Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Ashley Edwards57 said:Here’s some firsthand info...
Basically, my guy is a heavy snorer. Even though he has a deviated septum, several top-tier specialists refused to operate on his septum because they claimed it wouldn't fix the snoring or the sleep apnea. They sent him to see Dr. Krmoptić at the Sleep Disorders Center in Chicago. He had to wear a device to record his breathing while he slept, and it caught tons of apnea episodes and snoring. Now he’s just waiting on a date for surgery—specifically, using a laser to work on his soft palate and mucosa. Apparently, it's a super complicated procedure, and there are only a handful of doctors in the US who actually do it well...
That’s supposedly the only way to help with snoring and apnea, and even then, it might not be a total fix. The septum doesn't have anything to do with it... at least according to the doctors...
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the heads up. Please, once he finally gets his surgery date, let me know how it goes—like if it was painful or whatever. Hvalaaaaa🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I’m looking for a few insights here if anyone happens to know 😁...
Has anyone actually dealt with breathing tubes being threaded through nasal tampons? In your opinion, is that even a sound approach?
And regarding anesthesia—is intense nausea common for certain people, or is it usually just a minor thing?
Also, do those tampons hurt significantly more when they're removed after two or three days compared to just taking them out the next day?
The doctor I’m seeing for a consultation this Thursday insists that nasal packing is absolutely vital to support the septum and keep everything straight.

Kate Taylor59 said:I’m looking for a little guidance from anyone who might know 😁...
Has anyone ever had breathing tubes inserted through nasal packing? Do you think that's actually a good idea?
Also, are intense bouts of nausea after anesthesia common for certain people, or is it usually pretty mild?
And regarding the packing—is it more painful when they pull it out after two or three days, or is it better if they do it the very next day?
The doctor I’m seeing for my consultation this Thursday insists that nasal packing is absolutely vital to support the septum and keep everything straight.

I didn't end up needing any breathing tubes... does that sound like a good sign?
As far as the packing goes, I honestly think it's important and isn't too bad if you can manage for about three days. I remember having them in for even longer than that, I think..
During my surgery, I was completely knocked out, so it was definitely general anesthesia. In my opinion, it's a necessary evil; if there's an alternative, take it, because waking up from that "coma" state and trying to come to your senses is quite the ordeal. Personally, I dealt with some pretty uncomfortable pain following my nose surgery, and I can't help but feel things might have been smoother with local or perhaps something less taxing on the system.
But then again, you eventually forget all that discomfort anyway. I actually started thinking about having a second procedure about two years ago, but I was still so caught up in the experience of the first one that it took me this long to finally make the call... though at least now I'm heading to a high-end private clinic instead of some rundown public hospital😁.. which gives me a bit of peace of mind.

Kate Taylor59 said:I'm looking for some insight here if anyone knows 😁...
Has anyone dealt with breathing tubes placed through nasal tampons? Do you think that's actually a good move?
And how bad is the nausea after anesthesia—is it just a thing for certain people, or is it usually pretty minor?
Also, do the tampons hurt more when they come out after two or three days, or is it better if they're pulled the next day?
The doctor I’m seeing for consultations this Thursday insists that nasal packing is absolutely vital to support the septum and keep everything straight.

Look, the packing—just like the cast, the molds, or the Steri-Strips—is incredibly important during those first few days...
I had surgery for an appendix removal once, and I was literally vomiting just 12 hours later. I told my surgeon about it, and he gave me an injection specifically to prevent that, so I didn't deal with any nausea at all during my nose surgery. As for pulling the tampons out, I've heard mixed things about them being stuck or clotted together, but my doctor soaked them down well and pulled them out gently. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was over fast—honestly, for me, it was even more uncomfortable when he was peeling off the cast bit by bit, since there was broken bone underneath... And I have to say, I actually preferred the feeling of being held together by the tapes; he kept those on for about 7 to 11 days, and once everything was finally removed, I felt totally exposed.

Is it actually normal for these little lumps to be popping up on my nose five months after surgery? They aren't just something you feel under your fingers, either—they’re clearly visible. 😢 Has anyone else dealt with this? Did the bumps eventually just vanish, or am I stuck with them?

