Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Hi everyone. I posted here a little while back about my rhinoplasty—mentioning how I wasn't exactly thrilled with the outcome. To be blunt, there’s still this bump on one side of my nose; either it wasn't shaved down properly during the initial procedure, or perhaps it just developed on its own during the healing process. Either way, it's there, and I'm stuck with it for now. Anyway, since we're here, I wanted to see if anyone has gone through the ordeal of a revision surgery? I'm also looking for recommendations for a solid surgeon in the New York City area. I’d heard that smoothing out the bone wasn't particularly complex, so I'm curious if anyone else has dealt with something similar... I'd really appreciate any insight or advice you all might have. Thanks in advance!

Jason White26 said:I want to give a realistic account of my surgery experience. I had a deviated septum that was narrowing my left nostril, which made breathing difficult and caused constant headaches. Even a basic
common cold would leave my nose completely stuffed up for months, blah, blah, blah...
Basically, the doctor said he needed to straighten that septum, and that most of my issues should be resolved once it was done.
I was admitted to the hospital... the day of the surgery arrived, Wednesday... anesthesia was a strange experience but very pleasant. Now comes the tough part: my nose was swollen and packed with tampons, and the pressure
in my head was building up to an almost unbearable level. I could only breathe through my mouth, constantly swallowing air. I didn't have any chills or anything. My surgery was at 11:00 AM, and I didn't sleep at all that afternoon or that entire night.
I don't even know how to describe it, other than calling it the longest night of my life. Everyone around me was also recovering from surgery, and everyone was snoring or making these bizarre noises. It was thundering and lightning outside, the hospital bed was terrible, and the pillow
was even worse. There was pain, intense head pressure, and blood draining from my nose. I’d look at the clock thinking half the night had passed, only to realize barely an hour had gone by since the last time I checked. That was my mistake
because I took a single Ibuprofen for the pain, which definitely wasn't enough to handle the situation. In the morning, I asked them to give me Voltaren via IV, and that actually helps for about 7-8 hours (take note of this if you are
waiting for something similar; Voltaren via IV is a lifesaver).
Since my procedure was quite simple (the surgery itself only lasted 15-20 minutes), the doctor told me on Thursday that I could go home, just rest and take it easy, and come back on Monday
to have the tampons removed. Once I got home, I managed to get some sleep and eat something... When the Voltaren wore off, the headaches returned, but this time Ibuprofen was sufficient to manage them.
On Thursday, I was taking them as often as possible—every 4 hours. Friday, every 5 hours. Saturday, every 6. By Sunday, it was every 8 hours. Basically, things were getting better with every passing day.
Looking back, that first night was the absolute worst; everything else was just a bit uncomfortable.
Monday finally arrived for the tampon removal. To be honest, I was counting down the minutes because by Saturday, when the swelling in my nose started to subside, they began to feel like foreign objects stuck in there.
I was a little nervous about the removal because I'd heard mixed reviews, but I figured I wouldn't be one of the unlucky ones. Two women and one man went before me to have theirs removed,
and it was over in 20 seconds; they all said it didn't hurt at all. That calmed me down. Then it was my turn.
I sat down in the chair, and the doctor looks into my right nostril and asks, quite surprised, if anyone has already removed my tampons because he can't see them 😕 I tell him that I mentioned to him the day after surgery that it
felt like I only had tampons in my left nostril because I could occasionally breathe through the right side. He doesn't say anything, looks again, and says, "Okay, let's get these out." He started pulling the tampon from the left side, and halfway
through, everything got stuck and the pain hit. He couldn't pull it out with the forceps he started with and asked the nurse to bring stronger ones. By then, tears were streaming down my face and splashing
toward the doctor. He just says, "Well, shoot, it happens; it's going to hurt, but we have to get it out now." Half the tampon was out, and half was still stuck. He rested his left hand on my forehead while using his right hand to pull the tampon out of
My nose. It was going through such an intense struggle that I genuinely thought my nose might detach from my face. I could actually hear the sound of the packing sliding through my head inside my eardrums—kind of like one of those sci-fi horror movies. Once
pulled it out, he just said, "Okay, now let's get the second 😲 out. AND THE OTHER ONE!!!" He started tugging at this second piece that was also stuck tight. When he finally yanked it, half of this other section just flew out along with a few ounces of bloody,
warm, slimy mixture. The whole ordeal lasted maybe three minutes. It was an invaluable experience of indescribable pain. Honestly, the level of discomfort I felt was definitely the worst I’ve ever experienced in my life; you could say
I was basically in shock. The doctor was trying to talk to me, but I just told him I couldn't even process him through the pain and asked him to just write everything down on paper. I walked out into the waiting room, and blood was still trickling from my left nostril for another
15 minutes. That was the first time I actually started coming back to reality. Looking back, everything I felt before that packing was removed felt like child's play.
Some things about this feel off to me, though. According to the surgical schedule, I should have been last, but they called me in second. I don't know much about surgical techniques, but based on how my doctor reacted to the lack of packing in my right
nostril, I got the impression there was supposed to be packing in both sides 😕. I'm not sure if the surgeon places the packing themselves or if someone else does it in the OR, whether they just forgot to pack the right side, or if they were
using some different method entirely. Now I'm starting to wonder if it was actually my surgeon operating or if he handed me off to some resident looking for practice. My doctor isn't exactly the chatty type when I ask for details.
I assume the nose was supposed to be completely sealed so no air gets in. Maybe by breathing through my right nostril, I dried out the packing that was meant to stay moist so it wouldn't stick.
Who knows? But soon enough, it was all over. Within an hour, the pain had vanished. It was like nothing had even happened. The doctor did a follow-up exam and confirmed the surgery was a total success and that I won't have
breathing or headache issues anymore.
So, yeah, surgeries aren't one-size-fits-all. If someone had described this to me beforehand, I probably would have thought twice, though logically I'd still choose to go through with it, assuming these things only happen to someone 😁
When you look at the big picture, it wasn't that bad. A little discomfort and three minutes of pure agony. But it's worth it!

