Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

restlessdrifter41 said:Personally, looking at Blanka Vlasic's profile view, I think she handled the change from her old look fine, though when you see her from the front, I can't quite put my finger on it—it’s as if nothing really changed, except maybe there's this tiny little notch on the bridge, almost like he took out way too much cartilage.

From my perspective, her nose looks far too short in profile, just unnaturally small, and in some frontal shots, it has this piggish quality with those upturned nostrils. In other photos, it actually looks better, but I don't know; I haven't sat down to really study her face closely in a while.

Alexander Gonzalez79 said:I’ll probably head in sometime these next few days. Honestly, this feeling has been popping up for quite a while now, though it comes and goes. I haven't treated it like a major issue until now, but it definitely isn't normal, so I really need to get checked out. 😉 And it often feels like something is just draining down into my throat.

Is there blood involved, or does it feel like something is draining and then, if you manage to clear it, it looks like white mucus?
If that's what's happening, you might be dealing with chronic rhinosinusitis. There isn't a permanent cure, but the spray mentioned above helps restore the mucous membrane, reduces inflammation, and lowers the amount of discharge.
You could also give Sinupret lozenges a try.

It’s mostly just blood, which I frequently find mixed in with some mucus—though never in massive amounts, mind you—much like what happens when I cough or clear my throat 😉 I can't say much about the phlegm itself; the colors seem to vary quite a bit 🙂

I appreciate you sharing this information regarding things that might help

Alex Moore62 said:Honestly, looking at her profile, her nose seems way too short—just tiny and unnatural. In some front-facing shots, it almost looks pig-like because the nostrils are flared up so much. Then in other photos, it looks better, and I don't know what to say; I haven't sat down to really study her face in quite a while.

If you ask me, she has a very masculine head shape, so the surgeon probably did the absolute best he could given the proportions. Compared to the size of her head, any nose would look undersized. I don't think he actually shortened it; I think he just smoothed out that hump. As for how she looks from the front, who knows? It’s hard to judge someone when they aren't a perfect baseline, so I won't even use her as an example.

Alexander Gonzalez79 said:I am not entirely sure if this is the right thread for this, but since it seems like the closest match... does anyone happen to know why I’ve been waking up over the last few months with blood mixed in my saliva after blowing my nose? It's usually in the morning. I don't have any other symptoms or issues... 🙂

I used to experience that quite often. After doing some research online, I realized it was actually due to consuming too much Vitamin C every day. It sounds a bit strange, but it really was caused by that... as soon as I stopped or just cut back on it, those problems completely vanished...

Finally got my appointment scheduled for February 11th!! Wish me luck!!!

I am currently on my way 😁
I have an appointment tomorrow morning with Dr. Poje

Man, I am so incredibly on edge now that I know it’s right around the corner!! I’m just praying to God that everything goes smoothly and that I don't end up puking for two days straight like I did during my last surgery when they took out my tonsils!

It’s been exactly three weeks since the surgery,
my new nose (I guess I can finally call it that) 😍
and we’re getting along great.
It still feels a bit wooden, but every day we’re finding our rhythm.

electricangler32 said:Oh man, I’m such a nervous wreck now that I know it's all happening so soon! I'm just praying to God that everything goes smoothly and that I don't spend two days puking like I did during my last surgery for tonsils!

I totally feel you. I was throwing up like crazy after my last surgery last year... ugh. Anyway, I finally have my appointment scheduled for March 4th to get my nose done. 😁 I'm honestly terrified this is just going to happen all over again. 😢 I'll keep my fingers crossed that you're doing okay, though I guess it's always smart to prepare for the worst. 😁😁 Because if you're sensitive to anesthesia, you're just sensitive. Period. 🙂🙂

Oh, please, tell me more... I’ve still got this nasal congestion, nosebleeds, pressure in my cheeks, and a bone-dry mouth... I am just thrilled about it. :/

What is Zambelli like? Has anyone worked with him? I am not sure if I have a deformity, but regarding aesthetics: I have a hump in the middle of my nose and it is too long, specifically the septum. I am torn between him and Munitic. Please help! 🤷

electricangler32 said:Oh, tell me about it... the inability to breathe through my nose, the bleeding, that pressure in my mouth, and the dry mouth... I'm just thrilled. :/

