Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Megan Moore76 said:I just have to say, I am absolutely obsessed with Ecija Ojdanić's nose. You can see it in Larina's choices every single night 😁 Glumičić did such an amazing job with it! I might actually carry around her photo just to show people exactly what kind of nose I want.
...but then I get totally let down when I see the nose of that other (redheaded) actress in the same series—hers looks way too short and just seems so weird. You probably know who I mean, I won't name names 🙂 though maybe that was her goal🤷

It's obvious she dreams of looking like those local plastic surgery regulars who think they're all that with those huge lips and Botox...
I can't tell which one is which, but she definitely wanted that red look!!! And she thinks she looks so great doing it🤣

Betty Edwards22 said:Believe it or not—you just need patience.
Everyone is trying to get on his schedule, but he can only see so many people in a day, and the guy ends up stuck in the clinic for 5 or 6 hours straight.

Besides him, there are plenty of others doing incredible work here:
Prof. Baudoin, Doc. Vagić, that Dr. Grgić I mentioned, Prof. Bedeković, Dr. Geber, and Dr. Solter.

Honestly, you’re better off just packing your bags for Washington, D.C.—the list of doctors over at the University Hospital there who specialize in septorhinoplasty is much longer.

Dr. Boduen operated on me way back in 2004. My CT scan was a disaster then; they did a FESS, and the doctor told me I had a deviation too, but said we couldn't tackle everything at once—you know, deal with the polyps and the deviation in one go. He’s a wonderful man, really, but even after six months, I still couldn't breathe. Six years later, I went to San Francisco to have the deviation fixed by Dr. Racic, but I still can't breathe through my nose AT ALL, which is driving me insane. I recently did a sinus scan with that little camera, and yep—polyps everywhere...
I’m losing my mind. I just bought some Jozing herbal drops to try out. Otherwise, I’m sticking to saline rinses and Avamys... I’ve also taken Singular.
Do you have any advice? An ENT specialist from San Francisco, Dr. Roj, referred me to him because they collaborate.

Can anyone point me toward a solid plastic surgeon for a revision? It’s purely for aesthetic reasons, but I'm currently weighing my options between Zambeli and Tončič.

Sandra Nelson14 said:Can anyone recommend a plastic surgeon for a revision? It’s purely for aesthetics—I’m currently weighing my options between Zambelli and Tončić.

Honestly, I’ve been dealing with those exact same worries myself!

I actually went in to see Zambelli for a consultation, and let me tell you—he is incredibly professional. He’s very serious about his work, super knowledgeable, and he really takes the time to walk you through every single detail so nothing feels rushed. Given how things are looking right now, I think I’m actually going to go ahead with my revision surgery through him.

Anyway, regardless of what you decide, I’d definitely suggest booking a consultation with Zambelli just to see 🙂

Grace Gonzalez88 said:I made it through too! I actually had my nose surgery yesterday morning at 9 AM with Dr. Ostojić, and honestly, I am beyond thrilled with how everything went. He is such a wonderful, warm person with his patients, and the nurses were absolute angels—they practically pampered me after the procedure. Most importantly, I’m not in any pain at all! I already took the Tampons out today, and it wasn't nearly as painful as some people on here have described. I didn't feel dizzy or nauseous either; I just dozed off at the clinic until 4 PM and then headed home. He prescribed some Ketorol just in case I needed it for pain, but I haven't needed it yet. The only uncomfortable part was those first 24 hours with the Tampons in my nose because I felt like I couldn't catch my breath for a second. I have no idea what my nose looks like under all these bandages right now—all I've been doing is smoothing out little bumps. Anyway, if any of this helps you decide on surgery, just give Dr. Ostojić a call and book your appointment today! 😍☕😂

Usually, the Tampons stay in for about five days, or you might have splints, but something definitely has to be there to keep the septum in place.

Megan Moore76 said:I have to say, I am absolutely obsessed with Ecija Ojdanić's nose. You can see it every night on Larina's choice! 😁 Glumičić did an absolutely stunning job! I'll probably carry around a photo of her to show my surgeon exactly what kind of look I'm going for.
...though I always end up feeling disappointed when I see the nose of that other actress (the redhead) in the same series. Her nose looks way too short, so it looks really strange. You probably know who I mean, I won't mention her name 🙂 but hey, maybe that's just the look she wanted. 🤷

I think you're looking at this the wrong way. A nose should be tailored to your own face—your unique facial structure is yours alone. Anything that tries to "copy and paste" someone else's look usually ends up turning out poorly.

