POSTED UNDER Rhinoplasty REVIEWS
Septo-Rhinoplasty: many thanks to Dr. C!
ORIGINAL POST
I've been having breathing issues lately, & I...
CoughSyrup112233April 3, 2013
WORTH IT$6,500
I've been having breathing issues lately, & I have been feeling pressure in my left eye socket, so I went to an ENT that stuck the camera up my nose and told me that I have a deviated septum that tilts to the left, but the non-breathing thing is because the insides of my nose are really swollen. I mentioned that I have been OD'ing on Afrin lately too, because it was the only thing that would open me up & allow air in my nose! So I too an allergy test & it turns out I'm slightly allergic to pollen & dust mites. They gave me Qnasl & some other allergy steroid spray (something with a "P"), and told me that a septoplasty wouldn't really help me. I somehow think that if I fix the septum, it would at least make it slightly easier to breathe, allergies or not.
Let me sidetrack here, I have always hated the tip of my nose. It looks like a damn christmas tree lightbulb, the one from the 50's. I have a slight hump across the bridge, but that isn't my main issue here, lol.
So naturally, I have been researching on where to go to get a consultation on a septo-rhinoplasty, because while I'm all up in there getting it fixed, I might as well have it look pretty too! Bahaha. I am hoping it won't cost tooooo too much, but I really want this to be a gift to myself for my 30th birthday in June. I have been snooping around this website for a bit, and doing some good old fashioned googling & talking to friends about it, and I have scheduled a consultation with Dr. C in White Plains 4/29...not too far away, plus he's right over the bridge from where I live in Queens. My boyfriend (who I live with) is being supportive even though he says I don't need the rhinoplasty part because he thinks I'm beautiful ;p I told him he needs glasses, lmaoo!
I am adding some photos, please excuse my appearance, I literally just got out of the gym, and I added two other photos of how I normally look when my face isn't a sweaty, melty mess, lol.
Any advice is mucho appreciated! :D Hopefully I will try to update this as often as I can along the way.
UPDATED FROM CoughSyrup112233
1 month pre
So my first consultation with Dr. Ciardullo is a...
CoughSyrup112233April 16, 2013
So my first consultation with Dr. Ciardullo is a little less than two weeks away & I have been trying to find as much info on him as I can, and a few reviews on him are not too good, which has me freaking out now, even if I have read some great things about him. Maybe I'm just overreacting a little? I dunno :/
Also, I am taking stuff for my allergies, like nasal spray and allegra, will that interfere with anything, surgery-wise? I am really stuffy in my left nostril, where the deviated septum is :(
Also, I am taking stuff for my allergies, like nasal spray and allegra, will that interfere with anything, surgery-wise? I am really stuffy in my left nostril, where the deviated septum is :(
Replies (9)
April 24, 2013
Heyy! I haven't met dr. c yet. My first consult is in 6 days on Wednesday! I'm a little nervous too because some people on here have given him a bad review...they don't even have pictures though which makes me question their honesty. But most of all I've read really good reviews about him. Lets face it. Not everyone will like the outcome of their surgery no matter who performs it. That's a risk were all willing to take. Good luck with your consult! Let me know how it goes on Monday!
April 24, 2013
Thanks! I'm sure I'll post an update as soon as I leave his office so I don't forget anything lol, and good luck to you as well! I am hoping you're right about the validity of some of these reviews, I'm a paranoid person so reading all of that had me breathing out of a paper bag practically lol. And good luck to you as well! Keep us posted, can't wait to hear updates :)
April 24, 2013
ahh yes! I feel the same way as you......reading even ONE bad review by him when there's 60 other great reviews makes my stomach turn.....because well, we want the knowing that he does great nose jobs for everyone and everyone will love them......but truth is, not everyone will love their nose after surgery.
