SEPTORHINOPLASTY - DR SHAHIDI -SYDNEY NSW- So Happy with Results!!

I wanted to write a review as I found the reviews on this site extremely helpful prior to my surgery. The more detailed they were, the better! I was living on Nasal spray feeling very uncomfortable and dizzy whenever it would wear off. I complained to my doctor who referred me to an ENT and I was advised I would require surgery. If I was going to have surgery I also wanted a rhinoplasty, the ENT I visited said he didn't perform plastic surgery but could refer me to someone who could who was also an ENT "he's very good" he said "one of the best at what he does and may be quite a wait but will be worth it" I took my referral and sat on it for a year!!! Now I wish I did this sooner. My face was all nose, I had small eyes, a small mouth and a big honker in the middle. I would have fillers put in my nose it to attempt to straighten it and lift the tip and other fillers put in my face to make my nose appear smaller, I hated my profile; my nose was letting me down and I couldn't breathe without spraying my nostrils every 12 hours. I loved to exercise and it was really uncomfortable not being able to breathe. Finally I booked my consult before my birthday in December 2015. Dr shahidi is a very modest man, he didn't promise me the world (but he sure delivered!!!) and was very professional explaining pros and cons on everything. His team were really helpful and friendly, especially Marissa & Raleigh. I instantly wanted to go ahead and book my procedure. I went home and researched thoroughly on this forum and proceeded to pay my deposit at my next appointment and I chose to have my surgery for the 23rd of March 2016. I was very nervous on the day, Dr. Shahidi came to chat with me before the surgery and went over the procedure with me again and made me feel at ease. My surgery was at north shore. I was so scared of doing this procedure for so long because I was afraid of the pain however I would do this again in a heartbeat! I found breast augmentation much more uncomfortable! When all the swelling and bruising came out (very normal) I looked a hell of a lot worse then I felt! So do not be afraid of any discomfort. I looked normal when I came out of surgery, my face was normal besides a cast and I was talking and walking around and told to sit down by nurses because I should have been resting. I was told in my pre surgery appointment to eat healthy meals/soups/smoothies, drink a lot of pineapple juice or take pineapple capsules for the bruising and swelling and use cold tea bags on my eyes. I was discharged shortly after and went home to eat pizza and put some tea bags on my eyes! I slept on a bean bag upright, I was napping throughout the next few days, watching movies in bed but up most of the night running my business. Some bruising came out the day after but the swelling hit me on the day after that, I was just irritable and hot, I probably wasn't sleeping enough but I didn't experience any pain. I ate a lot of ice blocks and my sister was taking care of me and made me a lot of pineapple smoothies. My nose was packed and I found breathing through my mouth was easy (this was something I was concerned about). I was a full time smoker and took to vaping an electronic cigarette after the surgery as I was advised to stop smoking (vaping was not recommended in any research I did but I wanted to provide an honest review, I've been able to quit cigarettes since having my surgery 18 months ago, I haven't had any issues from vaping an e cigarette after my surgery)I was told to spray my nostrils a few times a day with a sea salt spray after surgery and apply an ointment to my stitching as I had an open rhinoplasty. I was wearing a cast and a little pad under my nose held up by my ears to catch any blood coloured mucus, as Dr shahidi called it. I Placed a little gauze (I was given a take home package with tape, gauze and padding after my surgery) in between the pad and my nose to make the pads last longer. The overall process was super easy and not very inconvenient at all. On the 8th day I returned to Dr. Shahidi's rooms to have my packing and stitches removed. This took a second and wasn't painful at all. My nose was very swollen and upright. I thought "I look like a pig!" Dr shahidi assured me it would drop in a little while (thinking back now, I'm glad it was so upright as I have heard a lot of people complain that their tips dropping post rhinoplasty and have had revisions to correct this). I was told to tape my cast over my nose, which Dr. shahidi makes himself to fit your nose after the surgery, with tissue folded up inside for the next week to help with swelling at night. I was given a sinus cleanse kit and told to boil water and allow it to cool and rinse my nostrils with it and the sachets provided about 4 times a day. This provided relief from stuffiness. I was able to breathe again 11 days after surgery. My nostrils looked funny due to the swelling but I was assured they would be fine (and they are!!). The girls were so helpful with any questions or concerns that I had! I returned 6 weeks after my surgery and was taught how to tape my nose at night to reduce swelling and keep my tip up, I was given some noz oil to sooth the inside of my nose and some scar cream to use where my sutures were and I was told I didn't have to boil the water for my sinus cleanse bottle anymore and that tap water would be fine. I remember a garbage bin smell inside my nose which is from the turbinectomy. I looked this up online and it's quite normal to smell awful things. It took a good 6 months for this to completely go away. My nose was a little runny but it cleared up within a few months. It used to run a lot before the surgery now I am always comfortable. I had to be extremely patient with swelling as you will read it can take 12 months for your nose to completely heal but now I can safely say I think most swelling has subsided and I am so happy with my nose. I still use my snoz oil and I still tape my nose most nights. Dr. shahidi has been really helpful and has seen me for about 5 follow up appointments since the surgery and this is all included in the initial fee as well. He's a very kind man. I have had 2 cortisone injections to help with swelling in the tip of my nose. I could not have asked for a better surgeon and to get a rhinoplasty right the first time, from what I have read, can be difficult, hence the need for so many revisions but from patients I have met in his rooms to photos and reviews online, he gets it right every time! My nose looks natural and my entire face is now in harmony because of my new nose, even my forehead looks better! I was lucky I was Reffered to Dr Shahidi!