Elizabeth Collins5 said:Is it actually normal to be seeing bumps popping up all over my nose five months after surgery? They aren't just something you feel when you touch them, either—they're totally visible. 😢 Has anyone else dealt with this? Did the bumps eventually go away, or am I stuck with them?

What kind of bumps are we talking about? Where exactly? Honestly, I wouldn't say that sounds normal at all. I didn't have any bumps pop up on mine. 🤷

rustygardener172 said:What kind of lumps? Where exactly? I wouldn't call that normal. I personally never had any bumps like that 🤷

They are tiny little lumps—they look like pimples, really, but they feel rock hard when you touch them. They're all situated right on the bony part. The most obvious one is at the bridge of my nose on the left side. For a while there, I wasn't even paying attention to my nose, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, I notice these things. It honestly feels like my nose looks slightly crooked now, and I have absolutely no clue why that's happening 😕. At this point, I suppose all I can do is just hope it all clears up on its own.

Elizabeth Collins5 said:It's like these tiny little bumps that look like pimples, but they're actually rock hard when you touch them. They're all right on the bony part. The most obvious one is on the left side of my nose bridge. Honestly, I hadn't even thought about my nose for ages, then suddenly I notice these things. Now my nose looks slightly crooked, which is freaking me out because I have no clue why this 😕 is happening. All I can do now is sit here and pray it just disappears on its own.

Look, just give Glušac a call and ask him what's up. Or better yet, shoot him an email with a photo attached and see what he thinks.

I actually need to buzz him for something myself, so let me know how it goes! 😁

Rebecca Gomez37 said:Look, whether it’s the packing, the cast, or those surgical strips—those things are absolutely critical during those first few days...
I had surgery for an appendicitis issue once, and I swear, literally twelve hours after the procedure, I was throwing up. I mentioned it to my surgeon, and he gave me this injection specifically to prevent nausea, so when it came to my nose surgery, I didn't deal with any of that sickness at all. As for removing the nasal packing? Everything sounds so messy and clumped together, but my doctor soaked everything down properly and just eased them out. It isn't exactly pleasant, but it’s over incredibly fast. Honestly, for me, it was even more uncomfortable when he started peeling away the cast bit by bit... I mean, there were broken bones underneath, after all. And I have to say, having that sense of fixation from the strips felt much better; they kept me held together for about 7 to 11 days, and once everything was stripped off, I felt completely exposed.

I suspect the anesthesia might be a bit smoother at private clinics... though, then again, that’s not a guarantee...
What is the actual sensation when they pull the packing out??
And regarding the surgery itself, I’m pretty sure the most painful part is just that initial anesthesia needle, haha. xD
I have my consultations this Thursday, so if anyone is actually interested, I’ll report back with my impressions. 🙂

Kate Taylor59 said:I honestly feel like the anesthesia is better at private clinics... though, I guess that’s not always a guarantee...
What does it actually feel like when they pull the tampons out??
And regarding the surgery itself, I swear the needle for the anesthesia is probably the worst part! xD
I’m heading in for my consultation this Thursday, so if anyone is curious, I’ll report back with my impressions 🙂

Well, let me tell you about my experience during my first surgery at the county hospital (it was a big public facility, like a major metropolitan medical center) 😁 ...
Unfortunately, I had to deal with nasal packing twice. The first time was right after an accident, and I had them in for about five days. Removing them was just... gross. It was such a weird, unpleasant sensation. Those were the kind of tampons that basically unspooled from my nose—it felt like someone was pulling a three-foot-long strand of spaghetti out of my head! But honestly, that wasn't even the bad part compared to the second time. This time, the packing was all in one solid piece, so instead of unspooling, they just pulled the whole mass out at once, scraping against my sinuses and septum. It was a revolting kind of pain. But please, don't be scared! Tončić actually gave me some peace of mind today; he mentioned that they use much gentler types of packing now and that they aren't anything like what you find in those old-school public hospitals 😁. I really hope he’s telling the truth 😉... All in all, the actual removal doesn't take very long. I think a lot of the pain is actually amplified by nerves—you know, the anticipation, the "what if" scenarios, and just pure anxiety
.
So, who are you planning on seeing for your consultation in the end? 🙂