I'm hoping whoever you decide to choose and whoever I choose is a great surgeon and we get the results we want! I really hope that for everyone because I'm already self conscious as it is....imagining myself coming out worse looking scares the crap out of me.....I would really not wish that upon ANYONE.....But yes, please keep me posted because I'm going two days after you.....I live in Maryland so it's really hard to find any reliable good surgeon in my area and Dr. C seems to be the ONLY good one on this side of northern east coast.....I've heard of Sam Risik, but he charges like over 10 grand for a rhinoplasty and I've heard some bad reviews by him.....Ive also seen some reviews on here by him and I don't like their noses very much......If only we lived in California huh? :P There's a lot of crappy ones in CA but the really good ones are there also. I wanted to travel to CA to get my nose done, but money is also a big issue....I mean spending 6, 7, maybe 8 thousand on rhinoplasty is enough....but spending even more on travel costs and hotel cost, along with food and everything else adds up really quick. A lot of people should say money shouldn't matter, you should pay for the best....but again, not all of us having money flowing through our pockets and who's to say that a surgeon like Dr. C can't provide good results like one of those California guys? I've seen a lot of his work on here and they're really effing GOOD.....Sorry for the long rambling comment.....I'm just as nervous as you are and I'm hoping to make a great choice, not a horrible mistake. :P
April 25, 2013
Omg yes I feel the same way.....I hope ours turn out great too :)
The prices are so ridic in Manhattan, and in the outer areas of NYC it makes me mad that people are getting such nice noses on the west coast for less and here we are on the east coast and we have nothing! hahaha
Luckily, he's not too far from my house, maybe 20 mins over the bridge, so I'm hoping I like what he has to offer ::fingers crossed for us::
April 25, 2013
Good ! He's only a 3 hour drive from me but yea I hope you and I both like him and choose him and he does great! A girl can only hope and pray!
April 24, 2013
Hey Lady, I wanted to let you know I was able to take my allergy meds (Xyzal) all the way through the process, even the night before my surgery. My Nasonex nose spay I stopped about a week before surgery and get to start back 3 weeks after surgery. The congestion complicates the healing part minimally and doesn't seem to effect the surgery itself, so rest easy in that. I don't mean to say that your nose looks anything like my nose before, but I also had tip that drooped when I smiled. It is so frustrating because I always felt like it detracted from my smile. Don't have that problem anymore! :) I wouldn't read too much in to reviews if you have seen before and afters from the doctor that you like AND you feel confident and good about him/her. If YOU don't feel comfortable then that is not a good situation going into a major surgery...but I would not base that 100% on what others say. Good luck lady! Also, I hope you are joking about the bf needing glasses...You are extremely beautiful as is. ~Maggie
April 25, 2013
Thank you Maggie, you are sweet :D
I am weighing all the positives & negatives that I see, & I think Monday will be the deciding factor about him. I like that I don't have to pay like $250 just to sit & talk to him, yanno? I think some doctors charge way too much just for a consult :( Plus his surgery costs seem to be a few thousand less as well.
Thanks for letting my know about the allergy stuff, I just wasn't to make sure I'm not messing things up in advance already, hahaha.
April 24, 2013
I would just look at some of the negative reviews to see what people are complaining about. If there seems to be some reoccurring theme between the posts, then I would bring the complaints up in a way that doesn't insinuate any negative comments towards the doctor. How many other consultations have you had? Like someone else posted, there will be complaints with just about every doctor out there. Some people end up with great results, some mediocre, and some come out pretty bad; it is a chance you have to be willing to take. You can definitely minimize the chance of something negative by asking lots of questions and picking a very qualified surgeon, though! Best of luck.
April 25, 2013
Thank you for putting that into perspective for me, man, very true! I haven't had any consults yet, he will be my first. I guess I'm just nervous :s
UPDATED FROM CoughSyrup112233
1 month pre
I met Dr. Ciardullo today, and I think he is a...
CoughSyrup112233April 29, 2013
I met Dr. Ciardullo today, and I think he is a nice man...but I wasn't too happy that he doesn't do computer imaging. He seems to have a lot of experience, which is great, and I told him my primary concerns were my deviated septum & my bulbous tip. He assured me that all of that can be corrected; he would reduce the slight hump that I have, slightly shave down the bridge on the sides a smidge, slightly lift & shorten the tip & reduce the roundess of the tip as well. Now, I asked if he does open or closed for all of this stuff, and he says he likes to do closed because an open rhino septo makes him damage/cut into muscle & tissue that takes too long to heal...what is your opinion of that, guys? I am a newbie to all of this, so I don't know what's left, right, up, down here lol.
