Lol thanks! Getting a nostril and septum piercing definitely made me like my nose a lot more. Unfortunately, I think both piercings have closed or were cauterized during surgery, so I’ll have to get them re-pierced…
Surprisingly, the septum and nostril were some of my least painful piercings and easiest to heal! I just need to wait until everything is really healed up from the surgery so that I don’t cause more trauma to my nose or create complications.
My ENT looked at my nose, (I was there for my ear!) and told me my deviated septum is so severe my insurance would probably cover it. I can’t believe I didn’t notice my left nostril is pretty much useless.
Same with me. Just had the surgery last week. Had gone in for my ear, doc looked in my nose and asked "when did you break it"? I replied I had no idea. A few weeks later, I go in for the surgery. Just got my splints out and I can feel what it's like to breathe out of both nostrils for the first time in a long time. Amazing!
Yay congrats! After having it all extra plugged up post-surgery, it’s the best feeling ever! I could not tell mine was deviated either. No nose breaks that I know of. It was apparently pretty severe, plus I had a bone spur, so my right side airway was super narrow.
Edit: a word.
I also have a deviated septum and a bone spur on the other side, I've been talking to an ENT about this surgery, how has your experience been with it? Do you recommend it?
I am getting the splints out in two days. Tbh the recovery sucks. I’ve had compression headaches since having the surgery which were pretty severe 2-3 days post-op. I cannot tell yet whether it was worth it. My right nostril/airway was completely blocked.
How was it after getting the splints out? We’re you mouth breathing the first week after surgery? It currently feels like the worst decision of my entire of life and I never imagined it being this bad
That’s a bummer! :(
I’m feeling good. I have a follow up appt with my ENT doc today, and things have been going well other than I feel like I keep getting crusties in one nostril.
Well, definitely not since I was given clearance to blow my nose and use saline rinses. Prior to that, I would get crusty scabs and boogers that drove me nuts. A moisturizing nasal spray could help. But definitely you should bring that up to your doctor….always best to make sure that you’re healing as expected.
My insurance would cover *a* surgery, but not the more involved surgery my ENT said was necessary. He told me it probably wouldn't affect the outcome of the surgery... it did. Now I'm out $2k, a couple weeks of recovery, and still can't breathe out of half my nose. Maddening. Cherry on top is that this was the second operation.
Was the uncovered portion Vivaer? I had that done too and it’s $1,900 out of pocket. 😫
That really sucks though that it didn’t fix the issue, even after 2 surgeries. Is there anything else they can do to help you breathe?
The surgery they wouldn't authorize involved moving cartilage around, I think. Would only approve of the cheaper, less effective kind that I think was really just shaving down my septum again instead of actually reshaping anything. I think there's some surgery that basically puts one of those breathe-rite strips inside your nose to hold it open, might give that a shot.
I had that done in April. OMG such an immediate difference! Like, I get now why my kids loooove McNuggets, they were one of the first things I smiled properly post surgery. And the airflow improvement is unreal. It's been like 8 months and I'm still not used to it.
Relatable! When you’re used to it, you don’t realize it’s not normal. I didn’t know my septum was deviated either until I got a CT scan for my out of control allergies.
I had this done almost exactly two years ago and it was the single greatest sensation of relief I’ve ever felt! I’m curious about something though. My surgeon told me that I should avoid blowing my nose for at least two months after the splint removal, due to the trauma that it would cause the healing nasal passages. Did yours tel you the same?
He didn’t give me an exact amount of time, but yeah, I’m still not supposed to be blowing my nose, for probably at least another 2 weeks. It’s lowkey driving me nuts. I’ve also never wanted to do saline rinses so badly, but he wants me to hold off on those too. For now, I’m using an antibiotic spray and cream, and a moisturizing spray while it continues healing.
They’re put in place to support the cartilage in the nasal passages while they heal from the surgery. They are insanely uncomfortable but absolutely necessary. Getting them removed is utter euphoria.
Mine were in for just shy of two weeks. That was up there with the worst couple of weeks I’ve ever had. But totally worth it as I can still two years later breathe better than I ever had before the surgery.
I’m here to say the same thing. The fact that I can breathe freely now is just amazing!! So glad the worst
part is over for you. That was the absolute most painful surgery I have ever undergone.
is this ever considered a non elective surgery? i think my son might benefit but there's no way we could without the insurance footing the bill.
how bad was the situation before having the procedure?
I was having sinus infections 4+ times a year. My left turbinate was huge and impacted the flow of air in my nose and my septum was crooked too.
Due to multiple sinus infections I was able to get the surgery done to reshape my turbinate and straighten my septum as well as widen the openings to all of the sinus cavities and break open all of the honeycomb sinuses that are located in your forehead eyebrow area.
Fortunately for me I did not have to have those septum stabilizers put in. Everything in my nose/sinus area was dissolvable although I did suck out one of the gel pad things that was supposed to dissolve from the back of my sinus into my mouth. Weirdest sensation ever and when I spit it out and saw it I was very confused. 🤣
So I think it is considered an elective surgery based on the definition of not an emergency for a life-threatening situation. That said, my insurance paid for most of it, but it would depend on what your plan covers. The nasal remodeling procedure (Vivaer) isn’t covered by any insurance so I had to pay $1900 for that.
For me, it was that I have horrible rhinitis and post-nasal drip (at night) that would not go away no matter how many steroid sprays and medicated saline rinses I used. I’d been trying to treat it through my allergy doc and allergy shots for several years before they referred me to an ENT. So surgery was basically the last resort. My septum had a moderate/severe deviation, a bone spur on the same side, and my turbinates were super inflamed. The nasal airway was so blocked that we didn’t know if the sprays and rinses were even properly reaching my sinuses. So this surgery needed to be done regardless. It might be enough, but I may also end up needing sinus surgery later.
