Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

James Kelly said:Oh, absolutely... you go under the knife, mutilate yourselves, and leave the hospital looking like caricatures just to satisfy some cliché.
It’s not about seeing a psychiatrist. Honestly, since when did seeking mental health support become a source of shame? You just keep proving how insecure you really are.
Society broke you down until you hate your own reflection, and then I try to point out the absurdity of it all, and suddenly I'm the aggressor?
The real assault happened long ago—carried out by magazines and those fashion gurus peddling fake beauty standards to girls who haven't even developed a sense of self yet.

And how on earth would you know someone's motivations?? Clearly, you have no clue... what, do you think people just flip through a catalog and say, "I'll take nose number five, please"? We fix things we aren't happy with. And for the record, none of my relatives three generations back had a "wrong" nose. I have the same nose as my parents and grandfathers. Please take your frustrations elsewhere. This forum is for people who are *for* the procedures, not against them... hey, why don't you start a thread titled: "Everyone getting surgery is an idiot and I am incredibly brilliant"? You can dump all your thoughts there.

Quoting:
Take a former friend of mine, for example. She was constantly talking about getting her nose done because it was too "potato-shaped," plus trimming her upper lip, filling her lips, and "adjusting" a few other things.
The irony is, she was planning to remove everything that actually made me attracted to her (not joking), so what is there even to say?

An ex-friend? I completely understand if you were having this little meltdown in front of her. And frankly, nobody cares about your physical reaction. Best regards, I'm finished with you and your opinions. Goodbye, Sarah Wood8!

vividfox said:How on earth can you claim to know someone else's motives?? You clearly have no clue... what, do you think people just flip through a catalog and say, "Yeah, I'll take nose number five"? We fix things we aren't happy with. And for the record, none of my relatives for three generations have had a "wrong" nose. I have the same nose my parents and grandfathers had. Please go vent your frustrations somewhere else. This forum is for those who are *for* it, not against it... hey, why don't you start a thread titled "Everyone getting surgery is an idiot and I'm a genius" and write all your little fantasies there?

Quoting:
Take my former friend, for example. She was constantly talking about getting a nose job because hers was too "potato-shaped," then wanting to shave part of her upper lip, pump up her lips, and "tweak" all sorts of other stuff.
The irony is, she’d be getting rid of everything that actually turned me on about her (no joke), so what is a guy even supposed to say?

A former friend? I completely get why you'd have these angry outbursts in her presence. And honestly, nobody cares about your erection. Best regards, I am done with you and your opinions. Goodbye, Sarah Wood8!

Listen, you arrogant brat, go try to lecture someone else. This forum is meant for various perspectives, not just yours, so if you can't handle someone having a different opinion about your group's idiotic obsession with surgery, feel free to leave.
Sure, you change whatever doesn't suit you, but when you look in the mirror, nothing seems good enough, and you'd probably rather unscrew your head and swap it for a new one. Is that normal to you? Like, "oh, this finger is a bit too long and I don't like it... I guess I'll just chop it off."

Ashley Young34 said:Look, stop acting like you’re some kind of moral authority. Everyone is entitled to their own choices, so who exactly are you to sit there and judge?😲

Look, I’m not even trying to judge you here. You honestly need some professional help, just like anyone else dealing with psychological issues. You’re convinced this is some kind of physical ailment, but the reality is that the problem is entirely in your head.
I honestly feel like you people don't actually love your bodies or how you look; in fact, you seem to despise yourselves so much that you're willing to undergo any amount of surgery just to change who you are.
Is there anything more pathetic than this?

Megan Moore76 said:vividfox, you have a lovely nose! 🙂

After doing a little digging into our local plastic surgeons, he actually seems pretty decent. His work isn't half bad, either. From what I gather, he’s the one behind Severina’s new nose—finally allowing her to breathe and talk like a normal person again. 😁

Can you tell me more about him? What’s his vibe? Does he actually listen to what patients want, or is he one of those ego-driven types? That's a big deal for me.
And how much does the procedure run? Do people stay overnight at his clinic, or is it a "get in and get out" kind of thing?

Whoa... okay, maybe too many questions. Just answer half of them if you can. 😁

I forgot to mention that I ended up paying quite a bit more because of my specific situation. It was 17 $0.00. I think the standard rate is somewhere around 10 or 12? Honestly, I couldn't say for sure. You should probably just ask during the consultation or shoot him an email. 😉

