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Septoplasty and turbinate reduction (Page 1)

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January 9th, 2009
Hello - I'm a newbie here. I just had septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery this past Tuesday (1/6/09) and so far (I guess), so good. Just looking for similar experiences, etc.

Post op was HORRIBLE; on a scale from 1-10 - I was in 11 pain. OMG - I thought having to pass a kidney stone of 4+ millimeters was rough, but this tops the cake for me. Thank goodness my ENT pulled the "tampon like" packing out immediately after the surgery so it wouldn't adhere to the inside of my nose and it relieved a bit of pain. I still have lots of dissolvable packing inside which seems to come out little by little here and there.

I used to get migraines prior to the surgery; but nothing like I've experienced over the past few days - WOW! I've lost 6 pounds in 3 days because I haven't had an appetite. Pain meds given to me just don't even touch the severe pain; but slowly, as each day goes by, I heal a little and feel a tad better.

I just really hope this surgery helps! This is my third "sinus" surgery; I've had two previous endoscopic surgeries (2003 and 2007) to open passage ways by previous doctor - but when that didn't help for the second time, I thought it was a good time to find a new ENT - and surely enough, after my CT scan, and before I even gave the images to the new ENT - I could tell my septum was crooked (just wonder why my previous dr. didn't pick that up - but, oh well.); and actually didn't even know I had "turbinates" until the new doc advised me that really only one interior was functioning (one extra large; other extra small). But, whatever - I just hope this helps in the long run. I was so tired of "being tired" - between my sinuses constantly having issues and my allergies, it was not pretty. I constantly had bags under my eyes, as if I didn't get enough sleep (when I had plenty).

So anyway - I'm now in my fourth day of recovery and still have nasal drip, although I took the "drip pads" off cuz I was getting red marks on my cheeks from the tape. Now i just carry a box of tissues. I can't sleep for more than hour, for some reason and it sucks. But I'm plenty well rested it seems.

Had my first cup of coffee today in 5 days (OMG! - lol) - it didn't taste like it did on Monday, that's for sure! It actually tasted burnt, almost? Today I can smell (yesterday I couldn't). Couldn't feel my nose yesterday; today I definitely can and it's sore and hurts! But I'm a tough cookie and will get through this - I just am excited to get well!!

PS: I wanted to add that since the surgery, I've had a continuous ringing in both ears also. From what I've read, all of my post-op symptoms are normal ones. And another odd thing to add is that I've been dreaming some crazy, bizzare stuff! I don't know if it's the pain meds or what? The roof of my mouth is numb. My teeth feel like I've been punched in the mouth a few times... Oh, I'm sure I could continue on listing stuff that's bothersome to me right now... but I won't bore you!

