4 wk Post-Op. Can't breathe yet 100% through nose. Rhinoplasty. Deviated Septum. Turbinate Reduction. I'm worried.

Relax! It is very normal to not be able to breathe 100% through your nose yet.  It is still very early in the process. One issue that I read though was bothersome in that you stated you are using Afrin. Be very cautious about using afrin often because you may actually make matters worse with a process called rhinitis medicamentosa.  Essentially this means that you body becomes so addicted to the nasal spray that it actually causes a rebound congestion when you stop the spray.Otherwise it is normal to not have full effect of breathing quite yet.  Give it some time and rest assured that your situation is not completely out of the norm for post rhinoplasty patients.

I understand your concerns but I think you should relax. This is a very early stage to talk about results following so much work done on such a small structure. Surgery is still a trauma for the tissues and swelling can last for months. Nose surgery is probably amongst the procedure that take the longest to heal and probably you will not see any improvement of these symptoms for the next few months.The important is that you follow the instructions of your PS and do not use anything product without his approval: be patient is the best you can do.

Thank you for asking this question. I can understand how challenging it must be to have that much difficulty breathing. Fortunately it is very common to have this happen. Most of this is due to swelling. I would continue to be patient through this process. I wish you the best of luck. Theodore T. Nyame MD 

Relax and not to panic as you have underwent septorhinoplasty with turbinate reduction there will be lot of edema of the nasal mucosa with raw area.It takes atleast 6 weeks for new mucosal regeneration,till then it is advisable a good nasal douching with saline periodically is a must to avoid adhesions in your nasal cavity and swelling will minimize so you can breath well .It is advisable to use afrin only for 3 days and not beyond as rebound congestion will occur if used longer.Hence a good nasal cleaning post septorhinoplasty is required to keep your nasal airway patent.

If you can't breathe following above procedures, you need to have an examination to make sure that there is no residual blockage or you may have formed scarring, termed webbing.

This may resolve as healing progresses, but nothing is 100% normal 4 weeks after a rhinoplasty. Everybody wants to breathe normal after rhinoplasty surgery; the goal of this operation is to improve the appearance and function of the nose. Discuss your concerns with your surgeon.

Dear Marimba_Nina, You are still swollen and should start having better air flow as time goes on. I would speak with your surgeon regarding using Afrin nose spray this is typically not a good idea after surgery and most surgeons would prescribe a saline spray to provide moisture post operatively. See your surgeon for a follow up appointment and examination to make sure you are healing as planned. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.