Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

The anesthesiologist pulled the plug on my surgery because I broke out in a cold sore the night before. Now everything is pushed back two weeks. Just some friendly advice for anyone prone to this: from my own experience, find a way to boost your immune system at least two weeks before you go under. 😢

Oh yeah, it’s definitely going to work...

rapidbadger7 said:Quick question for anyone who's actually been through surgery:
What should I pack for the procedure?
Did you stock up on painkillers, nasal sprays, and stuff like that beforehand?
Were you able to eat on day 1 or 2?

1. Grab your basic hygiene stuff and some tissues—it really just depends on if they’re keeping you overnight at the clinic or letting you head home the next day.
2. Honestly, I think everyone would agree: don't go buying up pills until a doctor actually prescribes them or tells you to. As for nasal sprays, from my experience, just stick to saline solution. It helps clear everything out so you don't get crusty scabs or feel the stitches pulling too hard while the lining slowly heals. Avoid those heavy-duty decongestant sprays—the kind that usually unblock your nose—because, look, your nose is gonna be stuffed up regardless until the swelling goes down. If you start using those sprays, you might just get hooked on them, and then you won't be able to breathe normally without them, plus the relief doesn't even last that long anyway.
3. Eating is totally fine, but for those first couple of days when you still have the tampons in your nose, you're basically trying to eat and breathe through your mouth at the same time... which is a total nightmare. My advice? Stick to soft foods and something light so you don't end up choking.
Anyway, hope that helps a little! Everyone's recovery is different though, so maybe someone else can jump in with more tips.

Hi,

I recently posted about my upcoming surgery on my Rib—specifically, a septorhinoplasty. Well, the procedure went as well as it possibly could. As it turns out, the surgeon, Dr. Garcia from the Vineyard clinic, performed my initial surgery ten years ago. I’ve dealt with a deviated septum my entire life, and back when I was sixteen, I ended up at the Vineyard clinic because of a throat cyst. They sent me to ENT, where Dr. Garcia saw me; he wouldn't perform major procedures then since I was still developing, which I completely respect. After the operation, he mentioned he tried to lift the tip but decided against it, opting instead to "just" scrape away a polyp in my right nostril. Now, ten years later, finally finding the time for follow-ups, new scans of my Rib show that my septum is a mess and my nose is essentially ruined. My cartilage is incredibly weak, and the scar tissue from that first surgery has pulled my entire nose to the left. Dr. Jones was honestly horrified when he first opened it up. He’s currently using silicone splints to hold my septum in place, hoping that once they come out in ten days, everything doesn't just "collapse." He did manage to lift the tip, though, so the profile looks completely different now. Personally, the nose feels terribly thick to me, and I am praying to God that the tip is capable of changing shape and won't stay looking "potato-like," otherwise, I'll be looking at a revision in a year. The doctor thinks a revision isn't necessary, but he mentioned that if I decide I want one, we can discuss it down the road once the tissue heals and he's certain he can perform the specific procedure I'm looking for on the septum. Honestly, ladies, I’m just relieved I didn't end up with someone who would have started hacking everything apart right away; that would have led to a nightmare of reconstructive cartilage work and so on.
Anyway, if you are heading to the hospital, you are in safe hands. A girl I know went to see Dr. User789 and she was very satisfied. Not to mention, the doctor even gave her his cell number and insisted she call him anytime she needed anything—they truly are wonderful people. I hope this helps.

