Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Kate Taylor59 said:let me tell you how it went...

The guy is wonderful... honestly, he’s one of the most down-to-earth doctors I’ve ever met, and a fantastic psychologist to boot.
I practically suffocated him with my "what if this" and "how about that"... He tried so hard to explain why he couldn't just slim down the tip of my nose too much—you know, that little point at the bottom—because then I wouldn't be able to breathe. He put it this way: look, I could do that easily, it would be the simplest job in the world, I'd just snip that part off to make it narrow, boom, done... but then you wouldn't be able to catch your breath... and what would we do then??
So many surgeons promise you the moon and stars, and then you end up with a tiny, pretty little nose, but your breathing—which is actually the most important part—is completely messed up.
I immediately started asking to see photos of his previous work. He showed me a few things, but then he said, "Listen, how do you know I won't just show you my absolute best results? The ones where everything turned out perfectly?" He was basically asking if I thought surgeons didn't play that game. He told me he'd show me more, but emphasized that everything is unique; everyone has a different nose structure, and it’s simply impossible to use a cookie-cutter template (like, "I want a nose like Severina") because the goal is to reshape *your* nose into its best version. I told him straight up: I love your photos, but to be honest, I'm not feeling it from the front view... that tip... this and that... He then turned to my mom and said, "It's not easy for you... it's all in the head." He mentioned there are people who can never be satisfied, and frankly, those are the types he fears most. He said he wouldn't even operate on someone like that because they are chasing a perfection that doesn't exist... they'll always find something to complain about... Later, when I asked to see more photos, he said, "I'm sorry, I'll be the bad guy here, but I can't show you more because I see this isn't leading anywhere..." I kept badgering him about the tip of my nose... He explained nicely that if the skin is tightened, it might pull, and that he'd make an incision under the nose to correct the tip... but since I have thicker skin, I shouldn't expect an ultra-tiny nose. The results would be visible, but he's worried my expectations aren't realistic... It was also a huge letdown to find out I don't actually have a deviated septum (which they had initially diagnosed), and that my sinuses are fine, yet I constantly feel stuff draining into my throat, making it hard to swallow. Since he's a true man of science, he explained it's likely acid reflux. To be fair, I have had stomach erosions and acid issues, but how am I supposed to breathe through my mouth when it hurts so much... I was so frustrated yesterday that I just gave up on the surgery altogether... I don't know...
Anyway... the man is a genius... and I highly recommend him to anyone who doesn't want to deal with breathing problems after their procedure...
As for the anesthesia—he said no one of his patients has ever struggled with nausea or any issues with it, and that modern anesthesia is a massive leap forward compared to before...
(It's being done in a general hospital)

Yeah, the guy has a point, and I agree with him, but why did you give up? He was just giving you the reality check, and that doesn't mean he can't make your nose look better... He was just telling you "what if" scenarios. Your nose definitely won't stay looking the way it does now; it will be improved...
And why are you disappointed just because you don't have a deviation? If anything, that's better for you! The procedure would be simpler because of that.
Don't talk bull🙂 ... even Tončić didn't promise me the world... I felt like a lost cause myself... but I'm going through with it anyway because I can't believe that modern medicine can't fix a few small things, and I truly believe I'll look better.

Rachel Fisher97 said:I honestly don't get why they have you consult with someone younger if they aren't even the ones performing the surgery... In my opinion, it would make much more sense to lay out all your specific concerns and "worries" directly to the surgeon who will actually be taking charge of your case. 🤷
I ended up choosing Tončić too, but I am absolutely insisting on meeting with a more senior doctor during the consultation because, frankly, I find this whole setup a bit unprofessional.
Anyway, I'm wishing you the absolute best of luck! Please, please keep us posted on how the surgery goes and how the new implant turns out. 😍

Hehe... I was actually feeling a little bit pickier about wanting a more veteran surgeon myself, but honestly? Just let it go. It doesn't really change anything for you. This guy isn't some amateur, either. During my own consultation, he mentioned that there’s always one final chat right before the actual surgery date, so you'll definitely have one last chance to speak your mind and get everything settled. Plus, he noted that they often have two or even three specialists working together depending on the complexity of the case. He won't be alone in there, so there's really nothing to fear 🙂. And like rustygardener172 pointed out, you never know who might be tinkering around under your nose while you're unconscious on the table 😁 😁
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Thanks so much for the good vibes! I'll be sure to update everyone on how it all goes. 🙂