Rebecca Gomez37 said:I had surgery with prof. Baudoin way back in 2004, and my CT scan at the time was pretty terrible. He performed a FESS procedure, and he mentioned I had a deviated septum too, but explained we couldn't tackle both the polyps and the deviation in a single surgery. He is such a wonderful man—truly a 5-star doctor! But even after six months, I found myself unable to breathe properly again. Six years later, I went to Miami to have the deviation fixed by Dr. Racic, but honestly, I still can't breathe through my nose at all, and it’s driving me crazy. I recently had an endoscopic sinus exam, and the results showed plenty of polyps again...
I'm about to lose my mind. I just bought some Jozing herbal drops to try out, though I'm skeptical. Currently, I'm using saline rinses for hygiene and Avamys... I've also taken Singulair.
Do you have any advice? My ENT, Dr. Roje from Miami, who works closely with him, referred me to Vinogradski back then.

To be honest, the situation is quite straightforward—the problem has just resurfaced. You're struggling to breathe because the polyposis came back, and the thing is, they are incredibly difficult to get rid of entirely. You can never be 100% sure if they'll pop up again in a year, five years, or ten.

As for why you couldn't breathe after your septum surgery, it's hard for me to say for sure since I don't know if you were already dealing with polyps at that time.

Polyps can sometimes be managed or shrunk down using a combination of intranasal corticosteroids and/or a short course of oral steroids, but the only way to actually remove them completely is through surgery.

Those herbal drops won't save you; they'll just lighten your wallet. As I mentioned before, Avamys helps, and Singulair is useful if your allergy symptoms are severe enough that Avamys alone can't handle them.

If I were you, I'd reach out to prof. Baudoin again. It is actually very common for polyps to recur. Medical techniques have come a long way since you were last treated, and nowadays, surgeons can perform both FESS and septoplasty in one single session. For instance, Dr. Grgić is also highly skilled with FESS procedures.
Prof. Baudoin will be holding his next clinic starting January 26th.

Betty Edwards22 said:You're looking at this all wrong—your nose is unique to your face, just like the underlying structure is yours alone. Anything that tries to just "copy and paste" is headed down a bad path.

Good grief, what do you mean "copy"? You gonna call Ecija Ojdanić into the office just to measure your nose?🤣
It’s impossible to copy a nose—you know that much. A photo is just there to give the doctor a general idea of what you're after.🙂 A picture really does speak louder than words sometimes, especially when it's hard to explain exactly what you want—otherwise, you're just asking for a misunderstanding between doctor and patient.

Megan Moore76 said:Good grief, how exactly do you think you can "copy" a nose? Are you planning to call Ecija Ojdanić into the clinic just to measure yours?🤣
Look, you can't actually "copy" a nose—I think you probably realize that already. The whole point of bringing a photo is just to give the doctor a general idea of what you're aiming for.🙂 A picture really does speak louder than words sometimes, especially since it can be so tricky to explain exactly what kind of look you want. Without a visual, there’s a much higher chance of a misunderstanding between the doctor and the patient.

So, why even bring a photo?
Sorry, but I’m just trying to warn you here: if you don't have the underlying anatomy to support the look you're after, you won't be able to achieve it surgically. After a while, your body will just do its own thing, and the result you wanted simply won't happen.

Betty Edwards22 said:Look, it’s pretty straightforward—the same old issue is back. I'm struggling to breathe because those polyps have returned. The thing is, they're just incredibly stubborn to get rid of completely; you're never really certain if they’ll pop up again in a year, five years, or ten.

So... why couldn't you breathe properly after your septoplasty? It’s honestly tough for me to weigh in here—I have no clue if you were already dealing with nasal polyps back then or if that developed later.

Look, you can try to shrink those nasal polyps by mixing intranasal corticosteroids with some oral steroids for a bit—it might work for a short stretch—but let’s be real: if you want them gone for good, surgery is the only way to go. Period.

Don't waste your money on those herbal drops—they aren't going to save you, they're just going to drain your bank account. Like I mentioned earlier, you need Avamys or Singulair... especially if your allergy symptoms are actually hitting you hard enough that Avamys can't keep up.

If I were you, I’d reach out to prof. Baudoin again—honestly, it’s totally normal for polyps to come back. Since we last spoke, surgical techniques have actually leveled up quite a bit; nowadays, they can handle both FESS and septoplasty in a single go. For instance, Dr. Grgić is an expert at this and does great work with FESS.
Prof. Baudoin is back in the clinic starting January 26th.

