Rhinoplasty: Stories

First off, my dr was always fantastic, attentive, kind, and reassured me before surgery. My original nose is so bad that it's pretty much ruined an otherwise ok face. Anything would have to be better than that! It was hooked, droopy, bulbous, with flaring nostrils plus breathing difficulties and a deviated septum. In short, a nightmare of a nose.

Too early to tell the results, still look messed up and the cast will be on for two weeks for me, and not one.

May I just add though, while the operation went well according to my dr, the recovery has been hell. I feel like an invalid, can't wash my hair, can barely move and can only eat foods that I don't have to chew much.

The congestion is awful beyond nightmares and my body seriously had minor panic attacks when it discovered I couldn't breathe through the nose and switched to mouth breathing instead. Waking up at night is hell, mouth is so dry, and everything tastes like crap!

The plus side, even as messed up as I look, I can see the smaller and nicer shape of the nose even with the cast on. Also considerable swelling so too soon to tell too much. But I'm hopeful.

Don't be fooled, an open rhino-septoplasty is a GRUELLING operation (never EVER google pics of the actual operation, I did and nearly threw up, trust me, better just knowing you'll be asleep!) and while some may have an easy recovery period, with the amount of reconstruction I had done, this first week has been awful. And those nasal washes, UGH. I cringe every time I have to do one, it's horrible.

Fingers crossed for me that the results will be worth it.. I've hated my nose ever since it grew in awkwardly at age 14.. I'll have been happy to go through the pain if it looks the way it should have now.. Rather than the original which looks like someone stuck a big joke nose on my face!

So.. We wait. Update when I get the inner splints out in two days. (and you wouldn't believe how much I can't wait for that)!

Also - cost is inclusive of all fees. Actual procedure cost $9500.

Update - had the inner splints and stitches out yesterday, and those darn nurses, they avoid buzz-words like pain (to quote Brian Regan) but yeah, that hurt. One side a bit more so than the other.

On the plus side things seem to be healing well. The cast is still on for another week, and now it's starting to itch like hell (which I figure is good but damn!). The nostril asymmetry I noticed at the alar base is definitely improving, plus it does seem like the narrower side has been taped a bit more firmly so that could be a factor. But compared to when I first saw it, a drastic improvement.

The side incisions on the alar base have also healed cleanly without scarring (knock on wood) to my relief, and the width of my nose from the front was one of my biggest concerns.

I have a vague idea of the size now as opposed to before (funny how quickly we forget) and can't believe the difference even with a cast!

Nose still feels full and stuffy though my breathing is better. I'm using nose and mouth both to breathe. My recovery has only just started to turn around in the last few days, but I think it's been so bad due to the breathing concerns as well. I had my septum straightened, turbinates reduced, and a bone spur removed that had grown in one side to block the airway. That plus the extensive cosmetic work.

So.. Seven more days until the cast comes off. Here's hoping!

Cast off tomorrow- I'm both excited and nervous about 'the big reveal'!

This is the fifteenth day the cast has been on - I'd have liked to get it removed on day fourteen but my dr operates I think every day but mon and fri so.. I'm ok waiting until I can see him again to ask the questions I know I'll have.

Just over twenty four hours.. And I'll know. Yay and eek!

Oh well, at least the itching should stop!

Cast off today.. Still VERY swollen but I'm amazed!!! I didn't think it could ever look like this! I was terrified going in to get the cast off but so worth ALL the pain! I'm so, so glad. My dr is a true artist!

Pics to follow soon!

Still more swollen in the front that I would like - so I'll wait until that looks better before I post those! But the profile looks better already so here they are.

Ok, still swollen, but gone down enough I feel better posting front pics. So, here they are!

Ok, update time!

The good and the not-so-good.

The good:

The swelling has gone down a lot in front. And the itching at the sides of the nostrils (where I had the reduction) has FINALLY stopped. And it was truly torturous. The scarring is minimal, which is also a plus.

I LOVE my profile, it looks so cute now!

The bad:

I had steroid injections to help reduce the swelling, and also to get rid of the bump on the bridge which was trying to reform. While it got rid of the bump, there's now a slight dent there instead. However I let my dr know immediately as he said that might happen, and he injected that area with saline. In another week or so I'll know how it went.

I'll post new pics soon as it's been close to three months.