Maria Hall92 said:Hehe... I was actually feeling a bit skeptical about the older surgeon too... but honestly, just let it go. It’s not like he’s some hack. During my consultation, they mentioned there's one last chat right before surgery day, so you'll have a final chance to voice any concerns. They also said they sometimes operate on two or three people at once, depending on the schedule. He definitely won't be doing it alone, so don't worry 🙂. And like rustygardener172 said, you never really know who's working on you when you're out under anesthesia anyway 😁😁

Thanks for the good vibes. I'll keep everyone posted 🙂

Are you nervous about the local anesthesia? 😲 Because I am pretty terrified 😢
If I read correctly, you're heading in tomorrow? Please let me know how it goes. Good luck again!

Rachel Fisher97 said:Are you actually scared of local anesthesia? 😲 Because I am absolutely terrified. 😢
If I read that correctly, you're heading in tomorrow? Please, please let me know how everything goes, and good luck! * :

Oh, definitely. It’s locally administered. I was reading some threads online saying it’s no big deal—that you just get local numbing in the very spot where they're operating, plus something to help you drift off... though not quite the deep, heavy sleep you get with general anesthesia. But still, yeah, the idea of it scares me. 😢 Especially after falling down the rabbit hole of surgery forums once I started looking into this... ugh, my nerves are shot.

Thank you so much! I promise I'll report back with all the details on how it went. Honestly, though, I'm nervous. More than the anesthesia itself, I'm worried about whether they'll actually deliver what I'm looking for—you know, if they'll truly fix the specific part of my nose that I hate most. Like I mentioned before, the surgeon didn't make any impossible promises. We have one more consultation scheduled, and I plan to be incredibly blunt about my expectations so there's zero confusion. Mamma mia! 😢 Hahaha, I don't know why I decided to go through with this! 😁

I've officially scheduled my surgery with Dr. Bastaić for June 20th.
Honestly, I’m already feeling a bit overwhelmed just thinking about having to deal with those three days of wearing tampons. 😢

Ashley Gomez said:I've officially scheduled my surgery with Dr. Bastaić for June 20th.
The mere thought of spending three straight days stuck with tampons makes me want to crawl under my covers and stay there. Honestly, just thinking about it is exhausting. 😢

Good luck! 🙂
Yeah... they obviously insist on keeping that tampon in place as long as possible just because it keeps the septum properly positioned... and honestly, that’s a massive issue for me. My throat is constantly killing me because of it.👎

Hmm... I had a septoplasty done (just this once), but they didn't use tampons—just internal splints. Then, after my first surgery, they actually used tampons (only for it to turn out that they hadn't even touched the septum at all)... so I don't really get the logic behind it.
By the way, my nose keeps getting bigger; at this rate, I'll be able to eclipse the sun soon.🙂

Ashley Gomez said:I just booked my surgery with Dr. Bastaić for June 20th.
Ugh, I’m actually dreading the thought of having to deal with tampons for three whole days straight. 😢

So, how was your consultation with Bastaic? Did you actually get to see any of his work, or was it all just talk? And honestly, what was the dealbreaker that made you pick him over everyone else?

amberbadger81 said:How did your consultation with Bastaić go? Did you get to see any of his previous work? And what was the deciding factor for choosing him?

He didn't actually show me any portfolios, but since I knew he wasn't the type to display them, I didn't push for it. He did mention that my nose volume is quite significant for my face shape, and he promised to create a straight, natural look that would actually complement my features—and I suppose I feel fairly confident that he'll deliver on that. 😍 My main concern right now is just getting through the surgery itself and surviving those first three days with the nasal packing. 🙄 He plans to remove the splint on the sixth day and is insisting that I stay in New York City during that six-day window.