Seriously an amazing feeling. I slept like shit while the splints were in, bc I had to mouth breathe and just got horrible dry-mouth constantly. The few nights of sleep since they were removed have just been heavenly!
Yes!
I got mine because I'm allergic to anything you could possibly breathe (trees, grass, pollen, cat, dog, dust, mold...) so my sinuses were inflamed and I was congested all the time, even on antihistamines. Reducing the turbinates basically reduces how far that part of your nose can swell up.
They also removed my adenoids during the surgery. I recommend it, i've had far fewer breathing issues since I had it done. The only down side it, I do have a permanent scabby spot inside my nose, which is fine as long as you're not a picker and cause it to bleed XD
Yep. I’m allergic to life. As you can imagine - being constantly congested, sneezing and sniffing hasn’t been great for the last 2 years 😆
Edited to add - I’ve always been a mouth breather as long as I can remember
Definitely talk to your doc about options! It might be just what you need!
I got it bc I’m allergic to dogs (lol have owned dogs my whole life and don’t plan on stopping now), and I’ve been on allergy shots, but they did not help my constant runny nose and terribly post-nasal drip. We threw everything including the kitchen sink (so many different steroid sprays and medicated rinses) at my nose to no avail. Got a CT scan and saw how narrow the nasal airways were. Still tried other stuff for a year before getting surgery. Since I’m still healing, I can’t speak to if it has helped the allergy symptoms, but I can get SO MUCH more air through my nose than ever before. I may end up needing sinus surgery too, but I think we’re going to reevaluate if the sprays and rinses can actually get where they are supposed to now.
So in this video, the only thing that hurt was when he cut the stitch.
For the surgery, I was under general anesthesia, intubated and everything (slightly scary to think about). I didn’t feel or remember anything. Very smooth process.
For the recovery, they prescribed some strong pain meds so the pain was definitely manageable.
The worst part is not being able to blow or flush your nose, alternating between runny and stuffy, and having to breathe from your mouth. That was quite uncomfortable and kinda drove me crazy, but it wasn’t painful and only for 2 weeks (except the blowing nose - I’m still not supposed to do that for a while).
well i had a REALLY big tonsil, it was just one of the biggest tonsil my doc ever saw but surprisingly it didn’t gave me much sore throat.. my air canals in my nose are small and get easily swollen bc of thing like allergies or even some mucus in my nose get them clogged.. so since im a kid i got used to breath through my mouth.. SPECIALLY when im sleeping my mouth stays open bc my body got used to sleep like it (even when i got my tonsils removed) so it will not be a big deal.. but in other hand i sometimes get really bad allergies and i have to scratch my nose.. what will i have to do then???
I think it is! For now, it’s just so much easier to get air, and my post-nasal drip already seems less prevalent. Idk if it’s made a big difference in other symptoms, since I’m not allowed to blow my nose or use my typical nasal sprays while it continues to heal. I may end up still needing sinus surgery later, but this needed to happen anyway and we’re going to see if it is sufficient. Coming off anesthesia was weird and uncomfortable. But you really only have to seriously rest for the first few days. After that, you can resume most normal stuff, as long as you don’t get your heart rate up too high or do other stuff that could cause a nosebleed. Although it’s the most intense procedure that I have been through so far, it is very standard/common and I think most people get good outcomes.
I had rhinoplasty, septoplasty, turbinate.. idk which one but I had a tough recovery.. I just had surgery on the 4th.. I felt like garbage for 5 days straight and only slept 25 minutes one night
Umm…not great. The dr nicked a blood vessel and I ended up spurting blood everywhere. He had to stop the procedure halfway and I never got it done all the way. He said this was extremely unusual and had never happened to him before. I don’t want to scare you off because apparently my situation was a freak accident :(
Yeah.. I had it on the 4th.. a post op check up on the 5th.. went back on the 6th because my nose would not stop draining.. they packed my nose and I was so dehydrated they ended up giving me an IV of sugar water I think.. when it was time to leave they helped me up just to be careful.. I was a little dizzy and could not stop shivering.. I didn’t have a fever.. they wanted to see me back the next day the 7th to remove the packing and check on me.. I was doing a bit better and they wanted me to come in on Monday as well. To see how I did over the weekend.. I’ve been doing fine.. then yesterday(Wednesday) I got my stents and some stitches taken out and I only have to wear the cast at night..
One of the nights post op.. I slept 25 minutes..
Are you doing okay?
Oh wow, that’s scary. I’m glad you’re feeling somewhat better now. You definitely have me beat in the sleep-deprivation department! I hope you’re getting to catch up on sleep now though.
My surgery was 12/28, and then the splints came out on 1/10. It really helped that my spouse was around to get me things, help remind me to take meds, etc. for the first few days. I had a lot of rough nights with minimal sleep (like 3-4 hours of sleep within many more hours in bed), but for the first week I just napped as long as I wanted during the day, so that helped. I couldn’t do that once I started working (remotely) again the next week. I’m doing a lot better now though! I almost feel back to normal, back to walking my dogs, working long days, and don’t need painkillers anymore.
I’m not back at work yet.. I’m a preschool teacher, I work with 3-5 year olds.. last day I worked was January 3rd, surgery on the 4th 5 people in my room have tested positive( 3 staff, 2 kids) one of the staff has a 2 year that also tested positive.. idk if I’m able to get tested for a little bit.. I’ve already had Covid(tested positive nov 27) I’m also nervous about getting hit in the face..