Maria Smith73 said:Hey everyone! So, I recently went under the knife for some nose surgery with Zambelli, and let me tell you, things are looking a little... intense right now. My nose is incredibly swollen and, honestly, it hurts like crazy. It’s one of those situations where you just want to hit a reset button on your face, you know? Does anyone happen to know a good spot in Washington, D.C. where I could get some lymphatic drainage massage done to help bring this swelling down? I’m really hoping to get rid of this puffiness ASAP. Has anyone here dealt with something similar or had any experience with that kind of treatment? I'd love to hear your thoughts!🙂

I had such a fantastic experience at Nancy Kovacs’ beauty salon over on Martin Street—honestly, she is just wonderful. The owner is this seasoned lady who has clearly seen it all and has so much wisdom to offer; you can just tell she knows her stuff inside and out. I actually stumbled upon her place through the most unexpected way, too. Apparently, local surgeons send their patients over to her for lymphatic drainage after nose jobs, which is how I first heard about her reputation!

I'm actually heading to a different clinic for my drainage procedure. I know people talk about Nancy Kovacs' place, but their prices are just way too high—it's like $133 $1 per session.

Do those drains actually help? Is there any noticeable difference once they're done?

Henry Nelson27 said:Hey,

I recently posted about my upcoming surgery at Mayo Clinic—it was for septorhinoplasty. The procedure went as well as it could. It turns out Dr. Garcia from the local clinic back in the day basically "fixed" me ten years ago. I've had a deviated septum my whole life, and when I was 16, I went into that clinic because I had a throat cyst and they sent me to ENT. Dr. Garcia wouldn't take me as a patient then; he didn't want to perform major procedures while I was still developing, which I totally respect. After the surgery, he mentioned he tried to lift the tip but decided against it, and "only" scraped off a polyp in my right nostril. Fast forward ten years, and now that I finally have the time, new exams at Mayo Clinic show that my septum is a mess, my nose is ruined, my cartilage is incredibly weak, and the scar from that old surgery pulled my entire nose to the left. Dr. Jones was horrified when he opened it up. He ended up installing silicone splints to hold my septum in place, hoping that when they come out in ten days, everything won't just "collapse." He did manage to lift the tip, though, so it looks completely different now. Personally, my nose looks super thick right now, and I’m praying to God that the tip is actually capable of changing shape and won't stay looking like a potato, otherwise, I'll be looking at a revision in a year. My doctor thinks one isn't necessary, but if I decide I want a revision, we can talk about it later once the tissue heals and he's certain he can perform the specific surgery I want on the septum. Honestly, girls, I'm just glad I didn't date someone who would have had to deal with all this fixing and cartilage reconstruction and all that nonsense.
Anyway, if you're going to Mayo Clinic, you're in good hands. A friend of mine saw Dr. Miller, and she's thrilled. Not to mention, her doctor gave her his cell number and told her to call anytime if she needs anything—these people are truly top-tier. Hope this helps.

Hi Henry Nelson27! 🙂

The only thing I can say after reading this is that I wish you all the best with your recovery. Don't stress too much about the width of your nose (specifically the swelling); it'll go down with time. I'm saying this based on my friend's experience—she had nose surgery about a year or two ago, also with Dr. Jones. At first, it looked really weird to all of us because of the swelling and that initial puffy look; we actually used to call her Mickey Mouse 😁
But after a while, her nose slimmed down quite a bit and she's really happy with it. 🙂
So, I hope it goes the same way for you and that you won't need any more surgeries or all that initial hassle. 🙂

Chris Moore3 said:1. Pack your own toiletries and some tissues—it really depends on whether you're staying overnight at the clinic or heading straight home the next day.
2. I think we can all agree on one thing: don't go buying pills until a doctor actually prescribes them or gives you the green light. As for nasal sprays, based on my experience, just stick to a simple saline solution. It helps clear out the passages so you don't get crusty scabs and those stitches don't feel like they're pulling too tight while the mucosa recovers. Avoid anything like Afrin or those decongestant sprays; your nose is going to be stuffed up regardless until the tissue heals itself. If you rely on those sprays, you’ll just end up addicted to them, and then you won't be able to breathe normally without them, plus the relief is super temporary anyway.
3. You can eat pretty much whatever, but during those first few days when you still have the packing in your nose, you're basically trying to eat and breathe through the same tiny opening at once. My advice? Stick to soft foods and something light so you don't accidentally choke.
Anyway, I hope that helps a bit, though everyone's recovery is different, so maybe someone else has some tips to add!