As for what made me decide... honestly, everything I read about him here was positive, I saw one of his results that I really liked, and I just had a strong gut feeling that he was the right choice. 😁 It also helps that he offers overnight stays for the first night, which is a relief.
On top of all that, it just so happened that he had an opening on the exact day I wanted, whereas his schedule is otherwise completely booked up—he even showed me his calendar. 😁

Hey everyone, I’m finally back from my surgery... so let me give you the full rundown of how it went. First off, I had another sit-down with the doctor to finalize the game plan. He mentioned he’d likely go with a closed technique because he thinks he can achieve a better result that way, whereas an open procedure might actually make things more complicated. After that, I headed over with my sister so she could give me a sedative injection to help me relax, and then they did another round of exams—this time with a more senior specialist. They spent quite a while looking me over and debating the best approach, even bringing up the possibility of an open surgery again (honestly, at that point, I wasn't even worried about the surgery itself; I was just dreading the needle! It felt like they could have just amputated my leg 😁 for all I knew). I truly felt like my nose situation was a bit of a mess, and for a second, it almost seemed like they were second-guessing whether they could pull it off successfully... Afterward, I laid down on the table, and my sister placed those soaked gauze pads inside my nostrils—anesthetic or whatever it was—and then they started the IV drip with something that made me feel heavy and sleepy, though I wasn't fully unconscious yet. Then came the slightly unpleasant part: the local anesthetic applied internally. I felt it hitting several spots inside, and it was pretty uncomfortable because of the stinging; I definitely had some tears welling up. I just lay there for a few minutes waiting for it to kick in. I kept my eyes tightly shut the whole time, and then suddenly I heard the doctor say, "Let's go" (OH MY GOD!). I heard everything, vividly. I wasn't asleep at all. I was just in this dazed, quiet state, keeping my eyes shut. I could have opened them, but I didn't think it was a smart move—I really didn't want to accidentally see anything, heaven forbid!!.. I’m actually not entirely sure which specific technique they ended up using... I felt some scraping, heard him mention something about having to work laterally, and then I heard the sound of the incision being made to remove that little bump. I felt the tugging of the thread, and then... out of nowhere... the hammer 😁 hahahahahah oh my goodness... I actually felt and heard the impact of the hammer, hahaha! I felt it hit maybe two or three times. Seriously, folks, I felt and heard every single thing. But I have to tell you, IT ISN'T BAD AT ALL and for anyone who is nervous, you really don't need to fear the locally enhanced anesthesia or any of the stuff I mentioned (well, except for the local part, which is bearable). IT DOESN'T HURT... Once the surgery was done, I just rested for a bit, and now I can head home. I can walk around just fine, I'm not dizzy, I don't feel nauseous, I'm actually hungry, my nose doesn't hurt at all, my head feels fine, and I don't feel exhausted or worn out... Honestly, you shouldn't avoid this just because of the fear, because you won't deal with any of that discomfort. I don't even have bad bruising; you can barely see it in the corners of my eyes. Everything went wonderfully with Dr. Tončić.
I'm just waiting to see if he managed to fix my ugly nose 🙂. If he did, I am definitely recommending him
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So, I’ve got a procedure coming up in a few months to narrow my nasal passages using just local anesthesia. Basically, they’ll just numb the specific spot where they’re working, so I’m really curious—has anyone here actually gone through this? Does it feel like anything at all? I previously had this huge bump on my nose that a doctor smoothed out for me, but now the base of my nose still looks a bit wide, so that's what I'm looking to fix next.

Linda Wilson82 said:Man, I’m also at day 12 post-op. Still dealing with some swelling, but it’s definitely shrinking, and the cast feels lighter every single day. 😍
The one thing driving me crazy, though, is how wide the nose looks right where the bridge was broken... it just feels so broad on the sides. My doctor keeps telling me it’ll settle down and that this is totally normal, just a waiting game. 😢Has anyone else dealt with this? When does it actually smooth out? dotty?? Maybe you can help, since you mentioned your nose looked just like mine after yours? please????

I had my surgery three weeks ago. I had a massive hump and a pretty wide nose, but once the doctor took the cast off, the hump was gone! He was checking everything and telling me my nose looks thin now, but when I look in the mirror, I don't see "thin" at all. I can feel the bone on the sides and it honestly feels kind of broken. My surgeon insists it’ll slim down with time, and I guess I am starting to see a tiny bit of progress, but it’s not there yet. Does it still feel super wide to you in those spots?

