Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

rustygardener172 said:😲 Give me a break... there's really no need to stress about it, I've already settled everything. My nasal bridge and root are straight enough... it's just that the lower cartilage decided after my surgery to go on a little flirtation tour with my right ear... and every day, it seems to be falling harder for it. 😁
Jokes aside... the truth is, I have absolutely no clue if my first surgery was botched or if my deviation just decided to make a comeback. I'm desperately hoping it's the former, because if it's the latter... what am I supposed to do, schedule repeat surgeries every couple of years?!
...

I can't speak for your experience, but I had a major deviation—my nose drifted so far left I couldn't breathe through one nostril. They broke it, centered it, cleared out some cartilage... all using a closed technique. It wasn't a nightmare. Now, I can breathe perfectly and the nose looks great. Sure, it isn't mathematically symmetrical from left to right, but I didn't expect perfection, nor do I care. The bottom line is this: I can breathe normally, and the nose looks fine. That's all that matters. I'm beyond happy with my surgeon.

Amanda Morris76 said:wow. This is just rude.

wow. It's not rude. It's just being realistic.

wanderingmason86 said:Is Dr. Dzepina over in Vukovar?
I actually asked the same thing a few days ago, but nobody ever got back to me. If someone finally answers you, then clearly the issue is with me (maybe my face is just too ugly 🙄).

No, he's near the Gjura Deželić entrance. I actually went in for a consultation.
He is incredibly professional. I was pretty nervous when I first walked in, but seeing how pleasant the nurses were and how organized everything was really helped. I got that sense of security, like I could actually trust them with my life. To me, feeling safe was the most important thing—not having to lie awake wondering if I’d even wake up from the anesthesia...

http://www.glumicic-dzepina.com/hr/homepage_hr.html

After years of dealing with persistent sore throats and sinus issues that turned chronic—not to mention a deviated septum from some old accidental hits to the nose, though I’ve never actually "broken" it—I finally went in for an exam. I visited the ENT department at Mayo Clinic.
The doctor who saw me (a relatively young specialist) made his call after about 5-6 minutes of examination (rhinoscopy and visual inspection):
"Septoplasty is indicated," with a diagnosis of "nasal septum fracture..."
They scheduled the surgery immediately under general anesthesia; my date is set for next month.
Two days before the procedure, I have a consultation with the anesthesiologist, and in the meantime, there's a mountain of testing required for the anesthesia.

What I was actually expecting was a slightly more thorough conversation with the surgeon—the same one who performed the initial exam—but the clinic was packed and everyone seemed pretty high-strung (even if the doctor himself was fine). There just wasn't an opening for a real talk... 🤷
So now everything is happening fast. I could probably Google "septoplasty" until I pass out, but...
I have zero interest in any cosmetic nose reshaping; I’m perfectly happy with how it looks. I didn't even ask if the shape could remain exactly the same. It's best that the deviation is barely noticeable—just a slight tilt to one side that you'd only see if you were looking closely.

Since the idea of surgery itself makes me nervous, and I have absolutely no clue what the recovery process is like (aside from reading things on forums), nor do I truly understand how necessary this operation is, I'd really like more information. The doctor handled me quite "routinely"—basically, "Aha, surgery, that's that, go see the nurse for a date." I'm planning to get a second opinion.
A friend recommended Dr. Borić over at Johns Hopkins, and I see names like Dr. Tončić and Dr. Ostojić mentioned quite a bit here and elsewhere—but from what I can tell, they focus more on aesthetic surgery, which isn't my priority here.

Does anyone have a recommendation for where to go for a second opinion? I'm looking for a "proper" exam and a detailed discussion regarding the pros and cons of the surgery. Thanks.