vividfox said:Haha, no worries—I’d give my answer even if it was a hundred times over just to help someone out!🙂
He’s the kind of guy who knows his worth—not overly sweet, but during consultations, he actually listens to what you want and tells you what he CAN realistically achieve. Yeah, word on the street is he worked on Severina (she didn't tell me directly, but people talk), and since my nasal passage was totally shot, he actually fixed it AND added back the bridge I was missing—I used to have one halfway up my nose, which caused that bump!! 😲
Sure, he’s got a bit of an ego, but I’m no pushover, and I spent ten years weighing my options before deciding to go through with it. Honestly, I am beyond thrilled—if I weren't dealing with health issues, I’d hire this absolute GENIUS/PSYCHOLOGIST/SPIRITUAL LEADER all over again just to redo the surgery.
You show up with your labs (blood work and EKG), they walk you into this really nice room, and the anesthesiologist sits down to chat with you—he was 😍then you head into the OR with my nurse Željko (what a total rockstar!!!) and just drift off like a baby. You wake up with the splint, sleep there for a bit, and there are staff members waiting to check on you. I didn't sleep much that night, but it wasn't painful—the nurse checked on me constantly and brought me tea. 👍
Check-up in the morning and then straight home. Tampons come out in 2 or 3 days, the splint comes out after a week. My case was a bit tougher because of the damaged passage, so I pulled the tampon and splint out a day later. Just stick with the bandages for 4 or 5 days and be patient = mission accomplished. 🙂
My bruising lasted about a month and a half 😠 while for others it was just a week or so—even though I wasn't swollen right after the surgery, the swelling hit me later. It didn't hurt at all, just some insomnia and snoring that kept my husband awake. 🙈
Anyway, my nose is clear, healthy, straight, and looks great. I didn't really have complexes about it... I just didn't like how it looked in profile pictures. 😵
Now I’m just happier and more relaxed. Ufffff....how much more can I breathe...anything else? Just ask. 🙂

Thanks so much for the detailed info!
What I hate about my nose is how droopy it is. I have a tiny bump, but it's not huge. It's more the drooping and how wide it gets at the base—when I laugh, it looks kind of ugly.

I need to get my head in the right space before the surgery... so I won't be doing it anytime soon, just gathering useful info for now. I was actually planning on asking about Dr. Zambelli here today, and then I saw you’ve already been to see him! 😍

I'm so glad everything turned out well and that you're happy with the results.
Can you tell me how much the surgery cost? And can the doctor make a computer simulation of what the nose should look like after the procedure?

thanks so much

vividfox said:I forgot to mention—I ended up paying way more because of my specific situation. It was about 17 $0.00. Maybe closer to 10 or 12? Honestly, I can't remember the exact number! Just ask him during your consultation or shoot him an email 😉

Got it, thanks!! 🙂

Megan Moore76 said:Alright, thanks!! 🙂

No worries at all! 😉
Yeah, the computer gives you a decent idea of how it should look. I actually just took a photo of mine with my phone—it was honestly my little source of joy during my whole recovery period. 😍

I'm just collecting things now. Slowly, but surely. 👍

James Kelly said:Look, this isn't even an attack. You need help just like anyone else dealing with psychological issues. You think you have a physical problem, but honestly, the whole thing is just playing tricks on your mind.
I mean... you clearly don't love your body or how you look—you actually despise it enough to want to change so much about yourself.
Is there anything more pathetic than that?

You’re dead wrong, lady, and it’s honestly sad that you can't see past the end of your own nose...
Up until those last few sentences of yours, I actually thought maybe if I explained things a certain way, it might click for you, but nope—not happening...
You're just oozing so much bitterness that I can't help but assume there's some serious baggage driving it... I feel for you, really, just like I feel for all those people who spend their lives miserable and pissed off because they lack the guts or the backbone to actually make a constructive change—whatever that looks like...
The only constant in life is change, right? So why limit it to these tiny little patterns that only make sense to you? Your entire universe revolves around your own narrow beliefs, and frankly, I think it's incredibly hard to keep friends when you're like that—which is probably why you keep "intruding" on our space like this...
Do some soul-searching and clean up your own mess first; maybe then you'll actually be able to see what's happening on the other side of that pile of junk you've built...
Good luck with that!

coastaltinker13 said:Regarding anesthesia, there’s really nothing to worry about. You won't hear anything, see anything, or heaven forbid, feel anything. They don't use general anesthesia because waking up from it is harder, and apparently, there's more bleeding under general (according to him). You just show up, lie down, get the shot, and you're out cold. 🙂 I woke up in the recovery room after everything was already finished without even realizing how I got there. There are zero lingering effects from the anesthesia either. I know some people find general anesthesia nauseating or feel groggy for way too long.

I have no idea why they won't do it under general anesthesia. I know there are risks involved, but honestly, I would sign anything and pay extra if it meant getting general—it just isn't an option!! And I've been trying to talk them into it so much... I'm actually more worried about this type of anesthesia than I am about general. From what I can tell, the Mayo Clinic works with general anesthesia 🙂

I'm seriously starting to think about pushing this all off and going to the Mayo Clinic, at least just for a consultation.. 😕 But my boyfriend already booked his mole removal for the morning right before my surgery! Aaaaaaaa, I'm so torn!

It's Thursday, which means I should be having my surgery in exactly one week! 😲 😲 😍

Why are you guys even stressing out and replying to these amateurs like Sarah Wood8 is doing?!