Maria Hall92 said:Let me tell you about my experience during my first surgery at the local trauma center 😁...
I actually had to deal with nasal packing all the way up to the brain—twice, unfortunately. The first time was right after my accident, and I had to wear those things for about five days. Getting them out? Honestly, just gross. Weird, nasty, and incredibly uncomfortable. They were those types of packs that, when they finally pulled them out, felt like they were unspooling a three-foot-long strand of spaghetti from inside my head. But honestly, that wasn't even the worst part compared to the second time. This time, the packing was one solid piece, so instead of unspooling, they just pulled the whole mass out at once, scraping against my sinuses and septum. It was revolting pain. But don't let that scare you too much; Tončić actually gave me some encouragement today, saying they use much gentler packing now that isn't like the stuff used in big hospitals 😁. I really hope he isn't just being nice 😉... All in all, the actual removal doesn't take long. I think a lot of the pain comes from the nerves—the anticipation, the constant bracing for it, and just pure anxiety
.
Who are you planning to see for a consultation in the end? 🙂

Honestly, why worry? What's a little procedure compared to having someone slice your leg open with a chainsaw or hit you with a blunt heavy-duty chain? xDD
Anyway, is it really that painful?? Good grief... I'm actually a bit shaken up here ://
I'm heading to see Dr. Davor Dzepina 🙂

Elizabeth Collins5 said:Is it normal to have lumps appearing on my nose five months after surgery? They aren't just palpable; you can actually see them too. 😢 Has anyone else dealt with this? Did the lumps eventually go away or not?

Just seeing this message now, I didn't check my PMs earlier.
Have you asked your doctor yet? They’d probably be the best person to ask...
Good luck, and let me know what ends up happening.

Man, listen, what’s the deal with those little lumps? From what I can gather, it seems like everyone ends up dealing with them at some point...

I’m just hoping everything goes smoothly at the consultation tomorrow... maybe we can finally pull the trigger and pick a decent doctor once and for all.

In case anyone was wondering, I just finished my consultation with the younger Tončić. He took a close look at my nose and figured out exactly what went wrong during my first surgery—apparently, they snapped the cartilage on one side. That’s the culprit behind that little bump right at the tip.
He mentioned he can just shave a tiny bit off, but he has to be incredibly careful because my skin is quite thin. Honestly, I’m feeling a bit pessimistic about the tip; I’m not even sure how much can actually be done. The slope I have now will likely stay the same, and from a profile view, he says there isn't an issue with excess cartilage. Since I also have those surgical scars (which, thank goodness, aren't too obvious), things might be a bit tricky because the skin tends to cling tightly to the structure, but he insists it can be fixed.
It’s such a bittersweet situation, really. I truly believe it’ll look better than it does right now, but I also have this nagging feeling it won't reach that "perfect" look I'm dreaming of.
I’m heading in for the actual procedure this Monday. We’ll have one last chat and take some more photos, and I’m going to try once more to emphasize that I want him to do everything humanly possible.😢*Sigh*... I just don't feel like luck is on my side this time.😢

Kate Taylor59 said:Honestly, why even stress? Compared to someone taking a dull chainsaw to your leg, this is nothing! xDD
Anyway, is it really that painful?? Good grief... I’m actually feeling a bit uneasy about it... ://
I'm going to see Dr. Davor Dzepina 🙂

I don't know... for me, it was rough. I remember having nasal packing shoved in my nose while I was still wide awake right after my accident—now THAT is real pain. When they finally pulled them out, it hurt too, but nothing compared to the sensation of having those things drilled straight into my brain... haha. But hey, we'll pull through this, we really will 🙂...

Wishing you all the best with everything 😁

Maria Hall92 said:I don't know about that... I mean, I've been through it. I had nasal tampons shoved up my nose while I was still wide awake right after the accident, and THAT is what real pain feels like. When they were pulling them out, yeah, it hurt, but nothing compared to when they were basically drilling them straight into my brain... haha... we'll get through this, though. Hang in there. 🙂 ..