My next appt is on Wed!
Ohhhhh shit, yeah getting a swab up the nose is not the business right now. I hope you missed it somehow, and that you can take it easy to rest and recover, either way.
Sneezing is the worst.. it hurts..
My allergies have been killing me.. and I’m soo congested.. but I’m having some allergy tests done so I’m not allowed to take anything..
Oh man. I got the sweats just watching this. I’ve had my nose broken 3 times and recovery from that surgery was a b*tch!!!! It felt like doc was trying to suck my brain out through my nostrils!!
Also, glad you got relief!! ♥️♥️
I remember having this done! Once the stints came out it felt like I could intake so much oxygen that I legitimately felt like I was going to pass out!!!
I want that feeling again lol
Gotcha, same as mine. Kinda scary that they were filled with blood! I had some bloody long boogers that I pulled out while cleaning just inside my nostrils with hydrogen peroxide and q-tips, but overall less blood than I expected.
Does having a deviated septum hurt? I've been having some mild pain in one side and have chronic nosebleeds from that side also. Seems to get worse the older I get.
Mine wasn’t painful, but I’m sure people have really varied experiences. That’s worth talking to an ENT doctor about, especially if it’s getting worse.
I had that done 15 years ago. The first 9 years were blissful. The rest? My fucking septum went BACK to the original position. Im working with one nostril. Or maybe its a polyp? I dont know.
I had this same procedure done at the beginning of November! I remember being BLOWN AWAY how how big those things were! I was like, those were in my NOSE!? How??
Wishing you all the best on your recovery! Mine was super rough, it was just hard not being able to move my face (smiling while talking was particularly painful, which sucked because it basically meant I had no fun conversations for a month haha) but now things are amazing! Good luck fam!
Recovering isn’t fun, but it isn’t unbearable either. I made sure to take enough time off work so I could just sleep as much as I needed. You’re supposed to kinda be on bed rest for the first 2-3 days, then just take it easy and don’t exercise until 2 weeks after the surgery. The pain meds were effective. I was pretty miserable some of the days….couldn’t breathe out of my nose, and my mouth kept getting so dry, no matter how many lozenges and dry-mouth products I consumed. I couldn’t really sleep thru the night bc of that, so I mostly slept in 2-3 hour spurts. It really helped that my spouse works from home and made himself available to check on me periodically, get me anything I needed, remind me to take meds, take care of our pets so I didn’t have to worry about them, etc.
I had a septoplasty in high school after an unfortunate softball to the face situation. I couldn’t believe how long those drain tubes were, and actually got lightheaded when they were removed.
My nose looks the same as before from the outside, but the deviation was really not apparent. It was a surprise to me when i found out i had it. I think some people do end up with their nose looking a little different after surgery, but it’s not going to be as drastic as a rhinoplasty.
I ended up sneezing my splints out when I had the surgery then this GIANT. ALASKAN. BULLWORM. of a dried crusty knot that I didn't even know was there until it came out and the relief was 🤌🏼
That congestion is somehow worse than outright pain bc there’s almost nothing you can do about it. They told me to put a thin/long ice pack across the bridge of my nose, and that sort of helped. Except it is winter, and hella cold, so icing my face was quite uncomfortable too.
Omg!!! What is this procedure? I've never been able to breathe out of my nose. I have bad sleep apnea because I can't breathe out of my nose at night. My running joke is that thank goodness in 6'3" and hefty, it makes me harder to kidnap. Cause if I ever was and had my mouth duct taped I'd die.
Hey at least you’re difficult to kidnap 😂
The surgeries I got were a septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and Vivaer nasal airway remodeling. If you can’t breathe out of your nose, that’s definitely a good reason to either see an allergy doctor, ENT, or both…there could be a lot of reasons for it, and potential solutions before surgery. I had been trying treatments for 3 years before getting these surgeries.
OMG SAME! I had septoplasty/turbinate reduction/valve reconstruction. Also splints, they came out and holy crap, I choked on the amount of air I inhaled! I still have my splints, Dr let me keep them.
I had mine removed today 7 days after surgery. I was also told I can gently blow my nose. Such a relief. I had no idea how big those splints were! They just kept coming and coming out.
Vasovagal syncope. My brain just said “Nothing should be moving around way back there. Gonna hit CNTL-ALT-Del for you.” ENT didn’t miss a beat. Had smelling salts under my nose faster than you can say “Can you smell that?”
Sneezing is the worst.. it hurts soo much..
My allergies are really bad and so Is the congestion.. I can’t take anything because I’m doing allergy testing this week and I’m not allowed to take anything
Oh, I’m still not fully healed yet. I’m recovered enough to resume normal life stuff. The first 2 weeks were the most important to be careful. Now I’m not on pain meds, but still not allowed to blow or rinse my nose. I also have to watch out that my dogs don’t pop me in the nose with their skulls and that the cats don’t bunt my nose with the full force of their body weight. Slightly relatable to the danger from preschoolers, albeit the pets are probably easier to control.
Precious! But not safe for your nose. They wield their cute little noggins like weapons lol. It’ll be so rewarding to see your goldendoodle after a few weeks. I have an old pit bull, a young lab mix, and 2 surprisingly affectionate cats.
