My Rhinoplasty Journal

I am 24 years old and have been wanting a rhinoplasty for as long as I can remember. I had many issues with my nose (cosmetic issues that is). I needed bump removal, bridge narrowing, tip refinement, and my nose needed to be lifted. So, deciding to go through with the surgery was not hard for me at all, the hardest part for me was picking a doctor. I went to several consultations…I think 5 in all. Some doctors didn't give me the time of day when I went in for a consultation, or weren't personable, or something, so it makes it easier when one really sticks out at you as the right doctor. The doctor I choose, Dr. W, spent a lot of time with me initially. He first told me about himself, his experience, and then he asked me what I wanted changed about my nose. Once I told him, he agreed with me and added that my nose needed to be lifted b/c it pointed down when I smiled. I felt very comfortable with him from the get-go so I knew he would be a safe bet. This does not mean that I did not double check to make sure that he was board certified b/c I did and you should too! Abms.org!

The months before my surgery felt like years! I was so excited! I did so much research and learned as much as I could about how to prepare, what to expect, etc. My surgery was on the Friday before Thanksgiving, so I took off the whole next week. Surgery day finally arrived and I was finally nervous instead of excited. I knew that was bound to happen at some point! I got to the office, had to do a little bit of paperwork, I did my pre-op stuff before my surgery. I was dreading getting the IV put in, but really it wasn't bad at all. Once that was done, I was ok. My anesthesiologist came in to meet me…he listed to my heart and said I was nervous. Uh…yeah. Before long, I was given some sedation medicine and was rolling to the surgery room. It was actually held in an outpatient hospital. The surgery took only 1.5 hours….I went to the first stage of recovery and was only there for about 30 minutes. Then they moved me to another room where I was able to get something to drink and see my family. My boyfriend and mom were with me during this whole thing by the way. The nurses said that I came out of the anesthesia very well…said that most people who do that really wanted the surgery. I was definitely one of those people. I did take a pain pill while I was still there. I had to remain at the hospital for about an hour and then I got dressed and they wheeled me to the car.

Surgery Day - Back at Home
Once I got home, I got into bed and immediately started putting cold compresses on. I tried a lot of different things, but what worked best for me were the eye covers that you put in the freezer for a few minutes. Other people say peas worked for them, but I found them too heavy. I actually did really well on surgery day. I could already tell even with my splint on the difference in my nose so I was already happy. I didn't sleep very much at all that day but I was lying down, elevated of course. I ate some soup and was all about some smoothies that day too! I had little to no bleeding after I got home also. I think I changed the drip pad maybe 3 times total. I also could breathe out of my right nostril today, which I didn't expect. I never had any pain, its just uncomfortable to have that splint on your nose and to constantly be blindfolded because you have cold compresses on.

Day after Surgery
Saturday was by far my worst day as far as how I felt and looked. I hadn't been nauseous at all until Saturday morning and before I knew it I was sick. I'm not sure what happened. I did try to sit up and watch some TV for the first time, so maybe that is what happened. I took my nausea medicine and was pretty much out for the rest of the day.

Recovery Period
On Sunday I was feeling much better, but my bruising was still bad. It was never terribly bad, but my face was very swollen and I had bruising mostly around my eyelids and between my eyes. I did take the SinEcch pills, which I think helped a lot. Monday I decided to stop taking my pain pills and I started feeling much more like myself. I was able to go out in public and get my hair washed which was fabulous! I hate going one day without washing my hair so that part of the surgery was not fun. On Tuesday I also got out and about and I didn't really notice myself tiring easily like most people said. On Tuesday, however, I did start to get a sore throat. I hardly slept at all Tuesday night partly due to my throat and partly due to my excitement about seeing my nose for the first time (cast removal on Wednesday).

By Wednesday, I woke up extremely excited b/c I was getting my splint/cast off today. However, when I woke up my throat was horribly painful. I thought I had strep throat or something. I went to see Dr. W to get my cast off and asked him about my throat. He said that it could be from the surgery (I guess from the tube they put down your throat or from drainage since you can't blow your nose) and that I should go see a doctor because it looked infected. So, I did and the doctor prescribed me some antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. My sore throat lasted for about 5 or 6 days.

My Results
When the cast was taken off I was extremely thrilled to say the least. I thought my nose looked fantastic. It was so much smaller, the bump was gone, and it was lifted so it didn't point down when I smiled! I was especially happy that I was going to get to go to Thanksgiving with all of my family with my new nose!

Depression Sets In
I had read about how people after surgery go through depression. I didn't understand how this could be because at first I was so excited and happy with my results. Well, about a week after my cast was removed, I noticed a small bump forming on my nose again. I tried to tell myself that it was just swelling and to give it time, but I knew this was going to bother me. Over time, I am now a little more than 3 weeks post-op, the bump has become more noticeable and more pronounced on one side than another, which makes my nose look crooked. My nose is now asymmetrical and I have raised scars on the sides of my nose because I had an open rhinoplasty. I am not happy! I have consulted with my doctor about this and he said that a revision rhinoplasty might be needed, but we wouldn't know what my nose was really going to look like for another 5 or 6 months and for me to just be patient. Patience is not a strong characteristic I possess in case you were wondering!

People's Reactions
I only told a few people about my surgery and they noticed the greatest difference. My boyfriend I think is the most shocked and happy with the outcome. I also got my hair cut kind of different (on purpose) so most people notice that instead of my nose, which worked like a charm. A lot of people didn't recognize me at first! Some people noticed a difference, although they weren't sure what it was. Some of my family didn't even notice. So, really you will never know what kind of reactions you will get.

3 Weeks After Surgery
I would say this was a good experience. I am not completely happy with my results and may one day have a revision rhinoplasty (with a different surgeon, who specializes in revision rhinoplasty), which scares me to death because it is so much more complicated. I would recommend to anyone considering this surgery to go to somebody who SPECIALIZES in rhinoplasty! I think that my surgeon is excellent at breast augmentation, but not so skilled at rhinoplasty. Surprisingly, I don't think that this surgery has changed me in the least bit. I don't feel as though my confidence as changed, maybe a little, but overall I am still the exact same person. My nose does look a million times better than it was to begin with, so I am trying to be happy about that, but that is hard after I think about the money I have spent and that I might have to do this whole process over again.

3 Month Update
Patience is definitely the key to this particular surgery. I am almost 3 months post-op now. I love the front view of my nose because my tip has gotten much smaller than it was shortly after the surgery and looks so much better. My scars are no longer noticeable either, except for the one under my nose (between my nostrils) which no one can see. I can see small changes on a regular basis. I still do have the bump that formed after my cast was removed which may require some revision, but my surgeon keeps telling me that it will go down in time. I will not be able to see the full results for up to a year. Overall I am pleased with the results as of now. I would say that the biggest difference is that when I catch a reflection or a profile of myself in a mirror I don't immediately cringe and curse my nose for being so ugly. I just don't obsess over something so trivial anymore. When I am getting ready in the morning, I am not constantly thinking about how I want to get my nose fixed. It is a very freeing feeling. People are still commenting that I look different and asking if I did my makeup differently or something…I just smile and say yes! Nobody can pinpoint exactly what it is that is different. My face looks much more balanced, my nose is no longer a huge distraction, and I feel like an attractive person now. I would definitely recommend getting this procedure done to someone who is considering it.

Good luck to all of you!!

Anonymous