Maybe you should have done more research before heading in.
And who exactly did you go to? As if it's some kind of magic clinic where nothing goes wrong.🙂

Amanda Morris76 said:Maybe you should've done a bit more homework before heading in there.
Well, where else was I supposed to go? It’s not like anyone else is out there helping...🙂

I mean, I've asked for specifics on this forum plenty of times, but honestly, nobody seems to take me seriously... 😁
Everyone is way too wrapped up in their own insecurities—you know, those people obsessed with minor cosmetic tweaks to their noses—so
they don't have any time to actually help someone who's dealing with real medical issues and needs surgery
for actual health reasons. It’s just a shame that the other thread—the one where we were mostly discussing deviations—got locked because I was getting so
fed up with all the nonsense happening here... 🙂It’s exhausting...
People spend huge amounts of money just to fix insecurities that, in eighty percent of cases, aren't even
real problems—they're just things they've made up in their own heads. And then, after everything is done, they realize they aren't happy
even after one... two... three surgeries... I really think they'd be better off seeing a therapist instead 😁

As far as the surgeon goes, he's great—really one of the best around. And from chatting with folks who went through similar procedures, I've gathered that everyone says having the packing removed
was easily the most traumatic part of the whole ordeal. Doesn't matter which doctor they used...

@Jason White26/">@@Jason White26 and everyone else who isn't trying to fix their insecurities with a surgeon's knife-
So, I ended up with a broken nose (don't ask how), rolled into the ER on Thursday night, and was in surgery by Friday morning. Two hours after they finished, I was already snacking and drinking, and a few hours after that, I was even having a smoke, so recovery isn't really an issue there.
I’ve also got these massive nasal tampons stuffed in each nostril, plus gauze under my nose because I'm basically a walking fountain of blood right now. Pain? Honestly, none. It’s just this weird, dull discomfort from knowing there's extra foreign material shoved inside my skull.
I didn't get much sleep the night after the procedure, mostly because I was paranoid about bleeding out, but also because of the other patients and all the bizarre noises they were making. Then, around 4 AM, some drunk idiot with a sliced-up ear stumbles into the ward screaming about how he's gonna kill the doctor. On top of that, my mouth was bone-dry since I can't breathe through my nose, so I had to chug half a glass of water every thirty minutes... anyway, I finally managed to crash from 6 to 9 in the morning.
Today(Saturday) around noon, they let me head home. I'm walking around fine, actually heading out for a drink now—nothing hurts, eating is totally normal, but man, that sensation of having a bunch of crap shoved inside your head is absolutely TERRIBLE!!!!

