Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

@ wanderingmason86: I think Dr. Zambelli might be able to sort that out for me here in the States. I actually just sent you a private message about it too.

I’m in the same boat—it’ll be almost a month since my surgery. I actually agree with taking the molds off early, just so you can see the actual profile difference right away... because honestly, if it looks like a disaster... too big, too thick, just plain ugly... my friends would probably tell me I look exactly the same, which would drive me absolutely crazy!... Now, about a month has passed, and I’ve started lymphatic drainage massages... the nose actually looks smaller now. Honestly, now I'm starting to worry it might end up looking too small 😁... I guess we’ll just have to wait until the very end... I'm holding out until March 2014...🙂

Hey there.. 😁 It’s day 16 post-op for me. I still have two Conan sutures left in my nose—my doctor actually pulled one out during my check-up, and honestly, it hurt so much I told him to just leave the remaining two alone.. anyway, I was wondering how long it took for yours to fall out..?
The sutures aren't the issue so much as the fact that my nose is partially blocked. I can't really clear it because everything is getting tangled up around the thread (sorry if that's a bit gross) .. could they potentially fall out because of all that buildup? There isn't a massive amount, but there's definitely stuff caught around the suture.. ://
On a side note—I don't have any swelling under my eyes at all. Just some lingering swelling in my nose, but overall, I'm extremely happy with the results.. 😁

Don't sweat it; I'm dealing with the exact same thing in my left nostril. My Conan is halfway out, and everything has just clumped up around it, hardening into this stubborn mass that won't budge. The only way I can manage the new irritation is by flushing things out with saline and using Q-tips. You really just have to wait until it falls out on its own—the wound isn't truly healed until the body rejects the stitch holding it in place. Until then, you're stuck dealing with the smell, that constant tightness in your nose, and picking at the gunk. 😁

Hannah Baker23 said:Don't sweat it—I’m dealing with the exact same thing in my left nostril. My Conan stitch is halfway out, and all this gunk has gathered around it, hardening into a mass that just won't budge. The only way I can deal with the new buildup is using a saline spray and Q-tips. Honestly, you might just have to wait until it falls out on its own; the wound isn't truly healed until the body rejects the stitch holding it together. Until then, you're stuck dealing with the smell, the tightness, and picking at the crustiness. 😁

Hannah Baker23, I figured out a fix last night 🙂)
Basically, that buildup around the Conan stitch was driving me crazy. Then I remembered—instead of just using cold saline in the syringe, I used warm water instead. Not scalding, obviously, just warm. It turned everything around the stitch into a liquid state, allowing me to clean it all out completely. 😁 Give it a shot. 😉

Honestly, pulling out the Conan doesn't even hurt 😉

It’s such a massive relief once it's finally gone.

How long did it take you guys to get used to wearing glasses? Is three months enough of a window, or... 🤷

casualbison3 said:How long did it take you guys to get used to wearing glasses? Is three months enough, or what? 🤷

I’m already wearing mine—it’s only been about 20 days. 🙂

Drew Perez11 said:I’m already carrying my own—and it’s only been about 20 days🙂

So, what did you actually get done? Just the tip, or...??

casualbison3 said:How long did it take before you guys started wearing glasses again? Is three months enough of a wait, or what...? 🤷

Man, I’m right there with you on this one. It’s been about two and a half months since my surgery, and honestly, I’m still feeling the itch to just pop my glasses back on. 😢

Drew Perez11 said:I've already got mine on, and it's only been about 20 days🙂

I don't really think that's a smart move. 🤷

darknomad18 said:I don't think that's exactly the brightest move. 🤷

👍
My doctor told me I shouldn't even touch glasses for at least three months—apparently, the cartilage is still too soft, and there's a risk the frames could actually leave permanent indentations on the side of my nose. But hey, who knows...

I’ve got a broken bone and had surgery on my cartilage..
I only wear them when absolutely necessary.. 🙂
It’s honestly irritating that they didn't give me any actual precautions after the procedure.. :S all I got was "try not to bump into anything"—as if I haven't figured out how to navigate a room on my own.. :/

Drew Perez11 said:I've got a broken bone and had surgery on my cartilage...
and I only wear them when absolutely necessary.. 🙂
It's honestly so annoying that they didn't tell me anything specific about precautions after the surgery.. :S all I got was "just don't bump into things" ... as if I'm not smart enough to realize that.. :/

Pretty much useless, then. They told me right away because I showed up wearing prescription glasses.
Whatever, just stop wearing them for a while and you'll be fine. 😉

casualbison3 said:👍
They told me I shouldn't wear glasses for at least three months—mostly because the cartilage is still pretty soft, and I wouldn't want the frames to leave these deep indentations on the side of my nose. But honestly, who knows... maybe they were being extra cautious

The same thing was said to me—three months—though if you're dealing with heavier frames, I guess five or six months might be safer

It’s been about two months for me, and I’ve actually been wearing my glasses for maybe fifteen days now—though that’s mostly just the sunglasses once or twice a week 🙂 but what I really want to know is: when am I cleared to hit the tanning salon?

