POSTED UNDER Rhinoplasty REVIEWS
Rhinoplasty Septoplasty in Omaha, NE. The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
ORIGINAL POST
I've been looking into the doctors in Omaha for...
LauraB123May 16, 2017
$22,000
I've been looking into the doctors in Omaha for YEARS (possibly 7-12) and like everyone I quickly narrow it down to Johnson and the other very well known rhino doc in town (I'm being vague purposefully for reasons you'll see). In the end I went with Johnson and I'll tell you why. While doing extensive research online on the other surgeon, I of course was extactic that we had one of the best rhinoplasty surgeons right here in my home town. I thought for sure this was the guy. Then I noticed the magazine that gave him this title. Not a medical magazine or consumer magazine, but a money magazine. Thought that was weird. So I specifically went looking for bad reviews and of course found several. They said things like he took too much off, they were left with an upturned 80's nose, lots of nosebleeds and pain well after the surgery and doc was of no help trying to treat, possibly some other complications or things of that nature. I would search for these reviews every few months looking for new ones until one day, they were all gone. Every last one. Intrigued, I did more digging, more searches over the course of a few years, and found nothing negative ever again. So this guy obviously paid to have these reviews removed and I'm not about to go to someone that pays money to hide the truth from consumers. I'm really hoping this review stays, but only time will tell. So anyways, I go back to the drawing board, find Johnson, do the same online review stalking for the next few years, and finally made my first consultation with him this year.
LauraB123's provider
UPDATED FROM LauraB123
1 day post
Price
LauraB123May 16, 2017
Since I was having a rhino/septo plasty, they contacted insurance to see if part could be covered. I remember the paper they gave me (it's around here somewhere) said it's be around 3-4 grand if insurance covered the septo, and was closer to 5 or 6 if they didn't. They called a few weeks later to let me know insurance was covering it and I need to pay for the rhinoplasty 2 weeks before surgery.
I give them a call to make my payment of around $3400. They tell me I'll have to pay whatever insurance doesn't cover due to deductibles and such for the septo within 6 months after the procedure. I ask what that final figure was they are billing to insurance and I almost fell over when she told me 18 THOUAND dollars. I of course could not find my paper that showed a figure closer to 18 hundred, and was sure the lady was wrong. She assured me it was the proper amount. I was floored. Why such a huge difference? This was the most money I have ever heard quoted in my life for this surgery. Called insurance and I'll have to pay around 2 grand which really sucks considering I was expecting to pay way less for this part. But 2 grand is better than 18...i just still feel like I'm getting robbed or something.
I give them a call to make my payment of around $3400. They tell me I'll have to pay whatever insurance doesn't cover due to deductibles and such for the septo within 6 months after the procedure. I ask what that final figure was they are billing to insurance and I almost fell over when she told me 18 THOUAND dollars. I of course could not find my paper that showed a figure closer to 18 hundred, and was sure the lady was wrong. She assured me it was the proper amount. I was floored. Why such a huge difference? This was the most money I have ever heard quoted in my life for this surgery. Called insurance and I'll have to pay around 2 grand which really sucks considering I was expecting to pay way less for this part. But 2 grand is better than 18...i just still feel like I'm getting robbed or something.
Replies (6)
May 17, 2017
Have you had your surgery yet?
May 18, 2017
Thanks for updating! I had septo/rhino surgery two years ago with Johnson and I'm so unhappy with my nose. Idk what I'm going to do or even can do.
May 18, 2017
Oh god, this is like the last thing I want to read right now! What happened? Why are you unhappy?
