Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Chloe Stewart said:Maybe someone else has already asked this, but I really don't have the energy to scroll through 450 pages! I need nose surgery—it's partly for a minor health issue, but I’d love to fix the aesthetics too. Right now, paying out-of-pocket at a private clinic isn't an option, so I'm looking for advice on hospital experiences. Which one should I go to, and which doctor should I look for? (Please, only reply if you've actually had cosmetic work done at a public hospital using insurance rather than going private).

I actually have an appointment scheduled for March 4th at Seattle University Hospital, and it's totally covered by insurance. They're doing both the deviation correction and the aesthetic part, which was the doctor's suggestion... I'm not sure what city you're in, but here in Seattle, it's doable and the wait is only about 2-3 months.🙂

Has anyone actually been to see Dr. Zambell? I’d normally prefer an ENT, but since I need both nasal narrowing and some reshaping of the nasal tip, maybe he’s the right call?

Consulting with three different surgeons
Picking a surgeon and scheduling the date for a month out
During those thirty days, there was one more detailed consultation and final agreement.
Getting all the necessary tests done and meeting with the anesthesiologist
The day before, everything is confirmed over the phone; you stick to light food until 7 PM, and after that, nothing else.

Surgery Day
No eating allowed—though I did sneak a little water because I was absolutely parched.
I arrived at the clinic around 1 PM; by 3:30 PM, everything was ready for the procedure.
Right before the operation, there was one last chat with the doctor and the anesthesiologist, plus some imaging of the nose.
Changing into the "surgical gown," which I wore over a tracksuit and a camisole underneath.
My procedure involved narrowing the nasal bridge, a slight lift, and smoothing out a small bump.
It was all done under local anesthesia with sedation. Honestly, you sleep right through it. I drifted off incredibly fast and woke up in a recovery room on a bed about an hour after heading into the OR. I felt pretty normal, just a bit foggy for the first five minutes, but nothing major.
A mild pain started to kick in, but they immediately gave me something intravenously for the discomfort, and that was it. That was both my first and last time feeling any actual pain. I had packing inside my nose and a splint, with everything taped down like a mask over my face.
Soon enough, someone was in my room checking on me. Around 6:30 PM, I was given some chocolate milk and water. They provided the discharge instructions, pain medication, and sterile gauze to change under my nose where some bleeding occurs; otherwise, don't touch a thing.
I headed home at 7 PM.
On that first day, you're only supposed to eat soft foods, but frankly, you won't want anything else because everything feels numb and moving your upper jaw is such a chore.
I had some bleeding if I tilted my head too far forward, but I didn't feel any pain at all, and I didn't even need to take more painkillers.
The night went better than expected.
The meds helped me sleep okay. I slept a bit propped up, which made my back ache slightly. I breathed normally through my mouth, though I was constantly applying ointment and sucking on Isla lozenges to keep my throat from drying out. Usually, I breathe exclusively through my nose, so I worried that breathing through my mouth would be much harder, but it turned out fine. Sleeping flat was the tricky part. By the third night, I was already sleeping on my side, and on the fourth day, they removed the packing. It wasn't scary or painful at all. Everything is quite slippery from the ointments, so it slides out easily; it’s a little uncomfortable for a second, but then comes the relief. After the packing is out, the "mask" on your face itches a bit and you feel a little warm and restless from the whole ordeal, but the seventh day rolls around quickly and it's time to remove the splint.
Oh, and I didn't get any bruising, just some yellowing around the eyes. That discoloration lasted about ten days total.
Removing the splint on the seventh day hurts just a tiny bit—the nose is sensitive, after all. But it’s brief, and you're so excited to see the results that you barely notice the pain.
Personally, I was happy with the look of my nose immediately. It clearly looked smaller. However, I was quite swollen, so the nose looked a bit bulbous, and you couldn't move your upper lip—it almost looked like a pig's snout for a moment. 😉
All in all, you look a bit strange, but I was prepared for that, so I focused solely on the nose. Today is
Day 17 post-op, and it looks better every single day. Every morning brings more improvement. I started venturing out in public on day 8, though I used plenty of makeup. Right now, the most noticeable part is where the bump used to be; there's a slight indentation that wasn't there before. My face looks fine, but the area between my eyes is still swollen. You really have to see it for yourself. Also, I have a slight feeling that I'm speaking through my nose. I don't touch my nose much—actually, not at all, except when I'm cleansing my face and removing makeup.
I highly suggest taking "before and after" photos from every possible angle. You forget how your nose actually looked much faster than you think.
So, overall, nothing too bad. Maybe the first three days were a bit tough, but after that, everything proceeded quite normally for me.
I am happy with my nose. The swelling has gone down a bit, and I hope it continues to subside rather than just narrowing further. I still have this sensation of numbness, but I've grown used to it and it doesn't bother me. It feels similar to when you hold an ice cube against one spot for a long time.
Sometimes I’ll pull on a t-shirt, for example, and it stings just a little bit—but everything is fine. I still have to be careful until the healing process is completely finished.
Good luck to everyone!!! I am feeling so happy!!![INDENT[/INDENT]