To all whose experiencing a similar recovery - be well!! party
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First Helper reasonableadult
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Worrywart57
replied May 3rd, 2009
Re: Septoplasty and turbinate reduction
If I had read this posting before my operation I would have been scared. I thought I would write to reassure anyone who's contemplating having this done, that it doesn't have to be so painful. I had these procedures six days ago and had little or no actual pain from them. When I came out of the anesthetic, they offered me pain killers and I said I didn't need them. I have used minor painkillers, mostly at night. The only thing that really bothers me is that my nose is still so swollen that I can't breathe out of it, which is, of course, why I had this surgery done in the first place. Hopefully this will get better soon. The doctor said it would take a couple of weeks, and six weeks for best results.
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mugra
replied August 5th, 2011
This is much more in keeping with my experience too. Just be sure to check out your surgeon before any surgery, the recovery is not pleasant, but not horrible either.
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recovering2012
replied February 23rd, 2012
Thank you for posting this because I did read the previous entry before my procedure and it did scare me but your reply was very reassuring. Having one week down after the operation I am feeling pretty good. The pain the first night was not as bad I imagined (like having a really bad cold and your nose is dry and burning, totally tolerable) but I got basically no sleep. That was the worst of it and it wasn't terrible. The packing removal did not hurt and it actually felt like a relief because the pressure was gone instantly. I have had no excessive bleeding, crusting or pain. Nose is a little achey and runny. Saline rinses 3-4 times a day are hugely helpful. The 3rd-5th days I did have those painful headaches, like altitude headaches, but take your pain meds and rest. The operation does wipe you out and the painkillers slow down your digestion. It helps to eat a good diet afterwards. Helps with the healing, digestion and your energy level. Your totally functional and could go back to work if you had too. Overall this was not as bad as I expected and the results so far are great. It pays in your recovery to find a great surgeon.
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MMike
replied March 16th, 2012
deviated septum and turbinades(sp)
My son is actually on his second day after surgery, the packing has come out and he is still draining and extremely stopped up. He described last night as the worst of his life and the pain 10+
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Eriny99
replied January 31st, 2013
Oh jeez. I get this done in March. I'm completely freaking out. I'm only 17, and all of the posts I have read are different. Either they didn't feel anything or it hurt like heck.
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Mommy90210
replied July 5th, 2009
I am a week post op from this surgery, and had some intense headaches between my eyes as well, but bled and had to have my nose packed. I still cannot smell, and I am doing saline rinses. I have experienced extreme fatigue, and it has taken me alot longer to recover my energy than I thought it would. Also still feel dried up and dried out in nasal passages. Sure hope I can smell again soon. I had a top notch ENT do my surgery. I used pain meds, but whoa- had hydrocodone, and it made me drugged out. Got to the tylenol only for pain phase asap due to the fear of taking the pain meds.
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elizabethannebullock
replied April 22nd, 2012
septoplasty and turbinate surgery
hi my son has had this op 4 days ago and he cant yet sniff up so is still blocked with blood.
also he has developed a sever pain in his eye socket above where the surgery was done. he is so scared and wont go back to hospital but is it normal?
help anyone its so worrying for him and me. thankyou also any tips as to how to get the clogged bllod out? what kind of salt should he use? also his septum still looks bent and he can still see his swollen nasal gland
hi is so distressed and suicidal as he had sinusitus for 6 months before very sacredly going to have this op
thankyou please reply
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maja8990
replied July 18th, 2009
septoplasty & turbinate reduction
I am thrilled to have found this site! I just had the surgery on Wednesday, July 15, and it's July 18 now. I only had to take one of the hydrocodone pills the first night. Agreed - totally drugged out feeing and I wanted nothing more to do with that! Using the extra strength Tylenol rapid release gels seemed to do ok on Thursday and Friday. Today, I haven't taken any pain meds at all. My one side is open and I can spray the saline solution all the way through so it drains into my throat. My other side is totally closed up - I can't breathe or get the saline spray up there. Is this normal?? I am afraid it didn't work!
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topspinmark
replied July 20th, 2009
Septoplasty
I had septoplasty on May 20th and the interior of my nose still does not seem to be healed. Occasionally there is still some blood. More annoying is the fact that there constantly seems to be phlegm at the back of my throat. Han anyone else experienced this?
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Users who thank topspinmark for this post: ClaireS69 
Gurumurthy
replied February 2nd, 2012
phlegm throat
yes i had septoplasty surgery on 12 jan 2012 and i have same issue what u experienced could you please advise me why it happens?
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jkrups
replied January 4th, 2013
septoplast and turbinate reduction november 2012
i had septoplasty and turbinate reduction done in november. i feel worse then i did. my left side that was clear is not blocked but always now has build up and and my right side still is not clear and feels constantly like it is blocked. so far after two months not hapy with the surgey. hopefully this magically changes otherwise it was not worth it
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summergirl9909
replied August 3rd, 2009
Had my septoplasty and turbinate reduction on July 31, 2009. It is three days post op and although I really didn't have any pain, I can't stand the extreme congestion and swollen nose. My head feels like a bowling ball. I had to get a saliva substitute from the store to put on my tongue because my mouth was so dry I could not sleep at all the first night. I've had a lifetime of congestion/stuffy head etc. which is why I got this surgery, but NEVER have I had it this bad--throat drainage and packed sinuses. I want to blow my nose but am not allowed to (I did a couple of times however, very gently, I have the urge to but it really doesn't help anyway.) I have no packing and no stints so I guess I am grateful for that. I have hope for a clear-breathing life that doesn't always involve taking prednisone, but as of today, I almost wish I didn't get it done. I hate to say that, but the trapped and congested sinuses and drainage is just unbelieveable.
Surgery was a breeze and I am grateful that I have no pain. I just hope that I can soon breathe at least a little out of my nose!
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SeptoplastyLady
replied August 23rd, 2009
Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction Surgery.
It was the best thing I EVER did. I cant believe how much better I can breathe. I dont know how I ever survived before the surgery. It was more painful than I thought. But then every person is different. My nose was very tender for about six weeks after. I didnt have any headaches or congestion but couldnt sleep well during the recovery. The worst part about the whole thing was when they removed the splints from my nose. It was almost unbearable, it took everything to hold back the tears. Despite this, I would do it over again. Well worth it.
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summergirl9909
replied August 23rd, 2009
Septoplasty/turbinate reduction Post Op Three weeks~~
Wow, I am hoping to be able to say the same thing, Miss Septoplasty Smile Three weeks post op and I can tell that all swelling except for the uppermost part of my nose has gone down. I am getting more nose breathing and less mouth breathing which is really wonderful. I don't know how people are able to sleep with their mouths open, I was so extremely dry.

