Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Rachel Fisher97 said:Well, it’s gotta be fine, especially since Tončić has officially retired from the game😁 I could just kill him, haha!😁
Just kidding, obviously... though honestly, what do I know? It’s just one of those things that makes me a bit anxious. A friend was telling me about his own experience when he had surgery under local anesthesia; apparently, there was a moment where his pulse started feeling a little weak, almost like it was pulsing in irregular skips because it was speeding up too much. His anesthesiologist had to give him another dose of that magic stuff through the IV to steady things out, and then everything went back to a slow, rhythmic pace.🙂 So, I guess I was just worrying if my own heartbeat might skip a beat like that.😍

Don't you worry about Tončić
he knows exactly what he's doing, he's a pro at his job🙂)😉

I finally took the mold off today, and I have to say, this cute little button nose is starting to peek through! 🙂🙂

I realize it’s still incredibly early days and things are bound to shift and settle, but even now, just five days out from surgery, I think it looks pretty fantastic. 😍

Emily Martinez12 said:have you been keeping up with all this crazy stuff going on lately?

Yup, I've heard absolutely everything!

Rachel Fisher97 said:m

Hey, can you please tell me one thing? I heard they basically tie your hands behind your back... did they tie yours too 😲?

Tie my hands? Haha, no way, they didn't tie my hands, at least not nearly as much as I thought they might, I could even wiggle my fingers!
That local numbing stuff was actually totally fine for me, like, I didn't feel any pain at all and I felt a little bit high, but I could still hear everything and follow along with whatever I wanted to... though I guess if you aren't the type who needs to know every single thing happening and prefers being in your own little world... then just relax!

Ashley Gomez said:I finally took the mold off today, and I can already see this cute, tiny, perfectly shaped little nose! 🙂🙂

I realize it’s still early days and things are bound to shift, but honestly, seeing this result just five days after surgery feels absolutely amazing. 😍

😍 Oh my gosh, congratulations! 😁 "!!!!!!! It’s only going to get more beautiful from here, but the most important thing is that it already looks SMALL 😁 !!!

velvetrider18 said:They tied my hands? No, they didn't tie my hands, at least not as much as I thought. I could even wiggle my fingers...
The local anesthesia was actually fine for me; I didn't feel any pain, though I felt a little buzzed. I could still hear everything and follow along with whatever I wanted. I guess if you don't feel the need to know every single thing happening, you can just stay in your own little world... so just relax.

It's pretty strange how some people feel restrained and others don't 😁 but hey, you have every right to just relax. The most important things are that it doesn't hurt and that you can be in your own world instead of following every detail 😁

Ashley Gomez said:I took the mold off today, and I can already see this cute little button nose 🙂🙂

I know it's still early days and things will shift, but it looks great already—it's only day five post-op. 😍

CONGRATS! 😁 😁 😁 😁

Rachel Fisher97 said:It’s honestly pretty bizarre how it works sometimes—one person gets tied up in all this drama while someone else stays completely untouched. It’s like watching a game of musical chairs where the music stops for everyone except one person, and you're left wondering how they managed to slip through the cracks. 😁 Look, you’re absolutely right—the most important thing is that I take some time to unwind and just let everything else fade away. Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d much rather be lost in my own little world than constantly glued to the news, stressing over every single update. Sometimes you just have to tune out the noise to stay sane. 😁

Let’s be clear here—I'm not looking to get involved in anything that feels like some sort of medieval torture device. I'm really not. 😁 Haha! It’s like having your hands threaded through a bunch of spaghetti that’s just loosely tied together—you know, just in case you have a sudden moment of clarity amidst all the chaos and need to grab something to stop your hand from wandering off where it shouldn't! 🙂

Maria Hall92 said:Bravo... you really think that'll fly while you're still chewing on a cookie? You'll need to pack those tampons... what about when you're pulling the mold out? 🙂

I'll probably need to grab some tampons tomorrow, though I'm not entirely sure about the mold. 🤷

Maria Hall92 said:Let’s be clear: you aren't some medieval torturer. 😁 Haha... you've got your hands threaded through some spaghetti that's just loosely tied together, just in case you have a sudden moment of clarity and need to stop your hand if it starts heading somewhere it shouldn't. 🙂

Heh, I already had the movie *Hostel* on my mind, too. (P.S. I hope you haven't actually watched it.) 😁

velvetrider18 said:... that local potential anesthesia...

Hahahahahahahahaha! 😂 😂 You actually cracked me up with that one... what, you a physics major or something? Talking about "potential energy" and all that junk. 😁

I realize everyone’s recovery is different... but has anyone else noticed the swelling after having their nasal splints removed? Mine came off on Wednesday, and frankly, I am losing my patience. I find myself staring at every single millimeter in the mirror. 😂
The base is still incredibly swollen, and the tip? Don't even get me started. It actually looks larger than it did before the surgery. 🤣

Hey everyone... I wanted to pick your brains about something specific. Has anyone here had surgery to address their nasal sidewalls? I know that when people get a rhinoplasty to reduce the nose, the sidewalls usually change as a byproduct, but my anatomy is a bit of an outlier. It feels like I’m missing that lateral cartilage on the sides, which makes my septum look disproportionately long in the center. The issue isn't actually the septum itself, but rather that lack of structural support on the sides—it makes my whole nose look oversized, with those long, noticeable sidewalls. I’m curious if anyone else has dealt with a similar structural issue. I’ve already consulted with Dr. Žgaljardić, and his suggestion was to shorten the septum and reduce the overall size of the nose. My concern there is that I might end up looking a bit pig-like if we go that route. On the other hand, Dr. Zambelli suggested he could augment the side cartilage by harvesting it from the septum, which honestly sounds almost too good to be true. I’m planning to head to see Dr. Glumičić next to see what his take is on the situation!