Who did you end up picking and what was the reasoning? cheers

Dana Reed7 said:Good luck everyone!!! I'm feeling so happy!!![INDENT[/INDENT]

😉 That’s awesome, I wish it went that smoothly for everyone! Personally, I always end up nauseous after anesthesia, so that’s definitely my biggest fear. 😢

Hey guys, I need a little help. I’m heading in for nose surgery in four days at Holy Spirit in Washington, D.C., and honestly, I’m starting to freak out. I really need someone who’s been through this to give me some encouragement.😁
I’ve been scrolling through posts about this for hours, but I’m curious about what happens right before they put you under. Is there like a pre-op room where you "get ready," and what’s that actually like? Also, how long were you stuck in the hospital? I just can't stand hospitals—it's a universal thing, obviously—and I seriously want to get out of there as fast as possible 😍... thanks in advance 🙂

Dana Reed7 said:Talking to three different surgeons about the procedure
Picking a surgeon and scheduling the date for next month
During that month, I'll have one more detailed consultation to finalize everything.
Getting all the necessary tests done and meeting with the anesthesiologist
The day before, I'll confirm everything over the phone and stick to light meals until 7 PM—nothing after that...[INDENT[/INDENT]

You really put a lot of work into this plan 😁 Thanks so much! Hopefully, we'll see some photos once the swelling goes down a bit! 😉 🙂

@stormylynx21/">@@stormylynx21
I have no clue what it’s like at Holy Spirit, but I can tell you how it went at Seattle University Hospital—maybe that’ll help you out! :-)
Right before my surgery, they gave me half of a little blue pill and then wheeled me off in a cart to the so-called "recovery room." That's what they call it, anyway. Once I got there, they tucked me into bed and you just... wait. The nurse told me, "Just lie down, the pill will knock you out soon," but honestly? I didn't sleep a wink. Then the anesthesiologist showed up and put in a Braun needle or a cannula or whatever you call it into my IV, and gave me something else, probably more stuff to calm me down. After that, they moved me into the OR. Such a fun crew in there! We were all joking around because they actually misspelled my last name on the paperwork. I kept begging them to fix it because I didn't want them accidentally amputating my leg, so they started cracking jokes about what they might "accidentally" cut off. Haha. I eventually woke up back in that recovery room and then they wheeled me straight to my hospital room. But hey, four years ago when I had my tonsils out at Holy Spirit, they took me directly from my room to the OR, though who knows if they've changed things since then. Anyway, good luck!!!

Melissa Evans88 said:@stormylynx21/">@@stormylynx21
I can't speak for what happens at the Holy Spirit hospital, but I can tell you how they handled things at the rebro facility, which might give you a better idea. :-)
Before my surgery, they gave me half of a small blue pill and then wheeled me off in a chair to what they call the "recovery room." Once you get there, they settle you into a bed, and you just wait for the procedure to start. The nurse told me to lie down and said the medication would kick in soon and I’d be drifting off, but honestly, I didn't sleep a wink. Then the anesthesiologist showed up and inserted a cannula—or a Braun needle, whatever the technical term is—into my IV, and through that, they gave me something else, probably just more sedatives to calm me down. After that, they moved me into the OR. The staff there was actually quite a lively bunch; we were all joking around because they had misspelled my last name on my paperwork. I kept begging them to fix it because I didn't want them accidentally amputating the wrong leg, so they joked back about how they wouldn't dream of cutting anything off. Haha. When I finally came to, I was back in that recovery room before they wheeled me to my actual patient room. Mind you, when I had my tonsils out four years ago at Holy Spirit, they took me straight from my room to the operating theater, but who knows if their protocols have shifted since then. Anyway, good luck!!!

