me in the eye, just kept muttering under his breath like he was talking to himself. I mean, I paid my dues and everything, just wanted to get in and out.
I'll let you guys be the judge of whether it's overpriced or not, because frankly, he didn't give me any real news—just some vague diagnosis
that he basically just dumped in an email. The actual exam? It felt like it lasted maybe five or six minutes tops, and the rest was just a bunch of filler nonsense meant to stretch things out so it looks like we hit that thirty-minute appointment slot.
So, after all that, I headed over to Cedars-Sinai and booked my surgery there instead.
$2167The surgery itself is one thing, and then there's what I already shelled out for the exam $77.
I've got the procedure scheduled with Dr. Marjanovica.

Back in January, I underwent an ENT septoplasty at Vinogradski. It was a grueling four-hour procedure; I had gone through all the consultations beforehand and felt prepared by my surgeon, but the reality was quite intense. The internal deviation was severe, and the nasal pyramid itself was essentially shattered, which meant the surgical team—especially the lead doctor—really had their work cut out for them in the OR. They used an open technique, so I have a small incision, but I’ll need to undergo a minor aesthetic follow-up once the mucosa has fully healed and settled. Since this first round focused primarily on functionality rather than looks, they couldn't fully address the external structure of the nose and the tip just yet.
The recovery process is such a wild card; honestly, even the doctors can't predict exactly how things will unfold. I had to deal with nasal packing for five days and a splint for seven. When they removed the splint, they also took out some incredibly unpleasant packing from the outside, and ten days later, they removed the nasal fixation along with more packing. I still have some internal supports, but those should dissolve on their own. Fortunately, I haven't dealt with heavy bleeding or fevers, though everything feels strangely stiff and swollen right now. I expect this sensation to linger for about six months, and it might take up to a year for the fractured bone areas to truly stabilize.
There really isn't a set rule for this kind of thing, but I ended up staying in the hospital for ten days altogether. Total

Sam Kim12 said:That bolded part has already been mentioned.😉

Of course, you have to consider so many different variables, and it's nearly impossible to say how someone else's recovery will go.

I went through a very intense reconstruction when I was 33; it lasted nearly two hours using a closed technique. I had foils and packing inside my nose that stayed in for four or five days, and miraculously, my recovery was lightning-fast😁 (I was lucky!) whereas my neighbor only had a simple septum repair and ended up recovering three times longer than I did......
Recovery depends on so many moving parts that even doctors can't give you a guaranteed timeline, because they simply can't know how your specific body will react to the healing process.

That said, I highly recommend the surgery to anyone struggling to breathe. Looking back, I feel like a fool for waiting and suffering for years just because of what other people were saying. It wasn't until after the surgery that I truly understood the difference between struggling for air and breathing naturally and clearly through your nose.🙏

redranger82 said:Hey there, it’s me again. 😁

I was hoping to get some insight from anyone who has gone through a septoplasty. Specifically, how long does one typically stay in the hospital following the surgery, and how many days pass before you have a follow-up appointment to get the nasal packing removed? I’m heading to a facility in San Francisco, though I don't actually live in the city area.

How long you stay in the hospital really comes down to how you handle the recovery process afterward; that timeframe is mostly just a general guideline once the procedure is done. It's definitely a minimum of seven days, since you'll be dealing with the nasal packing for about five days, and if you don't experience any bleeding after they pull the packing out—and if your temperature stays totally normal—then you're in good shape. However, if you start running a fever or things get messy, you might end up staying longer.
With stuff like this, there aren't any absolute certainties. In my own experience, most people ended up running a bit of a fever or seeing some spotting after the procedure. And of course, right after the operation, they'll move you to the ICU to wake up, where you'll likely remain until the next morning...

But honestly, it isn't that unusual; everything just depends on your body's reaction and the specifics of the surgery, which is what other colleagues always tell me...

In my case, I was on the operating table for about four hours.

Hello everyone, I have a question and was hoping someone might be able to offer some guidance if they have experienced something similar.
So, for about a year and a half now, I’ve been dealing with this incredibly unpleasant sensation where thick fluid or mucus constantly drains from my sinuses down into my throat, making it quite difficult to swallow... It fluctuates slightly, with certain days feeling a bit better than others, but it happens every single day and it is honestly becoming quite exhausting to deal with. When I check my throat, I can actually see this clear mucus sitting there—I am so sorry to even bring that up, I know how gross it sounds... Additionally, whenever I sleep on one side, I feel like the other nostril gets somewhat congested, which isn't a massive issue, but it is certainly an annoyance. A few days ago, I also experienced some pain on the left side of my head near my ear, including a little bit of discomfort within the ear itself. About a year back, I had this persistent pain for two weeks right above my right eyebrow, though that seems to have cleared up. I find myself blowing my nose very frequently as well. I have seen my doctor several times already and was prescribed various liquids and nasal sprays; I even did daily inhalations for over a month, yet nothing has provided any lasting relief so far... Does anyone know what these symptoms might point toward? I am planning to schedule another appointment soon, and they will likely suggest a sinus scan, but since I am currently away from the US, I won't be able to get everything sorted for at least another month or so... In a situation like mine, would surgery even be a possibility, and if so, what kind of procedure would we be looking at? Thank you all so much in advance! 🙂

