Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Jacob Ruiz86 said:I actually just booked my consultation with Dr. John Doe over at Mayo Clinic today, and the earliest opening isn't until late January. Though, I have a feeling he's got the longest waitlist regardless.

On another note, does anyone know if Dr. John Doe would be open to doing some minor touch-ups on the nose if he was the one who handled the original deviated septum surgery?

Right here 😁..
You really just have to ask him directly and state what you're looking for...
That said, he did mention to me that he won't be performing aesthetic procedures at the hospital very much moving forward. My guess? He's probably trying to cut down on overhead or something similar..
But honestly, if you managed to snag an appointment for early next month, I'd say you caught the tail end of the old system. I highly doubt these changes are going to take effect overnight..
I'm actually wondering if this shift applies strictly to Mayo Clinic or if it’s happening at the other hospitals too 🤷. I completely forgot to ask..

jadewolf12 said:So the first appointment for an evaluation isn't even until then? How long is the wait for the actual surgery after that..

You’re looking at about 8 months until they actually operate..
As for getting that initial consultation, I was stuck waiting for 3 or 4 months myself..

My surgery's been pushed back to early January...

Hey everyone! 😉mig:

I'm planning on getting a rhinoplasty with Tony Stark—so I’m asking all you ladies (guys are welcome too, obviously) to shoot me a DM with your experiences. Please include some before-and-after shots and maybe some words of encouragement—you know how that feeling goes 😁 when you're just waiting for the big day 🙂... or if there are others here also planning surgery with him, let's look out for one another. I've been scrolling through this entire thread and honestly, there isn't much bad feedback about him (or them), at least until the very end. It seems like towards the tail end of the discussion, people were actually pretty unhappy, though they didn't want to post it here. I'm open to both the good and the bad. Thanks 😍

frozenpilot60 said:Hey ladies (and guys)! 😉mig:

I'm thinking about getting a rhinoplasty with Dr. Tony Stark, so I was hoping all the girls (though guys are more than welcome too) could shoot me a DM with your experiences—maybe even some before and after photos and a little encouragement. Honestly, 😁 you all know that feeling 🙂... or maybe we can just find other women who are also planning surgery with him so we can support one another. I've scrolled through this entire thread and haven't seen much bad feedback regarding him, at least not until the very end. It seems like there's actually a fair amount of dissatisfied patients, but they just don't post about it here. I'm open to both the glowing reviews and the warnings. Thanks 😍

There were actually quite a few negative comments about Tony Stark. You might have missed them because there used to be two separate threads dedicated to nose jobs, but one got locked, so everyone just migrated over here.

Can you please drop the link? I can't seem to find it anywhere...
Thanks.

Here’s the link to that old thread:
I can't quite recall if we were discussing him over there or if it was right here in this section.😕

crimsonpanther8 said:My surgery just got pushed back to early January...

So, are you heading into the hospital for the actual procedure then?
It’s probably due to the strike. I haven't received any official word yet, but they mentioned at Mayo Clinic that things might be looking that way, so I'm assuming they'll end up rescheduling everyone's dates 🤷..

Yeah, rhinoplasty. My appointment got pushed back because of the strike moving to early January. Oh well, I guess I’ll just wait a little longer. Apparently, I won't need to redo all my medical tests—maybe just a quick blood panel once I arrive on-site, so we'll see. I have to admit, I'm incredibly impatient, and after everything I've read online, I've got a knot in my stomach.

@crimsonpanther8/">@@crimsonpanther8
I I'm feeling pretty anxious myself 😁..
If you don't mind me asking, roughly when was your surgery scheduled for? If I can get an idea of your timeline, maybe I can figure out how much they might push my date back too..

Regarding those medical tests—isn't all of that handled right there at the hospital?
In my case, I just had to get a sinus CT scan before my last pre-op checkup.. So, from here, it’s just straight to the operating room
They never mentioned that I'd need to go out and arrange any additional testing on my own🤷..

