Septoplasty op experiences

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So after suffering from one nostril being blocked for the last 12 months, I'm due to have a Septoplasty operation to correct a deviated septum with the hope that I will be able to breath better through my nose (using post nostrils).

Went for the 'pre-assessment' today, the nurses took my height,weight, blood pressure, blood and checked for MRSA etc - All good.

Iv been told that as operations go its pretty simple and it will be done under general anesthesia.

It would be good to hear if anyone else has had this operation done or had general anesthesia, and what there experiences of it were?

I'm slightly anxious as iv never had an operation or had general anesthesia for that matter.
 
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I've had GA twice, both times it was the old "count backwards from 10", I normally get to around 6 and then it's lights out.

You wake up seconds (hours) later and what's done is done. A bit surreal at first and a little cloudy like being slightly hungover I suppose.

It's like having a really good sleep which appears to last around a second or so, at least that was how I felt and the way I experienced it.
 
i had it done years ago, broke my nose in a motobike accident and also had a deviated septum,
the worst part was when they pulled the huge tampax like things out of your nose afterwards :o
i was ment to go back and get my broken nose fixed at a later date but never got round to it
 
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Yea same here. Twice been under. Fairly straight forward. Apart from one time where I made it to zero... Then was still awake after about 30seconds playing with the heart monitor by holding my breath. They ended up flushing it through with some liquid that was ice cold. Felt it going up my arm to my shoulder and towards my heart. Then I was out.

Closest thing to describe it was the matrix when Neo gets consumed by the liquid metal/ silver stuff.

Hope I haven't scared you. All will be fine :)
 
I was mugged like a baby.

Didn't think I was getting the GA injection before entering the room so when I was getting an injection while someone asked me some random questions I didn't see it coming and was out before I realised it. However now you know you will be extremely suspicious and will expect it.

*whups, different operation but still
 
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I had my nose fixed when I was about 16. Same as you, blocked totally down one side.

I hate to say it, it was a terrible experience. They wadding they stuck up my nose (basically into my brain) to stop the bleeding was uncomfortable. Then, when they pull it out (full of crusty gunk).. O M G... It was like having the insides of my skull pulled out of my face.

Imagine all the hairs on the side of your nose being yanked out slowly, continually for about a minute.

The end result was good for breathing, but my nose is definitely less comfortable than it used to be, and has bothered me for years.

Would i have it done if i had the choice again? Yes, because I was young, and it was affecting my sport, but if it was now (33 years young) I would steer well clear.

Good luck with the OP :)

In terms of GA, don't even worry about it, its a total non-event. Waking up can be fun though. I said some odd stuff and was VERY grumpy for a few hours (not like me at all)
 
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I've had GA loads of times that I actually look forward to it now. If you tell them you're really nervous they will often mix an opioid with it to space you out. It's a wonderful feeling if they do that. As soon as it hits your brain you couldn't care less about anything.
 
Malt_Vinegar said:
I had my nose fixed when I was about 16. Same as you, blocked totally down one side.

I hate to say it, it was a terrible experience. They wadding they stuck up my nose (basically into my brain) to stop the bleeding was uncomfortable. Then, when they pull it out (full of crusty gunk).. O M G... It was like having the insides of my skull pulled out of my face.

Imagine all the hairs on the side of your nose being yanked out slowly, continually for about a minute.

The end result was good for breathing, but my nose is definitely less comfortable than it used to be, and has bothered me for years.

Would i have it done if i had the choice again? Yes, because I was young, and it was affecting my sport, but if it was now (33 years young) I would steer well clear.

Good luck with the OP :)

In terms of GA, don't even worry about it, its a total non-event. Waking up can be fun though. I said some odd stuff and was VERY grumpy for a few hours (not like me at all)
Click to expand...

Exactly the experience I had...the packing they do to the nose (unless it has changed) and the experience of them pulling it out is enough to not go through it again!!!!
 
GinG said:
the packing they do to the nose (unless it has changed) and the experience of them pulling it out is enough to not go through it again!!!!
Click to expand...

i didnt find it painfull, i just didnt realise how long the packing/Tampax thing was, it just kept on comming out... lol
 
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I had it done a few years ago. The op itself was fine the bit I remember most was walking about for over a week with a makeshift bandage under my nose like a mustache to keep collecting the fluid that was running out of my nose while it healed.
 