slydriver56 said:I’ve finally picked out a surgeon and scheduled my procedure—I'm going private for this one. Now I'm wondering about all those pre-op tests I need to get done before the actual surgery... can I just ask my primary care doctor for referrals, and will they actually give them to me considering the surgery is purely cosmetic?
Thanks 🙂

You should have absolutely no problem getting all those tests cleared through your primary care physician; the only real downside is that it might take a bit longer since you'll be running back and forth between different offices. However, given how close your surgery date is, they can usually find a way to "squeeze you in" if things get tight. At least, that's what I was told when I started my own round of testing—which, by the way, I'm just beginning now! Best of luck to you! :klap:

slydriver56 said:Can anyone tell me what kind of prices we're looking at for those celebrity nose jobs? And does he offer any sort of discount if you pay in cash?
I honestly can't find anything online regarding his specific pricing—is it actually possible that there isn't a set fee and it just depends on who you ask?

Well, you could always just give them a call; the cost is usually around $6333, but even then, you’ll likely be waiting two or three months just to get a consultation, let alone the actual surgery.🙂

I’m diving into this topic because I haven't quite wrapped my head around how the billing works regarding the cosmetic side of things... specifically, if I decide to go through with sinus and septum surgery under Medicare, does one actually have to pay extra for the aesthetic portion, and if so, just how much? I've seen conflicting information floating around online where some sources say yes and others say no, so I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on what exactly determines that distinction...

Amy Brooks17 said:I don't know, I guess the more I read through this thread, the more it just... gets under my skin? It’s kind of strange—I feel like I'm getting more worked up about it the deeper I dive into all these posts. Maybe it's just me, but it’s definitely starting to bother me. 🕺

It’s been about a month since my surgery... and honestly, I can't even put into words how happy I am. This whole thing started because I had a previous surgery with a doctor—who, thank God, is retired now—that basically left me in a total mess. Everything was ruined. But I finally went back under the knife a month ago for a second procedure, this time with Dr. Cikojević, and I really have to emphasize that it was a complicated case... yet he handled it perfectly! Seriously, you aren't going to find a better doctor than him. 🙂
He’s also incredibly polite and easy to talk to—really approachable, too!
👍👍 😁

coppergardener40 said:Hi everyone. I have a question. If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.
I've been dealing with this for a year and a half now. This nasty fluid or mucus constantly drains from my sinuses down my throat, making it hard to swallow. It gets slightly better occasionally, but it happens every single day and it’s incredibly frustrating. If I check my throat, I can see clear mucus sitting there—gross, I know. Also, whenever I sleep on one side, the other nostril feels partially blocked. It isn't a disaster, but it’s annoying. A few days ago, I had some pain on the left side of my head near my ear, including some discomfort inside the ear itself. About a year ago, I had constant pain above my right eyebrow for two weeks, but that cleared up. I find myself blowing my nose all the time. I've seen doctors several times and they prescribed various liquids and sinus sprays. I’ve been doing daily inhalations for a month at a time, but nothing has worked so far. Does anyone know what these symptoms might point to? I plan on seeing a doctor again and hopefully getting a sinus scan, but I'm currently out of the country, so I can't get anything done for about another month. In my case, would surgery be necessary? And if so, what kind? Thanks in advance. 🙂