Hi everyone,

I just left the ENT clinic at Mayo Clinic, and they’ve recommended I undergo surgery:
reconstructio septi nasi et pyramidis
The surgeon is Dejan Tomljenović.
I’m wondering if anyone here has had surgery with him? What was your experience like?
I couldn't find much information about him online, which is making me a bit anxious...
If you have any recommendations for other specialists, please let me know.

thanks

Hey everyone, has anyone dealt with a functional mess similar to mine, or maybe has some solid advice on which specialist can actually fix my nose properly the first time around? Please, only weigh in if you actually know what you’re talking about—I don't need random opinions from random clinics. It's urgent because summer is rolling in, and with it comes those killer allergies... 🙂 🙂 🙂

Medical History:
Breathing through my nose is a nightmare (deviated septum, maybe polyps, chronic sinusitis or inflammation—sinus issues are a constant cause of headaches since I can't drain anything, plus occasional allergies make the mucosa swell up, which is just straight-up awful)
Constant mouth breathing, especially when I'm asleep.
Complete vertical shift of the septum (can't even get a painless fiberoptic exam done) — it looks visibly crooked from the outside and internally as far as I can see.
Basically, the deviation has been there naturally since I was a kid, I can see it in old photos, but I didn't realize how bad it was until I took a hit to the nose and my left nostril completely slammed shut.
It's like a portion of the septum is basically broken off from the base, and it healed that way; the lower part of the "pyramid" is shifted, it's not centered on my X-rays where you can clearly see the 2D layout, and part of the septum is shoved right up against the turbinates.
Do hospital doctors actually fix stuff like this? (I think it's called reconstructive nasal surgery or something, but my GP told me nobody would bother fixing it for me :S even though he clearly doesn't have a clue and is just talking big—he did notice a "5mm" shift, though.)
Can this be reconstructed using an open technique, or is closed surgery an option too?
I really want the septum straightened so the exterior looks more symmetrical, assuming they actually listen to what I want when they write down the notes...
I'm not 100% sure if I have a polyp in the left nostril, but something feels weird....
Can I request sinus imaging and a polyp check at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic to be certain? Has anyone done that there, or do they just refer you out to a specialist? 😕
Moving on...
I've got these constant headaches; I started popping over-the-counter painkillers, but only one type helps, and I'm worried the pain is progressive. I'm feeling worse overall, zero energy for anything.
I also have these gray dark circles under my eyes and between them; my ethmoid sinuses are likely messing with my eyes, which ache too.
Besides the headaches, my hearing sensitivity is through the roof—I suspect my Eustachian tube, which connects to the sinuses, is involved. It's incredibly frustrating; noise sounds 10x louder to me. I'm light-sensitive too; I can't even look at things in the summer without sunglasses. People keep telling me I look pale, asking if I'm okay, blah blah blah—honestly, I feel like a vampire🙂 so I mostly just head out at night. 🙂 Hahaha

So, who's better to see: Vance or Baldwin? (I need to email my referral, I'm getting impatient! Let me know if any of you have gone to one of them regarding a similar issue. Of course, only if you're qualified to give professional advice. IF NO ONE RESPONDS FOR A WHILE, PLEASE SEND ME A PM WHEN YOU SEE THIS. I'd appreciate it because I'm not checking this thread constantly—there are way too many pages to scroll through, and I don't have the energy to read through endless threads of girls talking about aesthetics while I'm sitting here waiting for a loading screen... I need to book an appointment ASAP because I don't know how long the waitlist is.)
I think they're both equally good; I've read everything available on them, so I'm wondering if anyone has more hands-on experience with Vance, since I want to be absolutely sure this is my second attempt at doing this right.
I had a procedure a month ago where they fixed the right side, which was crumpled but wasn't actually blocking my breathing much because there was enough room due to the shift to the left. Because of that, he didn't even touch the left side since it looked "straight" to him. He had no idea what he was doing or if he intentionally avoided fixing the whole septum—I don't know. He just cut out a piece, put it back, and because of that, I was out for two and a half hours under anesthesia and spent days in the hospital, not to mention having to go back for follow-ups and more paperwork....
Even though I just went under the knife, am I going to be stuck in some kind of waiting game before I can even think about another procedure? Maybe there's a way around it if I lay all the facts out for the doctor.
I’m honestly just dying to finally be able to breathe normally again 😢😢
Let me know what you guys think..

Grace Wright62 said:Hi everyone,
I just left the ENT clinic at Mount Sinai and they’re recommending I get surgery:
reconstructio septi nasi et pyramidis
The doctor is Dejan Tomljenović.
I was wondering if anyone here has actually had surgery with him? How is he?!
I couldn't find much about him online, which is making me a little nervous.
If you have any recommendations for other doctors, please let me know.
thanks

Don't go blindly into this! That's pretty much your first mistake right there.
I basically walked into the Mayo Clinic like a headless chicken, and well, just read the rest above...
Don't let a doctor's big personality or overly enthusiastic vibe throw you off.
Personally, I'm going to stick with these two for sure + I just read yesterday that they actually got the most cutting-edge ENT equipment in the whole country. Catch ya later.