Kyle Torres2 said:I don't know about your experience, but I had a deviated septum. My nose leaned so far to the left I basically couldn't breathe through one nostril. So, I went in for surgery—they broke it, centered everything, cleared out some cartilage... all done using the closed technique. Honestly, it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. Now? I can actually breathe normally, and my nose looks great. Obviously, it’s not perfectly symmetrical down to the millimeter on both sides, but I’m not expecting perfection, nor do I care. The bottom line is I can breathe, and it looks totally fine. I was beyond happy with my surgeon.

No way! Seriously? Who did you go to? Maybe you mentioned it before, but I clearly missed it. 🙂

I had surgery yesterday—mostly for health reasons, but I ended up aggravating things a bit and now I’ve got a cut inside my lip. It’s super swollen right now, and my upper lip is basically drooping down. Any idea how long this usually lasts?😢

Jamie Hernandez66 said:Hi everyone.
I’ve read almost everything here, but your experiences are still weighing on me.
Sinus infections have always been my problem.
Now it’s hit a breaking point—frequent bacterial infections, especially in the sinuses right under my eyes.😠, there's a lot of fluid buildup.
The pain is intense. Headaches, toothaches... even my eardrums feel retracted and my ears ache sometimes. I’ve spent 21 days straight on antibiotics and nebulizers, but the second I step outside into even slightly cool air, it feels like I'm back at square one.
I saw a specialist at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Gudelj.
I have a severe septal deviation, which he claims is the root cause of all this.
I need surgery, where they'll apparently perform some kind of cartilage reconstruction. But the inflammation won't quit.
Has anyone dealt with this? Do you go through with surgery while still dealing with an active infection??
And has anyone else seen Dr. Gudelj at Mayo Clinic??
How long was the recovery...😢
Please, I need some advice.
I'm honestly pretty terrified..

DO NOT GO TO GUDELJ. I went to him for both functional and cosmetic work. For a month or two after the surgery, my nose looked nearly perfect, but then a few months later, it started deforming. It began sloping downward like a slide, and now it looks worse than before. Gudelj refuses to admit any fault; he actually had the nerve to claim he intentionally curved the nose because he thinks that look is "beautiful." We never once discussed any such curvature during our pre-op consultations. He certainly didn't mention that, unlike other surgeons who straighten the bridge, he was going to curve mine. Nor did he listen to my explicit request to only minimally reduce the nasal pyramid—he took off way too much, as he admitted himself right after the procedure. And the tip? Not narrowed at all, despite his promises.

Grace Cruz87 said:Initially, I was looking at Dr. Glumičić, but then I changed my mind. Through a friend, I stumbled upon Dr. Ivkica over at Vinogradski, and honestly, I’m impressed (plus, he did an amazing job on her nose 😁 ). After just two consultation sessions, I finally have my surgery date scheduled 👋 ..... I've read everything out there, and it's a relief to realize that (in most cases) it isn't as terrifying as people say. A little discomfort is expected, but it's worth it in the end.....

I'm actually planning a revision. Vinogradski and rib reconstruction are definitely on my radar, so please, if you don't mind, post some photos of your nose (and your friend's too, if she's okay with it)!

Quick question for all the ladies who claimed they weren't fans of Glumičić's noses—where on earth can I find photos of them? Thanks! 🙂

Michelle Chavez74 said:So, I’ve got a quick question for all the ladies out there who were complaining about Glumičić’s noses—seriously, where on earth am I supposed to find photos of them? Help a guy out, thanks! 🙂

So, if you actually bother to take a look at his website... http://www.glumicic-dzepina.com/inde...mid=15&lang=hr