What’s the standard protocol here for reaching out? I’m coming from Miami—last time, Dr. Roje contacted him directly and just gave me a time slot, while he already had all the details handled. I made sure to bring every single lab result and report I could find... But now, should I go ahead with the CT scan and bring those results straight to him, or should I just use that old discharge summary to request a follow-up? It’s a massive pain to drive all the way from Miami only to have him tell me, "Actually, come back in two weeks once you have this specific test result." Honestly, I know I’m a bit of a handful—between the allergies and the bronchial asthma, things get complicated. I've cycled through Flixonase, Nazonex, Tafen, and now I'm on Avamys. And one more thing—why even mention septoplasty if my deviation is fine right now?
One more thing—can I actually use FESS to slim down my nasal tip? It’s looking a little potato-like lately, and honestly, even prof. Baudoin pointed it out to me without me even asking, haha.

Rebecca Gomez37 said:How should I reach out to him? What’s the standard procedure? I'm coming from Miami, and last time Dr. Roje contacted him directly and just gave me the appointment time—he already had everything handled. I made sure to bring all my previous test results with me... Now, should I go get a CT scan first and bring it to him, or should I just request a follow-up based on my old discharge papers? It’s a huge hassle to drive all the way from Miami only to have him tell me, "Oh, come back in two weeks once you have those specific results." I feel like my case is pretty complicated since I'm dealing with both allergies and bronchial asthma. I've cycled through Floxinase, Nasonex, Tafen, and now Avamys. Also, why are we even bringing up septorhinoplasty if my deviation feels fine right now?
One more thing—is it possible to slightly narrow the tip of my nose during the FESS? It's a bit bulbous; even prof. Baudoin mentioned it without me even asking, haha!

That was just a quick tip. This time, here is how it works: call the main desk at the General Outpatient Clinic, and they will give you the number for the lady at the Hearing and Balance Center. You can reach her between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM; she manages the professor's pre-registration records. Just tell them you were previously his patient and underwent surgery with him—and that should do it.
You'll probably need to be a little patient, but if you've made it this far, you can definitely handle this final stretch.
By the way, he also sees patients privately outside of the hospital setting, though you know that won't be covered by the Social Security Administration—at least not regarding the consultation fees.

As for your other questions—it would be a good idea to get a CT scan of your paranasal sinuses. And honestly, those comorbidities you mentioned make you a perfect candidate for prof. Baudoin, since that's his specialty and he deals with allergies himself. 😉

I'm not suggesting septorhinoplasty—I'm just wondering what was actually achieved if you still couldn't breathe properly after the initial surgery.
Or perhaps it's because, despite the septum being straightened, you already had polyps present, which might be the real reason you can't tell if the septoplasty actually worked. You know what I mean?

It's possible, but it has to be done in moderation. The real question is the extent of the procedure and whatever the professor prefers at the time of the operation.

Betty Edwards22 said:That was just a little connection there. Here’s how you handle it this time—call the main clinic desk, and they can give you the number for the lady over at the Hearing and Balance Center. She manages the professor's pre-registration list. Just tell them you were his patient before and had surgery under his care—that should do the trick.
You'll probably have to be patient, but if you've made it this far, you can handle one more hurdle.
Otherwise, he does private practice outside the hospital, but we both know that won't go through Medicare—at least not regarding the cost of the exam.

As for your other concerns—you really ought to get a CT scan of your paranasal sinuses. And those comorbidities you mentioned? They make you almost the perfect candidate for Professor Baudoin, since that's his specialty—and honestly, the guy deals with allergies himself. 😉

I'm not even bringing up septorhinoplasty—I mean, I don't even know what the point of it was if you still can't breathe after the surgery.
Or maybe it's because even though the septum was fixed, you already had polyps, so they're the real reason you can't feel the effects of the septoplasty. You follow?

It's possible, but you have to be careful. It all comes down to the extent of the issue and whatever the professor prefers during the actual procedure.

Thanks for the reply!
I'll do exactly that; I can't take this anymore—I can't smell anything at all, I'm struggling to eat, and I'm constantly gasping for air... It's awful!!!
When he saw me at the hospital, he actually asked me, "Is it possible you're so congested that you aren't breathing through your nose at all?"
Even he looked shocked, you could really see it in his face.
My doctor told me my case was so extreme there was nothing left to try at St., so she referred me straight to him. I'm taking Vitamin C + Zinc every single day. I try to eat healthy, stay active, I don't smoke... It's just miserable. I lose my voice all the time too...

