Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

It’s been five months now, and the tip of my nose is still swollen—it actually looks like a little bulb at the end! On top of that, I’ve ended up with two scars, one right under my eyebrow and another one sitting right on the tip itself. 😢
My doctor mentioned that if these scars don't fade away on their own, he’ll have to perform some kind of resurfacing treatment to smooth them out. Has anyone here actually gone through a procedure like that? What was the experience like for you?

Joshua Murphy7 said:I finally went through with my nose surgery last week—fixing the nasal pyramid and the septum after all those sleepless nights and struggles. The result is great in one way: that bump on the right side is totally gone! But here’s the thing: the nostrils look a bit off. One is narrow and kind of ugly, while the other looks pretty much the same as before. It feels like nothing really changed there. Is this normal? Will things settle down eventually? My eyes aren't playing tricks on me, so I'm feeling a little confused and honestly, a bit disappointed. If they were reshaping the whole structure, shouldn't that have fixed the nostrils too? I was at Vinogradski Hospital...

Has anyone else dealt with something similar? Should I just wait a few months for everything to settle into place?

Any help or advice would be appreciated...

Hey there,

That’s definitely something that can be fixed. Usually, surgeons prioritize fixing the function (breathing) first, and then deal with the aesthetics later.
Make sure you bring this up with your surgeon at your next follow-up appointment. Just tell them clearly that the shape bothers you; they can often remodel the nostrils or trim away excess skin to get a better look.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been thinking about getting nose surgery for a while now. Primarily, I want to fix a deviated septum, but I’m also looking to tweak the aesthetics a bit.
So, what’s the actual process? Like, do I just grab a referral from my doctor and go from there?

Also, does anyone know the wait times for a consultation at Dubrava Hospital or Holy Spirit? I'm trying to decide between two different doctors. 🤔

Hoping someone can get back to me soon so I can plan everything around my college schedule. And honestly, you guys know how much a nose issue can mess with your confidence, right? 🙂

Your doctor just orders everything online for you—at least, that’s how it worked for me at Vinogradski Hospital. You get a referral, see the specialist, they examine you, and then they schedule the surgery. They give you a list of tests you need to clear before the big day. I knocked all mine out about ten days before my procedure. My primary care doctor handled all those referrals. I waited two months for the initial exam, though it really depends on the doctor since they leave the scheduling open. My actual surgery date was set for a month and a half after that first visit.

Thanks for the heads-up,,
Looking back at my medical records and talking with the doctor, it turns out they performed an open septoplasty. Since I had a significant external deviation, they used an open technique, which included a small incision right under my nose. We actually just had the splints and the packing removed yesterday. To be honest, I was under the impression that the surgeon had mapped out all those profile irregularities to ensure the nostrils would be corrected too, but that didn't happen in the end. I'll try to send you a photo via DM so you can see what I mean.

My big worry is that if this falls strictly under "cosmetic" territory, it’ll be treated like pure plastic surgery where you have to foot the entire bill yourself. I really don't believe the hospital will cover it under standard insurance since it's viewed as aesthetic.

Betty Edwards22 said:Hey there,

That isn't an impossible fix—it just falls into the cosmetic category, and usually, doctors prioritize fixing the functional issues first.
Make sure you bring this up with your surgeon at your next follow-up appointment. Tell them exactly how it bothers you; the nasal bridge can be reshaped, and they can trim away excess skin.

It’s been about three months since my surgery, and honestly—my nose is still pretty swollen and looks a bit asymmetrical... but apparently, that's just what you're supposed to deal with after an open septorhinoplasty 🤷

Hey everyone, quick question for you guys.

So, I’ve got surgery scheduled—septoplasty—at Vinogradski Hospital this April, and the staff at the front desk just told me I need an outpatient referral for a CT scan.

Now I'm wondering... when does that actually happen? Like, am I doing that scan just a few days before the big day? And more importantly, do I have to go out and schedule the CT myself, or is my doctor going to handle all that prep work at the clinic where I'm getting the tests done before surgery?

Thanks!

My primary care doctor handled all those referral orders for my pre-op testing.
I got them all done about ten days before the surgery.

So, what’s the deal with the CT scan—do I have to handle the scheduling myself? My doctor mentioned I'll be getting it done over at Vinogradski Hospital (not even though I'm not from Chicago, by the way)...

Looking over my paperwork right now... honestly, I shouldn't have even needed that CT scan in the first place.

redranger82 said:Alright, what about the CT scan? Do I need to schedule that myself? My doctor mentioned I'd be doing it at Vinogradski Hospital (though I don't live in Chicago).