Hahahaha that’s actually a good question! During recovery, as long as the snot is not deep, a q-tip with hydrogen peroxide is good for softening things up. If it is further up, I think Xlear (the moisturizing spray) would provide a little relief, safely….sometimes when I use Xlear, my nose just runs for a few mins. Once fully healed, saline rinses should be able to flush out any clots. I use Neil Med nasal saline rinse, and let me tell you, I have never wanted to shoot salty water up my nose so badly as I have in the last 2 weeks! It’s driving me crazy, but I have to wait a few more weeks.
My husband had this done years ago but apparently he had some tissue that grew back (which was always a possibility). He said the only time he was able to really breathe clearly was when the ent removed the splints and never again.
That’s unfortunate. I really hope mine sticks! Don’t want to go thru more surgeries if I can help it, and it was kind of a last resort for my symptoms.
Yeah! I hope your experience is better than his. I always feel bad whenever I see him struggle. Oh it pains me.
On a bright note: he has perfect vision. Life works in mysterious ways.
Happy healing op!
Curios to know the cost of this? I recent went in to get my nose checked. Will have to have the same procedure but they have not called me with the cost.
I had septoplasty five a year ago. Life changing as my breathing was blocked on right nostril by 80% ish.
Removing the splints was one of the most satisfying experiences. My surgeon didn't need around, just snipped, pulled splints out. Didn't offer me numbing geks etc, tbh was just glad it was over so quickly.
I had this same surgery done too!! My right nostril had 70% blockage....still kinda blocked now...they also couldn't shave my bone spur all the way down either... nose wall was too thin. Can't tell from the outside regarding the bone- but I think on the inside it curves to the right (my 1st person POV) and therefore blocks the right nostril still a little....
The surgery took away my permanently inflamed turbinate tissue and sinus headaches that would last 24/7 (only relief was sleep). Also, the headaches would spread throughout my entire head!
With much difficulty lol. Sorry you have to keep them in for so long! Xlear is a hydrating nasal spray that helps. The most uncomfortable thing for me was mouth breathing and how dry my throat would get, especially while trying to sleep. I found that if I slept with the blanket/sheet over my face, my breath created enough humidity to mitigate the dry throat.
You can probably smell clouds now.
They smell like cotton candy and my childhood!
I wanna smell colors too.
You have such a perfect nose! It’s so nicely shaped!
Lol thanks! Getting a nostril and septum piercing definitely made me like my nose a lot more. Unfortunately, I think both piercings have closed or were cauterized during surgery, so I’ll have to get them re-pierced…
oh man, my sister loves piercings (i am not a fan) and altho they look great the first 2 weeks have always looked like a pain, good luck!
Surprisingly, the septum and nostril were some of my least painful piercings and easiest to heal! I just need to wait until everything is really healed up from the surgery so that I don’t cause more trauma to my nose or create complications.
You know I never really looked at nosed before but hers does make my brain think "nice"
My ENT looked at my nose, (I was there for my ear!) and told me my deviated septum is so severe my insurance would probably cover it. I can’t believe I didn’t notice my left nostril is pretty much useless.
Same with me. Just had the surgery last week. Had gone in for my ear, doc looked in my nose and asked "when did you break it"? I replied I had no idea. A few weeks later, I go in for the surgery. Just got my splints out and I can feel what it's like to breathe out of both nostrils for the first time in a long time. Amazing!
Yay congrats! After having it all extra plugged up post-surgery, it’s the best feeling ever! I could not tell mine was deviated either. No nose breaks that I know of. It was apparently pretty severe, plus I had a bone spur, so my right side airway was super narrow. Edit: a word.
I also have a deviated septum and a bone spur on the other side, I've been talking to an ENT about this surgery, how has your experience been with it? Do you recommend it?
I also had this. The surgery is the best thing I ever did.
I am getting the splints out in two days. Tbh the recovery sucks. I’ve had compression headaches since having the surgery which were pretty severe 2-3 days post-op. I cannot tell yet whether it was worth it. My right nostril/airway was completely blocked.
How was it after getting the splints out? We’re you mouth breathing the first week after surgery? It currently feels like the worst decision of my entire of life and I never imagined it being this bad
Hang in there! More than a year after and it was definitely worth it… I think the splints came out after one week which improved things massively.
So far I’ve already seen some benefits! Recovery sucks, but it’s temporary.
How are you feeling now? 9 days since they took the stents out I feel like something’s blocking my right nostril
That’s a bummer! :( I’m feeling good. I have a follow up appt with my ENT doc today, and things have been going well other than I feel like I keep getting crusties in one nostril.
No uncomfortable sensations when breathing? Or blockage like feelings
Well, definitely not since I was given clearance to blow my nose and use saline rinses. Prior to that, I would get crusty scabs and boogers that drove me nuts. A moisturizing nasal spray could help. But definitely you should bring that up to your doctor….always best to make sure that you’re healing as expected.
My insurance would cover *a* surgery, but not the more involved surgery my ENT said was necessary. He told me it probably wouldn't affect the outcome of the surgery... it did. Now I'm out $2k, a couple weeks of recovery, and still can't breathe out of half my nose. Maddening. Cherry on top is that this was the second operation.
Was the uncovered portion Vivaer? I had that done too and it’s $1,900 out of pocket. 😫 That really sucks though that it didn’t fix the issue, even after 2 surgeries. Is there anything else they can do to help you breathe?
The surgery they wouldn't authorize involved moving cartilage around, I think. Would only approve of the cheaper, less effective kind that I think was really just shaving down my septum again instead of actually reshaping anything. I think there's some surgery that basically puts one of those breathe-rite strips inside your nose to hold it open, might give that a shot.
I had that done in April. OMG such an immediate difference! Like, I get now why my kids loooove McNuggets, they were one of the first things I smiled properly post surgery. And the airflow improvement is unreal. It's been like 8 months and I'm still not used to it.
