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Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Started by vividfox · · 👁 255 views · 2.8K replies

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rustygardener172 rustygardener172 Regular
455 messages
joined Feb 2010
#1241 ·
stormyharbor2 said:So, what's the deal with needing a second surgery?

Look, I had to go under the knife the first time to fix a deviated septum because I could barely catch my breath. Honestly, I have zero clue what those surgeons actually did back then, but guess what? I still can't breathe right—maybe a tiny bit better than before, if I'm being generous—but on top of that, my nose ended up crooked toward the left and my nasal passages are totally blocked... so, yeah... round two is happening. But this time, I'm going to a private clinic... at least there, they actually bother to talk to you.
stormyharbor2 stormyharbor2 Member
34 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1242 ·
rustygardener172 said:Because the first time I had my deviated septum fixed, it was at a public hospital... mostly because I couldn't breathe right. Honestly, I have no clue what they actually did to me, but I still can't breathe properly—maybe a tiny bit better than before, I guess—plus now my nose is crooked toward the left and my nostrils are totally blocked... so... I have to go back in... But this time I'm going private... at least they actually talk to you there.

Aha. I was just asking because you mentioned hoping it turns out better than when you saw Tony Stark, so I assumed he was the one who operated on you the first time.
Gregory Barnes5 Gregory Barnes5 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2017
#1243 ·
Anyone here actually dealt with Dr. Zagaljardić before? I’ve seen him fixing noses on TV during red carpet events a few times—he seems alright to me, but what do you guys think?
Anthony Kern43 Anthony Kern43 Member
13 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1244 ·
rustygardener172 said:Straightened? Was it crooked, or did you just have a bump? And which doctor did you go to?

It was definitely crooked. I actually ended up losing a bit of my nasal tip because I used to do kickboxing back in the day, and after breaking it four different times, it started getting really annoying, so I decided to get it fixed. Unfortunately, I can't say where, since I didn't exactly pay out of pocket for that procedure! :P🙂
As for me, I’ve had three separate nose surgeries, and I had packing done all three times. The first one was to fix a deviated septum. The second time, they had to remove some polyps from my sinuses, and the last one was just a standard rhinoplasty to reshape things. Even through all that, I never actually had any trouble breathing...
The only nightmare I experienced happened during that second surgery. As I was drifting off to sleep, the gauze packing slipped from my nose right down into my throat... ugh. It was such a gross situation. I woke up not knowing if I was about to be sick or if I was suffocating because I couldn't breathe at all. I was literally shoving my fingers down my throat trying to pull the gauze out, but there was only about 15cm sticking out of my mouth while the rest felt like a foot long inside. Eventually, they had to use scissors to snip it out... ugh. Seriously, never again. Three surgeries were more than enough for me.
stormyharbor2 stormyharbor2 Member
34 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1245 ·
Anthony Kern43 said:It was my own fault—I ended up losing the tip of my nose because I spent my younger years doing kickboxing. I broke it four times, which drove me crazy, so I finally decided to get it fixed... can't say where, though, since I didn't exactly pay out of pocket for the procedure :P 🙂
I’ve had three nose surgeries total, and yeah, I had packing done all three times. First one was for a deviated septum. Second was to clear out some polyps from my sinuses, and the last one was just for cosmetic reshaping... honestly, I never even had breathing issues...
The only nightmare moment was during that second surgery—the gauze slipped from my nose down into my throat while I was drifting off... ugh... such a gross scene. I wake up not knowing if I need to burp or if I'm actually suffocating, just shoving my fingers down my throat trying to pull the gauze out, but it's like a foot of it is stuck and only about 15cm is sticking out of my mouth. They eventually had to snip it with scissors or something... ugh, never again. Three surgeries was more than enough for me...

😲
ironsurfer10 ironsurfer10 Active Member
104 messages
joined Dec 2007
#1246 ·
Anthony Kern43 said:It was my own fault, really. I ended up losing part of my nasal cartilage because I spent my younger years doing kickboxing; I broke my nose four times, and the irritation finally pushed me to get it fixed. Unfortunately, I can't say exactly where I went since I didn't actually pay out of pocket for the procedure :P 🙂
I've had surgery on my nose three times in total, and I've been packed with gauze every single time. The first was for a deviated septum, the second involved removing polyps from my sinuses, and the last one was just a rhinoplasty to reshape it. To be fair, I never actually had any issues with breathing...
The only truly awkward thing happened during that second surgery. While I was drifting off to sleep, some of the nasal packing slipped down into my throat... ugh. It was such a nasty scene. I woke up not knowing if I was about to burp or if I was actually choking, and I couldn't breathe at all. I was literally sticking my fingers down my throat trying to pull the gauze out, but it felt like there was a foot of it inside when only about 6 inches were poking out of my mouth. They eventually had to snip it with scissors... ugh, seriously, never again. Three surgeries was plenty for me...