Both times I went through the rebro facility, they moved me directly from my room to the OR. It seems like it isn't the same experience for everyone. 🙂

Alex Moore62 said:Hey rebro, Dr. Martin Jurlina 👍

Just make sure you have supplemental insurance so you don't end up paying a dime at the hospital 😉

Good luck 🙂

I just saw this now, but thanks so much! I actually have supplemental coverage through my student plan, so I should be fine 😁 But honestly, I’m dealing with some health stuff right now and it's not exactly easy, so they aren't going to rush me into surgery anytime soon because of my heart issues 😢 Still, I really appreciate the heads-up, and in a few years, I'll definitely be looking to book an appointment with Dr. Jurlina!

Went to see Dr. Jurlina today for my dressing change. Honestly, the guy is a legend—he deserves a statue or something. I finally survived getting those gauze pads and tampons pulled out. It doesn't actually hurt, but the sensation? It’s like someone is trying to pull your brain out through your nose. He patched me back up with all this tape. It feels like he built some kind of custom mold because apparently, something inside needs to heal "perfectly" or whatever. Anyway, I'm back this Friday for another dressing change, and next week we're talking about those spreader grafts he put in... though I didn't really follow all the medical jargon. His schedule is absolutely insane. He actually asked the nurses to stop booking patients because he's so backed up. So, if you're looking to see him, good luck—you better be persistent because you won't get an appointment easily. But hey, you'll get the coolest doctor who actually knows his stuff. Cheers!

I had my surgery on January 7th at Holy Spirit. I have nothing but praise for everyone I dealt with, from my surgeon down to the nurses and the rest of the staff. I showed up to the OR alone, just wearing a camisole and pajama bottoms. I laid down on a perfectly warm table in the operating room named "Janica," where a nurse made sure to tuck my legs in, prepped everything properly, and started the IV. After spotting a few colorful caps and some green ones, I woke up in Room 1 about two and a half hours later. I didn't feel any pain at all during the entire process. That day after the procedure, I just had a little tea, got an IV drip, and caught up on some sleep. The only real discomfort I remember was the numbness in my upper jaw and forehead, a dry mouth, and having to swallow pills using tampons. The nurses were incredibly kind and constantly checked in to see if anyone needed pain meds. The surgeon also comes by to check on patients. The crew in my room was fantastic; we joked around quite a bit and even headed to the hospital cafe every day for coffee with a straw. ☕

My nose is broken, and I’m wondering what kind of procedures they offer here in the States to fix it. Has anyone gone through this before?

mellowcobra8 said:@ private and okay

Your post actually opened my eyes to a lot. I’ve been wondering for years why I burn out faster than everyone else even though I exercise more frequently, and I’m starting to realize it’s all tied to breathing. For instance, I can barely get 10% of air through the left side of my nose. When the weather gets cold, I have to breathe through my mouth and slow down my workouts just so I don't end up with pneumonia. Like you said, everything is connected.

I don't even pay attention to some of these people. I read almost this entire thread and it's mostly just babble about women and girls; then they get offended and start commenting on stuff nobody even asked them about, yet they can't even answer the actual questions being asked. Typical...

Just because one person paid for an operation doesn't mean everyone else did. I'm not looking down on anyone here, I'm just stating facts: nobody knows how to write a concise "who, where, what, how much" type of post. Instead, they ramble on like they're sitting at a coffee shop gossiping. Honestly, every single thread on this forum should be titled "Adventures and Experiences After Rhinoplasty."
Of course, I want the aesthetic changes since I'm going under the knife anyway, but come on, give us some actual numbers...

I know how it works with Medicare; you have to fill out all those papers for supplemental coverage. I can't do it—I've tried a few times and I always blow past the threshold, so that's not an option for me.
Maybe the only way is to pay monthly and then just stop once everything is finished. 😁

As for cartilage, I mentioned this in a couple of posts a while back. I have a friend who had his nose broken by a stick back when we were in school 😂 and they basically crushed his cartilage. During his operation, they removed it all, and now you can literally squeeze his nose into his face 😁. But I haven't heard him mention any breathing issues, and aesthetically, you can't even tell. The only thing is he has a slightly feminine little nose 😂, but hey, he looks good.
Besides, most fighters don't have cartilage and their noses stay right on their faces. Maybe they put something else in there, I don't know—you'd really have to talk to the doctors about that. I'd actually like to look into that too, because I might end up getting my nose broken anyway (in Muay Thai, you get hit with elbows and knees, so a guard or a helmet won't save you; we don't practice that specific style often, but it happens). But that's secondary. If I don't need to remove anything, I won't, but fixing my breathing is something I definitely need and want to do.