Maria Hall92 said:Hey everyone, I’m back from my surgery... just wanted to give you the rundown on how it went. First, I had another sit-down with the doctor to finalize the plan. He decided to go with an endonasal approach because he thinks he can get better results than open surgery, which would have been way more complicated. After that, I went with my sister to get a sedative shot in the hip to help me relax, then they did another exam—this time with the senior surgeon too. They spent quite a while looking me over, debating what to do, and kept bringing up the possibility of an open procedure (I was already stressing out about the needle; honestly, at that point, I felt like they might just amputate my leg 😁). It really feels like my nose is a mess; it seemed like they weren't entirely sure how to handle it or if they'd succeed... anyway, after that, I lay down on the table, my sister packed my nasal passages with soaked gauze—anesthetic or whatever—and they started the IV with something that made me feel drowsy (but didn't actually knock me out). Then came the unpleasant part: the local anesthetic inside the nose. I felt it hitting several spots internally, and it was pretty uncomfortable because of the stinging; I definitely had tears running down my face. I just lay there for a few minutes waiting for it to kick in. I kept my eyes squeezed shut the whole time, and then I heard the doctor say, "Let's go" (OH MY GOD)... I heard everything clearly. I wasn't asleep at all. I was just groggy and keeping my eyes shut, but I heard every single sound. I could have opened my eyes, but I didn't think that was a smart move—I didn't want to accidentally see anything, God forbid!!!... I'm not even sure which exact technique they used now... I felt some scraping, heard him mention needing to work laterally, and then I heard the cut to remove the bump, followed by the sensation of thread being pulled through, and then... the hammer 😁 hahahahahah oh man... I actually felt and heard him tapping me with the hammer hhahaha, maybe two or three times. Seriously people, I felt and heard it all. But I have to say, IT ISN'T BAD and for anyone who's scared, you don't need to fear the locally enhanced anesthesia or any of the stuff I mentioned (except the local part, which is bearable) IT DOESN'T HURT... After the surgery, you just rest for a bit, lie down, and you can head home. You can walk around, I don't feel dizzy or nauseous, I'm hungry, my nose doesn't hurt at all, my head doesn't hurt, and I don't feel exhausted or worn out... So, don't avoid it altogether, because you won't deal with all those things. I don't even have bad bruising; it's barely visible in the corners of my eyes. All in all, everything went great with Dr. Tončić.
Just waiting to see if he managed to fix my ugly nose 🙂. If so, I'll definitely recommend him
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Oh my god...!! 🙂
Props to you, I would have absolutely lost it.... fingers crossed that the nose turns out amazing! 👍

Maria Hall92... man, so you heard everything? Honestly, that’s probably better—now you know exactly what kind of nonsense they were pulling behind your back 😉
And about those cramps... ugh, I totally thought I was just dealing with some minor annoyance until I actually slept on it 😁 They don't just hit you out of nowhere... you need a little time for things to ramp up. For me, the second day was absolute hell.

steelangler88 said:Oh my god... !! 🙂
seriously, I would have straight up lost it... I'm crossing everything that I can to hope this whole thing turns out amazing.👍

So, how's your progress coming along?