Okay, you definitely didn't need to mention that bit about the gauze! 😲
Now I'm actually starting to feel a little uneasy thinking about that...

It’s actually quite interesting to realize that I’m not particularly afraid of the pain itself, or even how my nose might look afterward. It's those weird, random things that get to me. But honestly, what choice do I have when breathing through my mouth is becoming such a struggle? 😢
Gregory Barnes5 Gregory Barnes5 Member
12 messages
joined Aug 2017
#1247 ·
Come on, Melissa Ross68—take it easy with all this stuff😁 honestly, I felt sick just reading it. Let’s hope these kinds of situations are rare, okay?
rustygardener172 rustygardener172 Regular
455 messages
joined Feb 2010
#1248 ·
Honestly, it’s not even that weird or some freak occurrence... it usually happens because the doctor uses a specific type of packing, like those gauze rolls shaped like tampons. Some docs use these sponge-like things that you can't just unroll easily. At the end of the day, every surgeon does things differently. It's like how one doctor tells you to leave a tampon in for four days, while another pulls it out after two for the exact same procedure. Look, we're talking about actual surgery here, not some routine blood draw at a clinic in Chicago... there are always risks involved and anything can happen. Personally? I’m way more terrified of never waking up from the anesthesia than I am of being wide awake and having to pull gauze out of my own throat...😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱
Bradley Williams5 Bradley Williams5 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Apr 2008
#1249 ·
Anthony Kern43 said:It was entirely my own fault, really, but I ended up losing the tip of my nose because of it. Back in my younger days, I used to spend quite a bit of time training in kickboxing, and I actually broke my nose four different times. It eventually became such an irritation that I finally decided it was time to get it sorted out once and for all. Unfortunately, I can't exactly disclose where I went to get the procedure done, since I haven't actually paid for the surgery yet! :P 🙂
I’ve actually gone under the knife for nose surgery three separate times now, which meant I had to deal with nasal packing during each recovery period. The first procedure was to correct a deviated septum, while the second was necessary to clear out some polyps from my sinuses. My most recent trip to the surgeon was specifically for a rhinoplasty to refine the shape. Despite all those procedures and the downtime, I’m happy to say I’ve never once struggled with breathing issues.
I have to admit, there was one rather unpleasant little mishap during my second surgery that I haven't really shared with anyone before. As I was drifting off into anesthesia, the surgical gauze inside my nose somehow slipped backward into my throat. It was quite a harrowing scene to wake up to; honestly, I felt completely disoriented and wasn't even sure if I was going to be sick or not. To make matters worse, I couldn't catch my breath at all. In a bit of a panic, I ended up reaching down my throat with my fingers, trying to grab hold of the gauze. The strangest part was that while only about six inches were visible from my mouth, the rest of the material felt like it went on for miles! Eventually, the medical staff had to step in and use surgical scissors to carefully snip it out. Ugh, what a nightmare. I think I’ve had quite enough medical procedures to last me a lifetime—three surgeries was certainly my limit.

