Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

electricangler32 said:No way. Do you honestly think they're just sitting around waiting for someone to hand them a freebie and tell them there's an issue, and then they immediately jump to fix it?! 😂

Honestly, in my case, it turned out almost exactly like that. 😂

Maria Thompson4 said:it turned out almost exactly like that for me😂

Good for you, then.😂

analogbison15 said:Can I get surgery for free if I have supplemental insurance? I’m actually interested in aesthetic stuff—is it possible to just tell the doctor that I sometimes have trouble breathing so they'll do it for free?

😂😂😂
Go ahead and try, I guess. It won't cost you anything to ask.

Finally, I have an appointment scheduled... Tuesday is the big day. Wish me luck. 🙂

All the best.
Get in touch when you're able.

Hey everyone!
First off, thanks to everyone for all the advice. I finally got my surgery date after waiting for 10 long months! Dr. Jurlina is going to be performing the procedure. It’s septoplasty, turbinectomy, spreader grafts, and since they're already getting in there, I asked them to shave down the tip of my nose too. Does anyone who’s been to Vinogradska Hospital before know how long they keep you overnight? My admission is on January 13th—anyone else scheduled for a checkup around then? Peace!

Hey there!
So, I'm thinking about getting some work done on my nose—nothing crazy, just that tiny little bump right in the middle. Since it's such a minor thing, can anything actually go wrong? Like, what kind of complications am I looking at here? Also, any idea what the damage to my wallet might be, or how long I'll be stuck in recovery mode before I'm back to normal?

Look, go somewhere else and ask around. There’s a mountain of info already posted in this thread, so do yourself a favor and actually read it. No one can tell you exactly how things will play out in your specific situation; everyone's experience is different.

neonhawk78 said:I've scheduled surgery in Washington, D.C. to fix a deviated septum, but I’m stuck on how to deal with this thickened mucosa. Is it even possible to fix, considering I’ve been using sprays by the liter with absolutely zero effect? 😠

Well, the surgery should address that excess, atrophied mucosa too—didn't you clear that with your surgeon?

analogbison15 said:Is there any way I can get this done for free since I have Medicare? I'm mostly interested in the cosmetic side; is it possible to just tell the doctor I struggle to breathe sometimes so they'll cover it under insurance?

You can't just tell a doctor you're having trouble breathing and expect them to buy it. One look during an exam or a quick scan and they'll see exactly whether there's an actual obstruction or not; you can't really fake biology. Like it was mentioned before, you can go in for a consultation, arrange for imaging, and if there truly is a functional issue that warrants surgery, you can likely negotiate the cosmetic adjustments as part of the same procedure.

Melissa Evans88 said:Hey everyone!
First off, thanks to everyone for the advice. I finally landed a surgery date after waiting ten long months. I'll be seeing Dr. Jurlina. It's going to be a septoplasty, turbinatectomy, spreader grafts, and since they're already in there, I asked them to shorten my nasal tip. Can anyone who has been through Vinogradska Hospital tell me how long I'll need to stay? My admission is January 13th, so is anyone else scheduled around then? Cheers!

The first thing is figuring out how many days you'll actually be waiting for the procedure itself (it depends on whether the doctor is traveling, if his clinic is open—he's in on Mondays—if he's on call, his specific schedule, and how many other patients are ahead of you). Your best bet is to ask on January 13th when you're admitted to the ward; they might give you a better idea of your place in the queue, though usually, they don't know for sure until the day before. Even then, things can slip if previous surgeries run long, and they might push you to the next day. If you aren't up next immediately, they might even send you home to wait.

You'll definitely be staying for a couple of days post-op, depending on how your recovery progresses.

Good luck 🙂

Yeah, they told me I won't know anything until it's finally my turn.
By the way, Dr. Jurlina mentioned that moving forward, they aren't going to be doing cosmetic procedures covered by Medicare anymore (you know, if you have an actual medical issue and try to sneak in a little aesthetic tweak at the same time). Apparently, they feel like it’s just wasting money and time on nonsense when there are plenty of much more serious patients dealing with things like tumors and whatnot...
So listen up, people—get in while you still can...
Thanks, Alex Moore62... :-)

Melissa Evans88 said:Yeah, they told me I wouldn't know when it's my turn until then.
By the way, Dr. Jurlina mentioned that moving forward, they won't be covering aesthetic procedures through Medicare anymore (like if you have a medical issue and try to sneak in a cosmetic fix). Apparently, they feel it's just wasting money and time on trivial stuff when there are plenty of much more serious patients dealing with tumors and things like that...