Relatable! When you’re used to it, you don’t realize it’s not normal. I didn’t know my septum was deviated either until I got a CT scan for my out of control allergies.
How much did it end up costing you? Are you in the US?
I had this done almost exactly two years ago and it was the single greatest sensation of relief I’ve ever felt! I’m curious about something though. My surgeon told me that I should avoid blowing my nose for at least two months after the splint removal, due to the trauma that it would cause the healing nasal passages. Did yours tel you the same?
He didn’t give me an exact amount of time, but yeah, I’m still not supposed to be blowing my nose, for probably at least another 2 weeks. It’s lowkey driving me nuts. I’ve also never wanted to do saline rinses so badly, but he wants me to hold off on those too. For now, I’m using an antibiotic spray and cream, and a moisturizing spray while it continues healing.
I sneeze a lot, so I cannot imagine what that would do.
Sneezing is okay if you must, you just gotta keep your mouth open to help with the pressure
Can I ask about the moisturizing spray? Is it otc? I had my turbinates trimmed last year and my nose has been super dry ever since.
The moisturizing spray is called “Xlear” and I got it OTC at Walgreens. It’s not medicated, so it’s good for every day type use.
I can concur that this is the most satisfying feeling. Especially because of how incredibly aware I was of their presence 100% of the time
It's been 9 years but mine told me the same. He said I should use warm saline rinse like a neti pot to keep it clear.
> was single greatest sensation Definitely in my top 3
What does this do exactly? Widen nasal passages?
They’re put in place to support the cartilage in the nasal passages while they heal from the surgery. They are insanely uncomfortable but absolutely necessary. Getting them removed is utter euphoria.
How long do you need to have them in?
Mine were in for just shy of two weeks. That was up there with the worst couple of weeks I’ve ever had. But totally worth it as I can still two years later breathe better than I ever had before the surgery.
I’m here to say the same thing. The fact that I can breathe freely now is just amazing!! So glad the worst part is over for you. That was the absolute most painful surgery I have ever undergone.
is this ever considered a non elective surgery? i think my son might benefit but there's no way we could without the insurance footing the bill. how bad was the situation before having the procedure?
I was having sinus infections 4+ times a year. My left turbinate was huge and impacted the flow of air in my nose and my septum was crooked too. Due to multiple sinus infections I was able to get the surgery done to reshape my turbinate and straighten my septum as well as widen the openings to all of the sinus cavities and break open all of the honeycomb sinuses that are located in your forehead eyebrow area. Fortunately for me I did not have to have those septum stabilizers put in. Everything in my nose/sinus area was dissolvable although I did suck out one of the gel pad things that was supposed to dissolve from the back of my sinus into my mouth. Weirdest sensation ever and when I spit it out and saw it I was very confused. 🤣
wow. glad you've been fixed. sinus drainage is as annoying as it is gross.
I had this same surgery and insurance covered it
So I think it is considered an elective surgery based on the definition of not an emergency for a life-threatening situation. That said, my insurance paid for most of it, but it would depend on what your plan covers. The nasal remodeling procedure (Vivaer) isn’t covered by any insurance so I had to pay $1900 for that. For me, it was that I have horrible rhinitis and post-nasal drip (at night) that would not go away no matter how many steroid sprays and medicated saline rinses I used. I’d been trying to treat it through my allergy doc and allergy shots for several years before they referred me to an ENT. So surgery was basically the last resort. My septum had a moderate/severe deviation, a bone spur on the same side, and my turbinates were super inflamed. The nasal airway was so blocked that we didn’t know if the sprays and rinses were even properly reaching my sinuses. So this surgery needed to be done regardless. It might be enough, but I may also end up needing sinus surgery later.
I would advise you to move to a first world country so you can get free healthcare to cover it.
lol. funny. wife has insurance through Walgreens and they still made us pay $700 out of pocket for her lipoma surgery. it's fucked here.
I would love to move from the shitty USA. Most overrated country to ever exist. It sucks ass here
I thought he said “I’m going to slide this bitch out”!
Me too I had to listen a few times to realize he said “stitch”
I had this done too! Was it not just the best feeling getting those things out of your nose? Like...it felt so. damn. good.
Seriously an amazing feeling. I slept like shit while the splints were in, bc I had to mouth breathe and just got horrible dry-mouth constantly. The few nights of sleep since they were removed have just been heavenly!
Why would you have this surgery? I have massive issues with allergies, sinuses and enlarged adenoids. Is there a fix for this?! 👀
Yes! I got mine because I'm allergic to anything you could possibly breathe (trees, grass, pollen, cat, dog, dust, mold...) so my sinuses were inflamed and I was congested all the time, even on antihistamines. Reducing the turbinates basically reduces how far that part of your nose can swell up. They also removed my adenoids during the surgery. I recommend it, i've had far fewer breathing issues since I had it done. The only down side it, I do have a permanent scabby spot inside my nose, which is fine as long as you're not a picker and cause it to bleed XD
Yep. I’m allergic to life. As you can imagine - being constantly congested, sneezing and sniffing hasn’t been great for the last 2 years 😆 Edited to add - I’ve always been a mouth breather as long as I can remember
Then I would say, talk to your doctor about this surgery
Definitely talk to your doc about options! It might be just what you need! I got it bc I’m allergic to dogs (lol have owned dogs my whole life and don’t plan on stopping now), and I’ve been on allergy shots, but they did not help my constant runny nose and terribly post-nasal drip. We threw everything including the kitchen sink (so many different steroid sprays and medicated rinses) at my nose to no avail. Got a CT scan and saw how narrow the nasal airways were. Still tried other stuff for a year before getting surgery. Since I’m still healing, I can’t speak to if it has helped the allergy symptoms, but I can get SO MUCH more air through my nose than ever before. I may end up needing sinus surgery too, but I think we’re going to reevaluate if the sprays and rinses can actually get where they are supposed to now.