I was expecting some concrete information from this thread rather than all this aimless rambling, but oh well.
I was hoping someone would at least post the price differences between those who paid full price versus others... like, what's the lowest and what's the max? That kind of info is actually useful.

Kudos to anyone who was able to pay out of pocket; I hope I can manage that too.

I'm wondering the same thing.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know that I'm heading in for nose surgery tonight at 8 PM (doing both functional and cosmetic stuff)!😲😲 , down in Miami.
I'll follow up later to share how everything went—I figured some of you might be interested! Fingers crossed for me 🙂 🙂

Hi there
So, I’ve got this issue. For the last few years now, I feel like I can only breathe through one nostril—the left one. It’s actually noticeable; if you put your hand under your nose, you can literally feel the air coming out of the left side, while absolutely nothing comes out of the right. Even when I try to block the left side, the right side still barely lets any air pass through. Also, whenever I check inside the right nostril, it feels like there’s something stuck in there... something slimy, almost like a part of my own nasal passage is just blocking the airflow. To be honest, it isn't a massive problem for me—I can live with it—but I've been wondering lately what exactly could be causing this. I'm thinking about finally heading to my doctor to ask if there's a way to fix it. I do have Medicare, so at least that's covered.

Gregory Miller35 said:Has anyone here actually dealt with Dr. Glusac before??

I’m heading in for my surgery with him tonight! I actually went to see Dr. Toncic first for a consultation, then followed up with Dr. Glusac—and in the end, I decided to go with the second option.
I should have some fresh updates for you tomorrow, so I'll be able to give you the full scoop. Basically, the doctor is great—he doesn't charge for consultations (which can run an hour or even ninety minutes), whereas with Toncic, I paid just to be out the door in ten minutes. Plus, Dr. Glusac focuses on how the nose actually functions before worrying about the looks, so to me, that 2-in-1 approach is a much better deal. 🙂

Can anyone give me a ballpark figure for a rhinoplasty? I'm looking at getting a hump removed and some lifting done.

Melissa Evans88 said:I was over at Dr. Jurlina’s today for my dressing change. Honestly, the guy is a legend; he deserves a statue in the middle of the city. I survived the whole ordeal of having the gauze and tampons removed. It isn't exactly painful, but the sensation is bizarre—it feels like someone is trying to pull your brain out through your nostrils. He taped me back up with all sorts of bandages, almost like he was constructing some kind of structural mold because apparently, things need to heal just right internally, or whatever. Anyway, I’ve got another dressing change this Friday, and next week we’ll talk about those spreader grafts he implanted, though I didn't quite grasp the technicalities... The office is absolutely slammed. Today, he actually asked the nurses to stop scheduling patients because his roster is overflowing. So, if anyone is looking for him, good luck; you’ll have to be persistent because you won't get an appointment easily. But you will end up with the coolest doctor who genuinely knows his stuff. Best!

So, he managed to handle everything in a single procedure 👍 and it sounds like your recovery is moving along beautifully 🙂

Daniel Sullivan36 said:Hey there,
I’ve run into a bit of a situation. For the last few years, I feel like I can only breathe through one nostril—the left one. Specifically, when you put your hand under your nose, you can physically feel the air coming out of the left side, while absolutely nothing comes out of the right. It’s the same deal if I block the left; the right side barely lets anything through either. Also, if I look inside the right nostril, it feels like there's this constant presence of something slimy, almost like a physical obstruction is sitting right there preventing the airflow. It doesn't disrupt my life too much, and I can manage, but I'm curious if anyone knows what might be causing this. I've been thinking lately about heading to my primary doctor to see if there's a fix. I do have Medicare coverage, so that part is sorted.

Get a referral for an ENT and go in for an exam. It sounds like you have a physical blockage preventing clear breathing, so a specialist needs to take a look and likely perform a procedure to clear it up.

@Alex Moore62/">@@Alex Moore62
Daaa! And they actually told me I should feel honored because they only perform this kind of surgery once a year. Happy happy happy!!! If only I wasn't dealing with this cold right now (meaning: I'm a total mess and my nose won't stop running), recovery would definitely be going a lot smoother.