Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Quote : cro said:Hey everyone! Since I’ve spent quite a bit of time reading through all the info on this forum lately, I figured it was finally time for me to jump in and share my own fresh experience with you all. 🙂

I was admitted to the Mayo Clinic on February 4th, but since my period ended right at the end, they actually sent me home until Tuesday evening (Feb 5th) just to make sure everything stabilized. As soon as I got back to my room that night, I noticed the anesthesiologist had prescribed those abdominal injections to prevent blood clots, plus all that leg wrapping to ward off thrombosis before surgery. They started the shots immediately, and I kept getting them right up until the moment I was discharged. The night before, they also gave me some Apaurin to take orally—one for the evening and one for the morning. I was wheeled into the OR just before 2:00 PM, and by 3:10 PM, I was waking up on the way back to my room. Dr. Cikojević performed my septoplasty and removed the hump. They put Voltaren straight into my IV immediately, but honestly, I didn't sleep a wink that first night—probably because the air was so incredibly dry and I was struggling to adjust to breathing through my mouth. By the next day, the area around my eyes was so swollen and red I could barely see! Luckily, they gave me two Solu-Medrol injections for that. Afterward, I didn't really feel any actual pain; the main thing is just this intense discomfort and pressure in your nose from everything being packed in there. I’ve been taking Advil granules in the morning and evening just to take the edge off. On the fifth day after surgery, they finally removed the packing and gauze. It doesn't hurt, but man, it is seriously uncomfortable. Honestly, what hurt way more was having that cast removed after it stuck to my face, and then the whole process of putting it back on and having my nose squeezed. 😲
I’ve finally been discharged! I'm heading home now, but I have to stay on top of my nasal rinses using Sterimar—I've been mixing that with regular saline. On top of that, I need to spray Gelositin three times a day. My follow-up appointment to get this cast removed is scheduled for eight days from now, and honestly, I haven't felt any pain at all!
It feels so incredibly good to finally breathe again! Now that they've removed the tampons, I can just exhale through my nose so easily. Everything feels completely clear and open inside. 👍 I'm still a little bruised and swollen, but honestly, I feel better every single day!
Huge thanks to the doctor and the entire staff on the unit! Everything was just wonderful. 😍
Ed, my sense of smell feels way more intense than it used to be, too! 👍

Olivia Gonzalez17 said:Hello, I figured I’d jump in and share my experience too. Had surgery today in NYC (bump on the bridge and tip of the nose), and honestly, after being so terrified, everything went surprisingly great. It actually went so smoothly that I’m starting to wonder if they even touched my nose or just took my money and slapped a Band-Aid on it. 😉 For the most part, there's no pain, no bruising, and I can eat normally. They used local anesthesia, so I was awake through the whole thing—I even opened my eyes a few times and think I might have even said something (it all feels a bit dreamlike, unless I really was dreaming). After the procedure, I made dozens of phone calls, and now that I'm home, I feel super !!. I'm impatiently waiting to get the molds removed in a week, and I'm really hoping the results are as good as I feel right now. If they are, I'll happily share before and after photos and give a recommendation for the doctor. Best wishes to everyone!!

Anthony White3 said:Just scroll back through a few pages. If you have supplemental insurance, you won't be paying anything out of pocket. As for the breathing and snoring issues, you'll feel like a whole new person.

Rachel Vaughn85 said:If you don't mind me asking, who actually performed the surgery? 🙂
PS. I’m really pulling for the best possible outcome here! 🙂