Wishing you the best of luck with everything. 😁

Oh man... I am so incredibly sorry you're going through all of this...
😢 Everything is going to be okay. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you... and thank you.
🙂

Maria Hall92 said:For anyone wondering, I actually went in for a consultation with Tončić Jr. He checked out my nose and basically concluded that my first surgery totally botched things by snapping the cartilage on one side... which is why there's that weird bump right on the tip.
He mentioned he can just trim it down a tiny bit, but he has to be super careful because my skin is really thin. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty pessimistic about this whole nose tip situation; I don't even know if he can actually fix it. He said the slope I have will probably stay, and looking at me from the profile, he claims there isn't an issue with excess cartilage. Since I also have scars on my nose (thank God they aren't too obvious), it's going to be a bit trickier because the skin kind of clings to the structure, but he promised it'll get sorted out eventually.
The whole thing is just a massive mess, seriously. I mean, I think it'll look better than it does now, but at the same time, I really don't think it's ever going to look exactly how I want it to.
I'm heading in for the actual surgery this Monday. We’ll have one last chat and take some photos, and I’m going to try to emphasize one more time that he needs to do whatever he possibly can.😢 Ughhh... I just don't have any luck lately.😢

That is exactly how I felt after talking to him... like my nose was somehow the worst case study in medical history and he couldn't guarantee anything would work... blah blah... asymmetrical face, bad cartilage, the whole nine yards...
That’s why I gave up on him and went to get a second opinion.
But hey, don't let it get you down... it's pretty obvious that's just his sales pitch to everyone before surgery. He acts like he can't guarantee success just so he can protect himself from lawsuits or having to refund money if things actually go south. That way, he can just say, "Hey, I told you it might not work, and you agreed to it anyway."😁
If I had realized back then that it was just a line he uses, I might have gone to him too. Probably would have. But I genuinely thought he was only saying those things to me until a few other girls told me they had the exact same experience... and now you're here.😁
Good luck on Monday!!!!! Let us know how it goes. I'm sure everything will turn out great!!

rustygardener172 said:That’s exactly how I felt after talking to him... like my nose was some kind of impossible medical anomaly that he couldn't possibly guarantee success with... blah blah... asymmetrical features, issues with the cartilage...
That's why I eventually walked away and went to get a second opinion.
But don't let it get to you... honestly, it sounds like he's just using that line as a sales pitch to everyone before surgery. It's like he's trying to build a legal shield so he can avoid lawsuits or refund requests if things don't go perfectly. He can just say, "Hey, I warned you it might not work, and you signed off on it anyway." 😁
If I had realized back then that it was just a tactic, I probably would have gone to him too. I really would have. But at the time, I thought he was just being extra cautious with *me* specifically, until a few other girls told me they heard the exact same thing... so now you know. 😁
Good luck on Monday!!!!! Please let us know how it goes. I'm sure everything will turn out amazing!!

So he's just blowing smoke, huh? 🙂 ..you've actually made me feel a lot better about this, and I really hope you're right 🙂.. did those girls who told you that end up going to him for their procedures, and how did their results turn out?
Honestly, the whole thing feels so bizarre to me—the idea that a plastic surgeon wouldn't be able to fix a nose. It's not like I'm walking around with a door handle on my face instead of a nose! 🙂.. anyway, I really hope it all turns out okay..
Thanks for the good vibes, I'm definitely going to need them... I'll keep you guys posted on everything 🙂. I'm just counting down the days because, truth be told, I'm pretty nervous (this is my second surgery, and honestly, the thought of it makes me want to gag because I know what's coming), I just want it all to be over. At least I won't have to show up to work! hihi 😬😬

Elizabeth Collins5 said:Is it actually normal to have lumps appearing on my nose five months after surgery? They aren't just palpable—they're actually visible too. 😢 Has anyone else dealt with this? Did the bumps eventually go away, or... not so much?

Oh boy, please don't tell me I'm going to end up with five lumps instead of just one... if you find out what's actually going on, would you mind letting me know? It's been three weeks since my procedure, and honestly, my nose still looks incredibly wide, which is just so frustrating. Plus, my left nostril is still completely blocked... I've got a follow-up appointment this Monday, so we'll see.😢