I appreciate the post and I hope that I can say the same thing. I teach small children and I am hoping that I have a year of less sinusitis, sinus infections, and asthma. That would be truly amazing.

Good luck to all future septoplasty people.
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ClaireS69
replied August 26th, 2009
Re: Septoplasty
topspinmark wrote:
I had septoplasty on May 20th and the interior of my nose still does not seem to be healed. Occasionally there is still some blood. More annoying is the fact that there constantly seems to be phlegm at the back of my throat. Han anyone else experienced this?


Yes I am
I had the operation in May, it is now August and I am still bringing up stringy phlegm from the back of my throat (especially mornings)
Have you had any luck researching about this?
I am still waiting for my post op consultation ( staff shortage means I wont get one until September!)
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xelfer
replied October 1st, 2009
Just had the septoplasty and a uvulectomy 4 days ago. My uvula had a benign growth making it abnormally large and blocking my throat. I have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (severe: 75) and while surgery will never cure me or get me off CPAP, the hope is that the machine can be turned down from "hurricane" to "breeze."

Pain for the things they operated on was manageable - even without drugs. Pain for everything else? My tongue must have been clamped to my face because there are sores on the tip - feels like it was dried out too. My front teeth are sore, probably from the spreader to open my mouth for the uvulectomy.

Right now, the breathing tubes the ENT left in are plugged. I rinse them with saline, but they plug right up within minutes. The chapped lips aren't fun either.

All in all, the surgery parts seem OK and my recovery seems to be pretty speedy.
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nickinu
replied October 27th, 2009
Hey everyone,

I had a septoplasty and turbinates reduction on friday 23rd October, my god was i in pain!!
I was kept over night at the hospital, not that i slept much (and still don't) because my mouth dries up almost instantly and it wakes me up. I had my nose packed during surgery and had them taken out the following day, one of the most uncomfortable feelings ive ever experienced lol it felt like they were pulling my brain through my nostrils!
Apart from the pain and feeling exhausted all the time im still glad ive had the surgery, i just hope its worked well, im looking forward to being able to breathe properly again Smile

Ive also being having some bizzare dreams since the surgery, not quite sure why!
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Frog154
replied November 14th, 2009
Experienced User
The bizarre dreams are to do with oxygen flow, couldn't tell you exactly how but the more problems you have with it the crazier and more odd ball your dreams are (they'll make little sense, as if you're drunk in the dreams). I should know because my breathing is really bad and when I dream they're always unintelligible.
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ShannonSimpson
replied January 28th, 2010
My reaction to the septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery
I had the septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery 4 days ago and I'm in pain but not killer pain. Got the splints taken out on day 2. Was fast and they came right out - anyone reading this please do not agonize over the doctor pulling those out because it is not worth the anxiety you'll put into it. It is nothing. Really.