Had it done few years ago. Didnt solve my problem :(
And to make matters worse for me... Also caught c diffacile (hospital bug) which turned a one day in and out operation into a 2 week stay in isolation and then being "chucked out" after being deemed no longer infectious and being unable to walk unassisted for a week as 0 energy. Chase farm hospital is a filthy hell hole.
 
I've spent all day giving people GAs.
You have nothing to worry about, it's a very common and safe procedure.
 
Had a septoplasty and rhinoplasty, all went fine.

GA was not a problem, had the count down from Ten, remember telling the anesthetist that i felt it rushing into my head, then i was out.

Woke up fine, not confused or anything. didn't have wads up my nose, had a string thing that tied around the back of my head and placed under my nose. caught all the blood dripping out.

didn't have to stay overnight, could leave the same day. Was a bit dizzy, but generally ok.
 
Also had a septoplasty rhinoplasty. Had Dr. Andrews at Royal ENT London and he did a fantastic job.

I would 100% say man up and get it done, but be under no illusions it's hell on earth.

The OP itself wasn't so bad, nobody could possibly say they enjoy GA with a straight face but it's really very safe these days.

The days after the OP were horrific, I couldn't go home the same day as I wouldn't stop bleeding. Had two black eyes and blood and mucus streaming out of my nose for about a week afterwards. Face was swollen as can be and I just felt like someone had kicked the **** out of me basically.

A year on and I can breathe properly which is a wonderful feeling (I'd had a deviated septum most of my life but never bothered to fix it) and the bump on the ridge of my nose is gone, which makes me far more attractive and much more confident.

Do it, but having friends/partner close by in the coming days will really help.
 
I've had a septoplasty. My nose was blocked down one side.

I woke from the GA with a very nasty bout of sickness, and for some reason, every time I tried to sit up, I would sweat profusely, and start vomitting. They gave me an anti-sickness shot after that, and I felt better. If I got GA again, I'd tell them that so that they did it straight away so I wouldn't suffer the nasty effects.

I didn't feel any pain when they removed the packing, just a weird feeling like someone was pulling a HUGE bogey out of your nose. The consultant came to visit me in the ward after the op, and told me that they had removed a LOT more bone from my nose than they had intended, and they had removed as much as they could without changing the shape of my nose. :eek:

Some weeks later, I blew my nose, and a massive piece of packing came out covered in mucus. That was weird.

As for recovery, I used a salt water spray to flush my nose out twice a day as instructed by the nurses, and 6 years later, the nostril has healed back the way it was, and I can once again not breathe out of it again. Weirdly, the bone has grown back in a large bump which is still blocking my airway on that side.

I had two weeks of slight diziness when trying to concentrate on a screen and a bit of vertigo, so I'm not sure if I want to go through it all again.
 
I had it done 4 weeks ago.

I stayed in overnight and had the bandages removed the next day.

Pretty painless apart from the removal of the bandage thing they stick up your nose, after that expect 2 weeks off work, I stretched it to 4 weeks:p

Once home you just need to be careful and take all the prescribed medication.

Expect your sense of smell and breathing to improve greatly.
 
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I had Septoplasty many years ago. I don't remember it being that bad. Worked well for me. breathing much improved. From the point of accident that caused the problem I've suffered from sinus. The Septoplasty has no effect on that. The Sinus might be co-incidental with the original injury. Who knows.
 
I had septoplasty rhinoplasty about 3 years ago, absolutely GO GET IT. I use to box a lot in my teens so my nose was a bit of a mess repeatedly, never really thought about it until I was in my early 30s and a GP mentioned I could get it sorted. I was worried on the run up to it but honestly it was a breeze. Was home within 3 hours of going in and with two weeks off, first one was mostly sleeping and watching daytime TV, second week I was spent on my gaming PC having a blast - hey you have to take it easy, doctors orders :D

Breathing has improved immensely as BeachBOYken has said. Can't recommend it enough.
 
had it done myself a few years ago.
looked a bit messy for a while, black eyes and swelling but does settle.
 
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