Rhinoplasty: Stories

My surgery is in 4 days and I'm on the fence as to whether I'm excited about this or scared. I've met with the doctor twice and he's not easy to talk to at all. I'm trusting him and using him based on the pics on this site and in his book of work that I saw when I met him. Also because he doesn't have any negative reviews...that I could find. He's located very close to my parents home where I will be recouping and he's also so much more affordable than the docs in NYC where I lived while searching for a doctor. At this point I'm concerned maybe I didn't do enough research and that's solely because communicating with him as to what I want and what he's going to do is like speaking to someone who doesn't understand my language.

He's a total character and salesman for sure. He likes to parade patients and possible patients in front of each other to show that he does get business so you should use him. He even showed me his calender so I could see he gets booked. Effective but tacky. I told him many times I'm happy with his work. The theatrics aren't necessary but he's used to doing this so I kind of feel like just another nose to him. He has this odd big brown chair in his office that you sit in while he sits in a tall stool next to you for inspection. I also didn't find his head office manager to be that nice. She seems kind of sick of the job and has dealt with more than enough women who are insecure about their appearance.

The reason why I'm getting this done is obvious in the pics. I have a small bridge and the tip is what some would call a "button nose". Cute when you're young but when you're 37, it's just a bulbous nose that's getting bigger. Golden advised me that I shoudn't have high expectations with a dramatic change. I will be swollen and will probably look the same as I do now for the next 6 months to a year. I understand and want it done regardless but he's not very good at telling me the positives I should expect. Fear of litigation maybe? I just want to know the good things I will expect. I asked him what exactly will he be doing to minimize the tip and he kind of talks in circles and he's all over the place instead of being direct. At this time, I had already booked my surgery date which costs $1500. Why didn't he tell me I shouldn't expect a change before I handed him over a thousand dollars? He only does closed procedures. I don't know the negatives to a closed procedure but if all you want is an open, he's not your guy.

I don't want to come across as negative but I notice that many reviews on him and other doctors don't involve much info on what the doctors are like to communicate with so I thought it was important to put that out there so you can prepare youself if you"re on a search for a doc at the moment. I have had laser surgery on my eyes and bunion surgery on my foot and both doctors were very direct and calming. The feather in Golden's cap and the reason why I am going with him is the fact his pics look great and I want to chalk his poor social skills up to the hope he's an artist and is very certain what he's doing and that I will be happy.

I picked up my meds which you must do three days before surgery so you can start applying an ointment inside the nostrils as a prep for surgery. The other meds are an antibiotic and an OTC to counter-balance the bacteria from the antibiotic. I didn't want to do antibiotics since I've never taken them but this is an absolute must since any infection (especially near the brain) is not to be taken lightly.

I wish I was more excited about this but I'm neither here nor there. I'm more nervous than excited. I haven't been insecure about my nose my whole life like many women but I'm definitely seeing it getting more round and looking like the head of a penis as I get older. I'm coming up on 40 and just want to ward off what comes with age. I see it turning into my dad's nose and...well, who wants their dad's nose? Many women have large humps they've wanted to take care of their whole life so I am definitely a different kind of patient than most.

I will post pics and document the experience in the coming week. Wish me luck!

So, had the nose done today. I showed up and the nurses were very kind and did a great job keeping me calm through it all but frankly, I wasn't nervous. I had bunion surgery 3 wks ago and I knew what to expect with anesthesia. My head is foggy and two hours being home and I'm still grabbing furniture to steady my walk.

Dr. G was very accomodating today. I asked him to show me what the plan was and hen showed me everything he wanted to do. However, he recommended breaking the bridge so that I would keep a narrow bridge versus shaving the top and getting a flatter or squared nose. Since I already felt my bridge was a bit narrow, we stuck with shaving it in order to give me some width instead.

All around I think this was a great experience thus far. Dr G ended up being better than I thought he would be. I also feel a lot of people aren't their best early in the day (we started at 8am) after coffee versus there attitude after five consultations.

I'm a little woozy and it comes in waves. I don't think I'll be sick but it's not a pleasant feeling. Probably would have been best to take a nap after sugery...like now.

Will post pics later. Right now, no bruising so your not using anything other than bridge tap and a nostril diaper. Uneventful.

I Posted an update but for some reaso it didn't upload.

This is the day aer surgery and all is well. My nose hurts, which is to be expected, and my throat kind of feels weird but I'm not worried about it.

The slightest touch to the nasal pad is painful so whatever you do, don't touch it and while putting shirts on, hold them far from your face, just an FYI.

The first nit was like many who have posted to RS. I woke at 5:30 am and changed my nose pad since there as enough blood loss to do so. I took a Tylenol and went back to sleep. Laying on your back if your a side sleeper is annoying but your subconscious kicks in and I doubt you'll toss and turn.

I'm noticing mood swings, partially due to headache. One minute I'm relaxed and next minute I'm cranky, and Inot a cranky person so it's bothersome for sure. I dread the day he has to pull the stitches out. From reviews I've read and based on the tenderness of my nose, it's going to be tougher than the surgery itself and Dr G didn't make bones about it. He said it will be uncomfortable. Which in doc speak means it will be a painful experience.

Looking forward to taking the nasal pad off. It's just annoying but if I'm still dripping, it needs to be there.

Will keep you posted.