Lucky you if you managed to get just one tampon in each applicator 👍 I ended up with two stuck in a single one 😁 You might actually be one of those lucky people for whom tampons slide out without any drama. As for everything else... it’s pretty much the same experience I had. Hang in there 👍

Jason White26 said:Lucky you if you only had one tampon per pack 👍 mine were two stuffed into one 😁 maybe you'll be one of those lucky people where they come out easy. As for everything else, pretty much the same experience I had. Hang in there👍

I don't even get what kind of tampons you guys have in your nose??? I had gauze, and when they took it out, they didn't just yank it. They used some liquid to help it dissolve from the wound first, then pulled it out and it didn't hurt at all.

Sean Hill9 said:I honestly have no idea what kind of tampons you guys are talking about putting in your nose... I had those sponge-like things, and when they took them out, they didn't just yank them—they used some kind of liquid to dissolve everything around the wound first, so it just came right out without any pain at all.

So, I've been doing a little digging online looking up these tampons, and all I see are these tiny little
long 2-inch ones with a little string, or maybe those long, thin strips that look almost like
shoelaces. But mine? Mine were more like sponges—maybe 6 inches long and thick, sort of like a pinky finger... and there were two of them packed into one holder.🤷

Sean Hill9 said:I honestly don't get how you guys are dealing with those nasal tampons. When I had my stitches, they didn't just yank them out by force; they used this special solution to dissolve everything near the wound first. Once it was ready, they just pulled them out and it didn't hurt at all.

At this rate, I think I might need to go see your doctor!🙂
By the way, I'm pretty sure I sent you a DM.

Haven't checked mine yet, I'll let you guys know how they look on Tuesday once I pull them out

Jason White26 said:I’ve asked for specifics on this forum more times than I can count, but honestly? It feels like I'm just shouting into a void here. Nobody seems to take me seriously. 😁
Honestly, everyone is just way too wrapped up in their own little insecurities, obsessing over whether their nose looks perfect or if they need some quick cosmetic fix to fit in. It’s like nobody even notices anything else anymore.
If they don't start making time to actually listen to the people dealing with real-world issues—you know, the ones actually going under the knife and facing life-altering surgeries—then what's even the point? It’s all just noise if they ignore the folks who are actually in the trenches.
We’re sitting this one out for health reasons. Honestly, it’s a bummer because that other topic was actually starting to get somewhere.
Someone started rambling about mental deviations and the whole thread got locked on me. Seriously? Give me a break. 🙂 Honestly, looking at all this absolute nonsense being peddled here... it's just exhausting.
Honestly, people are out here throwing away huge amounts of cash just to try and fix "complexes" that, let’s be real, don't even exist 80% of the time. It’s wild. They go chasing after these expensive fixes for problems they basically manufactured themselves.
It’s all just living in their own heads, honestly. They spend all this time chasing some imaginary ideal, and then, once they finally get what they thought they wanted, they realize they aren't even remotely happy with it. It's a cycle.
Even after two... no, let's call it three surgeries... nothing changes. Honestly? It would be way more productive if they just put that money toward paying for a good therapist instead. 😁

Look, when it comes to the doctor, he’s legit—easily one of the best you could find. I’ve been chatting with a few people who went through the exact same surgery, and honestly? It sounds like everyone is basically just dealing with getting a tampon removed. Simple as that.
Honestly, that was hands down the most traumatic experience out of everything. It doesn't even matter who was performing the surgery—it was just pure nightmare fuel regardless.

Look, first off, I don't think it's ever okay to just go out and insult people like that. If someone’s dealing with their own baggage or personal issues, that’s on them—it’s not your business, and you definitely don't have the right to just start spitting on them. Everyone is out here just trying to live their own lives.

Look, as for that whole "nobody notices me" thing... honestly, maybe it’s just because this forum is already sixty-nine pages deep. Most of the new folks don't bother scrolling through the archives; they just drop in out of nowhere, ask some question that's been answered a billion times already, and act like it's brand new. If you ask me? It feels pretty selfish. They want instant attention without doing any of the legwork first.
Look, if you’ve got a problem or something’s bugging you, here’s my advice: go do some digging first. Actually put in the work to find the answer on your own. If you still come up empty-handed after that, then—and only then—should you reach out. Don't just waltz onto this forum and drop a question like it's the most monumental, life-altering crisis in the history of the universe. It's honestly exhausting.
So, I’m still pretty much the new kid on the block here... but before I even dared to type a single word, I went down the rabbit hole and read this entire forum from top to bottom. Every last page. Honestly, I already know more about this surgery than most people because I've actually been through one before. It’s not even a vanity thing for me—it’s purely medical. It causes these massive headaches, which is exactly what you're dealing with, too. It’s been a few years since my last one, but I’m facing another round because the issue came crawling back, and now my nose is actually starting to lean to one side. It’s getting more noticeable every single day, so let’s get one thing straight: this isn't about some deep-seated insecurity or "complexes" about how I look. My nose is actually cute! I’m just heading back under the knife to get everything centered again and so I can finally stop living my life constantly relying on nasal spray just to breathe. 😁
People have been talking about the whole tampon situation quite a bit lately... honestly, though, I completely forgot I was even wearing one because I couldn't feel it at all. It was like nothing was there—sort of like someone giving you a tiny little tickle on the nose. 😁 Honestly, what sticks with me most isn't even the specifics, it’s just that feeling of taking that first real breath after five days of nothing... It was wild. It felt like oxygen was hitting my brain directly, like a literal surge straight to the gray matter. Such a trip. 🤣

