Started by rowdyfalcon35 · · 👁 29 views · 951 replies
…
rustyjackal26 said:Hmm... I don't know... 🤷 I’m basically looking for an ENT who actually does aesthetic work... I don't even know if a standard ENT would be down to touch up the aesthetics part, you know? Like, if I just want someone to fix this bump on my nose so it actually looks decent... maybe someone at the Mayo Clinic or something? Just hoping to find a specialist who won't leave me looking like a total disaster... 🙂
Michael Cruz9 said:So, I was wondering... how long does it usually take from that first ENT appointment to actually getting the septum surgery done at the Mayo Clinic? Like, what's the average wait time once you've cleared the initial checkup?
So, when you guys say "aesthetics" regarding the surgery... what are we actually talking about here? Like, are we looking at major structural changes to the shape and look of the nose, or does that part also cover fixing up the bump from that old fracture that started this whole mess in the first place...?
So, like... if that fracture caused breathing issues later on, and now there’s this little bump where everything healed up... I’m wondering, when they actually go in for the surgery, are they gonna smooth out that bump too? Or is that whole thing just considered an aesthetic issue they won't touch...?
Donna Johnson16 said:There’s no such thing as an "average." It really just comes down to you and your doctor—whatever you two decide works best for you.
So, when we're talking about aesthetics, we're strictly looking at fixing how the nose looks—nothing to do with breathing issues like a deviated septum or anything like that. Just purely cosmetic, you know?
The actual cause of the functional issue—whether we're talking about a broken nose or something else entirely—doesn't have anything to do with how big the surgery is. You decide exactly what kind of procedure gets done by talking it out with your doctor. Are you worried that fixing a bump might be labeled as purely cosmetic just so they can charge you more? Probably not, but you should definitely double-check that during your consultation with your surgeon.
...
Michael Cruz9 said:What’s the average wait time from that first ENT consultation to actually getting a septum surgery at the Mayo Clinic?
And when people throw around the term "aesthetics"—what are we actually talking about here? Does that imply major structural changes to the nose's shape, or does it cover things like a bump caused by an old fracture that started the whole mess in the first place?
To be more precise—if the breathing issues were triggered by a break, and a small bump formed where the bone healed, will they fix that bump during the procedure, or is that strictly categorized as "cosmetic"?
Rachel Fisher97 said:I’m heading to Rib in about a month, so I'll let you know how it goes once I've been through it. 🙂)
nimblemarlin622 said:Is it actually possible that my nose is still this swollen two months after Operation Nose?
I know some swelling is expected, but I’m starting to panic because so much time has passed and my nose just looks huge.
rustyjackal26 said:Sam Kim12, do you happen to have any before-and-after photos lying around? And regarding that doctor—is he strictly an ENT, or does he actually dabble in aesthetic work as well? Thanks...😉
wanderingmason86 said:Thanks for the correction.
As for everything else, I actually have a little something to say about that. I have several specialist doctors in my family, so I know more than a little bit about how our medical system works—and it isn't just some "marketplace." It absolutely is a marketplace, just like pretty much everything else in this country. It’s just hidden from view, maybe for now, at least for you. You'll see. 😉
Anyway, I wanted to write this sooner, but the timing wasn't right... I was reading through your previous replies and, since I'm a bit older than you and—according to my psych tests—fairly intelligent, I'm going to take the liberty of giving you some well-meaning advice (I don't mean to be hurtful):
A great doctor isn't someone who acts like a walking medical encyclopedia, occasionally dropping knowledge in the form of sarcastic ego trips. Medicine is a bit more—or at least it ought to be more—than your perception of a "marketplace," or rather, a simple buyer-seller relationship (doctor vs. patient). You're young, yet you're already acting like a burnt-out professor who's seen it all and knows it all, as if that gives you the right to look down on ordinary, "worthless" mortals. Come back down to earth; anyone who has ever studied anything for even a second has been burned by that illusion of omnipotence—the idea that having knowledge somehow lifts you above the masses of average people. Slowly, the excitement will fade, and that cloud of idealism will burst. Don't let yourself be fooled; the day will come when you're treating patients like they're on an assembly line, and you'll be dying of boredom. What I'm trying to say is: don't be arrogant. Try your hardest to delay that day as long as possible because, believe me, it'll be better for both you and your patients.
Now, back to the topic...
Here is a specific challenge for you:
How can I get in touch with a doctor from the ENT department at Mount Sinai (I'll tell you the name if you're feeling generous)? A silly question, right? It's not!
During my two-minute exam, I didn't have time to discuss a very important issue—one that my decision regarding surgery depends on. Specifically, if I go through with the surgery, there is a chance I might end up with an iatrogenic version of atrophic rhinitis (I believe you've studied secondary atrophic rhinitis). On the other hand, if I don't go through with the surgery, it's a certainty that I'll be breathing through my throat for the rest of my life (that's a joke, I know people don't breathe through their throats 😉).
So... because I don't want to regret my nose or the surgery later, I'd really like to have a quick chat with the surgeon performing the procedure about one specific thing—just man to man, not like a pilgrim talking to God.
How can I pull this off without needing a new referral for an exam I've already completed, and without waiting another few months? They won't give me a phone number, I don't have an email, and I'm certainly not going to barge into the clinic like I'm a specialist myself.
Come on, please, be a sweetheart and help me out—it turns out I'm actually better at navigating the "marketplace" than I thought. 🙄
Michael Cruz9 said:When you guys talk about "cosmetic" aspects included in the surgery, are you referring to major changes to the shape and appearance of the nose, or does that also cover the bump caused by the initial fracture that started all this?
To be more specific, if the fracture led to breathing issues later on, and a small bump formed where the bone healed, would removing that bump be part of the procedure, or is that strictly considered cosmetic?
Rachel Vaughn85 said:That’s great! 🙂
What’s your situation, briefly? Is this more for aesthetics or health reasons?
Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly 🙂
Rachel Fisher97 said:The main reason I actually went in for an exam was health-related. I’ve been dealing with these brutal headaches caused by breathing issues. My doctor recommended surgery and even suggested doing some cosmetic work at the same time. 🙂