May 18, 2017
Omg I'm so sorry, I was not thinking when I typed that! I should not have said that so soon! I was typing out of emotion. Idk if I was just that one unlucky person or what because he does have good reviews for rhino, but I feel as though I traded one bad nose for another. There's literally one thing I like better about my new nose and that is the left profile. I had a narrow, long-ish overprojected nose before, but I did have a defined tip. Well now my til is bigger than before. Too much roundness. It looks like the swelling never went down all the way, which idk how that could be possible after 2 years. I haven't written a review yet, but I've been thinking about it. I wanted to give it two years and here I am with the same issues that I thought might somehow resolve. I thought maybe I'm just one of those people that takes forever to see the final result. My nose also leans/curves to the right, whereas before, I had a straight nose. The medical records stated was broken for surgery, but I have no idea why it needed to be. I trusted that it needed to be done and now I'm thinking there was need for that since it's now crooked. My nostrils are uneven (not terrible) but more uneven than my natural nose. My nose seems fuller on the right side and I even got that stuff that's supposed to help dissolve scar tissue (can't think of what it's called) injected a few times after surgery, but it did not help at all. He thought that maybe it being fuller on one side is just giving the illusion of it being crooked, but it's not. My nose is crooked and it's so obvious in photos. I hate taking pictures now. I can't stand looking at myself. Frontal view, my nose looks bigger than it used it. I didn't hate my front profile before, mostly just my side, but now I hate it along with my right profile for the reasons I talked listed. Also, right when I came out of surgery my nose was leaning to the right and they said it's just swelling and I trusted them, but now that my nose still leans that way, I know something was wrong. I knew I didn't like my nose from right when my cast came off. I actually liked it better when it was swollen because it somewhat hid the obvious issues. Sorry that was a novel! I'm so lost. Idk if I trust him to do a revision especially since revisions are more difficult, but I don't have money to go to a new surgeon. I feel that if he couldn't get it right the first time then how the heck can I trust him to fix it or that it won't turn out even worse! I truly hope yours turns out beautiful! I am anxious to see. I can email you pics of mine if you would like. I hope you're feeling okay. Splints are the worst.
May 17, 2017
Yeah my doctor said for just the rhinoplasty cost he could charge me about $7,000 to fix all my nose problems and fix my cosmetic concerns. But if I wanted to go through insurance, it would cost me $4,000 for the cosmetic part out of pocket and then I would have to meet my deductible and pay 30% of the amount they billed, it was looking like it would cost me more to bill through insurance because of how much more they charge them!!!
UPDATED FROM LauraB123
1 day post
Day of surgery
LauraB123May 17, 2017
Arrived to my appointment and a nurse was waiting with the door open to let me inside. They promptly called me back to get the ball rolling. At this point I was very nervous and very frightened. Dr. Johnson came in to answer any last minute questions and address any concerns. We finished up, and within 10 minutes I was in the OR and out like a light.
Now, my concern from the beginning was post-op pain. When I found out beforehand that I was getting the lowest dose of Norco I was concerned to say the least. My nurse assured me this was common protocol for this procedure and most people have very little pain. I remembered the doctor saying the same thing during our consult and remembered reading countless stories repeating that same thing. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me.
Next thing I know I'm waking up post-op, weeping, moaning, and shaking from the pain. My nurse would ask my level which was at an 8, would dose me with something, reassess only to still be at an 8. This happened several times. Finally she told me she's given me everything she could and it was time for me to go home. I begged for a stronger script just for a day or two for severe breakthrough pain. She told me to take the Norco I have in the car. She wheeled me out, and I was on my way, still sobbing.
After taking 2 doses of medication way earlier than I should, I had to call the doctor because I was miserable. They called in a higher dose which thankfully helped. I was still in a ton of pain, was having trouble resting, but it was at least somewhat tolerable at this point.
That was really all that happened that day. The surgery must have gone well as I didn't hear anything otherwise. Oh, they gave me an eye mask ice pack and this thing is sent directly from the heavens. Ask for an extra 1 or 2 as it started to leak on the first day.
Now, my concern from the beginning was post-op pain. When I found out beforehand that I was getting the lowest dose of Norco I was concerned to say the least. My nurse assured me this was common protocol for this procedure and most people have very little pain. I remembered the doctor saying the same thing during our consult and remembered reading countless stories repeating that same thing. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me.
Next thing I know I'm waking up post-op, weeping, moaning, and shaking from the pain. My nurse would ask my level which was at an 8, would dose me with something, reassess only to still be at an 8. This happened several times. Finally she told me she's given me everything she could and it was time for me to go home. I begged for a stronger script just for a day or two for severe breakthrough pain. She told me to take the Norco I have in the car. She wheeled me out, and I was on my way, still sobbing.
After taking 2 doses of medication way earlier than I should, I had to call the doctor because I was miserable. They called in a higher dose which thankfully helped. I was still in a ton of pain, was having trouble resting, but it was at least somewhat tolerable at this point.
That was really all that happened that day. The surgery must have gone well as I didn't hear anything otherwise. Oh, they gave me an eye mask ice pack and this thing is sent directly from the heavens. Ask for an extra 1 or 2 as it started to leak on the first day.
Replies (1)
June 5, 2017
What did they give you for pain? I find it inexcusable that you had to be lowballed for pain until you demanded it. Geese, pain scares me and now I don't want a rhinoplasty...
Replies (4)