Starting to wonder when I will taste or smell again but it's only been 4 days (it is Thursday night and I got this done Monday morning).

I'm bookmarking this sight to come back at the end of this weekend.
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sammir
replied February 2nd, 2010
Surgery Feb 4, 2010
I am scheduled to have this surgery on Feb 4th (Thursday)for some reason I am really worried about this surgery. I have had others (gallbladder/breast reduction etc), but didn't have the nervousness as I do this time. Any suggestions or need to know info would be most welcomed. My doctor says he uses splints only and does not pack the nose, which I hear is much less painful, however, I still have butterflies. ~~~Sammi
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bloodface
replied February 3rd, 2010
S + T
I had my septoplasty and turbinoplasty yesterday. The pain was pretty intense post-op (they gave me two shots of fentanyl and one shot of dilaudid after I awoke, and it still didn't cut the pain - but I also have an extremely strong constitution). My nose, forehead, and front teeth are sore, my nose and lips are swollen, and I am having general headaches. Outside of this the congestion and inability to get mucus out is the most unbearable of them all. My nose is fully clogged, and I can't do anything about it. The breathing through the mouth deal while sleeping is pretty crappy, yeah.

What I'm curious to hear about (and I doubt I will) are people's follow-ups to their original posts. Anyone else here care to come back and give us an update on your condition?
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Frog154
replied February 3rd, 2010
Experienced User
I'd be interested to hear if you FEEL better as in not just smell and stuffiness but if you generally feel better after going through this. I've heard some people it improves their sense of smell and their breathing space but not their quality of life :/
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bloodface
replied February 7th, 2010
Well, I'm now finishing 6 days since the surgery, and the pain has finally abated. It essentially went away yesterday. I started using my neti pot to irrigate my sinuses yesterday, and while I'm not supposed to blow my nose, I did do a very subtle, very easy blow to get out all the mucus, etc. What came out was 4-5, well, for lack of a better term, nose poops. They were huge chunks of what I'm guessing was dried blood chunks. It definitely loosened up my nose, and I had less of an issue with a totally congested nose.

It's also worth noting that I did not follow the doctors advice to just use the little nose strap to keep gauze against my nose to catch all the drainage. It was totally unrealistic. I instead just rolled up little wads of toilet paper and put them in my nose, and changed them every once in awhile. After I did my neti pot, I had a wholly different nasal drip experience, and it almost subsided. I decided to sleep without the little TP wads in my nose last night, and my nose really dried out. Today, it's definitely brought back some pain. The inside is now really dried crusty hard like glass snot, and it's poking into my membrane, but I don't know where the splints begin and end, so I'm not trying to remove them. I get my splints out on Tuesday morning, So I'm just living with it. I also put the wads back in, so that has helped. I also live in MN, and we have a house with an air leak problem, so it's REALLY dry in here. We purchased two brand new, well-reviewed humidifiers, and it has helped, but it is still dry in here.

At this point, I won't be able to tell much until I both get these splints out, AND I'm allowed to fully blow my nose. I haven't been getting headaches, all the swelling is essentially down, and the only pain that remains is the gum between my two front upper teeth. My smell has been affected, but it has gotten better over the last day.

I'll report more after I get my splints out on Tuesday.
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happysurgery2010
replied February 9th, 2010
Hello...I just had my septoplasty and turbinate surgery three days ago and unlike many of you I was blessed with no pain or any of the other complications mentioned...no bruising, headaches, teeth problems, and etc. The only complaint I have is the stuffiness...I feel like I have a very bad head cold (but can't do anything about it). Other than that, I barely bled and felt no pain after coming out of general anesthesia. I am so thankful that I had an amazing doctor who spared me the pain.