One more thing:
Bring some straws with you. Trust me, tilting your head back to drink from a glass is a total nightmare. 😛
Also, grab a bunch of paper towels. (Personally, I used to dampen them or use sterile gauze soaked in water and breathe through that to help ease the discomfort.)
@restlesspanther42/">@@restlesspanther42, I actually got kicked right out of the OR once because the anesthesiologist was being a complete nightmare. Hang in there. I know how much that kind of stuff messes with your nerves and stress levels.

Honestly, tilting my head back to knock back a drink was way easier than trying to suck anything through a straw while my nose was totally stuffed up—guess it just varies from person to person. 😁

@Maria Thompson4/">@@Maria Thompson4 literally drove me insane... I finally snapped.... and just walked out to go light up a 😁
After what just happened, I am definitely wearing protection from now on to avoid getting herpes... and staying away from plastic cups

@Chris Moore3/">@@Chris Moore3 -I always carry my own TP and wet wipes.

wanderingnomad13 said:Are the drains helping? Can you see any difference yet?

I’ve only had one drain removed so far, so there isn't a visible difference yet. However, you definitely feel better afterward—it feels like the swelling in your nose isn't as intense. The drains really help speed up the process so the swelling goes down sooner and the tissue can start regenerating properly.

Hey there!

It’s been about two months now, and I have to say, I’m feeling really good about everything. My breathing seems to get better every single day—it's actually pretty wild—and the pain is totally gone. Even the bridge of my nose looks much smaller now, though I guess there's still just a tiny bit of swelling at the very tip.

Anyway, I’d highly recommend seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit on this one, but maybe steer clear of Dr. Kovacs. Honestly, it feels like he’s already halfway out the door at that hospital.

Best of luck to everyone🙂

Hey everyone, anyone here who’s gone through this—did you find yourselves constantly using cold compresses during those first few days (especially around the cheeks...)—and did it actually help?
I’ve got one of those gel packs that stays frozen—should I pack that in my bag just in case?

I took a little accidental hit to the nose yesterday. Since I already have a deviated septum and a broken bone there, I’m a bit worried something might have shifted. It’s really tender on the left side right where the impact happened, even though it was a pretty minor bump.😢😢 I'll give my doctor a call on Monday... It’s been about 19 days since my surgery, and honestly, it feels almost impossible to avoid any kind of contact with your nose during those first six months.

So, what did they end up telling you about those hits?

Maria Smith73 said:I accidentally took a tiny bump to the nose yesterday. Since I have a deviated septum and a broken bone there, I'm low-key freaking out that I might've messed up the healing—it really hurts right where the impact happened on the left side. It was a super minor hit, though.😢😢 I’ll give my doctor a call on Monday... It's been about 19 days since surgery. Honestly, trying to avoid even a light tap to the nose during those first 6 months is basically mission impossible.

If it was just a small, light bump, I wouldn't sweat it too much. 😉

rapidbadger7 said:So, what did they tell you about the impact?

It’s likely nothing happened. I'll just keep an eye on things and see if any asymmetries pop up over time.😢

Hey there,

So, I’ve got a nose surgery scheduled for late July with Dr. M. Kovačić over in Beverly Hills. The diagnosis is a left-sided deviated septum, hypertrophied inferior turbinates, and a pyramid deformity that's basically kypholordotic—which sounds terrifying, honestly. The doctor also mentioned he’ll be shaving down some bone to smooth out my profile a bit more.

Can anyone please tell me if you've actually dealt with him before? I’m not really asking about his bedside manner or how friendly he is—I can handle a grumpy doc—I just need to know if he actually knows his stuff. I'm looking for peace of mind regarding his technical skill... basically, can I trust him not to totally mess things up?