It's the right call.

Melissa Evans88 said:Yeah, they told me I wouldn't actually know when it's my turn until the moment arrives.
By the way, Dr. Jurlina mentioned that it looks like they won't be covering aesthetic procedures through Medicare anymore in the future (meaning if you have a functional medical issue but want an aesthetic correction at the same time). Apparently, they feel like they're wasting resources and time on trivial things when there are so many patients dealing with much more serious issues like tumors and such...So, everyone, grab this opportunity while you still can...
Thanks, Alex Moore62... :-)

That makes sense to me, though it’s still unclear what the actual fallout will be—whether they'll still allow the cosmetic component alongside the functional part if the patient pays out of pocket instead of relying on Medicare, or if they'll just scrap the aesthetics entirely...
Personally, I’ve always felt it’s much safer to have any kind of surgery performed in a hospital setting rather than elsewhere. Since you end up paying private rates anyway, I'd honestly prefer to pay the hospital to get it done there if I ever needed it.

I honestly don't know. It doesn't look like things are 100% settled yet, so I doubt they even have a clue themselves. My big worry is that if you're paying for aesthetic surgery at a hospital, you might not get that same level of care you'd get at a private practice. You could end up getting stuck with some low-budget service or just a "take it or leave it" attitude.

Has there been any movement on scheduled surgery dates at the hospital because of the strike? I've got something lined up with Dr. Jurlina for early March, but honestly, if things get pushed back, it might actually work out better for my business schedule. Thanks!

I went to see the anesthesiologist this morning and was in and out in exactly five minutes! All they did was ask if I have any allergies or take any medications, and then we were done. They didn't tell me anything about what I *can't* consume before surgery or how long I need to wait. My blood pressure was 140/90, but they didn't even blink at that. Am I going to have another sit-down with the anesthesiologist right before the procedure, or is that really it? How did things go for you guys?

You probably will.
That elevated heart rate could honestly just be a bit of pre-doctor jitters and excitement.
As for fasting from food and water, the staff at the department will give you all the details on that once you arrive.

Alright, so I didn't miss anything then. Thanks a lot!

Hey electricangler32,
Since I know which hospital you're heading to for your surgery, I wanted to mention that you probably won't have much chance to chat with the anesthesiologist beforehand. From what I understand, even the person who performed your initial screening might not be the one present on the day. You’ll likely only see the anesthesiologist just moments before you drift off to sleep, and since everyone will be wearing masks, you won't really know exactly who they are unless you specifically ask them to introduce themselves.
Regarding food and water, once it hits midnight, you won't be allowed to have anything at all, and then it’s just a long wait until you're finally called in.
If I may take a moment to share a bit of my own experience—it has been a year since my septorhinoplasty, and honestly, I still regret choosing that specific hospital and that particular doctor. I'm actually scheduled to see a private specialist soon for a revision surgery. It's going to cost me upwards of $15,000$0.00, and even then, there is no absolute guarantee that they can fully fix the damage that was done during my first procedure.
Best regards,

Wait, weren't you just in NYC?? So it really is a private clinic after all. Fine, I'll drop the name of my doctor right here. Since we're talking about an internal incision, it's just a septoplasty—I'm not losing sleep over it. I'm well aware that some of these places can be a bit "shaky," but honestly, my doctor seems far more skilled than yours. He told me straight up: things can't get any worse than they are now. I'm being realistic and I know the risks involved. I've heard your story, but my mind is made up. I truly wish you the best and hope your procedure finally goes well!!

Hey ladies! 🙂

Since I'm new to this forum, mind if I pick your brains for a second?
So, I've finally decided to go through with rhinoplasty. Here's the thing... looking at my nose from the front, I actually like it. But when I see my profile, there’s this little bump right in the middle. It’s not like a huge hook or anything, just a tiny hump 😢 and honestly, it drives me crazy.
Now I'm trying to figure out which surgeon you’d recommend for this kind of job—specifically someone who won't mess with my nasal tip, but will just smooth out that bump...
I was originally thinking about seeing Glumicic, but I read some comments here saying he almost always touches the tip and narrows it down, which is exactly what I want to avoid. How does Toncic handle things like that? Please help me out! 😁