In my experience, I actually had all three procedures performed during a single session. It was quite a whirlwind, but it felt efficient at the time. I know some people go through them one after another at hospitals in cities like Miami, where they might schedule just one procedure every six months or so for up to a year. However, when I went to see Dr. Glück, he preferred to handle everything all at once in one go.
I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about the whole ordeal of dealing with sinus issues, a deviated septum, and the eventual path toward corrective surgery. It’s one of those things that sounds relatively straightforward on paper, but once you’re actually living through the constant congestion and that nagging, heavy pressure in your face, you realize just how much it impacts your daily quality of life. For the longest time, I found myself constantly battling that feeling of being unable to catch a full, clear breath, which can be surprisingly draining when you're trying to stay focused during a busy workday or even just enjoying a quiet evening at home. There is something uniquely frustrating about having your breathing compromised by something structural inside your own nose. After looking into it quite extensively, I've realized that addressing a deviated septum isn't just about aesthetics—though, don't get me wrong, a smoother profile is always a nice bonus—it's primarily about finally being able to breathe properly again. If you are currently navigating this journey, please know that you aren't alone in feeling overwhelmed by the medical jargon or the prospect of recovery. It helps to take it one step at a time, from the initial consultation with a specialist to understanding the nuances of the procedure itself. I truly believe that once you find the right surgeon and get the correction handled, the sense of relief is absolutely worth the anticipation.🙂
So, I’ve officially hit the three-week mark since my surgery, and I wanted to share a little update on how things are progressing. On the bright side, the left side of my face is looking absolutely wonderful and seems to be healing quite smoothly. However, the right side is still dealing with some lingering swelling, and honestly, it feels like my nose looks slightly different every single morning when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror! It's all part of the process, I suppose, but it certainly keeps things interesting.
The only thing that’s really bothering me at the moment is this stubborn dark circle under my eye that just refuses to budge. It’s been hanging around for about a week now, and despite everything else clearing up, this little spot won't change color or fade away no matter what I do. Everything else seems to have resolved itself quite nicely, but this one persistent issue is still lingering.
My doctor mentioned that the surgery was quite intensive—it went on for about two and a half hours—but I suppose that’s why my overall recovery feels like it's moving along so smoothly! Everything seems to be healing beautifully, though I am dealing with this persistent discoloration right under my eye. Does anyone have any advice for dealing with that? I actually popped into the local CVS to see if they could help, but the pharmacist wouldn't sell me any of those standard bruise creams because they were concerned about how close it is to my eye. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
I would truly appreciate some advice, if you wouldn't mind! Please!
Well, it looks like the sutures have finally started coming loose, which is actually a pretty good sign! My nose still feels quite firm and a bit stiff, though I have a feeling that sensation will pass within a few days. Most importantly, I’ve been breathing completely on my own without needing any nasal spray for over five days now. I’ve been keeping a close eye on my progress, and honestly, I feel like I'm breathing wonderfully.
To be honest, things were feeling a bit rough about a week or two ago; I was dealing with some pretty heavy shortness of breath even while using my inhaler, and it felt like I couldn't stop coughing for even a second.

And what else... honestly, my nose is hurting right at the very top—well, more like deep in the root area. Since I had surgery on my sinuses recently, that spot is still incredibly tender, especially if anything even brushes against it. It’s just one of those lingering things, you know?

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how everything unfolds a month from now. I’ve always found that patience is a virtue when dealing with these kinds of uncertainties, though it can be quite a challenge to stay calm while waiting for the dust to settle. We shall see!
Bradley Williams5 Bradley Williams5 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Apr 2008
#1250 ·
rustygardener172 said:Honestly, that isn't actually all that surprising or even that rare... it usually happens if your doctor uses a specific type of packing, like those gauze strips shaped into a tampon. Some doctors prefer using something more like a sponge, which you can't just unroll easily. At the end of the day, every surgeon does things a little differently. It’s just like how one doctor might leave tampons in for four days while another pulls them out after two for the exact same procedure. We have to remember, we're talking about surgery here, not a routine blood draw at a local clinic... there are always risks involved and anything can happen. Personally, I was much more terrified of not waking up from the anesthesia than I was about having to pull gauze out of my throat while awake...😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱 😱


Please don't worry too much... you're going to wake up just fine. You're young and healthy, and that makes such a difference...
To be perfectly honest, I felt that same knot of fear in my stomach too... but look at me now, everything went smoothly.🙂
I have to say, working with Tony Stark's team was such a wonderful experience... the anesthesiologist is actually a well-known professor who also works in cardiology, so he has an incredible amount of expertise, and the surgical tech was fantastic, as was the nurse (who happens to be his wife)... honestly, the entire medical team was just top-notch.👍
Now, we'll just have to wait and see how everything settles in the long run. I'm really hoping there aren't any polyps, since that can sometimes pop up unexpectedly...
As for my breathing, it's already improving—I can smell things again and breathe quite clearly... but as for how my nose will ultimately look once everything is fully healed, I suppose we'll just have to wait and find out.
rustygardener172 rustygardener172 Regular
455 messages
joined Feb 2010
#1251 ·
Carol Hernandez94 said:Look, don't sweat it too much... you'll bounce back. You're young, you're healthy, and honestly? You've got plenty of time to get your act together.
I'm gonna be totally real with you—I was freaking out about this too. My heart was absolutely racing, thinking everything was about to go south... but look at us now. Everything turned out just fine.🙂
I gotta say, though, the crew working with Dr. Glück is actually top-tier. You’ve got this anesthesiologist who’s basically a legend—he’s also a professor over at the cardiology department, so the guy has seen just about everything. Seriously, his level of experience is insane. The surgical tech is killer, too, and the nurse is fantastic (turns out she's actually his wife, which is kind of wild). Honestly, the whole squad is just solid. It's rare to find a team that clicks like this.👍
And now we just wait and see how this whole thing goes south. Honestly, I’m just crossing my fingers that we don't end up with a total clusterfuck on our hands—because, let's be real, that’s usually exactly how these things play out.
So, the nose is officially back in business! I can actually smell things again, and honestly, breathing feels pretty damn good right now. As for what the final look is going to be? Well, that’s anyone's guess. We'll just have to wait and see how this whole thing settles.

