Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Haha, thanks Maria Hall92! 🙂
Honestly, I’ve become such a klutz—I’m actually terrified of bumping into someone on the sidewalk because my balance is just so off right now.😂

And a quick heads-up for everyone: please don't put ice directly on your eyes... I had a terrible time because I wasn't pressing ice against them; I was just lightly dabbing a "frozen" piece of gauze over the area. Just soak a cloth in cold water and gently pat it over your cheeks and under your eyes—that should do the trick.😉 Anyway, swelling is what it is. It’ll go down when it’s ready to go down.

I’ve been lurking on this forum forever, but I finally decided to jump in today!! My surgery was about 40 days ago, and honestly, my surgeon totally wrecked me. He actually has the nerve to claim everything is perfect and tells me my breathing issues are just "all in my head." After his diagnosis, I sought out three specialists from the Mayo Clinic who told me they couldn't believe what he did to my face. Now, I’m stuck waiting at least 8 months just to even consider a secondary rhinoplasty. That "top-tier" clinic? Yeah, right. I just want to share my story so nobody else makes the same mistake I did and ends up living through this absolute nightmare.

Melissa Taylor3 said:I’ve been lurking on this forum forever, but I finally worked up the nerve to actually post today. It’s been about 40 days since my surgery, and honestly, the surgeon completely wrecked my face. To make matters worse, he has the audacity to claim everything is perfect and insist that my breathing issues are just "all in my head." After his diagnosis, I went and sought out three different specialists here in the States, and they were absolutely floored by what he did to me. Now, I’m stuck in limbo, having to wait at least eight months before I can even consider a secondary rhinoplasty. So much for that "world-class" clinic... what a joke. My only goal in sharing this is to hope someone else doesn't make the same mistake I did and end up living through this absolute nightmare.

Oh my god, that is just devastating... who was your surgeon?

I'm ready to go. Just feed me the posts, and I'll get to work turning them into authentic, gritty, American-style commentary while keeping that specific persona intact. No literal translations, no traces of the old setting—just pure, original English prose. Send the first one over. kaže:
Haha... honestly, just toss it in the freezer and call it a day. 🙂Man, I’ve got that too. Honestly, I’m pretty sure it’s something we all deal with at some point. 😁 Heh... what kind of theory are we talking about now? You've actually got my attention. Lay it on me. 😁

Nah, it’s not like that... just keep it in the fridge.

I can’t even remember exactly why, but honestly, I wasn't cut out for that whole eye mask thing either. I’d lean it against my eyes, hold it there for maybe sixty seconds tops, then toss it aside... only to pick it right back up again a minute later. It was just this endless, ridiculous cycle of "on, off, on, off." Total waste of time if you ask me.

steelangler88 said:soooooooo tiny...... 🙂

How long has it been since the surgery?

rustygardener172 said:How long has it been since the surgery?

A month

steelangler88 said:one month

Look, the tip is still going to drop just a tiny bit more, which actually helps everything look much more refined and slimmer. If you’re looking in the mirror and thinking your nose looks huge because of the swelling, don't sweat it... but if you honestly feel like it's massive—like, face-sized massive—then maybe worry. Because once the swelling settles, that's the size you're stuck with. That "outsized" look usually happens right after surgery while everything is still puffed up.
But hey, you already know the drill... this isn't even your first time going under the knife. 😉 One month is way too soon to be spiraling... you've just gotta hang in there. Honestly, I think the waiting game is the absolute worst part of the whole process. 😂

rustygardener172 said:Nah... it stays in the fridge.

I can't quite remember the exact reason—but I know I couldn't stand keeping that compress on for very long either. I’d just lean it against my eyes... maybe hold it there for a minute before tossing it aside... then put it right back on... and so on...

I didn't either, and to top it all off, I ended up catching a cold from that ice and now I've got a fever...