I’m not sure if the doctors will actually pin down the sinus issue, but you should always demand a straight answer from them. Most physicians don't bother with the details because they assume patients won't grasp the complexity—which isn't entirely wrong, given most aren't trained to explain it simply. Then again, they often stay vague when they genuinely don't know the answer themselves. It feels like old-school medicine; they have a handful of catch-all diagnoses for everything they can't explain. For years—five years, give or take—I’ve dealt with a rotating list of issues: intermittent ear infections (never both at once), sore throats, pain behind the eyes that occasionally blurs my vision, constant nerves, aching in my jawbone and joints, skin patches like psoriasis, redness on my face and neck, and joint pain in my fingers and knees. The medical runaround was endless. They prescribed eye and ear drops, fever reducers, throat swabs, blood work, eucalyptus steam inhalation, dermatology consults, even therapy. After all that, the final verdict? They basically treated me like an idiot for not just Googling my own symptoms to see if they shared a single root cause. So, I did exactly that. Based on scientific papers and a close look at my own mouth, I realized my wisdom teeth were protruding sideways and acting as a focal point for the trouble. Three dentists and an orthodontist later, they confirmed it: those teeth were either a likely culprit or the definitive cause for several of my symptoms. Some of the other issues were just nervous reactions triggered by the dull, persistent pain, which only made the sensations in the connected tissues feel more intense. In my case, according to X-rays, those wisdom teeth are direct neighbors to my jaw, other teeth, throat, eye sockets, and inner ear.
I should add that about eight years ago, I had to undergo throat surgery because the tissue was essentially rotting across the entire surface. It was almost painless, but progressive and pretty gruesome to look at. After the procedure, the surgeon warned me that if we hadn't acted, that necrosis would have likely spread to my trachea or lungs. He also mentioned it could have triggered chronic joint issues since they were already compromised, and he didn't rule out the possibility of death. Unfortunately, When I asked about the cause, he had no answer. Years later, purely out of curiosity, I decided to dig into it just like I did with my dental issues. I looked at all the symptoms I went through during that period as one big picture and found medical literature describing similar cases. The root was severe depression and intense suicidal ideation, which causes some people to lose all energy and essentially surrender to death. In that unhealthy state, my circulation was so poor that I was practically anorexic regardless of how much I ate (except for my face, which looked okay due to my bone structure), my hair fell out in clumps and lost its shine and wave, my hands and feet were freezing with blue fingertips, and various skin irritations kept cycling through. After the surgery, I somehow "woke up" and started actually caring about my health—approaching problems differently—just so I wouldn't end up as a literal walking corpse again. Lol

Anyway, the point is that it could be anything. Listen to your body. Take everything happening in your life into account and try to "logic out" the potential causes, then present those ideas to the doctors you see. If it weren't for my aunt—who is self-taught but highly competent in medicine—along with my mother or father using their "influential connections" at the right moment, I would have been sent through endless useless tests by some young doctors just to satisfy their research papers when I first walked into the hospital, before I ever got to see the "real" specialists. Good luck..

Mark Garcia82 said:I also need to undergo a septoplasty.
I live in the Northwest corner of Canada, and the doctor who examined me and gave me the diagnosis recommended I go somewhere in the States, because here in Bihać
they lack both the facilities and the specialists to handle it, since my case is quite complicated. Dr. Esad Avdagic used to work here, but he eventually worked at
salad and holy spirit, then retired and moved to Canada.
Everyone told me he was an excellent specialist.
When Googling where to go, most search results pointed toward Dr. Ivica Klapan. I sent an email to his clinic detailing my entire situation.
The response I got was that the doctor couldn't give me an answer until he examined me in person.
Fine, I scheduled the appointment. I didn't even ask about the consultation fee because I saw online they range from $200-$117.
I went to the appointment and repeated everything I had written in the email.
He took notes, poked my nose with some forceps for two seconds, and then spent maybe 30 or 40 seconds looking around with a camera. While he was typing, I asked him about Dr. Avdagic, because I’d heard that when he visits the States, he does some freelance work with him.
"Oh, Esad? He's a great friend. Now that he's in Canada, we just talk via Skype," he said, before looking at me and adding, "Skype—you know, that thing where you look at each other through the computer and talk."
I just stared at him. I wanted to tell him that just because I'm from Canada doesn't mean I'm living in the Middle Ages and don't know what Skype is. I told myself right then that there was no way I was getting surgery done there.
At that moment, he starts talking about the price. He tells me that for people in my area, it's just a basic procedure,
but they need to use a laser to widen the nostril that's constricted. Apparently, it's a simple 20-minute operation. He said the nurse would provide the price and all the details once I walked out.
And sure enough, when I stepped out, the nurse grabbed a folder, found that my "basic procedure" would cost $15 $0.00 plus $233 for a pre-op physical. Fine, I said, I'll think about it, let me pay for this today.
The second nurse sitting at the desk said $217 but wouldn't even look me in the eye; she was basically talking to herself. I paid the bill and left.
Judge the cost for yourselves. He didn't tell me anything new; I had already described the diagnosis
in my email. The actual exam lasted no more than five or six minutes; the rest was just filler to make it seem like the 30-minute appointment actually happened.
After that, I headed over to a clinic in Chicago and scheduled the surgery there.
$2167 The surgery costs this much, and I already paid for the exam $77.
Surgery is scheduled with Dr. Marjanovica.

He charged me the same way, but he actually helped me, and I feel reborn. To me, he's worth every penny.

Look, maybe that worked for you, but honestly, there's always going to be folks out there who aren't feeling the results at all.
Here's the link if you want to check it out: http://hr.sci.med.narkive.com/08Knrf...uma-glavobolja