I can't even imagine myself with a straight nose! I think I might actually fall off my chair once they take the mold off! 😬

Everything’s gonna be just fine 🙂

Look, you know I’ve been through a few surgeries before, and one of them was actually done under local anesthesia... You get hit with that pre-medication first, and once the local stuff kicks in, everything they do just feels like a light little feather brushing against you... I honestly couldn't stop talking—I was rambling the entire time. I guess that pre-medication totally sent me to another planet.
😉

James Kelly said:I’m not even judging you. You need help just like anyone else dealing with psychological issues. You think this is a physical thing, but the issue is entirely in your head.
The truth is, you hate your body and how you look—you actually despise yourself enough to want to change everything about your appearance.
Is there anything more pathetic than that?

It's actually the exact opposite. We take care of ourselves because we love our bodies. You've just let yourself go, so stay out of it. ☕
Yeah, sure. Real pathetic. ☕

Laura Booth6 said:I honestly can’t picture myself with a flat nose. I think I might actually fall off my chair once they take the mold off! 😬

Well, you'll definitely be blown away at first... but once the initial hype dies down... you won't believe your own eyes. 😲 😲 😲 😲 😲 Personally, I still take selfies just to stare at my profile and tell myself: STUNNING!!!! 😁 Don't worry, you're going to be on cloud nine. 😍

vividfox said:Well, you’ll definitely be feeling yourself at first... but once the hype totally dies down... you won't believe what you're seeing. 😲 I still find myself staring at my own profile thinking, WOW, I look incredible! 😁Don't worry, you'll be on cloud nine!😍

You're crazy! 😂 😂 😂I can actually see that happening; I think it's going to go exactly like that! 😍 😍I used to struggle just to get a decent profile shot, but now I’ll probably be obsessing over getting the perfect angle every single time.😂

I just hope I don't screw it up—hopefully I'm not that unlucky.

Alright, fine... you guys totally ignored my first post. Whatever. I guess I'll just decide for myself who my surgeon is going to be. Thanks for nothing. Anyway, here’s my second question: Has anyone on this forum actually *fully* recovered from their surgery? Like, is a total recovery even a thing? Is there such a thing as getting back to exactly how you felt before everything went down? Has anyone actually reached that stage? It feels like everyone here just talks about post-op complications and struggles. I haven't heard a single person say something like, "I feel zero pain... it's been about a year and it's like I never even had the surgery." So, what's the deal? What's the actual point of all this?

George Ramos11 said:Fine.. you ignored my first post.. so be it.. I'll just decide for myself who my surgeon will be.. thanks.. My second question is this: has anyone here actually fully recovered from their surgery? Is total recovery even a thing? Is there a point where things feel exactly like they did before the procedure? Has anyone reached that stage? You all talk constantly about post-op issues, but I haven't heard a single person say, "I have no pain.. it's been a year and it's like I never even had the surgery"... what's the point of all this?...

In my case, I didn't have any pain or issues at all. It's been three months since my surgery. You just have to be careful not to take any hits to the face for a little while, but otherwise, everything is just like it was before... except now the nose looks better and breathing is easy.

George Ramos11 said:Fine.. you guys ignored my first post.. whatever.. I'll just decide for myself who my surgeon is going to be.. thanks anyway.. my second question is this: has anyone on this forum actually fully recovered from their surgery? Is a "total recovery" even a thing? Does there exist a state after surgery where things feel exactly like they did before? Has anyone here actually reached that stage? You all talk constantly about post-op problems, but I haven't heard a single person say, "I'm not in pain at all.. it's been about a year and it feels like I never even had the surgery." What's the point of all this then?

Who ignored you? I answered you with everything I knew right after you posted, and I even offered to email you a copy of my own medical records😂 😂

Look, I wasn't ignoring you—my surgery is set for September 16th, and once the healing process kicks in... well, then I'll actually have some real answers for you regarding what you're asking about. 🙂
Honestly, I was super impressed with Dr. Rajko Tončić—the guy is incredibly professional and doesn't just skim the surface; he digs into all those crucial details during the exam. It was actually a pleasure chatting with him. I was pretty shocked to find out that the bone and cartilage section is being separated, which is causing this whole mess of swelling and redness... that’s why I can't even think about wearing glasses without using a wet cotton pad first... it basically just slipped and shifted toward the impact site. But hey, finally, I have some actual answers and a solid plan to fix this whole situation... the nose is going to be straight, even, and have a slightly tapered tip that actually fits my facial features and head shape... I seriously cannot wait!

wanderingangler8 said:Every single procedure carries its own set of risks... Honestly, when I first sat down for my consultation, the first thing the doctor told me was that there’s no such thing as a risk-free surgery.
But nowadays, these things have somehow become routine—which is how they approach them, too. Whether that's actually a good thing or not... well, I think that's something every patient needs to weigh for themselves.

How long has it been since your surgery?

George Ramos11 said:Fine... everyone ignored my first post. Whatever. I guess I'll just decide for myself who my Dr. Nozic will be. Thanks for nothing. My second question is this: has anyone here actually achieved a full recovery from the surgery? Is "complete recovery" even a thing? Does anyone reach a point where they feel exactly like they did before the procedure? I haven't heard a single person say, "I have zero pain... it’s been about a year and it feels like I never even had the surgery." So, what's the actual point of all this?

Three months in, and aside from some slight swelling at the tip of my nose—which is fading—I don't have any issues. Everything feels back to normal, just much more "open."😁