Hey, if anyone has photos from their procedure with Zambelli, would you mind sharing them?

Rebecca Gomez37 said:Thanks for the reply!
I’m going to follow that advice because I honestly can't take this anymore—I can't smell a thing, and every time I eat, I’m struggling just to catch my breath... It's awful!!!
When he first admitted me to the hospital, he actually asked me, "Is it really possible that you're so congested you can't breathe through your nose at all?"
Even he looked genuinely shocked.
My doctor told me that my case was so unique there wasn't much left to try locally, so she referred me to him. For what it's worth, I take Vitamin C + Zinc every single day. I try to eat healthy, stay active, and I don't smoke... But this is just miserable. I frequently lose my voice altogether....

It's definitely possible... Though, if breathing is your main concern right now, seeing Dr. Grgić might actually get you in for surgery sooner since he uses the same operative technique. His scheduling process isn't nearly as complicated to navigate.

That shouldn't have anything to do with it. Just go back.
As for the voice issues, that could be a symptom of what they call laryngopharyngeal reflux—basically, stomach acid creeping up and irritating the throat lining. That usually shows up as slight hoarseness, trouble talking for long periods without your voice cracking, or that constant feeling of phlegm or something stuck in your throat.
That’s another reason why Prof. Baudoin is considered such an authority in our field here. 😉

Betty Edwards22 said:Maybe, maybe... Though, if breathing is your main concern right now, you'll probably get seen sooner by Dr. Grgić since he uses the same surgical technique. There isn't some complicated flowchart just to book an appointment here.

That doesn't really have anything to do with it. Just go back.
As for the voice issue, it could be a symptom of what they call laryngopharyngeal reflux—basically, stomach acid creeping up and "burning" the throat lining. It usually shows up as slight hoarseness, losing your voice if you talk too long, or that constant feeling of mucus or something stuck in your throat.
One more thing: Prof. Baudoin is pretty much the gold standard for this stuff in the States. 😉

I saw Dr. Davor Dzepina for an exam at the medical center three years ago because my voice cracked, and he told me the exact same thing you did.
But even then, he mentioned he wouldn't take
patients from Dr. Baudoin for any kind of procedure—it’s just not done, even though I am one of his patients...
It's basically an unwritten rule among colleagues.

Rebecca Gomez37 said:A few years back, I went to see Dr. Davor Dzepina at the downtown clinic because my voice had completely given out, and he told me the exact same thing you did.
He even mentioned back then that he wouldn't recommend taking
patients from Dr. Boduen's care just to fix something that isn't right, especially since I'm one of his patients...
It’s basically an unwritten rule among colleagues.

Dr. Džepina is a wonderful plastic surgeon for noses and a great ultrasound specialist, but he doesn't really have experience dealing with LPR or how nasal functions tie into secondary issues that manifest there.
In my daily practice, I see a massive influx of patients in my clinic suffering from LPR—people who eventually come back happy after undergoing a fairly lengthy treatment plan, usually lasting about two months.
That said, I never tell them they're "cured" right away; that's just the beginning. Anyone dealing with reflux absolutely needs to see a gastroenterologist, overhaul their diet, stop eating two or three hours before bed, and perhaps slightly elevate their head if they're dealing with a hiatal hernia or a weak lower esophageal sphincter that fails to prevent acid from splashing up the esophagus and everywhere else.

Using IPP is considered the gold standard in this field today, but it took quite a while for the theory to actually become clinical reality. It’s not as simple as people think—it's not like pharmaceutical companies just dream something up and doctors immediately start implementing it. It required a mountain of research and hands-on experience before we could confidently tackle this specific issue.

It isn't just about some unwritten rule; if you think about it logically, Professor Baudoin has already stepped in, and now a second doctor is getting tangled up in the mess. Would you really want to step into a situation after someone else has already made a mess of it?
On the other hand, when things get complicated at one facility, it's perfectly reasonable to seek a more relevant second opinion. After all, a major metropolitan hospital doesn't see every single patient in the country. In our clinics—whether general or specialized—we handle a turnover of about 250 patients a day.

