Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Rachel Lopez5 said:Hey everyone,
just thought I'd check in and share how things are going after my surgery...

Great info—thanks a ton, especially since we're talking about the exact same hospital!

Shout out to Mayo Clinic, but honestly, the whole thing about having to ditch my contacts is a bit of a drag... I’m gonna try to fight it if I can, because let's be real, I can't see a damn thing with a -6 prescription...

Quick question though, regarding the ICU—how long are people usually stuck in there?

ruggedpuma11 said:Great info, thanks a million, especially since we're talking about the exact same hospital!

Hats off to Dr. Lapic, though I’m not thrilled about having to take my contacts out. I’ll try to fight for them because being at -6.00 diopters means I can't see a thing without them...

Quick question regarding the ICU—how long do you usually stay there?

It’s not just the contacts; they basically strip you down to your birthday suit =) and I don't mean "birthday suit" in a fun way, more like "here, have some hospital gowns." 😉
I actually left my contacts in my room because there was nowhere to put them by my side, and honestly, once they give you that pre-op injection, you'll be in so much discomfort that you won't even care about your lenses, world peace, or anything else. I have a -17 prescription, so you can imagine how tough it was lying in the ICU. As for how long I stayed, I had surgery at 8:30 AM and was moved back to a regular room the next morning. It was easily the longest night of my life... Thirsty, hungry, and totally merciless. The nurse kept patrolling the room and always seemed to flip the lights on just to wake you up and say, "you need to sleep." But no sh*t, Sherlock, I would love to sleep, but between her rounds, the bright lights, and someone snoring right next to me, getting any decent rest is nearly impossible.. 🙂

Oh, one more thing—don't leave your contacts in! They were killing my eyes the next day—I actually ended up with some burst capillaries. You definitely don't want that happening during the actual surgery; it's not something to mess around with! 🙂

man, 🙂ruggedpuma11

ruggedpuma11 said:man, I 🙂

Seriously, there is absolutely no reason to be scared. Everything went great except for the intensive care part, but honestly, if the food had been even slightly better, I would’ve felt like I was staying at a Hilton... and the ICU phase flies by so fast. The girl sharing my room wasn't even in intensive care because they were totally full, but when she got moved back from surgery, I almost teared up seeing how sweet and attentive the nurses were to her. Since you can't have anything to drink for two hours after coming out of anesthesia to avoid nausea (which, for the record, I didn't deal with at all, even though I usually get motion sickness easily), she was incredibly thirsty. Because they couldn't give her water yet, the nurses were actually using wet gauze to moisten her lips and tongue just to help her out... seriously, you wouldn't believe that such kind-hearted people still exist today. 🙂🙂🙂

Same hospital, totally different stories. My time in the ICU was the exact opposite. They wouldn't even let me go to the bathroom alone—had to have a nurse shadowing my every move. And since I wasn't thirsty, they kept badgering me to drink water every five minutes. You really hit the jackpot with that nurse you had. 🤷

stormyfalcon6 said:It’s wild how you can have such different experiences at the exact same hospital. My time in the ICU was the complete opposite. They wouldn't even let me walk to the bathroom by myself—they had to escort me. And since I wasn't thirsty, they kept pestering me to drink water constantly. You really hit the jackpot with that nurse of yours! 🤷

See, I'm actually relieved to hear the staff at the local University Hospital is generally great. It looks like I just happened to get stuck with a nurse who didn't really care... 🙄

I just walked through my front door! Today was the day I finally got my cast off and had a few stitches removed. The cast won't stay on my nose anymore, but honestly, that's the least of my worries. When I finally saw my nose in the mirror, I was absolutely floored. 😲 As soon as I left the hospital, I just started crying tears of joy. I wasn't expecting anything, let alone having my nose reshaped for the better. Even if it's just a matter of a few millimeters, I am over the moon! Once the swelling around the tip goes down a bit, I'll post some photos. If I were a sculptor, I’d build a massive monument to Dr. Grgić. The man truly worked magic. My case wasn't even that extreme—he didn't even have to reset any bones—but what he achieved is, for me, a masterpiece. Dr. Grgić, thank you, thank you, thank you! My experience was incredible, and honestly, if I had to go through the whole thing all over again... man, I'd do it in a heartbeat! I think I'm going to go cry some more happy tears now—maybe they'll help the swelling go down! Sending love to everyone about to head into surgery, and wishing everyone else a super speedy recovery!!

👋👋👋👋👋

Rachel Lopez5, glad to hear the surgery went well for you. I’m getting my cast removed tomorrow, and honestly, the whole rhinoplasty journey hasn't been nearly as traumatic as I expected. Still, there's that underlying anxiety about whether I'll actually like how my nose looks once the mold is finally off.🙂
So, what was that first look in the mirror like for you all? Pure shock? Disbelief? Or did you just love it immediately?
And how long did it take before you actually got used to your new face?

Amy Richardson86 said:Rachel Lopez5, I am seriously so stoked you’re happy with how your surgery turned out! Honestly, I’m getting my cast removed tomorrow, and I have to say, the whole rhinoplasty journey hasn't been nearly as traumatic as I expected. But man, I am low-key freaking out right now about whether my nose is actually going to look good once this thing is finally off.🙂
Guys, what was that first moment like for you when you saw your face in the mirror after the cast came off? Were you just staring in pure shock and disbelief, or were you totally obsessed with the results?
How long did it take before you actually got used to seeing your own face again???

Look, at the exact moment they pull that cast off, how your nose looks doesn't even matter. You’re gonna look weird. Seriously. It’ll look piggish, thick, wide—we're talking massive nostrils...
So, if you hear someone saying, "I took my cast off and my nose is perfection," just forget it. That’s not reality.
And another thing... try your absolute hardest not to obsess over it in the mirror. Trust me on this: you won't actually see the real result until the six-month mark hits.
I know that sounds like forever... but your nose literally takes months to settle into its final shape. My own nose (it's been over a year now) looks completely different than it did right after surgery, or even after a month... honestly, even after four months, it wasn't settled.
I've known girls who were head-over-heels in love with their noses at first... but as time went on, they just became more and more unhappy. They'd realize the tip dropped too much, or little bumps appeared once the swelling finally went down, and stuff like that...
Just hang in there. Have some patience.

Amy Richardson86 said:Rachel Lopez5, I’m so happy to hear your surgery went well! I actually get my splint removed tomorrow, and honestly, the whole rhinoplasty journey hasn't been nearly as traumatic as I expected. I’m just a little nervous right now about how my nose is going to look once everything is finally off.🙂
Guys, what was that first moment like for you when you looked in the mirror after the cast came off? Was it total shock, or were you just thrilled?
How long did it take for you all to actually feel normal with your new look?

I think getting used to it really depends on how much work was actually done. =) In my case, it wasn't a massive transformation, so I'm hoping that once the swelling goes down, I'll love the result. It’s different for everyone, though—and keep in mind that once that splint comes off, things might actually look a bit more swollen since they've been compressed for so long. Don't stress! I was terrified of the outcome too, but so far, I couldn't be happier. Sure, my tip looks a bit like a lightbulb right now, but those bumps on the side that always bothered me are gone, and for the first time ever, I can actually breathe through my nose while I sleep, which was my main goal... regardless of what anyone else thinks.☕

Hello everyone, I haven’t shared my thoughts on this thread yet, so thank you all for providing such thorough information. However, I do have one specific question: has anyone here visited the Oakland medical center to see Drago Boščić? I am curious about his bedside manner with patients, and specifically, if he is prepared to perform aesthetic refinements alongside a septoplasty? 🙂