I noticed—actually, I've seen this happening for a while now, especially right after I wake up, though I figured it would just go away—that there’s this long, vertical red line right where my lump used to be. It looks exactly like those stubborn marks you get left behind after a breakout... I'm just hoping it fades out eventually... 😢

Melissa Taylor3 said:I’ve been lurking on this forum for quite some time, but I finally worked up the nerve to actually post today. It’s been about 40 days since my surgery, and honestly, the surgeon completely wrecked my face. To make matters worse, he has the audacity to claim everything is perfectly fine and insists that my breathing issues are just "all in my head." After his diagnosis, I sought out three different specialists here in the States, and they were absolutely stunned by what he did to me. Now, I’m stuck waiting at least eight months before anyone will even consider a secondary rhinoplasty. This "renowned" clinic is a total joke. My only hope is that by sharing this, someone else can avoid making the same mistake and won't have to endure this absolute nightmare.

Please, if you don't want to say it publicly, just send me a DM. Tell me who he is—I'm planning to see a surgeon soon and I am terrified right now.🙂

rustygardener172 said:Oh, definitely not... you've gotta keep those in the fridge.

I can't quite recall the exact reason why, but I know I couldn't stand keeping that compress on for very long myself. I’d lean it against my eyes, hold it there for maybe a minute, then toss it aside... then pick it back up again... and so on. It’s a bit of a cycle!

I used to keep mine sitting right in the ice 😁 haha... though, if I'm being honest, I was a little lazy about it. I'd hold it for a moment and then just leave it sitting next to me until it warmed up completely—then I'd pop it back in the ice just to get it at that perfect, refreshing temperature again. 😛.
Honestly, it's probably better to cool it down bit by bit; otherwise, you might actually give yourself a chill if you overdo it.

stormyharbor2 said:I didn't either, and to top it all off, I ended up catching a chill from all that ice and running a fever.

I've noticed—honestly, it was visible before, especially right after I woke up, though I just assumed it would fade away on its own—that there's this long, vertical red line right where my lump used to be. It looks just like those little red marks you get left behind after a breakout. I'm really hoping it clears up eventually. 😢

Hmm, I can't even begin to imagine... Have you actually mentioned it to your doctor yet?

Ugh, seriously guys, I could just glue my nose on right now so you all can stop obsessing over yours (whatever they look like) and realize you’ve got it way worse than me. 😁 p.s. I've honestly thought about getting surgery a thousand times—I'd be lying if I said I hadn't. 😉 Heck, I even had like three thousand bucks saved up and could've easily dropped it on a surgeon, BUT... let's be real... it wouldn't actually be *me* anymore. 🙂 It’s not like I have some tiny little bump or something where I could just get it "fixed" and call it a day... I don't have one of those faces where a big, prominent nose would actually look good. It’s either this or something totally sanded down and fake-looking... you know that thing where you catch your profile in a mirror and just feel like total trash? Yeah... nope. It wouldn't be me. Besides, who cares? My husband has a huge, long, fleshy nose, and my mom's got a massive beak too... basically, Maria Hall92 inherited the whole collection, haha! Honestly, the whole family has bigger noses than me, so shrinking mine would basically mean erasing my genes, my heritage, and worst of all—I'd run out of material to make fun of myself. 😁

Sophia Harris96 said:Hey people, I could honestly just tape my nose on every single day just so you all could feel better about your own noses (whatever they may look like), knowing there's always someone out there with a worse one, right? 😁 P.S. I’ve thought about surgery thousands upon thousands of times—I’d be lying if I said I hadn't. 😉 What's more, I actually had $3,000 saved up and easily could have dropped the cash, BUT... I mean, come on... it wouldn't really be *me* anymore. 🙂 It’s not like I just have some tiny little bump that needs fixing and then everything is perfect... it’s not that. My face isn't built for a straight nose or something heavily contoured and snatched, or whatever... (you know that thing where you try to convince yourself, take a profile picture, and just look totally mid?). Honestly, no... it wouldn't be me. Besides, why bother? My husband has a massive, fleshy nose, and my old lady has one too... and yeah, Sophia has collected all those traits, haha. Basically, my whole family has bigger noses, so shortening mine would be like messing with my genes, my heritage, and worst of all—I’d run out of material to make fun of myself. 😁

It’s all well and good to listen to someone who is perfectly happy with their "assets"... our noses are part of who we are, sure, but damn, there are plenty of us who deal with actual complexes because of them, thinking a correction would be the best thing ever for our self-esteem...