Patrick Robinson7 said:Hey everyone, I was wondering if any guys here have dealt with similar functional issues as mine—or maybe you have? I’m looking for some advice on which specialist to see so I can actually get my nose fixed properly the first time around. Please, only reply if you actually know what you're talking about; I don't really need random impressions from clinics. It’s kind of urgent since summer is right around the corner and my allergies usually kick in hard with the heat... 🙂 🙂 🙂

Medical history:
It's really hard to breathe through my nose (septum deviation, maybe polyps, plus chronic sinusitis or inflammation, which is probably why I get these headaches from being unable to drain everything). My allergies flare up occasionally too, making the membranes swell up, and man, that just feels awful.
I end up breathing through my mouth constantly, especially while sleeping.
There's a full vertical shift in my septum (it's actually impossible to do a painless nasal fiberoptic exam) — it looks visibly crooked from the outside and I can tell it's off on the inside too.
The deviation seems to be how I was born—I can see it in old photos—but I didn't realize how bad it was until I took a fall on my face and my left nostril basically slammed shut.
Like, a portion of the septum feels broken off from the base, and it healed that way; so the lower part of the "pyramid" is shifted. It's not centered at all on my X-rays—you can clearly see where it's skewed on a 2D image—and part of the septum is pressed almost right up against the turbinates.
Does anyone actually get this fixed by hospital doctors? (I think they call it reconstructive nasal surgery or something, I don't know. My GP told me nobody would bother fixing it for me :S though he doesn't really know much either, he's just talking big, but at least he noticed the "5mm" shift.)
Can this be reconstructed using an open technique, or is closed surgery an option too?
I'd really love to straighten the septum so the exterior looks more symmetrical, too—assuming they actually note down what I want in my chart...
I'm not entirely sure if I have a polyp in my left nostril, but something definitely feels weird there...
Can I request sinus imaging and a polyp check at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic to be certain? Has anyone done that there, or do they usually just refer you out to a specialist? 😕
And another thing...
I have these constant headaches. I've started taking over-the-counter pain relievers, but just one helps a little, and I'm worried the pain is progressive because I feel worse every day and just have zero energy for anything.
I also have these dark circles under my eyes and between them, and I suspect my ethmoid sinuses are messing with my eyes too, because they ache.
Besides the headaches, my hearing sensitivity has spiked—I suspect my Eustace tube, which connects to the sinuses, might have something to do with it. It’s incredibly frustrating; noises sound ten times louder than they should. I'm also light-sensitive; I can't even look outside in the summer without sunglasses. People often tell me I look pale, like I'm a vampire or something, which is just great. 🙂 I mostly just head out at night now. 🙂 hahaha

So, who's better to see: Vagić or Baudoin? (I need to email over my referral, I'm getting pretty impatient! So please let me know who you went to for similar issues? Of course, only if you're qualified to give professional advice. AND IF NO ONE RESPONDS FOR A WHILE, PLEASE SEND ME A PM WHEN YOU SEE THIS. I'd really appreciate it because I don't check this thread constantly—there are way too many pages to scroll through, and I honestly don't have the energy to read through endless posts from girls talking about aesthetics while I'm sitting here waiting for a page to load... I need to get scheduled ASAP because I have no idea how long the waitlist will be.)
I feel like they’re all pretty much on the same level—I've read everything available about them—so I was wondering if anyone here has more firsthand experience with Vagić? This would be my second attempt at this, and I just want to be absolutely sure and tension-free before I jump back in.
So, I had surgery about a month ago to fix the right side where things were all cramped up. It wasn't totally blocking my breathing since there was enough room because my septum had shifted toward the left, so he didn't even touch the left side since it looked "straight." Honestly, I can't tell if he just didn't realize what he was doing or if he intentionally chose not to fix the whole thing... I don't know. He just cut out one part and put it back, and because of that, I ended up under anesthesia for two and a half hours and spent days in the hospital. On top of that, now I have to deal with follow-up appointments and getting more referrals from the insurance provider...
Even though I just had this recent surgery, am I going to have to wait a specific amount of time before I can go in for a new one? Maybe not, if I explain the whole situation to him.
Man, I seriously can't wait to finally breathe normally again 😢😢
Please, let me know what you guys think..

Just take a deep breath and chill out.
Do you even read what you're typing???

Look, you just had surgery a month ago, so it's totally normal for your nose to still smell weird and feel congested. The nasal lining is still swollen from the procedure, and the bone hasn't fully settled into place yet. Recovery for this kind of surgery is actually a long haul—it can take up to a year!

So, maybe just relax and wait at least 6 months before you start planning the next surgery.