Man, I am seriously stoked to hear that everything went smoothly for you! Honestly, hearing good news like that makes my day. 🎉 So, I’ve got my checkup this Saturday. If everything looks good and the doctors give me the green light, I’ll probably be heading in for surgery pretty much right after. Fingers crossed, right? 😁 I am seriously losing my mind here—the impatience is hitting me like a freight train. I honestly can't sit still anymore. 🙂
briskcyclist15 briskcyclist15 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Sep 2010
#1252 ·
How long did it take before you felt comfortable enough to start chewing solid food again after your surgery?
Bradley Williams5 Bradley Williams5 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Apr 2008
#1253 ·
briskcyclist15 said:How long did it take before you felt okay enough to start chewing solid food again after your surgery?

Personally, I was back at it after just a single day... provided you aren't dealing with too much discomfort. Just remember to take it very slow and chew carefully.
Anthony Kern43 Anthony Kern43 Member
13 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1254 ·
Those dark circles under your eyes and that swelling around your nose tend to fade away pretty gradually over about two months. You’ll likely see the discoloration under your eyes clear up first, but that nasal swelling takes a bit longer to fully settle down during that timeframe. Honestly, those expensive under-eye creams aren't going to do much—you just have to be patient, let things calm down naturally, and eventually, it'll resolve itself 🙂
Bradley Williams5 Bradley Williams5 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Apr 2008
#1255 ·
Anthony Kern43 said:The dark circles under your eyes and that swelling around your nose will gradually fade over about two months. You’ll likely see the bruising disappear first, but the nasal swelling takes a bit longer to fully subside during that timeframe. Honestly, there aren't any magic creams for under-eye circles that can speed things up; you just have to be patient and wait for the inflammation to settle down on its own. 🙂

I suppose I don't really have any other choice but to follow that advice,
which is something I've actually started noticing—my nose looks like a completely different shape every single day!
Jerry Howard Jerry Howard Newcomer
7 messages
joined Dec 2006
#1256 ·
If you find yourself lacking a little bit of love in your life—and let’s be honest, who isn't feeling that sometimes?—you can always just head over to a BBQ for some ribs and spend the whole time complaining about your breathing and that deviated septum of yours. I mean, why not? It’s practically a hobby at this point. As for me, I actually went to see Dr. Miller, and let me tell you—he fixed me right up. Top-tier service, truly first-rate.
Anthony Kern43 Anthony Kern43 Member
13 messages
joined Jun 2010
#1257 ·
True... you can definitely get simpler rhinoplasty procedures done at general hospitals, but that usually just covers things like straightening the nasal bridge or maybe a quick tip lift. Scaling down the overall size of the nose is much rarer because it’s harder to justify medically. At the end of the day, though, it all boils down to the surgeon's willingness to help and how you present your case. 🙂 In my experience, surgeons working in major public hospital systems often have way more hands-on expertise than those in private clinics. They're constantly in the thick of it, dealing with complex cases daily, whereas private specialists might only jump in when the right high-end opportunity presents itself—which is exactly why they charge such premium prices.
Amanda Stewart58 Amanda Stewart58 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Sep 2010
#1258 ·
Jerry Howard said:If you're short on cash, you can always get a procedure done at Rib—just complain about your breathing or a deviated septum. Dr. Bill really sorted me out, and honestly, he was top-tier. Total pro.

I actually went to Rib to see Dr. Bill myself. Huge thumbs up from me!
Bradley Williams5 Bradley Williams5 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Apr 2008
#1259 ·
rustygardener172, how did your checkup go today?
ironsurfer10 ironsurfer10 Active Member
104 messages
joined Dec 2007
#1260 ·
Could someone walk me through how things usually work when you arrive at the hospital? I'm looking for some clarity on the process, from checking in at the front desk to what happens next.
I have an appointment scheduled for 9:00 AM tomorrow, and honestly, I'm feeling a little lost—I'm not even sure if I need to bring my ID or insurance card with me. They mentioned that if my lab results come back looking good, they might be able to move forward with the surgery on the same day.

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