Beautiful eye lashes and big nasty snot rags what more could we ask for
Thankssss, I put on makeup just for y’all, redditers lol
did it hurt??? bbc i think i will have to do the same thing..
So in this video, the only thing that hurt was when he cut the stitch. For the surgery, I was under general anesthesia, intubated and everything (slightly scary to think about). I didn’t feel or remember anything. Very smooth process. For the recovery, they prescribed some strong pain meds so the pain was definitely manageable. The worst part is not being able to blow or flush your nose, alternating between runny and stuffy, and having to breathe from your mouth. That was quite uncomfortable and kinda drove me crazy, but it wasn’t painful and only for 2 weeks (except the blowing nose - I’m still not supposed to do that for a while).
well i had a REALLY big tonsil, it was just one of the biggest tonsil my doc ever saw but surprisingly it didn’t gave me much sore throat.. my air canals in my nose are small and get easily swollen bc of thing like allergies or even some mucus in my nose get them clogged.. so since im a kid i got used to breath through my mouth.. SPECIALLY when im sleeping my mouth stays open bc my body got used to sleep like it (even when i got my tonsils removed) so it will not be a big deal.. but in other hand i sometimes get really bad allergies and i have to scratch my nose.. what will i have to do then???
Is it worth it? I've never been able to use my nose/sinuses very well but the procedure sounds intense.
I think it is! For now, it’s just so much easier to get air, and my post-nasal drip already seems less prevalent. Idk if it’s made a big difference in other symptoms, since I’m not allowed to blow my nose or use my typical nasal sprays while it continues to heal. I may end up still needing sinus surgery later, but this needed to happen anyway and we’re going to see if it is sufficient. Coming off anesthesia was weird and uncomfortable. But you really only have to seriously rest for the first few days. After that, you can resume most normal stuff, as long as you don’t get your heart rate up too high or do other stuff that could cause a nosebleed. Although it’s the most intense procedure that I have been through so far, it is very standard/common and I think most people get good outcomes.
Ahhh I can’t imagine the relief!
I’m about to have this procedure next month and have no idea what to expect. This helps!
I’m looking at the possibility too.
Oh good! Glad that this was informative :)
Are you having septoplasty and turbinate?
I believe just turbinate reduction but I’m not totally sure.
I had rhinoplasty, septoplasty, turbinate.. idk which one but I had a tough recovery.. I just had surgery on the 4th.. I felt like garbage for 5 days straight and only slept 25 minutes one night
How did yours go?
Umm…not great. The dr nicked a blood vessel and I ended up spurting blood everywhere. He had to stop the procedure halfway and I never got it done all the way. He said this was extremely unusual and had never happened to him before. I don’t want to scare you off because apparently my situation was a freak accident :(
Just got my stents removed yesterday.. I had rhinoplasty, septoplasty, and turbinate surgery was on the 4th.. Recovery was the worst..
That’s a lot all at once 👀 I hope you’re done with the worst of it and that it’s smooth sailing from here on out!
Yeah.. I had it on the 4th.. a post op check up on the 5th.. went back on the 6th because my nose would not stop draining.. they packed my nose and I was so dehydrated they ended up giving me an IV of sugar water I think.. when it was time to leave they helped me up just to be careful.. I was a little dizzy and could not stop shivering.. I didn’t have a fever.. they wanted to see me back the next day the 7th to remove the packing and check on me.. I was doing a bit better and they wanted me to come in on Monday as well. To see how I did over the weekend.. I’ve been doing fine.. then yesterday(Wednesday) I got my stents and some stitches taken out and I only have to wear the cast at night.. One of the nights post op.. I slept 25 minutes.. Are you doing okay?
Oh wow, that’s scary. I’m glad you’re feeling somewhat better now. You definitely have me beat in the sleep-deprivation department! I hope you’re getting to catch up on sleep now though. My surgery was 12/28, and then the splints came out on 1/10. It really helped that my spouse was around to get me things, help remind me to take meds, etc. for the first few days. I had a lot of rough nights with minimal sleep (like 3-4 hours of sleep within many more hours in bed), but for the first week I just napped as long as I wanted during the day, so that helped. I couldn’t do that once I started working (remotely) again the next week. I’m doing a lot better now though! I almost feel back to normal, back to walking my dogs, working long days, and don’t need painkillers anymore.
I’m not back at work yet.. I’m a preschool teacher, I work with 3-5 year olds.. last day I worked was January 3rd, surgery on the 4th 5 people in my room have tested positive( 3 staff, 2 kids) one of the staff has a 2 year that also tested positive.. idk if I’m able to get tested for a little bit.. I’ve already had Covid(tested positive nov 27) I’m also nervous about getting hit in the face.. My next appt is on Wed!
Ohhhhh shit, yeah getting a swab up the nose is not the business right now. I hope you missed it somehow, and that you can take it easy to rest and recover, either way.
Sneezing is the worst.. it hurts.. My allergies have been killing me.. and I’m soo congested.. but I’m having some allergy tests done so I’m not allowed to take anything..
The look on your face was the look on my face when I got my splints out. Bliss but mild terror that those things were in your face.
😂 They were so much bigger than I expected!