Maria Jones84 said:I figured I’d write down my own experience for anyone still sitting on the fence. I’ve been obsessing over nose surgery for ages; that little bump was bothering me, and from the front, my nose always looked way too wide. After endless procrastinating, scrolling through forums, and talking to people who had already gone through it, I finally pulled the trigger with Dr. Toncic Clinic, and honestly, I couldn't have made a better choice. I consulted with Dr. Dinko, we worked out the details, and my date was set for February 12th. On the actual day of the surgery, I was actually a bit terrified because of all those horror stories about local anesthesia—but looking back, it was totally unjustified. Once the doctor gave me the final rundown, I headed toward the OR. The nurses were so sweet and cheerful; they created such a warm atmosphere that you relax almost instantly. They gave me something to calm my nerves in the IV and applied a local anesthetic in my nose. It doesn't hurt at all; it just stings for a few seconds, then everything goes numb and you don't feel a thing. I remember the surgery itself mostly as a hazy, semi-conscious blur. When it was over, a nurse literally took me by the arm and escorted me to a room where I drifted off for about three hours with cold compresses over my eyes. By 2:00 PM, I was headed home. I had to go back in three days later to get the packing removed. As soon as I got home, I propped my bed up high. I didn't have any pain at all—not in my head, not in my nose. The only weird part was eating for those first three days since you can't smell or taste anything, but that passes quickly. They gave me a sheet with emergency contact numbers and two pain pills that I didn't even end up needing. On the second day, the nurse Vesna actually called me just to check in and see how my first night went. I didn't end up with any bruising, though on the fourth day, I had a tiny bit of discoloration near my right eye that mostly cleared up by day six. Today is day seven, and I went in to have the casts removed. Since they used a closed technique, the stitches are inside the nose and they just eventually dissolve/fall out on their own. I couldn't wait to get in front of a mirror... and oh my god, what a beautiful, perfectly shaped little nose! At first glance, I'm absolutely thrilled—obviously! The profile is straight, the tip is slightly lifted, it looks slender from the front, and my whole face just looks softer and more delicate. I have a follow-up in two months, and while there's still a tiny bit of swelling, it's minimal. Honestly, if someone had told me this process would be this easy and painless, I would have done it years ago! Huge kudos to the nurses, who are wonderful, and of course to Dr. Dinko, who truly listened to what I wanted and crafted a nose that is nothing short of perfect. Highly recommend to anyone who is hesitant. 🙂

Olivia Gonzalez17 said:Thanks, and I’m really hoping for the best too... Mary covered everything perfectly, and my experience with Dr. Toncic was exactly the same as what she described. Now, I just hope the final result is as satisfying as the process! I’m taking the mold off tomorrow... wish me luck 🙂))

urbanbadger1 said:Here is what I’m looking to find out:

1. How long do they actually keep the packing in? Some clinic websites say 3-5 days, others say just two (like at Dr. Glusac's office), so I’m wondering how long you all had yours in and which surgeon you went to. I assume it depends on whether they used an open or closed technique....

2. Once the packing comes out, can you breathe again? Obviously, I know there’s still mucus and healing tissue in there, but I want to know if you can actually draw air through your nose, or if it feels totally blocked. Also, someone mentioned you shouldn't blow your nose—which makes sense—but I'm wondering if you can clean it slightly, very carefully and gently (I don't mean a full-blown blow, but maybe using a saline spray or rinse and then just a light sniff to clear things out)

Can anyone walk me through the stages in more detail?

a.) The first few days after surgery: People say the pain isn't that bad, though they give you painkillers that aren't always particularly effective. Is it worth taking them? My main concern is that immediately after surgery, the nose is swollen, and everything inside is inflamed and bloody. Add the packing into the mix, and you can't breathe through your nose for those 3-5 days. Is that a major issue when you're trying to sleep?

b.) And I'm curious about the pain levels and sleeping conditions from day three to day seven compared to those first couple of days.

c.) I read that the nose stays swollen for months or even half a year, which really spooked me, though most people seem to say it’s not that bad. Can someone clarify how much this actually shows visually and how much it hurts from week two onwards? It sounds like it might be tender to the touch. Specifically, did the tenderness interfere with sleeping on your side? Even if you aren't pressing your nose directly against the pillow, can you sleep on your side comfortably?

Basically, when does the nose pain finally stop? Can I expect to sleep normally and have minimal, manageable tenderness to the touch by the three-week mark?

Thanks so much for any info you can share.

Olivia Gray42 said:You end up just wearing pajama bottoms while they cover you up with something else (at least that happened to me). Don't sweat it; the last thing on your mind in that moment is whether you're naked or not. 😉

restlesspanther42 said:Haha, I'm just sitting here thinking about it. 😁 Still, the doctor is quite handsome. 🤣

Regarding those who had surgery at Chicago General... what’s the ward like? Are you stuck in rooms with five or more people, or is it more private? How's the food, the nursing staff? And for the smokers—how long did they make you go without a cigarette?

Kimberly Diaz2 said:The unit is great. Rooms usually have three people, the nurses are awesome, and honestly, you won't even taste the food if you've got tampons shoved up your nose... though it is pretty basic and sparse. There’s a convenience store, a newsstand, and a decent restaurant across the street (it was a bar a few years back when I was there). My only gripe was staying overnight in ICU after surgery—you'll actually die of boredom. So, yeah, those are my impressions..

Austin Adams5 said:I have to go in for a minor procedure soon because of a deviated septum here in Miami. I’m really curious about anyone's experiences. My doctor mentioned I don't strictly *have* to do it right this second, but he highly recommends it. He also said I'd need to stay in the hospital for about 5 days after the surgery :O ....

One side of my nostril is way too narrow, and breathing through my nose is such a struggle—I feel like I'm breathing through my mouth constantly.

My biggest worry is that my nose might end up looking crooked after the surgery. 😢