Sophia Harris96 said:Look, folks, I could honestly just tape my nose to my face right now so you all could feel a little better about yours—whatever they look like! 😁 P.S. I’ve thought about getting surgery thousands upon thousands of times; I’d be lying if I said I hadn't. 😉 What’s more, I actually had $3,000 saved up and could have easily paid for it, BUT... I mean, think about it... it wouldn't really be *me* anymore. 🙂 It’s not like I have some tiny little bump that needs fixing, you know? Like, "Oh, just smooth this out and we're good." No, I don't have a face that would suit a perfectly straight, polished, or "snatched" nose. (You know that thing where you try to convince yourself everything is fine while staring at your profile in the mirror and just feeling... meh?) Honestly, no. It wouldn't be me. Besides, why bother? My husband has a big, long, fleshy nose, and my old lady has one too... so yeah, Sophia has inherited the whole set, haha! In fact, my entire family has larger noses, so changing mine would basically be like erasing my genes, my heritage, and worst of all—I’d run out of things to make fun of myself for! 😁

That is such a thoughtful way to look at it. 🙂 We really need more people thinking like that. Though, if it were me, I’d happily trade those genes away in a heartbeat... 🤣 I truly wouldn't miss them one bit. 😁 Hahaha!

Maria Hall92 said:I honestly can't even imagine... did you actually bother to ask your doctor about that?

Nah. My nose was completely swollen—that was actually the very last thing I even noticed... 🤷When I put on foundation, you can't even tell...

Sophia Harris96 said:Look, I could just glue my own nose on if it helps you people feel any better about yours—whatever they look like, anyway... maybe then you'd finally realize things could actually be worse... 😁 P.S. I’ve thought about having surgery thousands and thousands of times—I’d be lying if I said I hadn't... 😉 I mean, I actually had like three thousand bucks just sitting there—enough that I could've easily thrown it at this—BUT... honestly? If I did that, it wouldn't even feel like me anymore... 🙂 Look, I don't really have some specific goal in mind—like just wanting a little emblem or something—so if you want to fix that part, go for it, then we're good... It’s not like there’s some celebrity whose look I’m trying to chase—you know, that whole thing where you spend forever posing in front of the mirror, trying to find that perfect profile shot where you actually look decent? Yeah... that's not me. Honestly, if I changed everything, I wouldn't even recognize myself anymore. Besides, why bother? My dad has a much larger, more prominent nose, and my mom has that classic look too... and let's just say Maria inherited all those traits, haha. Basically, my whole family has bigger noses, so trying to contour or reshape mine would be like trying to edit out my own DNA or my heritage. And worst of all? I'd run out of material to make fun of myself... 😁

No offense intended, but I just can't get on board with the idea that a big nose defines someone's whole look or personality. It reminds me of this one woman on a different forum—I actually saw her photo—who was obsessed with how crooked her teeth were... once she finally got them straightened, she was over the moon. But hey, good for you if you’re actually feeling positive about it. If it really doesn't bother you, then fine. My nose used to be way uglier than most people's on here, too (seriously... 😬It’s just sad—it's basically the same size, only flat and actually normal now. I haven't lost my specific facial features or anything... nothing really changed except that I finally have some actual self-confidence. Now, if someone stares at me, they aren't staring at my nose like they used to... 😉