Carol Reed64 said:Hey, sweetie... has anyone here actually had their nasal sidewalls addressed during surgery? I know that when people get a rhinoplasty to shrink the nose, the sidewalls change too, but mine are a very specific issue. It feels like there’s cartilage missing from the sides, which makes my septum look longer than the sidewalls themselves. The septum isn't even the main problem—it's just that the lack of side cartilage makes the whole nose look massive, making the long sidewalls way too obvious. I’m wondering if anyone else has dealt with something similar. I already saw Žgaljardić, and he suggested shortening the septum and reducing the overall size, but I'm terrified I'll end up looking like a pig. Then Zambelli mentioned he could augment the side cartilage by using material harvested from the septum, which honestly sounds a bit hard to believe. So, now I’m off to see Glumičić to see what his take is!

😲 Is dealing with the nasal sidewalls really this complicated??
It's the exact same situation for me; I'm missing that cartilage, so my sidewalls are incredibly long and prominent.
Sigh, as if the shape of the nose itself wasn't enough of a disaster already...

Looking at the photos the girls posted, my top picks would be Tončić and Džepina, though obviously, I still need to go in for consultations to find out for sure. I never even dreamed that the sidewalls would turn out to be my biggest headache.

Hi ladies, I’ve just finished reading through every single comment on this thread! 🙂 I’m actually planning to undergo rhinoplasty myself, and for a while now, I’ve been looking into Dr. Glušac based out of Makarska. To be honest, I can't bring myself to watch surgical videos online—I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to medical stuff like that 😛 A friend of mine recently had breast augmentation surgery and was given local anesthesia right there in the OR; she woke up in her recovery room with only minor discomfort and felt like a brand-new woman by the very next day. So, I’m wondering if it works similarly for nose surgery? Is the post-op pain really that intense? I assume everyone reacts differently, of course. Also, how long do you have to wear the splint on your nose? And does it make sense to schedule the surgery during the summer? I’m really hoping to head back to college this fall feeling my absolute best—without constantly worrying about whether people are staring at my profile or noticing my nose. It sounds silly, but I’ve spent my whole life hiding in the back row of lecture halls. Since I’ve transferred schools, I’d love to actually sit near the front for once without having to lean my head on my hand just to hide my silhouette, haha. I’ve tried every pose in the book to mask it, but honestly, the more I try to fidget and hide, the more obvious I feel. These days, I'm much more relaxed because I just throw on some sunglasses and stop caring! 🙂

Elizabeth Wells10 said:😲 Is it actually that complicated with the nasal alae??
I'm dealing with the exact same thing—I miss that crispness, so my nostrils end up looking way too long and obvious.
Sigh, as if having a nose I'm unhappy with wasn't enough already...

Looking at the photos the girls posted, my favorites are definitely Tončić and Džepina—though I still need to go in for consultations first, so we'll see. I never dreamed the nostrils would turn out to be my biggest headache.

Which Džepina are you talking about?

Kimberly Baker13 said:Which Davor Džepina are you talking about?

I mean Davor Džepina. All I’ve ever seen of him is some guy's nose in a photo, and honestly, I was into it—but all I hear from people is glowing praise. If I recall correctly, Kate Taylor59 went to see him too, and I really admire how he handles his patients.
His expertise in anesthesia is another huge plus in my book.

Now, Tončić's work on noses is absolutely stunning, but I have to admit, the idea of anesthesia makes me a little nervous. And since my tips are a major concern for me, their technique there will probably be the deciding factor. I truly had no clue there were so many different approaches available, or that it could be such a massive hurdle.

Elizabeth Wells10 said:I have to say... Tončić's nose is just absolutely stunning... truly beautiful... but honestly, that whole idea of anesthesia? It gives me a little bit of a scare... They’ll probably judge me based on how I handle the peaks... because that’s always been my Achilles' heel... I honestly had no idea there were so many different ways this could play out... and that it would end up being such a massive headache in the end...

How am I supposed to know? Honestly... I don't have a clue either... 🤷

Just one more thing I wanted to ask everyone... how long did it actually take you all to finish doing all your research before the surgery? And by that, I mean I'm not talking about those private clinics where everything is wrapped up in just a few days, but rather the standard process through the public hospital system...

Alright, I’m finally jumping in here after spending way too much time scrolling through this whole thread.
So, I finally worked up the nerve and booked my spot for Wednesday, June 29th.
I’ve been such a nervous wreck lately—it’s probably just my cycle acting up, but my period actually showed up today, which is pretty late since it was supposed to be here on the 23rd 😢.
Do you think that could mess with the surgery at all, even if it'll be my third day?
Can't wait to call the nurses first thing in the morning to see what they say.

Can anyone give me a heads-up on how long the waitlist usually is for nose surgery through insurance at most hospitals?