It’s a nasty scenario waiting for me too. 😢 I'm not scared of the pain, the bleeding, or the diarrhea, it's just that gross vomiting 🙂 that gets to me... but hey, we can handle this, we have to. 😍

Karen Clark12 said:It’s a nasty scenario that I know is headed my way too. 😢 I'm not worried about the pain, the bleeding, or even the mess. It’s just that sickening nausea that gets me. 🙂 But look, we can handle this. We have to. 😍

Honestly, at the end of the day, I’m not afraid of anything. I've been waiting for this moment my whole life.😍

What the hell... the drive from 249 miles in one direction during this weather is absolute madness.
The doctor didn't even see me. Instead, I was stuck with some young physician, maybe twenty years old. The whole thing lasted barely five minutes. Dr. Poje was somewhere around here, attending to two of his own patients. This kid actually claimed that polyps don't require surgery—as if anyone else would suggest removing them, but he insists they should stay.
There you have it...

Give me a break, did the doctor even bother to examine you?? What do they think they're doing? You book an appointment and drive all that way just for them to skip the exam entirely :O That is straight-up disrespectful!

Alex Moore62 said:You really need to get a referral for an ENT and go in for an exam. It’s pretty obvious there's some kind of blockage keeping your nose from breathing properly, so you need a specialist to take a look—and honestly, you'll probably end up needing surgery.

Betty Edwards22 said:Is it a deviated septum, a polyp, or maybe just hypertrophied nasal turbinates? Honestly, it’s hard to tell sometimes.

Alright, thanks for all the responses. The problem is pretty obvious at this point, isn't it? It's clear that surgery is definitely going to be necessary. That leaves me wondering... would it even be possible to combine the corrective procedure with some aesthetic work? And if so, would Medicare cover any of that?

Greetings everyone,
I wanted to share that I just completed my second septorhinoplasty two weeks ago. This follows a much more difficult experience a year back when my nose was essentially ruined—especially from an aesthetic standpoint—at a public hospital after a procedure that was supposedly only meant to be functional. Back then, I was absolutely terrified of the anesthesia, the possibility of vomiting, and the intense postoperative pain. It was a nightmare; for the first two days, I could barely function, and the pain lingered heavily for several days afterward. However, this time at a private clinic, the experience was night and day. There wasn't even a trace of those old struggles; shortly after waking up, I felt like a completely normal human being again. To give you some context, the surgery lasted about five hours because they had to perform a cartilage graft using tissue from my ear. Despite that, I was even able to make a four-hour drive 62 miles back home shortly after the procedure. Removing the packing was perfectly fine, and I didn't experience any bleeding afterward, which stands in stark contrast to my previous stay in the hospital where I felt like I was choking on blood. I’ve been traveling back for follow-up appointments every few days, and honestly, it hasn't been a burden at all. My surgeon truly had his work cut out for him trying to restore some semblance of order to my nose, but the results are starting to show, and for now, I am quite satisfied—though, of course, only time will reveal the final outcome. It certainly wasn't cheap, but the mere fact that I didn't have to suffer and was actually treated with dignity made every cent worth it. I finally feel like I look "normal" again. I wish you all the very best of luck and success with your own procedures, whether you choose a major hospital or a private specialist; I truly hope you all walk away satisfied with the results. LP

Daniel Sullivan36 said:Alright, thanks for all the feedback. It seems pretty obvious that surgery is going to be necessary, so I was also wondering if it would be possible to combine the corrective procedure with some cosmetic work? Also, would anything like that be covered by Medicare?

Cosmetic stuff is a total gray area. It's definitely one of those "maybe" situations.

Daniel Sullivan36 said:Alright, thanks for all the input. The issue is pretty obvious, yeah, and it's definitely going to require surgery. I'm just wondering if they can combine the procedure with some cosmetic work? Also, would Medicare cover that?

At the Seattle University Hospital, yes 😉