Betty Edwards22 said:Dr. Džepina is a great plastic surgeon when it comes to noses and ultrasound, but he doesn’t have any experience dealing with LPR or how nasal function works alongside all the secondary issues that can affect the nose.
I see a ton of patients in my clinic every single day dealing with LPR, and those who actually get good results are the ones who stick to a long-term treatment plan—we’re talking two months minimum.
But I never tell them "that's it"—that's just the starting line. Anyone dealing with reflux needs to see a gastroenterologist, overhaul their diet, stop eating 2-3 hours before bed, and maybe prop their head up if they're dealing with a hiatal hernia or a weak lower esophageal sphincter that lets acid leak up toward the esophagus and everywhere else.

Using an IPP is basically the gold standard right now, but it took a long time for the theory to actually become reality. It isn't as simple as people think—it's not like pharma companies just dream things up and doctors immediately follow suit. It took massive amounts of research and hands-on experience before we could really tackle this issue.

It’s not even about some unwritten rule; just use some logic—Prof. Baudoin already handled part of this, and now someone else is getting tangled up in it. Would you even want to step in after someone else already botched the job?
It’s a different story when things get messy at one hospital and you seek out a more relevant second opinion—that’s totally fine because, let’s be real, one major medical center doesn't handle everything that half the other hospitals in the country do. We see about 250 patients a day, whether it’s in general practice or specialty clinics.

Given how much you and Vas know, I was wondering who I should actually go to if I want to fix my nose?
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/16/nosicz.jpg/

I saw Tončić and he told me he wouldn't touch it because the improvement would be minimal. Now my other option is Glumičić, since I have to go private anyway because Medicare won't cover the surgery.

Rachel Martinez94 said:Since you always seem to be so well-informed, I was wondering—who would you recommend I see if I want to get my nose fixed?
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/16/nosicz.jpg/

I actually went to see Dr. Tončić, but he told me he wouldn't touch it because any changes would only result in a minimal improvement. Now I'm thinking about seeing Dr. Glumičić instead, since I have to go through a private specialist anyway—I don't have any coverage through Medicare to handle surgery right now.

Since I'm currently doing my residency, I've decided to follow the path of the Vineyard School for my future career—so, if I were you, I'd suggest heading to the hospital. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, Professor Bedeković is probably the one who pays the most attention to detail.

Dr. Tončić is an ENT by training and a graduate of the Vineyard School. On the other hand, Dr. Glumičić isn't an ENT at all; he's a plastic surgeon who has a really deep understanding of how the nose functions both as an aesthetic feature and a vital breathing unit.

What exactly is the main motivation here? Is it mostly just dissatisfaction with how it looks?

Betty Edwards22 said:Since I’m doing my residency and chose to follow the Vineyard School path for my future career—I’d suggest you head to the hospital. If you're looking at the aesthetic side of things, Prof. Bedeković is probably the one who pays the most attention to that.

Dr. Tončić is an ENT by specialty and a Vineyard alum. Dr. Glumičić isn't actually an ENT; he's a plastic surgeon who just happens to have a deep understanding of how the nose functions both as an aesthetic feature and a breathing unit.

So, what's the core issue here? Is it just dissatisfaction with how it looks?

Yeah, strictly aesthetics—which is why there's zero chance I'm going to the hospital. Glumičić is way too expensive, and with Tončić, he started turning me away because he doesn't even see what bothers me about my nose. That makes me worried that maybe the issue isn't actually there.

Rachel Martinez94 said:Yeah, it’s purely about the aesthetics for me—which is why I can't see myself going through with it at the public hospital. Glumičić is just way too expensive, and with Tončić, he started turning me away because he doesn't actually see the specific thing on my nose that bothers me. It makes me worried that if we aren't seeing eye-to-eye, the result won't turn out how I want.

Look, if you've decided you're ready to pull the trigger and spend the money, almost all those ENT specialists work privately too.
And honestly? If he doesn't see what you see... you can't force it. If you aren't on the same page about the goal, you're likely going to end up unhappy with the outcome since you two just aren't communicating properly.

Betty Edwards22 said:Look, if you've already decided to shell out the cash, just know that all those doctors run private practices too.
And honestly? He’s just not seeing it. You can't force someone to see what they aren't seeing, and until you guys are on the same page, you're just spinning your wheels. It's not going to end well if there's zero communication.

heh 🙂 we'll see about that. I'm actually dying to hear what Glumičić has to say during the consultation before I commit to anything.

Has anyone had any recent experience with Glumičić's consultations? Is he the type to actually sit down and talk things through, or does he just try to rush patients through the door as fast as possible?