I'm half way through the second day. I have slight discoloration under my eyes. May be black eyed tomorrow or this could be the extent, given that I didn't break it. Who knows. I will say this....I'd give anything to blow my nose. Though it probably wouldn't make a difference given that this is just swelling and that's unavoidable at this point. I'm taking the Arnica. I'm avoiding the Vicodin because I've done it before with not so favorable an outcome. Stiches are starting to itch.

Ugh, last night was tough. I woke up around 5am and my mouth was so dry I couldn't swallow. I drank water all day so I don't know what's up with that but regardless, I drank some water, took half a vicodin and put an ice pack on my nose because my eyes were super swollen.

The docs assistant advises to not ice your face so I didn't for the first 24 hrs. She did say that if absolutely necessary, use a cold cloth. This is to keep freezing temperature off your nose while it is in the most tender state so that you don't freeze burn your nose. What I'm doing is pulling the ice pack out ofnthe freezer, waiting for it to warm up a bit and then wrap it in a t-shirt. It's been helping to release the pressure that builds up due to swelling.

The inside of the nose is irritated, as to be expected. Day 2 and 3 are the hardest so I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I have decided to spend this day in bed because walking around the house isn't helping. Thanks for all the well wishes. Having understanding people read this is a help. My parents are being very awesome through this but it's lonely when they're the only ones who know. I wish I could call my friends and tell them about the discomfort I'm in but that's not going ton happen so for now, it's you guys so thanks big time.

Day Three after surgery and I've got the blues. My nose is exactly the size it was yesterday so that disheartening and I keep waking up at 5am to a feeling of pressure in the left nostril, which is unnerving. I'm rolling with this though. Because of this site, I was warned by many that this would happen so I'm not taking it to heart. There are a couple things about me I need to work on and two of them are being dealt with at this time...my impatience and my nose picking bad habit.The truth is out, I tend to pick my nose and it's only because I hate it when my nose isn't completely clear at all times. So I'm either picking it in private or blowing it all the time and this is definitely teaching me a lesson. The doc instructs people to not blow their nose for like three weeks! And at day three your nose it so full of random gunk that pretty much drives you crazy. Q-tips with peroxide can only do so much. I visit the doc on Tuesday for a cleaning and stitches removal and I dread this part most of all. I've heard so many horror stories and I have a low theshold for pain. If he could sedate me for it I would probably get on board for that : ) Sorry for the negative tone. Keep in mind I'm also recouping from bunion surgery which is a 6 week process involving a clunky boot on your foot so on top of the nose discomfort, I'm also hobbling around and doing foot soaks. I don't regret doing these at the same time since I'm killing two birds but goodness, it's a struggle at the moment.
Any words of encouragement are welcome. Thx

Meant to say DAY 4 on that last update. And huge apologies for all the typos!

Day five and I feel like myself for the first time in days. My nose has stitches and gunk inside of it which is te only thing that bothers me right now. Still swollen in the tip area. Probably won't post an update for another week. Can't wait to take the tape off on Tuesday and have stitches removed...which will be painful but that's the reality. Wish me luck.

I just got home fro the sutures removal and I'm very happy, though very swollen. Looking in the mirror brings mixed emotions because I can see what my nose will eventually look like but the swelling makes my nose super wide. I already had a narrow nose so I know this is just the swelling and to not take it to heart. It will probably take a year to see it and I can wait.

Suture removal was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The medicine he uses to numb you tastes terrible but I'd take a bad taste over pain any day. It took five minutes and I was on my way. Chewing on some gum helped to reduce the flavor of the numbing fluid so have some on you for this appt.

Will post pics when the swelling dies...maybe a month or so.

9 Days Post-Op. I'm happy with the profile but the tip is swollen and looks a bit lopsided. I know the its supposed to still be swollen but today is the first day it's making me sad. It's hard when it looks essentially bigger than before the surgery. My bridge was always smalland having a large tip below it is just irritating. I see the doc on Tuesday for another check up. I hope he'll have words of encouragement. Should I ask him to give me a cortizone shot to speed the rate the swelling goes down? Pics posted for this update.

So, I'm 10 Days post op and feeling much better about my nose. It's not as swollen. The bridge is pretty much fully recovered and the sides of my nostrils are soft and flexible so I think they're pretty much recovered. I can't imagine them getting much smaller and I'm happy with how it looks. The tip is still tender and swollen and will probably take awhile to be at full result. Many of the people who have gone to Dr. G have written me with words of reassurance and seeing their recent updated pics is such a relief.
I realize we can't change what we've mentioned in past reviews and I feel bad for attacking Dr. G's candor. The last time I saw him he was so nice and happy and I gave him a big hug. I think his social skills aren't all that bad. I was irked because I had many questions and didn't get to really ask them. If anything I just wanted to offer a warning to incoming patience that he isn't the easiest to talk to but that doesn't mean I don't recommend him. Quite the contrary. I highly recommend him. Tip of the nose work is very hard to do. It's a three hour surgery (though it only feels like 5 seconds). Finding a doctor who can do this is not easy. Most doctors can only do the hump/bridge of the nose. I went to Dr. G after reviewing countless web sites with doctors who can't do tips regardless of their success. What really drew me to him is how humble he was on his site. He doesn't profess to be an expert on nose tip work but he could if he wanted to. I have changed my review to "worth it". Of course we're not at the finish lineyet but I'm very happy so I thought it was the right time to let it be known.
I see him on Tuesday for another check up and cleaning. I'm looking forward to it since I do have a couple more sutures that sometimes tickle me and it will be a relief to get rid of them. I probably won't post pics for awhile because it's still swollen. Maybe in a month.