I have a quick question for the group. I had surgery about seven days ago, and I have to admit, I was a bit taken aback when they first removed the cast. To my eyes, my nose looked way too narrow and pointy at first. After a day or two, things started to settle and widen out a bit, which actually looks much more natural to me. Now, I realize that’s probably just the swelling that everyone worries about, but honestly, I kind of wish it would stay looking this way 🙂 So, I wanted to reach out to those of you who have been through this entire process before: what does the final result actually look like? Is it going to be somewhere in the middle, or will it end up looking exactly like it did right after the cast came off? I’ve noticed the tip tends to drop once the sutures are gone, but I’m specifically wondering how the width of the nose behaves in the long run. Thanks so much for any insight

coastalpuma21 said:After years of dealing with throat infections and sinus issues that eventually turned chronic—not to mention knowing I have a deviated septum from some old accidental blows to the nose, though I’ve never actually "broken" it—I finally went in for an exam. Mayo Clinic (in downtown Chicago), ENT department.
The doctor who examined me (somewhat younger, a specialized ENT) determined within about a 5-6 minute exam (rhinoscopy, visual inspection):
"Septoplasty indicated," with a diagnosis of "Nasal septal fracture..."
I was scheduled for surgery immediately (under general anesthesia); the date is set for next month.
Two days before the procedure, I have a consultation/exam with the anesthesiologist—meanwhile, there is a mountain of testing required due to the surgery and general anesthesia.

What I actually expected was a slightly more extensive conversation with the surgeon/operator—the same one who saw me initially—but the place was packed and everyone seemed quite on edge (even if the doctor was fine). There just wasn't the opportunity... 🤷
And now everything is coming at once; I suppose I could Google septoplasty until I pass out, but...
I have zero desire for any kind of aesthetic nose correction—I am perfectly happy with how it looks. However, I didn't even ask if it's possible for the shape to remain exactly the same... Ideally, the deviation is barely visible—just a slight tilt to one side—and only if you look very closely.

Since the idea of the surgery itself unnerves me, and since I have absolutely no clue regarding the postoperative recovery process (aside from what I've read on forums), nor do I truly understand the necessity of the operation itself—and because I would genuinely prefer to know more—the doctor during the exam handled me rather "routinely." It was essentially "Aha, surgery, that's it, go see the nurse for a date"... I plan to seek a second opinion.
A friend recommended Dr. Borić (over in Houston), and on this forum and elsewhere, Dr. Tončić and Dr. Ostojić are mentioned quite often—but from what I can see, they all focus more heavily on cosmetic surgery, which isn't my priority here.

Does anyone have a recommendation for someone to get a second opinion from? Someone who provides a "decent" exam and a thorough discussion regarding the pros and cons of the surgery? Thanks.

My recommendation would be the Gulic clinic; they deal exclusively with ENTs there, so I imagine they handle nasal surgeries much more frequently and are generally more specialized in that area... I was there a month ago regarding a secondary rhinoplasty because the first one didn't go well... So, there you have it...

bluecyclist13 said:I have a quick question for anyone who's been through this. About seven days ago, I had my surgery, and I have to admit, I was pretty shocked when they finally took the cast off. To my eyes, my nose looked way too narrow and a bit pointy. After a day or two, things started to settle and widen slightly, which honestly looks much more natural to me. I suspect it’s just that swelling everyone worries about, but if I'm being honest, I actually kind of prefer how it looks right now. 🙂 So, I wanted to ask those of you who have completed the full recovery process: what does the final result actually look like? Is it going to be somewhere in the middle, or will it settle exactly as it did right after the cast came off? I've noticed the tip tends to drop once the sutures are removed, but I'm mainly wondering about the width of the nose. Thanks!

If anyone with some experience can weigh in, please do, because the uncertainty is starting to drive me a little crazy.

Here are some photos for you to check out http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/z...an3333/nos.jpg
The shot on the left was taken right after I pulled the mold away, while the one on the right shows how things looked just a couple of days later.

Melissa Ward29 said:My suggestion would be the Gulic clinic; they specialize exclusively in ENT, so they seem more focused on nasal surgeries in general. I was there less than a month ago regarding a secondary rhinoplasty because my first one didn't go well. There you have it...

Thanks. In the meantime, I saw the doctor I mentioned first (a maxillofacial surgeon, though he mostly does aesthetics). He confirmed that a septoplasty is mandatory, even if he offered to "tweak" the aesthetics at the same time—which is something I DO NOT want.
Fine, even less than a month until surgery 😲 😬

bluecyclist13 said:here are the photos http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/z...an3333/nos.jpg
left is immediately after removing the cast, right is a few days later.

