#341 ·
Here’s my take on what it’s actually like to undergo nasal surgery (septum). First, you have to clear some hurdles—standard stuff like an EKG and blood work—just to make sure you’re cleared for anesthesia. If those results come back fine, you’re good to go. I had some issues with blood clotting, so they gave me some injections to handle that before they cleared me for the procedure. On day one, they put you in a room and you just wait for the call to head to the OR. Once I was in the operating room, I stripped down to my boxers and laid on the table. They hooked me up to the EKG first, then gave me a quick injection through my IV. As I recall, after that, they placed the mask over my face and I drifted off after three or four breaths. I actually tried to pinpoint the exact moment I lost consciousness, but I couldn't quite catch it. I know it happened somewhere between the third and fourth breath. 🙂I woke up in my room about two hours after the surgery, and man, I could barely keep my eyes open. I felt terrible and was incredibly groggy. I didn't even get access to water until two hours post-op... Generally speaking, I was a complete wreck all day due to the anesthesia; I could barely crawl my way to the bathroom. My nose didn't really hurt at the time, but I knew I looked like something out of a horror movie, so I avoided looking in the mirror for two days. 😁
As for pain, they kept me on pills, so I wasn't in any agony.
Pain is honestly the least of your concerns here. The most irritating part was having to breathe exclusively through my mouth, which made my lips dry out almost instantly. It was a miserable sensation, especially when I realized I’d be stuck like that for six days... absolutely brutal.
I found myself wishing I could just breathe through my nose for even sixty seconds—even if it was just through one nostril like before—just to feel normal again. Another nightmare was drinking anything. After the surgery, I was so thirsty I thought I could drink the entire Atlantic Ocean, but I could barely manage a sip because the more I drank, the more pressure built up in my nose. I had to take tiny sips; a single small glass took me about six hours to finish.
Third thing: I couldn't laugh. Any attempt, even a slight chuckle, resulted in sharp pain across my face.
That’s pretty much the rundown of the bad stuff. Most importantly, watch out for that mouth-breathing. Before the surgery, make sure to take deep breaths and enjoy being able to use your nose while you still can. 🙂As far as hospital life goes, I had some decent roommates, so I wasn't bored. The staff was great, and there were plenty of attractive young nurses (probably interns) around, so there was some lighthearted banter. Definitely bring something to read—books, magazines, crosswords—to kill the time. You aren't allowed to leave your unit during your stay, so pack whatever you think you might need.
Oh, I forgot one thing: the gauze tucked under your nose to prevent bleeding. It gets soaked frequently, so you’ll need to change it every hour or two. It’s not a huge deal during the day, but when you wake up in the middle of the night covered in blood, it’s a problem. I couldn't sleep AT ALL for the first two nights because of that and the mouth-breathing. If I managed five consecutive minutes of sleep, I considered it a win. PRO TIP: shave before the surgery (if you're a guy, obviously), otherwise the blood from your nose will stick to your beard and splatter everywhere, and cleaning that up is a mess.
What else... the food is okay, nothing special. Breakfast is usually toast, jam, or honey with warm milk. Lunch is noodle soup, and dinner is similar to breakfast. One of my roommates wasn't allowed to eat any of that and had to survive on these mushy purees that looked like pig feed for three days. Honestly, if you don't like the menu, just bring something from home; nobody is going to force you to eat if you don't want to.
Aside from spending your days lounging around, reading, or watching TV in the hallway, the staff will be checking in constantly to monitor your sugar, blood pressure, temperature, etc. I suppose sitting around doing nothing for 24 hours isn't easy for everyone (unless you're from the Deep South).😁 You just have to find ways to stay entertained. Time passes, you mostly deal with the same routine, and then on the third day, the surgical team calls you in to pull out the nasal swabs. Not the whole thing, obviously, because they’re incredibly long—just maybe a third of them. It’s a bit jumpy and uncomfortable, but luckily it’s over quickly enough to get through.