Back in mid-September, I was scheduled for November 13th at St. Jude’s... and now they’ve pushed it all the way to January 2nd. It’s basically a New Year's rematch. 😂I had to get bloodwork done—though I already have my previous birth records, a lung X-ray, a full CBC, urinalysis, a major coagulation profile, liver function tests, and thyroid levels just to be safe (that last one wasn't required, just something I wanted to handle so there wouldn't be any surprises). I also needed an EKG and consultations with both an internist and an anesthesiologist.
I’ve only been to the hospital three times before to give birth, but I have to admit, this time I'm feeling a bit nervous. 😢

I mean, honestly, if you’ve already powered through three births, you can definitely handle this 😁...
As for the timing, it doesn't look like I'll be hitting that New Year's window 😁... I'm eyeing somewhere around February
... But who really knows? Every hospital operates differently, so I'm sure that plays a huge role
... And all these tests, there are just so many 😲... I'm assuming they'll get them out of the way right before the surgery, at least that's what I'm hoping for 🤣...

Michelle Scott19 said:With all these tests, there's just so much 😲... I’m assuming they’ll have me get everything sorted before the actual surgery, or at least that’s what I’m hoping for 🤣..

You generally need to receive a comprehensive checklist of required tests—which is quite a long list—to be completed in the month leading up to the procedure. You'll also be handed a questionnaire, similar to a four-page medical history form you might find at a major facility like Mayo Clinic, which needs to be filled out with absolute precision; skipping anything can cause issues. Typically, they provide this paperwork once your hospitalization date is officially scheduled, so if you haven't seen those documents yet, you’ll likely need to track them down.

Once you have your lab results and that completed questionnaire in hand, the next step is the anesthesiologist consultation. They are the ones who ultimately give the green light for the surgery. You actually have to schedule that appointment yourself; I handled mine at the local University Hospital because it was the most convenient option, and honestly, it usually makes sense to clear everything through the same institution performing the operation. That said, protocols regarding these specific screenings have been shifting lately, so it would be wise to double-check the current requirements with the hospital staff or your primary care physician.

And ladies, please don't let the anxiety get to you; everything is going to turn out fine. 🙂

I ended up at the hospital to deal with a massive coagulation profile and the anesthesiologist, while everything else was handled through my local clinic. After the anesthesiologist cleared me for surgery, he handed me this yellow questionnaire—it’s four pages long, for crying out loud. 😁

crimsonpanther8 said:I ended up at the hospital just to deal with a massive coagulation profile and the anesthesiologist, while everything else was handled through my local community clinics. My anesthesiologist handed me this yellow questionnaire after he already cleared me for surgery, and honestly, the thing is four pages long. 😁

In my experience, they hand you that questionnaire every single time you schedule a date, and you’re expected to bring the completed version straight to the anesthesiologist. They won't give the green light for the procedure without it, so it seems pretty strange that yours didn't show up until after the approval was already given. 😕 That paperwork contains vital information—stuff that could genuinely make or break the decision to move forward with the operation.
It’s clear that medical standards aren't a monolith; things vary wildly from one place to the next. 🤷

Obviously, every hospital plays by its own set of rules...
The anesthesiologist went through all my questions anyway, logging everything into my digital file before handing me the paperwork for my admission.

Alex Moore62 said:You’ll need to get a list of all the required tests—and there are quite a few—that you have to complete in the month leading up to your surgery. There's also a questionnaire involved (at Rib it's about four pages long) that you absolutely have to fill out. It’s vital that everything is accurate and nothing is left blank; usually, they hand all this paperwork to you once your hospitalization date is officially set. So, if you haven't received those documents yet, you really need to go hunt them down.

Once you have your test results and that completed questionnaire, you have to undergo an anesthesiologist consultation. They are the ones who give the final green light on whether you're cleared for the procedure. You actually have to schedule that appointment yourself. I did mine at Rib because it was most convenient for me, and honestly, I think it’s best to do it at the same facility where you're having the surgery. That said, some of the protocols regarding these tests have been shifting lately, so definitely check in with Rib or your primary care doctor to see exactly where you need to go.