Maria Hall92 said:Hey everyone, I’m back from surgery. Just thought I’d share how it went. First, I had another chat with the doctor to finalize the plan. He suggested using a closed technique because he wasn't sure an open approach would yield better results, and it seemed more complicated. After that, my sister took me to get a shot in the hip to help me relax, then they did another exam—this time with a more senior surgeon. They spent quite a while looking things over and debating the next steps, and they kept bringing up the possibility of an open procedure (honestly, I was already too worried about the needle to care if they decided to take my leg off 😁). It felt like my nose situation is pretty messy, and I almost got the impression they weren't entirely sure what the outcome would be... Anyway, I laid down on the table, my sister packed my nasal passages with soaked gauze—anesthetic, I assume—and they started an IV with something that made me feel drowsy, though not totally out. Then came the uncomfortable part: the local anesthetic in the nose. It felt weirdly intense in several spots and stung quite a bit; I definitely shed some tears. I just lay there for a few minutes waiting for it to kick in. I kept my eyes squeezed shut the whole time, then I heard the doctor say, "Let's go." (Yikes). I felt everything. I wasn't asleep at all. I was just numb and still, but I could hear every single thing. I could have opened my eyes, but I didn't think that was a good idea—I really didn't want to accidentally see anything, heaven forbid! I'm not actually sure which technique they ended up using... I felt some scraping, something about needing to work laterally, and then I heard the incision being made to remove the bump, and then I felt a rushing sensation at the end, followed by a hammer 😁 hahahahah man... honestly, I felt them tapping me with a hammer twice. Seriously guys, I felt and heard everything. But I should mention that IT WASN'T BAD so for anyone who's nervous, you don't need to fear the locally enhanced anesthesia or the other stuff I mentioned (except maybe the local, but you can handle that) IT DOESN'T HURT ... After the surgery, you just rest for a bit and you can head home. I can walk fine, no dizziness, no nausea, my nose doesn't hurt at all, no headache, and I don't even feel exhausted or worn out. You'll probably deal with all that if you go under general anesthesia, so skip that if you can. I don't even have bad bruising; it's barely visible in the corners of my eyes. Overall, everything went great with Dr. Miller.
Just waiting to see if he managed to fix my ugly nose 🙂. If so, I'd definitely recommend him
.

Oh my god, 😲 how exactly do you mean you "felt" it... was it actual pain, or more like when you're getting a tooth pulled where you feel the movement but not the pain?
Man, oh man 😲
Major props to you for being so brave. Please keep us updated every day 🙂, you're my ray of hope 😍

Yeah, tell me about it—I didn't have anything going on the first day either... then by day two, my eyelids were bruised blue, and by evening, the area between my eyes was so swollen I could barely keep them 😂 half-open. It was terrifying—honestly, I was praying to God that if it swelled one millimeter more, my eyes would just pop out and the splint would fly off into the wall from the pressure 😁
Meanwhile, I’m making absolutely zero progress... I don't know, my nose looks massive right now, and apparently, having experience from my first surgery doesn't actually help much since I still have no clue what the final result is even going to look like... 😲

rustygardener172 said:Maria Hall92... wow... so you heard the whole story? Honestly, that’s probably for the best—now you know exactly what they put you through 😉
As for the bruising... I actually thought it wasn't a big deal at first until I finally slept through the night. 😁 It doesn't just happen instantly; it takes a little while to really show up. For me, the second day was absolutely the worst.

Are you serious? I mean, she mentioned it to me, but I honestly thought that was all there was to it 😁.. Did you use ice packs? My doctor told me to keep an ice pack on my nose constantly...

Rachel Fisher97 said:Oh my goodness, I have to ask 😲 how exactly you felt that... was it actual pain, or more like when you're at the dentist having a filling done—you can feel the work happening, but there’s no sharp pain?
Goodness gracious, just 😲 hands down
such incredible bravery. Please, you absolutely have to give us daily updates 🙂 because you are my beacon of hope! 😍

It felt more like a little tickle inside my nose rather than any real pain. Honestly, the only time I felt anything was when they were using the hammer; I felt a bit of discomfort, but it wasn't even painful. And strangely enough, it still doesn't hurt at all right now... it's quite bizarre, really. I'm crossing my fingers that it stays this way! 🙂 Hehe, alright then, I'll be sure to keep everyone posted 😛

steelangler88 said:Oh, tell me about it. I didn't have anything going on the first day either, but by day two? My eyelids were turning blue, and by evening, the swelling between my eyes was so intense I could barely keep them HALF open.😂 It was honestly terrifying. I was sitting there thinking, "Good grief, if this gets one millimeter worse, my eyes might actually pop out," and I was worried the pressure would be so high the splint would just fly right off against the wall!😁
And here I am, feeling like I'm making absolutely zero progress... I don't know, my nose looks massive right now, and honestly, that experience from my first surgery hasn't helped much because I still have no clue how this is all going to turn out in the end... 😲

😢 Just try to stay patient... though, dammit, I was actually kind of looking forward to not having blonde hair anymore! :/