I'm not usually an online sharer, but this site has helped tremendously. I feel like I owe it to you guys to share my experience. In high school athletics, I was always told that I should have my nasal airway checked. The deviated septum and constricted airway are genetic in my family. I've always been a mouth breather, so I drool a lot when I sleep. :) And I have always had post-nasal drip - so much that it is very noticeable to friends, family and patients. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed the summer before college, but it didn't help much in the way of breathing. And lately, my left nostril runs and bleeds constantly at night. I've gone through 12 boxes of Kleenex in the last few months!
I've never really thought twice about my nose esthetically until pretty recently, when I noticed that it points down a lot in pictures while smiling. I'm almost 40 now, so some of it could be attributed to aging I guess. Being an orthodontist, I'm really observant of facial features and profiles, so it seemed like a no brainer to take care of the plunging tip while correcting the airway problems.
My best friend had been looking into having his septo/rhino due to a broken nose. He had done a ton of research and was talking to all of the best docs here in Dallas. He referred me to Dr. Cochran at the Gunter Center. I immediately set up a consult and was very impressed. He is down to earth and not pushy in the least. The 3D imaging is extremely helpful as well. I was confident that he was the surgeon for me and decided to schedule over Labor Day weekend, which was a little over a month away. My friend encouraged me to seek out a 2nd consult with Dr. Rohrich (Dallas plastic surgery guru) for confirmation. I was reluctant, because I didn't want to be totally confused. But Dr. Rohrich was extremely accommodating and validated the treatment plan that Dr. Cochran and I had agreed on. I respect Dr. Rohrich and am confident that he could do an immaculate job, but my gut told me to stay with Dr. Cochran. My best friend came with me to a 2nd consult with Dr. Cochran and was much more relaxed and confident about my decision.
I read this site for a month and was extremely prepared mentally and physically. The only little bump in the road was the reaction of my family, which is to be expected I guess. Eventually, they came through. They were not thrilled about the cosmetic part in the least, but supportive.
When the day finally arrived, we went to the surgical center at 6:30 am. The nurses were really sweet. Dr. Cochran came in and spoke to my Mom. She said she just didn't want him to make me look weird. He assured her that he wouldn't want that either, because people might ask who my surgeon is! Then she said that she had a friend who looked terrible after her nose job. He said "Did I do hers?". She said "No". So we laughed. And the anesthesiologist (Leslie) is the bomb. Seriously. I've had several bad experiences with anesthesia, such as vomiting and waking up during surgery. With her, I was out before we got into the hallway and awake and eating pudding and peanut butter crackers the next minute. The one thing that was annoying was all of the vaseline over my eyes. I couldn't open them or see for a while. I hadn't heard anyone here mention that, so I guess that can be my contribution to the list of things to expect. :)
On the way home, we sat in traffic on 635, which is no surprise here in Dallas. But I felt fine. Just a little sleepy. Got home and ate some oatmeal. I couldn't believe that I was walking around talking and getting situated. My friend came over to take over for my Mom. Mainly just to keep me company, feed my cats and clean their litter boxes. I was able to eat egg beaters, spinach, oatmeal and lots of Greek yogurt.
This has been SO much better than I ever imagined. I only took 2 hydrocodones yesterday in halves. I wasn't sure if my amount of bleeding was normal - approx 1 teaspoon every 2 hours. I hadn't shut up since I got home. Everyone was calling and I was talking to my friend here, so I was worried that I was overdoing it. I text Dr. Cochran and he said it was normal. I was thrilled with the prompt response from him.
This morning, the bleeding is negligible. I'm not needing the drip pads as much. And I'm just taking Tylenol. Also, my bruising/swelling is minimal. I've done really well taking the arnica and bromelain. Wasn't able to ice as much as I would like, because it presses on my nose. I'm feeling great though. Finally had some coffee! :)