rustygardener172 said:Look, first off—I don't think it's okay to insult anyone. Even if someone’s dealing with their own insecurities, that isn't your business, and you definitely don't have the right to tear them down. Everyone is just out here living their own lives...

And regarding the whole thing about nobody taking you seriously... well, maybe that's because this forum spans 69 pages... and a lot of new people don't bother reading through everything at all. They just swoop in out of nowhere and drop a question, totally unaware that the exact same question has been asked a billion times already... which, honestly, feels a bit selfish to me.
If you have an issue, or if there's something you're curious about... well, then do your own research first, and if you still can't find the answer, then ask. Don't just jump onto this forum and act like your specific question is the most important thing in the world.
I'm also relatively new here... but before I even dared to post anything, I read through the entire forum... from the very first page all the way to the last. Though, I actually know quite a bit about the surgery since I've had one before. It's for health reasons and it's such a headache... kind of like your situation. It's been a few years since my last one, but I have to go back in because the issue came back—plus, my nose is starting to tilt to one side now, and it gets more noticeable every day... so this isn't about any "nose insecurities"... actually... I think my nose is pretty! I'm heading in for another procedure just to get everything back where it belongs and so I can finally stop relying on nasal spray just to breathe. 😁
As for removing the packing... there was plenty written about that too... though I completely forgot about that part because I barely felt it... almost like a tiny little tickle on my nose... 😁 What I remember much more clearly is that sensation of the first deep breath after five days... it felt like oxygen was rushing straight into my brain... it was wild... 🤣

True, I didn't read the whole thread—I started, but I gave up pretty quickly. Out of those
69 pages, at least 60 should probably be deleted because they have absolutely nothing to do with the topic. It turns out that for
most people, a nose is just a fashion accessory... 😁 Commenters act like a group of girls talking about a shopping spree. Like, "Where did you get it?", "How much was it?", "This one is better," "I don't like this one," "This doctor does the best work," "this one is terrible," "now I think my nose looked better before the surgery..." and so on for 69 pages. Good grief... 😕

rustygardener172 said:I'm heading in for a second surgery to get everything put back where it belongs. Honestly, I just want to be able to breathe through my nose normally again without relying on nasal spray every five minutes. 😁
:

He’s going to take it right back to where he found it, smash it to pieces, and then center it just to be petty.😁

Jason White26 said:To be honest, I haven't read this entire thread. I started diving into it, but I gave up pretty quickly. From what I can see...
Look, we’re on page 69 now, and honestly? At least 60 of these posts need to be nuked. They have absolutely nothing to do with the actual topic at hand. It’s getting ridiculous.
For most people, it’s just a fashion statement. 😁 The comments here are basically just a bunch of girls gossiping about their latest shopping spree. So, where did you actually go for this? How much did the whole thing end up costing? It’s always the same cycle: "this one looks better," "I'm not really feeling this one," "this one gives me the best bridge shape," or "this one is just a total disaster." Honestly, looking at the results, there are moments where I genuinely feel like my nose looked better before I ever went under the knife.Sixty-nine pages already? Good grief. 😕

I couldn't agree more. Most people hanging out here act like they’re picking out a new pair of Nikes. They obsess over every single millimeter—is it leaning left? Is it pulling right? Is one side two millimeters wider than the other? Then they realize their nose isn't perfect, as if perfection and symmetry are actually achievable in the real world. 🙄Now they’re pushing for a second surgery. Honestly, it's just ridiculous.
I read through your experience, but honestly, things weren't quite that bad for me. I didn't feel any pain at all—I didn't even touch a single Tylenol the whole time. They swapped out my tampons the very next day and just kept replacing them every couple of days after that. If anything, the general anesthesia was the real nightmare. My nose feels great now and breathing is totally fine, though I'm still using saline rinses to keep things clear.