Then comes the final day—they clear everything out of my nose, send me back to my room, and write up the discharge papers. I say my goodbyes to everyone and pick up my things. Once I have the paperwork, I ask a few follow-up questions about stuff I don't quite grasp, say goodbye, and head home.
For my treatment, I was prescribed Sterimar spray and a follow-up appointment in two weeks, that kind of thing.
Overall, it was a decent experience; I had good company, so the time flew by. If you're worried about the surgery itself, don't be. Honestly, if you're going to be anxious, worry more about breathing through your mouth. The actual procedure is painless, since it's done under general anesthesia, of course.
If there's anything else you want to know, just ask.
As for pain, they kept me on pills, so I wasn't in any agony.
Pain is honestly the least of your concerns here. The most irritating part was having to breathe exclusively through my mouth, which made my lips dry out almost instantly. It was a miserable sensation, especially when I realized I’d be stuck like that for six days... absolutely brutal.
I found myself wishing I could just breathe through my nose for even sixty seconds—even if it was just through one nostril like before—just to feel normal again. Another nightmare was drinking anything. After the surgery, I was so thirsty I thought I could drink the entire Atlantic Ocean, but I could barely manage a sip because the more I drank, the more pressure built up in my nose. I had to take tiny sips; a single small glass took me about six hours to finish.
Third thing: I couldn't laugh. Any attempt, even a slight chuckle, resulted in sharp pain across my face.
That’s pretty much the rundown of the bad stuff. Most importantly, watch out for that mouth-breathing. Before the surgery, make sure to take deep breaths and enjoy being able to use your nose while you still can. 🙂As far as hospital life goes, I had some decent roommates, so I wasn't bored. The staff was great, and there were plenty of attractive young nurses (probably interns) around, so there was some lighthearted banter. Definitely bring something to read—books, magazines, crosswords—to kill the time. You aren't allowed to leave your unit during your stay, so pack whatever you think you might need.
Oh, I forgot one thing: the gauze tucked under your nose to prevent bleeding. It gets soaked frequently, so you’ll need to change it every hour or two. It’s not a huge deal during the day, but when you wake up in the middle of the night covered in blood, it’s a problem. I couldn't sleep AT ALL for the first two nights because of that and the mouth-breathing. If I managed five consecutive minutes of sleep, I considered it a win. PRO TIP: shave before the surgery (if you're a guy, obviously), otherwise the blood from your nose will stick to your beard and splatter everywhere, and cleaning that up is a mess.
What else... the food is okay, nothing special. Breakfast is usually toast, jam, or honey with warm milk. Lunch is noodle soup, and dinner is similar to breakfast. One of my roommates wasn't allowed to eat any of that and had to survive on these mushy purees that looked like pig feed for three days. Honestly, if you don't like the menu, just bring something from home; nobody is going to force you to eat if you don't want to.
Aside from spending your days lounging around, reading, or watching TV in the hallway, the staff will be checking in constantly to monitor your sugar, blood pressure, temperature, etc. I suppose sitting around doing nothing for 24 hours isn't easy for everyone (unless you're from the Deep South).😁 You just have to find ways to stay entertained. Time passes, you mostly deal with the same routine, and then on the third day, the surgical team calls you in to pull out the nasal swabs. Not the whole thing, obviously, because they’re incredibly long—just maybe a third of them. It’s a bit jumpy and uncomfortable, but luckily it’s over quickly enough to get through.
Then comes the final day—they clear everything out of my nose, send me back to my room, and write up the discharge papers. I say my goodbyes to everyone and pick up my things. Once I have the paperwork, I ask a few follow-up questions about stuff I don't quite grasp, say goodbye, and head home.
For my treatment, I was prescribed Sterimar spray and a follow-up appointment in two weeks, that kind of thing.
Overall, it was a decent experience; I had good company, so the time flew by. If you're worried about the surgery itself, don't be. Honestly, if you're going to be anxious, worry more about breathing through your mouth. The actual procedure is painless, since it's done under general anesthesia, of course.
If there's anything else you want to know, just ask.