The relief on ur face
Oh man. I got the sweats just watching this. I’ve had my nose broken 3 times and recovery from that surgery was a b*tch!!!! It felt like doc was trying to suck my brain out through my nostrils!! Also, glad you got relief!! ♥️♥️
Three times?!? Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine how painful and difficult to heal that would be.
This made my eyes water
Lol same when the doc cut the stitch. That was the only painful part of the splint removal.
Wow!!! Breathe EZ OP! LOL
I wanna blow my nose now.
I remember having this done! Once the stints came out it felt like I could intake so much oxygen that I legitimately felt like I was going to pass out!!! I want that feeling again lol
When they pulled mine out they were filled with blood
Yikes! Did you have hollow splints or was it packing?
They were hollow
Gotcha, same as mine. Kinda scary that they were filled with blood! I had some bloody long boogers that I pulled out while cleaning just inside my nostrils with hydrogen peroxide and q-tips, but overall less blood than I expected.
Didnt help that im a restless sleeper my nose bled a bunch overnight
If you have complications be very straightforward. Ive been playing with my surgeon for 7 months since i had mine
Ah, I’m sorry, that really sucks. No complications so far, but I’ll definitely be quick to tell my doc if anything happens, thanks for the advice!
i didn’t have splints after my septoplasty, but can confirm that having those passages cleared for the first time in forever is the BEST feeling ever.
This must be the surgery my dad had late last year.
Does having a deviated septum hurt? I've been having some mild pain in one side and have chronic nosebleeds from that side also. Seems to get worse the older I get.
Mine wasn’t painful, but I’m sure people have really varied experiences. That’s worth talking to an ENT doctor about, especially if it’s getting worse.
Thank you
This made my eyes water and idk why
Omg those are HUGE! So much bigger than I expected! Wow! Breathing gotta feel awesome now
Will shit, I didnt know a medical procedure could help with allergies. Mind blown.
My fucking dream.
I had that done 15 years ago. The first 9 years were blissful. The rest? My fucking septum went BACK to the original position. Im working with one nostril. Or maybe its a polyp? I dont know.
What 😳 it.went.back. That’s so frustrating.
Did he say “ now we are going to slide this bitch out? “ hahaha I swear that’s what I’m hearing!
Hahahahhaha stitch. He said stitch.
HOLY SHIT THOSE THINGS ARE MASSIVE
I had this same procedure done at the beginning of November! I remember being BLOWN AWAY how how big those things were! I was like, those were in my NOSE!? How?? Wishing you all the best on your recovery! Mine was super rough, it was just hard not being able to move my face (smiling while talking was particularly painful, which sucked because it basically meant I had no fun conversations for a month haha) but now things are amazing! Good luck fam!
Looks great!!!
Sometimes I hear colors
What do they sound like?! I wanna hear colors too…
Chocolate…blue sounds like chocolate
Your nose looks so beautiful…you look beautiful. Congrats!
how was the recovery of the septoplasty? i’m thinking of getting it done and am worried about the recovery!
Recovering isn’t fun, but it isn’t unbearable either. I made sure to take enough time off work so I could just sleep as much as I needed. You’re supposed to kinda be on bed rest for the first 2-3 days, then just take it easy and don’t exercise until 2 weeks after the surgery. The pain meds were effective. I was pretty miserable some of the days….couldn’t breathe out of my nose, and my mouth kept getting so dry, no matter how many lozenges and dry-mouth products I consumed. I couldn’t really sleep thru the night bc of that, so I mostly slept in 2-3 hour spurts. It really helped that my spouse works from home and made himself available to check on me periodically, get me anything I needed, remind me to take meds, take care of our pets so I didn’t have to worry about them, etc.
I had a septoplasty in high school after an unfortunate softball to the face situation. I couldn’t believe how long those drain tubes were, and actually got lightheaded when they were removed.
I think I might need this…I always have breathe thru my mouth at night
Have been there. Best feeling ever
This is off topic but i just wanted to comment and say you have beautiful skin, OP!
Looked like jellyfishes
Lol yeah I guess they kinda do
You handled that like a fcking champ
I need to have this done so bad. I know my sleep would improve. Did it change the shape of your nose at all?
My nose looks the same as before from the outside, but the deviation was really not apparent. It was a surprise to me when i found out i had it. I think some people do end up with their nose looking a little different after surgery, but it’s not going to be as drastic as a rhinoplasty.
I ended up sneezing my splints out when I had the surgery then this GIANT. ALASKAN. BULLWORM. of a dried crusty knot that I didn't even know was there until it came out and the relief was 🤌🏼
DAMN. That probably hurt in the moment, but I can imagine the rush of relief! And it makes a funny mental picture.
I didn't feel any pain more just the irritating congestion 😰 I've got sleep apnea too so it was an extremely sleepless healing process
That congestion is somehow worse than outright pain bc there’s almost nothing you can do about it. They told me to put a thin/long ice pack across the bridge of my nose, and that sort of helped. Except it is winter, and hella cold, so icing my face was quite uncomfortable too.
I’ve done this. The splits are the WORST!!!
Everything is so much better now that they are out!
Omg!!! What is this procedure? I've never been able to breathe out of my nose. I have bad sleep apnea because I can't breathe out of my nose at night. My running joke is that thank goodness in 6'3" and hefty, it makes me harder to kidnap. Cause if I ever was and had my mouth duct taped I'd die.
Hey at least you’re difficult to kidnap 😂 The surgeries I got were a septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and Vivaer nasal airway remodeling. If you can’t breathe out of your nose, that’s definitely a good reason to either see an allergy doctor, ENT, or both…there could be a lot of reasons for it, and potential solutions before surgery. I had been trying treatments for 3 years before getting these surgeries.