Look, ladies, don't get me wrong... I am TOTALLY for surgery if that's what someone wants, even if they want to shave off a single milimetar.... If it makes you feel better about yourself, go for it 😉 Honestly, even now, whenever I see a girl passing by with a gorgeous nose, I catch myself thinking, "Man, how would mine look if it were smaller?" (It's just like when you see someone with an amazing hairstyle and wonder if it would suit you... or a certain dress... you know what I mean? It’s not a crime to wonder, and it doesn't mean you have deep-seated complexes...) But then I stop and realize I'd probably look ridiculous with her nose 😁 You know, just a tiny little tweak after all these years, haha 😁 If I had a magic wand, I'd still choose to keep this longer tip with the potato shape at the end, but maybe make the whole thing slimmer—like, shrink the entire thing by 30% 😁 But those are just my random thoughts... For now, I actually feel pretty okay with my nose, especially since I see huge noses every day so it's not like it's a total disaster 😁 Whatever, you never know what you might decide later on... Right now I'm getting my teeth done, so maybe the nose will be next and I'll be even more of a prize 😁 😁 (I'm joking about the whole "prize" thing 😉 ))

stormyharbor2, you owe me a photo of your nose via DM! 😁 Honestly, we should probably just make a bet on this—are you actually certain yours is worse than mine? Let's settle it quick and dirty 😁 (I'll send mine over so you can judge 😉 ))

Melissa Taylor3 said:I’ve been lurking on this forum forever—but today is finally the day I actually post!! It’s been about 40 days since my surgery, and honestly, the guy absolutely wrecked me—yet he still has the nerve to claim everything is perfect and that my breathing issues are just "all in my head." After his diagnosis, I went to three different specialists here in the States who told me they couldn't believe what he did... now I have to wait at least 8 months just to be considered for a secondary rhinoplasty. That "renowned" clinic? Total joke. My only goal is to make sure nobody else falls into this trap and goes through this absolute nightmare.

Reading stuff like this really makes me want to just give up entirely 😲 We would all be so incredibly grateful if you could tell us which doctor we need to avoid 🙏

So, by some crazy stroke of luck, I ended up getting surgery at the SYNTHESIS Medical Center. Everything from the initial consult to the prep was handled by Prof. Klapan. A long-time family friend actually pulled me aside and said, "Look, Klapan is great, but we know someone even better—you should definitely check out this other option too." Honestly, when you walk into that clinic, it looks super high-end compared to others, and everyone is incredibly polite at first. So, I went ahead with them... big mistake. The surgery supposedly took about two and a half hours. Right after, my fever spiked, and I had to chug Augmentin for about 20 days. Once things settled, I could clearly see that my left nostril looked way wider and thicker than the right. Breathing at night became a total nightmare; the second I lie down, the left side just shuts up completely. When I went back for a follow-up about a month later, the guy tells me there’s an implant stuck in my left nostril. We were all absolutely floored! He kept insisting it was "all in my head" and that everything was fine. Naturally, I started hunting for second opinions. I saw Dr. Glušac, and honestly, I couldn't believe he was claiming this was normal. My nasal septum is shifted to the right, and there's literally a pea-sized implant visible in the left side. Glušac has a bit of a quirky bedside manner, but man, does he know his stuff. Still wanting to be 100% sure, I drove out to Cleveland to see Dr. Zambeli. He did an exam and basically told me the same thing, if not worse. He said I need another surgery, but I have to wait 8 to 10 months because the cartilage is torn and needs to heal before they can touch it again. He basically told me I don't even know what "breathing through a nose" actually feels like. It’s just pathetic and honestly heartbreaking how Dr. Gjurić and his SYNTHESIS crew handle things. Instead of just saying, "Hey, sorry, we messed up," they try to gaslight you into thinking it's psychological. It's such a disgusting way to act. I’m definitely looking into legal action after this absolute disgrace.

I am so incredibly sorry you had to go through that. Honestly, it’s exactly what those of us facing surgery are terrified of—that whole experience is just awful. I know telling you to be patient sounds completely hollow right now, and I get why you're so angry. I mean, really, who could stay patient after dealing with something like this?😠 ... but honestly, just get ready for your next procedure with some actual, qualified surgeons. There’s still hope, though. 🙂
I’m planning on heading over to see Glušac around the middle of September—it’s all about that aesthetic. Cheers.