3rd Surgery, Dr Porumb, Romania. 25/1/19

As I ended my last post, I do know my nose and how it heals and it remained pretty much as I saw it on day 7. I had a little dropping as usual to a more natural look and my swollen stiff lip disappeared after around 6 to 8 weeks.

My nostrils did not settle and remained the same. I can breathe better than before, I don't know if I can breathe well, as I've never been able to breathe fully through my nose and deep breathing through my nose still feels restricted, but normal day to day breathing, I can now use both sides. Dr Porumb did a good job with this where 2 ENT surgeons failed previously. My nose remained straighter and the collumellar reduced. I feel that Dr Porumb did a good job on my nose overall and I am always amazed that he did this all closed still, but have remained wanting a revision since I first saw the revealed nose. I would much rather have outward scars to heal than to have had 3 surgeries and still have quite an obvious cosmetic issue with my nose.

Dr Porumb always replies to me for which I am grateful. My previous 2 surgeons have just told me I am imagining the faults and they did a good job, my nose can't be improved further and I need to gain some perspective. I am happy overall with the work Dr Porumb did, but can't help feeling disappointed that, despite saying how much I wanted change in my nostrils, he feels this view doesn't matter and I don't think he listened to my feelings on this view. This view really makes me feel conscious. I work on trains, so every day people see this view when I'm stood up speaking with someone say down and I feel self conscious still every day. Thankfully it is only in this view, the rest of my nose I am happy with. It's not my dream nose, but us revision cases, improvement is the key only.

I waited just past the year recommended by Dr Porumb and send him more photos. He did address the positive changes in my nose, but I told him the nostrils were so important to me. I am quite big on not returning to the same doctor if they didn't get it right the first time, but I would return to Dr Porumb, as he did improve my nose a lot and my overall experience has been positive. We discussed my revision and he told me the cost would be around 2000 euros to address the nostril issues.

Due to this I decided to look at different surgeons, as I know I could get a full revision elsewhere for not much more money and possibly address my breathing further if possible and the slight over projection as well as my nostrils and this will leave into my next review.

Hopefully I have written things clearly as to why my surgery with Dr Porumb was worth it, yet I'm still seeking a revision.

Anything I have missed or any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Everything went well with my cast removal. It was painful, like eye watering, but nothing too bad. I had silicone tampons in and the removal of them was so so much easier than the old style cotton ones. It was such a relief to have them out and the dressings off. Dr Porumb cleaned my nose and for the first time ever I could breathe through both nostrils! It was so good!

Once he'd cleaned me up and gave me a mirror, he filmed my first viewing of my nose, which I didn't expect and felt pretty awkward about. I hate being in front of a camera.

My instant thought was disappointment over my nostrils. They hadn't been changed and this was the area I most wanted to see change, I instantly knew if want another revision. This said, I then noticed how straight my nose was and my hanging collumellar was much improved. I had a lot of bruising, more than I've had before, but not much swelling really. I felt overall positive about my nose with the above improvements and the fact I could breathe. I asked about my nostrils and Dr Porumb said to just see how they settled.

I left and got back to my apartment and took some photos. I did a few before and afters and was generally trying to feeling positive and OK. This worked for a few hours, but by the afternoon, my nostrils being still so different hit me and I just cried and cried. I went through all sorts of emotions blaming myself for allowing myself to imagine my reveal and having the nose I always wanted, did I not make it clear how much I wanted change in this area?, the idea of having to wait another year until I could have a revision. I was so upset.

This emotional state carried on into the next day and during the evening after being upset and crying throughout the day, I decided to give myself a talk. I did some befores and afters to help me view the positive changes, I stepped back from the mirrors and didn't examine my nose up close. There was nothing I could do to change my situation at that time and didn't want to feel terrible throughout my recovery. I went out, got lots of cake and put some good films on and I cheered up.

I had messaged Dr Porumb earlier in the day about my nostrils and all he could really say was that nostril assymetries don't matter, as noone sees that view and to be patient and see how they settle.

I know my nose and I knew they wouldn't change, but not much else I could do at this stage.

Attended the clinic for a check up and everything was fine. Dr Porumb did a nasal rinse with a large syringe and Saline. It felt like so much force on the liquid going up my nose, honestly felt like it was hitting my brain haha, BUT it was so worth it. The pressure in my nose was a lot less for that day and the day after. He gave me a big bottle of the rinse to clean my nose with and some syringes.

Not much to note today, I was feeling very bunged up and lost my sense of taste and smell, but otherwise just as normal really after rhino. I always describe my rhinoplasty experience as similar to having a really bad cold with the above symptoms and also feeling fatigued and having headaches.

Adding some photos of the first week with the dressings on.