As far as I know, you have to get a referral for a CT.

redranger82 said:Alright, what about the CT scan? Do I need to schedule that myself? My doctor mentioned I'd be getting it done over at Vinogradski Hospital (though I don't actually live in Chicago).

You might want to double-check that, because based on what you're describing, that wouldn't count as outpatient testing. If they run it after you've been officially admitted to the hospital, then it's considered inpatient testing, and your surgeon will just order it right there on the ward.

Maria Castillo23 said:Your doctor can just schedule you online, at least that’s how I handled things with Vinogradski Hospital. You get your referral, see the specialist, they examine you, and then they book the surgery. They give you a list of all the tests you need to finish before the big day. I knocked mine out about 10 days before my surgery. My primary care doctor handled all those referrals for me. I waited about two months for my initial exam—it really depends on the doctor, since they give you open availability. My surgery ended up being scheduled for a month and a half after that first visit.

Thanks for the heads-up! Now I'm wondering, does anyone have a great doctor they'd recommend? Right now, I'm torn between Dr. Ožegović at Dubrava Hospital and Dr. Raguž over at Holy Spirit. Has anyone worked with them? I've heard nothing but amazing things about Dr. Jurlin, but apparently, his waiting lists are huge.

A friend of mine had surgery at Holy Spirit, and she's thrilled with how it went.
As for me, I couldn't be happier with Vinogradski Hospital—the surgeon, the nurses, the whole setup was top-notch.
I ended up crossing paths with a lot of people there, all seeing different specialists, and honestly, I didn't hear a single bad word about anyone. 🙂

Betty Edwards22 said:You might wanna double-check that logic, because the scenario you're talking about definitely doesn't count as outpatient testing. If they do it after you've already been admitted—that's hospital testing, plain and simple—and your surgeon just orders it right there on the ward.

Yeah, well, when I was actually in for my exam, the doc told me straight up I'd get the CT scan done right then and there. But then, once the exam was over and I was standing at the window holding all my paperwork, they hit me with the news—apparently, I’d have to wait six months and go hunt down an outpatient referral instead.

That whole "six-month wait" thing... I'm guessing that was specifically referring to the Vinogradski Hospital mess...

redranger82 said:Right, when I went in for my exam, the doctor told me I’d be getting my CT scan done right there. But then, after the appointment, when I took my paperwork over to the desk, they told me I might have to wait up to six months and should look into getting an outpatient referral instead.

That six-month wait they mentioned probably referred to the Vinogradski Hospital...

Yeah, that’s why in certain situations—if the surgeon feels it’s clinically necessary—they'll handle it as an in-hospital procedure instead of making you wait for an outside CT scan. There's only a limited number of those types of scans available through that route.

Did they give you a date for the follow-up? They really should have.

If you're waiting on septum surgery at Mayo Clinic, buckle up—it's looking like a full 11-month wait 😁 😁
I went in back in December just to get on the schedule, and the nurse told me it would be "a few months." Since I have a trip coming up in March, I was trying to figure out when those "few months" would actually happen... She told me they'd just mail the appointment date straight to my house. Well, let's just say I was absolutely floored when that notice showed up at the end of November... 😵

Hi everyone,
About three weeks ago, I had a private septoplasty and turbinoplasty done in Chicago. Right now, breathing is great through the nostril that was causing all the trouble, though my other side feels a bit congested. I’m looking for some advice from those who have been through this—is it still too early to judge the final result? My nose still feels a little tight. Should I expect more swelling to go down? Or maybe some stitches need to dissolve? I haven't had any major discharge or bleeding, just the occasional stretchy white bit when I rinse. Honestly, I'm a little worried I might end up needing a revision. Is it just too soon to start stressing about it? For now, I've been using some oily white drops and rinsing everything thoroughly to help things settle. Thanks in advance for your insight!

Betty Edwards22 said:Yeah, so in certain cases—if the surgeon thinks it’s clinically necessary, obviously—and they know you aren't going to make it in for an outside CT scan, they just handle it as part of the hospital procedure. There's only a limited number of scans available for that...

So, did they actually give you a date for the surgery? They really should have by now...

Yeah, my appointment isn't until the end of April.

Elizabeth Ruiz5 said:Thanks for the info! So now I'm wondering... does anyone have a great doctor they can actually recommend? Right now I'm torn between Dr. Ožegović over at Dubrava Hospital and Dr. Raguž at Holy Spirit. Has anyone here actually dealt with them? I've heard nothing but amazing things about Dr. Jurlin, but apparently his waiting lists are absolutely brutal.

Honestly, Dr. Jurlin is totally worth the wait! Highly, highly recommend him! 😉