He also showed me a tour of the facility, and showed me some photos (slightly dated but ok no biggie), and mentioned that he wouldn't want me to have a sharp nose as it would not match my round face. Understandable. I just don't want this cherry tomato on my face anymore, and being able to breathe wold be fantastic. I cried out in pain like a baby when he shoved a giant q-tip up my nose to see how bad the deviated septum was....he says it's not too bad. I told him that the main reason I came here to have this all done was to fix my breathing problems so please please please try & succeed with that part at least lol.
Oh and the cost is $6,500, plus $700 for the anesthesia & then some more for the bloodwork, although his office will try to submit the ppwk to my insurance company to see if they would cover any costs. I told him I would sleep on it & let him know tomorrow if I will book a date. I'm thinking I should, and should do it soon, my 30th birthday is in June & there is no way I'm going to want to look like a hideous beast on my day-o-birth, hehehehe. Either with this same nose or a giant-ass cast on my face! bahaha
Sorrry for the rant! PLEASE feel free to share your opinion about what he said, I am all ears, guys!!
Thanks for listening ;D
He also showed me a tour of the facility, and showed me some photos (slightly dated but ok no biggie), and mentioned that he wouldn't want me to have a sharp nose as it would not match my round face. Understandable. I just don't want this cherry tomato on my face anymore, and being able to breathe wold be fantastic. I cried out in pain like a baby when he shoved a giant q-tip up my nose to see how bad the deviated septum was....he says it's not too bad. I told him that the main reason I came here to have this all done was to fix my breathing problems so please please please try & succeed with that part at least lol.
Oh and the cost is $6,500, plus $700 for the anesthesia & then some more for the bloodwork, although his office will try to submit the ppwk to my insurance company to see if they would cover any costs. I told him I would sleep on it & let him know tomorrow if I will book a date. I'm thinking I should, and should do it soon, my 30th birthday is in June & there is no way I'm going to want to look like a hideous beast on my day-o-birth, hehehehe. Either with this same nose or a giant-ass cast on my face! bahaha
Sorrry for the rant! PLEASE feel free to share your opinion about what he said, I am all ears, guys!!
Thanks for listening ;D
Replies (3)
April 29, 2013
I know your consult is today! I'm wishing you luck! Please update us after the appointment!
April 30, 2013
Yes I felt the same way when I heard he doesn't do computer imaging! Does he seem like an honest good surgeon or like he's blowing smoke up your butt? It's kinda nice tho that he doesn't do computer imaging some people rely too much on that image that when it doesn't come out exactly like that they get upset. The only thing I'm really concerned is that the surgeon (any surgeon) would mess up my frontal view making it look worse than it already does. I feel like the side profile is much easier to please and make look better but the whole frontal part seems like the surgeon would have to really be artistic in a way to know what would look better on the patient. I just sure hope my front and side profile look so much prettier and feminine! I'm glad that you seem to like him though. If you could let me know any more that'd be awesome my consult is in two days !
April 30, 2013
Hey girl,
He is a nice guy, I was comfortable with talking to him & he basically told me everything that he would do to my nose first, which is what I was going to tell him any way lol. He stressed that he would take out some cartilage in the tip to slim it down, & I mentioned that the last thing I want is to end up with am even bigger tip, he said after he takes cartilage out, there's no way for your nose to get bigger, except for the obvious swelling after the surgery, which could stay swollen from anywhere between 3-6 months, or even a year, & to just be patient.
You don't have a wide tip to begin with, so I think yours will be easier to do than mine, tip-wise. I have a damn cherry tomato on my face lol
Replies (10)
Thank you so much for starting your story. I really can't top Jemoiselle's awesome comment! :) The single most important thing you can do is to choose the right doctor. Here's a list of questions to ask prospective surgeons. Please keep us posted!