Kyle Torres2 said:I couldn't agree more. It feels like most people here are obsessing over their nose the same way someone would nitpick a new pair of shoes. They scrutinize every single millimeter—is it tilted left or right? Is one side two millimeters wider than the other? Once they realize their nose isn't perfectly symmetrical 🙄, they immediately start craving a second surgery. Honestly, it’s a bit much, don't you think?
.

wow. This is just plain rude.

Has anyone here ever traveled abroad for surgery? I was wondering if you’d heard any tips on whether heading out of the country is actually better than staying here in the States.
A couple of months ago, I saw this segment on TV about how much cheaper procedures are in Turkey compared to what we pay here, and apparently, the quality is top-notch too. They mentioned how tons of people fly in from all over just to get done there, and they seem really happy with the results.

Kyle Torres2 said:They’re gonna toss it right back where they found it, only this time they'll smash it to pieces before they center it perfectly.😁

😲 Oh, please... don't even bother stressing about the bill, I already took care of it. Honestly, my bone structure—specifically the bridge of my nose—is perfectly straight. The problem is that little bit of cartilage underneath from the surgery; it clearly decided to go rogue and start making a move toward my right ear. Every single day, it feels like it’s inching closer to its new destination. 😁
Jokes aside... the reality is I honestly have no clue if my first surgery was just a dud or if my septum deviation is simply making a comeback on its own. I’m really crossing my fingers that it's the former. Because if it's the latter? Man, does that mean I'm looking at a cycle of repeating these surgeries every few years? That sounds like a total nightmare.

I haven't heard much about Turkey... but I have heard things about Thailand. Apparently, getting surgery done over there is dirt cheap. Just a thought. $667And you see this stuff being marketed like some kind of luxury hotel package? It’s insane. You look online and it’s all "stay for a week plus a nose job included" or "not included," mixed in with those sketchy medical tourism spikes they promote. Honestly, it just feels shady. Personally, I feel way more secure staying right here in the States. First off, the communication with the doctor is seamless since we actually speak the same language—no playing telephone with a translator. Plus, there's nothing like being home. Like they say, the grass isn't always greener on the other side, especially when you're dealing with surgery. 😛 And one more thing... honestly, no matter how much people talk trash about American plastic surgeons, you still see huge crowds of people flying in from all over the map just to get their work done here in the States. So, who’s actually the smart one in this scenario? At the end of the day, everyone’s just looking out for number one, and that's that.

You gotta factor in the flights, the hotels, eating out... in places like Turkey, Thailand, or Kazakhstan... honestly, who knows if it's even worth the money at this point.
@Jason White26/">@@Jason White26 - Look, I just pulled my tampon out today and I can tell you, for about one second right as it was coming out, the pain was freaking intense. But literally one second later? Zilch. Nothing. It went by super fast. Sounds like they really screwed you over, though.

mellowviper22 said:Don't forget to factor in travel, hotels, food... whether you're heading to Turkey, Thailand, or Kazakhstan... honestly, who knows if it's even worth it at that point
@Jason White26/">@@Jason White26 - listen, I just had my swab removed today. I can tell you right now, that one second where they were pulling it out of the holder was painful as hell, but a second later? Zero sensation. Everything went totally fine. It sounds like they really messed things up for you though.

I heard everything is included in the price—they pick you up from the airport and get you settled until you've recovered.
I couldn't find that clinic online anywhere. They did say the surgeons speak English, so as long as your English is solid, you should be okay.

restlesstinker4 said:Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing great! :-)

I just left Dr. Džepina's office, and we finally got everything squared away! My surgery is officially on the calendar for June 15th.

I’m honestly spiraling a little bit right now because I’ve been falling down a rabbit hole of reading everything I can find online—and frankly, it’s starting to freak me out! I could really use some honest advice from you all. Has anyone here actually sat down with him before? I'd love to hear about your personal experiences or even just your gut feelings about working with him. Any insight at all would be a lifesaver!

Is Dr. Dzepina really practicing over in Vukovar?
I actually asked this same thing just a few days ago, but I haven't had anyone get back to me yet! If someone finally does answer, then I guess the issue is definitely on my end—maybe I just have one of those faces that people tend to skip over! 🙄).

Amanda Morris76 said:Wow. This is just plain rude.

Oh, absolutely.😲