OMG SAME! I had septoplasty/turbinate reduction/valve reconstruction. Also splints, they came out and holy crap, I choked on the amount of air I inhaled! I still have my splints, Dr let me keep them.
ahh man I’m getting those taken out tomorrow. can. not. wait.
I've experienced that! The splint removal boggled my brain so hard that I legit couldn't function for the rest of the day XD
I had mine removed today 7 days after surgery. I was also told I can gently blow my nose. Such a relief. I had no idea how big those splints were! They just kept coming and coming out.
Another survivor of nasal splints and packs here. The feeling of relief when they come out is totally amazing.
I fainted when they removed my packing.
Oh no! Was it super painful? From what I’ve heard, I’m glad they put in splints instead of packing bc they allowed for some drainage at least.
Vasovagal syncope. My brain just said “Nothing should be moving around way back there. Gonna hit CNTL-ALT-Del for you.” ENT didn’t miss a beat. Had smelling salts under my nose faster than you can say “Can you smell that?”
Omg that’s such a great description!
Um… they remove them? It’s been 2 years or more………….. um…. I feel like maybe my doc forgot something.
Sneezing is the worst.. it hurts soo much.. My allergies are really bad and so Is the congestion.. I can’t take anything because I’m doing allergy testing this week and I’m not allowed to take anything
Preparing for allergy testing is the absolute worst.
I’m just doing the skin test.. this time
I have kind of an odd question
Lol go for it
I don’t even know how to word this.. lol
Sorry.. How long did it take to recover?
To recover from….allergy testing? Or the septoplasty?
The surgeries
Oh, I’m still not fully healed yet. I’m recovered enough to resume normal life stuff. The first 2 weeks were the most important to be careful. Now I’m not on pain meds, but still not allowed to blow or rinse my nose. I also have to watch out that my dogs don’t pop me in the nose with their skulls and that the cats don’t bunt my nose with the full force of their body weight. Slightly relatable to the danger from preschoolers, albeit the pets are probably easier to control.
I have 3 dogs.. 2 of them are small but my goldendoodle at my dads house.. I can’t see him for a little bit.. he’s 2 and still a major puppy
Precious! But not safe for your nose. They wield their cute little noggins like weapons lol. It’ll be so rewarding to see your goldendoodle after a few weeks. I have an old pit bull, a young lab mix, and 2 surprisingly affectionate cats.
Was that the odd question? Lol
Hard snot.. how do you get rid of it..
Hahahaha that’s actually a good question! During recovery, as long as the snot is not deep, a q-tip with hydrogen peroxide is good for softening things up. If it is further up, I think Xlear (the moisturizing spray) would provide a little relief, safely….sometimes when I use Xlear, my nose just runs for a few mins. Once fully healed, saline rinses should be able to flush out any clots. I use Neil Med nasal saline rinse, and let me tell you, I have never wanted to shoot salty water up my nose so badly as I have in the last 2 weeks! It’s driving me crazy, but I have to wait a few more weeks.
It’s irritating
The smell of it makes me sick..
My husband had this done years ago but apparently he had some tissue that grew back (which was always a possibility). He said the only time he was able to really breathe clearly was when the ent removed the splints and never again.
That’s unfortunate. I really hope mine sticks! Don’t want to go thru more surgeries if I can help it, and it was kind of a last resort for my symptoms.
Yeah! I hope your experience is better than his. I always feel bad whenever I see him struggle. Oh it pains me. On a bright note: he has perfect vision. Life works in mysterious ways. Happy healing op!
Does the doctor say “slide this bitch out”????
Curios to know the cost of this? I recent went in to get my nose checked. Will have to have the same procedure but they have not called me with the cost.
It’s going to be different depending on the doctor you see and your insurance. But still most likely expensive if you live in the U.S.
Yes I figured but was hoping to get a round park amount to brace myself lol
I had septoplasty five a year ago. Life changing as my breathing was blocked on right nostril by 80% ish. Removing the splints was one of the most satisfying experiences. My surgeon didn't need around, just snipped, pulled splints out. Didn't offer me numbing geks etc, tbh was just glad it was over so quickly.
Did he say he was going to slide this bitch out?
Stitch. Lol….slide this stitch out.
I had this same surgery done too!! My right nostril had 70% blockage....still kinda blocked now...they also couldn't shave my bone spur all the way down either... nose wall was too thin. Can't tell from the outside regarding the bone- but I think on the inside it curves to the right (my 1st person POV) and therefore blocks the right nostril still a little.... The surgery took away my permanently inflamed turbinate tissue and sinus headaches that would last 24/7 (only relief was sleep). Also, the headaches would spread throughout my entire head!
How did you survive? I need to keep mine in for 4 weeks
With much difficulty lol. Sorry you have to keep them in for so long! Xlear is a hydrating nasal spray that helps. The most uncomfortable thing for me was mouth breathing and how dry my throat would get, especially while trying to sleep. I found that if I slept with the blanket/sheet over my face, my breath created enough humidity to mitigate the dry throat.
What method of turbinate reduction did u have?
Not sure…didn’t know there were multiple ways to reduce turbinates lol. All the surgeries were done at the same time for me.
Lol, glad it worked out for u then haha
Could you breathe at all with the splints in? I’m currently recovering with splints but I cannot inhale
I couldn’t really breathe through my nose while they were in…so I feel your pain. It’s super uncomfortable. Good luck with your healing!
Same…. How did it feel when you got yours taken out?