Anyone have experience with deviated septum surgery

I had this surgery Summer of 2010.

I had not only my septum fixed, but my turbinates removed, and my maxillary and ethmoid sinus cavities opened up.

I was out of commission for at least a week, the second week I was functional, but barely.

I used to get sinus infections every 6 weeks like clockwork, haven't had one since, and my breathing is much less labored.

One small side effect is nosebleeds and some headaches as I'm getting used to feeling cold air for the first time inside my sinuses (literal brain freeze?).

The surgery ran me about 3600+, but my deductible sucks.

(You won't be able to do anything that could risk having your nose hit, like basketball for example, for 3 months, btw)

 

For the surgery, you don't know anything, get the Valium upon arrival.
Post surgery really really sucks if you have packing in both sides. It just does, but you will suffer through it.

But now, all the time I lay in bed at night and think, this breathing ***** is great, really a joy to sleep with your mouth closed, and suck wind into the cavernous spaces in your head.

You will pay all your deductible and per centage. I think the day surgery center ended up billing my insurance about $40G's.

 

I had it many years ago (over 35 years), so anything I said about costs would be useless. While it helped with sinus infections, it wasn't the main reason for my problems, which turned out to be allergies (which I found out after the fact, of course). A bad side effect in my case was that I lost most of my sense of smell for over 6 months, with a lesser impact on my sense of taste, which really flipped me out. It was so long that I seriously began to believe that I'd never get it back, but it gradually returned.

Hey, good luck. It works wonders for some folks. Didn't work wonders for me, however.

 

How long does the bleeding last?

 

I had it a year and a half ago, with issues getting worse from a crushed sinus back in college (knee to the face - indoor soccer). Also felt like I had congestion, only could breathe out of one side, and was having big issues breathing well at night. Turns out there was more severe damage than I was told 10 years ago - septum basically knocked out of place, bone spurs, and super enlarged turbinates.

The cost startled me (sort of things where a new $800 bill came along every few days...annoying as hell). We were on the hook for some three grand after insurance.

The recovery was really tough on me - not the pain as much as being driven insane by the plastic tubes/septum wall holders that were constantly clogged with blood...but there was nothing at all I could do to clear them and blowing your nose was an obvious taboo.

Once I got them out, it was heaven. I'm not really 100% - I have a very muted sense of smell, and an odd backdrip that causes me to gag...especially when on runs.

I may go back this year to check on these issues and see if a minor follow up surgery needs to happen, but I am happy I had it done.

 

i always thought about getting it.....until i caught an elbow playing bball a couple years ago......broke my nose and since then i've been able to breathe normal.....so i highly recommend playing bball w/ uncoordinated weightlifting meatheads on roids

 

Funny you posted this. About 5 years ago I had the surgery, and it was one of the best things I had ever done. I was so tired of waking up every morning with my tongue feeling like sandpaper. While they were at it they took out my tonsils as well.

The last week or so it has started to happen again. One nostril has always been stopped up, and at night it seems to get even worse. Blowing my nose constantly seems to do no good whatsoever.

All that said, I'm going back on Wednesday and who knows what they are going to say....I'll probably have to get the surgery again.

Just let me repeat one more time.....it was one of the BEST things I have ever done for myself and was well worth it!!! If you have insurance and can afford it, I would highly suggest it.

Pugs

 

I had this surgery twice in 2009.

To me it has not helped a whole lot. Or at least I do not feel much difference.

Good luck.

 

About 11 years ago, I went to a specialist who told me I have a "moderately deviated septum." I've always wanted to have surgery on it, but never have.

 

It sounds like anyone who visits an ear nose and throat specialist will get the old: "Hey, you need to have your deviated septum surgery done!" advice from such doctor. I did, at least, and it seems that when someone brings up an ENT and their visit, that's always the case. My ENT told me that the surgery you mentioned would fix my snoring and allergies, but I haven't gone back and haven't had the surgery.

In regards to your nose, and especially your nostrils, I learned a while back that you will ALWAYS have one side more dominant than the other, whether it is in using your left hand or right hand to throw. One nostril will always have just a bit more or a lot more difficult to breather and it's nothing to worry about. Now, if they're constantly getting stuffed, if could be a sign of something else. What I am saying is that you may not need it. Having a stronger or weaker nostril may not necessarily mean you have a deviated septum.

It would sound contradictory for me to say to "go to an ENT" to find out your real problem, but it seems that they would be the only ones who would give you at least more choices or more options you could take to fix your problems.

 

Really? I never thought that you would need this surgery more than once. Was there something they needed to fix from the first time?

I've had bad sinus/allergy problems all my life, and I have had about 4 surgeries on my sinuses to remove polyps and poke some holes in there for drainage. I have a mildly deviated septum, but my ENTs have all told me it probably wouldn't help me significantly to fix it. I never knew that you might have to have it done more than once if you did.

 

Good to know I am not the only on with this debate.

I am freaked out about the recovery. The idea of the packing scares me.

Joe Rogan (spelling) has a youtube video on it and he said they used foam rather than bandages and it was much easier for them to remove.

Anyway, good luck, tell us how it is and who your ENT is.

 

Honestly I never thought packing was that big of a deal, especially if you have sinus problems and always dealt with stuffy noses, etc anyway. It was just slightly uncomfortable for me. The worst part is when they take it out as it is a little more uncomfortable, but for me it was like a big pillow and they pull it out in just a few seconds and you wonder how the heck they got that up in there.

 

I used to have 24/7/365 stuffed nose. I fixed it, more or less, with a few different strategies, and I would strongly recommend to anyone considering a few things first before surgery.

Go to an allergy doctor and get tested for allergies to find out what you have. Some stuff like dust and mold is year-round, especially on the Gulf coast. Also, Texas is the worst place in the US to live with seasonal allergies- if you look at an allergy map, several spots in Texas are horrible at any point of the year.

I tested positive for dust and ragweed (and cockle-burrs, which is weird). I'm on zyrtec, which you can get over the counter generic now for $18 a year at Sams or Costco. I'm also on the generic version of a nasal steroid of Flonaise. This stuff really changed my life- I could breathe out of my nose for the first time ever. It was like the above descriptions of the after-surgery, without the pain, recovery, loss of smell/taste, and possible repeat surgeries.

Last year was pretty bad for allergies and my meds weren't helping like they would before. I finally tried nasal irrigation (aka neti pot). I was always resistant to this because it was weird and uncomfortable, but doing it for a few days made me a believer. In essence it washes the allergens out of your nasal mucus tissue. I can breathe even better than I did before 2010, and I don't need my nasal spray most days.

Hope this helps.

 

Stop snorting coke.

 

Nelli-pot - sucks

Neil Med Squeeze Bottle - works great

 

Did anyone try Breathe rights before getting the surgery?

Those things work wonders for me in regards to sleeping etc.

DD

 

When you see your MRI with solid white where your sinus cavities are supposed to be, no band-aid on your nose is going to help.

 

Fixed.