Look, nobody can give you a definitive answer right now. Your nose shape is going to shift over the next two months regardless, so there's no point in panicking today—just let the healing process take its course.
And honestly, don't worry too much. Keep in mind that your surgeon designed the nose to achieve the best possible aesthetic result, so it should end up proportional and balanced once time does its work. 😉

The reason it looked so narrow initially was due to the cast. It isn't going to revert to that state; those casts have to be tight enough to hold the bone structure in place, which also puts pressure on the cartilage. What you're seeing now is just a temporary reaction from the last few days.

Nicole Nguyen34 said:Look, nobody can give you a definitive answer right now because your nose is going to keep changing shape for at least the next two months anyway, so there's really no point in panicking; just let the healing process take its natural course!
And don't worry too much—keep in mind that your surgeon designed your nose specifically to achieve the best aesthetic result possible, so it should end up looking proportional and balanced once time does its magic. 😉

Initially, it looked narrow because of the mold, and it certainly won't go back to that state, since those molds have to be quite tight to hold the bone structure in place, which also puts pressure on the cartilage in the lower part, making it look a bit off for a few days!

Thanks, that sounds like the voice of reason,
I guess I just let a little panic set in because I had my surgery done by a doctor who is actually famous for that specific style of narrow, upturned noses—something I only realized after the fact... so I definitely had a moment of anxiety there.

Hey everyone...

I’ve got an appointment scheduled with Dr. Dzepina (he works over at the Gjura Dezelic clinic, part of that group with Glumičić) on June 15th.
Honestly, after everything I've been reading lately, I’m starting to spiral a bit...

Can someone please help me out? (I already asked this once and didn't get a single response), has anyone here actually worked with him before, or heard anything at all about his practice?
I'm feeling pretty desperate...

bluecyclist13 said:Thanks, sounds like the voice of reason here.
I guess I just had a momentary panic attack because I went to a surgeon who’s famous for making noses super narrow and pointy—something I realized way too late... so yeah, total panic mode.

My nose looks twice as thin and small now compared to when I first took the cast off.
Honestly, I'm thrilled because that's exactly the look I was going for—as for the swelling, that goes away in a day or two—it's been two and a half months already.

restlesstinker4 said:Hey everyone...

I booked a consultation with Dr. Dzepine (he works over at the Gjura Dezelic clinic, he's in a group with Glumičić) for June 15th.
Now I am totally freaking out because of everything I've been reading online lately...

Please (I already asked this once and nobody replied), has anyone actually had experience with him? Has anyone heard anything about his work?
I'm honestly spiraling...

Don't panic. Seriously. I was the one who messed this up for myself.
It's been three weeks since my surgery. A few days before the procedure, I went down an absolute rabbit hole on this forum. Naturally, all the horror stories hit me way harder—especially those cases where they took too much cartilage from the nose and left the patient with a deformed shape.
I showed up to the surgery completely rattled, just repeating the same thing to the doctor: "Please don't take too much off, I'd rather have it look too small than too big..." And guess what? I got exactly what I asked for... My nose still looks huge, even after $4333 and spending two weeks on my couch during vacation 😂
Instead of just calmly explaining my goals to the guy, I panicked, spooked him, and ended up with a half-baked result.
So now what? I really don't have the heart to go through another surgery, but this nose is driving me absolutely insane!!!
Bottom line: don't freak out if you actually trust your surgeon. If you don't trust them, just cancel the appointment...

Honestly, would you guys go through with nose surgery if you were in my shoes? I'm only 14, and I'm incredibly self-conscious about nothing but my nose.
When I talk, the tip of my nose actually moves. o.O I don't even know how to describe it.
http://it.tinypic.com/r/2mzm64l/6
That bump is driving me absolutely crazy.