And ladies, please don't worry; everything is going to be just fine. 🙂

Thank you so much for this info! I had no idea... I already have my appointment scheduled, but I totally messed up by not signing up for the surgery right then and there at the desk after my initial exam. I completely blanked on it, so I ended up sorting it out over the phone later. That's probably why I haven't received any of the paperwork yet. I'll give them a call right away to get this sorted out.

Michelle Scott19 said:Thanks for the heads-up! I honestly had no idea... I have an appointment scheduled, but I messed up by not signing up for the surgery right after my exam at the front desk. It just slipped my mind, so I ended up trying to sort it out over the phone later... That’s probably why those papers never showed up. I’ll give them a call and try to get this squared away as soon as possible.

Don't mention it. 🙂
Just give them a call so you can get everything handled in time. 👍
You didn't actually sign up at the service window; it was done right inside the clinic area, where they schedule the outpatient exams. A nurse handles the scheduling—I think her name is Melita (I have her number somewhere, I'll dig it out and post it if I find it). At least, that was my experience, though I suppose things might have changed since then. 🤷

Hello everyone,
I’ve finally decided to sit down and share my experience regarding nose surgery with you all.
So, here’s the deal—my first rhinoplasty (purely cosmetic, mind you) took place about nine months ago at a private clinic in Washington, D.C. I chose that specific facility primarily because so many girls I know had recommended them—you know how word-of-mouth works in these things. I was quite brave, I suppose—handling all the consultations and ironed out every single surgical detail via email. In fact, I didn't even actually meet the surgeon until the very day the procedure was scheduled to take place.😲.
The surgery itself went perfectly fine—general anesthesia, the whole bit—and I woke up without any significant pain. I was actually able to head home just a few hours later, still sporting the cast and those nasal tampons. I should mention that I didn't experience much bruising or discoloration on my face at all, which was surprising considering I underwent a full reconstruction... we're talking breaking the bone, repositioning everything, smoothing out the hump... the works.
After seven days, once they removed the cast and the tampons, my nose looked absolutely perfect—swollen, sure, but perfect—and I figured I just needed to wait a few months for the swelling to fully subside... but it didn't. Not even after eight months did the swelling at the tip disappear, and a small bump—which appeared later on—started showing its face.
Naturally, I reached out to the original surgeon to express my dissatisfaction, my doubts, my fears, and all my frantic questions; we managed to schedule a revision surgery almost immediately. It’s been just over a week now, and I can honestly say I am extremely happy so far... I’m just waiting for the swelling to completely go down before I can declare that this was "the one." So... there you have it... straight from the horse's mouth.

Alex Hayes68 said:Hey everyone,
I figured I’d share my experience with nose surgery with you all.
So, I had my first rhinoplasty—purely cosmetic—about nine months ago at a private clinic in Washington, D.C. I chose that specific clinic because so many girls I know recommended them. I was feeling pretty brave, so I handled the consultations and all the surgical details via email. Honestly, I didn't even meet the doctor until the actual day of the procedure.😲.
The surgery itself went smoothly (general anesthesia), and I woke up without any real pain—I was actually heading home just a few hours later, still sporting the cast and nasal packing. I should mention that I didn't have much bruising on my face at all, which is wild considering I had a full reconstruction... you know, breaking the bone, repositioning everything, smoothing out the hump...
After seven days, once they removed the cast and the packing, my nose looked perfect—swollen, sure, but perfect. I thought I just needed to wait a few more months for the swelling to fully subside... but nope. Even eight months later, the tip is still swollen and there's this tiny little bump that popped up out of nowhere.
I shared all my frustrations, doubts, and fears with the surgeon who did the initial work, and we managed to schedule a revision surgery pretty quickly. It’s been over a week now, and I can say I’m really happy so far... I'm just waiting for the swelling to go down completely before I declare victory. So... yeah... there's the honest truth.

Good grief, there are so many stories about noses getting deformed after surgery—I am genuinely terrified. I just had mine done a month and a half ago.