With that said, my mouth has been really dry and I do have a hard time sleeping (because of the stuffiness and fear of injuring myself, i.e., my automatic response to blow out a stuffy nose in my sleep)

I'm now looking forward to a full recovery...being able to blow my nose and breathe freely, on both sides of my nose instead of just one!!!! One thing that was NOT RECOMMENDED BY MY DOCTOR but I found to be helpful is the use of sterile Qtips. What I did to help clean the blood crusts from the outermost of my inner nose is I put a couple drops of my sterile saline solution on the tip of the Qtip (don't let the tip of the saline bottle touch your Qtip) and I GENTLY wipe and clean the crusts from my nose. I found that this not only clean out my nose (only outer part...please don't go too deep and injure yourself) but helps prevent dryness and crusts from nasal drip from forming.

Hope this helps...happy recovery everyone Smile!
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bloodface
replied February 14th, 2010
So, I am nearing 2 weeks post-op, and I'll throw out some observations.

My breathing is stellar. I can't remember EVER breathing like this, even before breaking my nose 9 years ago.

My swelling finally went down about 4 days ago, and the pain finally subsided in my teeth.

My nostrils are still sensitive.

I'm still getting these white/dark yellow, very long snot strands that do not seem to want to come out of my nose, but I can see them hanging out in back.

Like I said, I've been using my neti-pot, and then lightly blowing my nose afterward to remove the stuffs. The other morning, I got up, and blew my nose, maybe a little too hard. Nothing came out. Later on that day, I blew my nose lightly again, and a ton of stuff came out of my left nostril, and it was full of dark blood. I blew one more time, and a ton of bright red blood came out, and one of my stitches came out as well. I had previously lost another stitch the day before.

Part of the problem is that I had this surgery in Winter, in Minnesota, and I live in a house with airflow problems, so it's constantly dry in here. We have good humidifiers going, but it doesn't seem to help much.

Right now, the biggest problem I have is air sensitivity. It simply hurts to breathe in air, inside or out, but especially out. I'm really hoping this gets better.
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tlgrace
replied February 14th, 2010
Hello everyone. My husband had septoplasty on Thursday, February 4, 2010. After surgery he had a lot of pain, pressure and headaches. His physician did not use packing, but did use the large nasal splints to keep everything aligned while the septum healed. He was scheduled to have the splints removed on January 10th, but due to an impending snow storm, they moved his appointment to January 9th. The nurse actually removed the splints, and the process was so painful that he almost passed out in the chair. I had pre-medicated him with 2 vicodin tablets, but even that didn't prevent the severe pain that caused him to lose all color in his face and become diaphoretic (cool and clammy). A nurse practitioner came in to check on him after a few minutes, and she reported that his septum looked "good" and straight. I asked her if they had only cut into his left nostril during surgery, because he definately experienced more pain and pressure on that side. She stated that they cut into both sides of the septum. When we got home I took a light and gently looked into his nose. There is an obvious incision in the left nostril, but absolutely no incision or mark in the right nostril. I think maybe the NP didn't know what she was talking about, and was hoping that someone who has had the surgery could tell me whether their physician cut into one, or both sides. As of yesterday, January 13, 2010, he continues to have pain, particularly on the left side of his nose, along with headaches, and occasional bloody mucous that he spits out. In addition, he remains very congested despite the frequent use of saline nasal spray and continuous use of a warm air humidifier in the room where he spends most of his time. Has anyone else had similar experiences? I continue to check his nose daily, and have begun dabbing neosporin on the inside of his left nostril where the incision is to try and help it heal and keep it infection free, but I remain concerned. The physician is a great guy, and I believe he did a wonderful job, I just don't know what to make of all the ongoing symptoms since we weren't able to see the doctor the day he went back for his post-op visit. The next scheduled visit is March 8, 2010, but I was hoping someone could give me advice until then.
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elizabethannebullock
replied April 22nd, 2012
has anyone had eye pain after this suregery
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