Any one had a nose job..?

[dooleysm]

Oh go get it done aleardy. You know you need it. Sleeping upright in a chair is not a way to live. Look my mother badly needed he knees replaces since she was 70 years old. She's now 80 and her life is severly diminished becasue she jsut would nto go in and do what she knew she should do. Be smarter than my mother will you please?

tomnu56 had a really good suggestion "one trick fill a latex glove fingers with crushed ice and lay the filled fingers down along side your nose just tape the palm to your far head." I laughed when i first read it thinking how comical that would look but then I thought about it and though, hey that's a pretty good idea. I bet that would really work great. Jsut being able to ice it down you know is going to go very very far in reducing pain and swelling. I'm a huge beliver in applying ice to a trauma site. It sure worked when i broke my toe. Jsut one more comment about that. When I broke my toe our son was in boy scouts and he went and got me ice and said, "Mom it is really going to hurt bad at first when you put the ice on it, but just don't take the ice off in a little while it will feel better" He learned that in boy scouts and ws he ever right. it did hurt really really bad when I put the ice on but after a few minutes it really really helped. The ice made it tolerable.

Good luck to you, I wish for you in a short time, a good solid nights sleep.

Rox, my great aunt had bad knees in her 80's and decided she just couldn't deal with it. I don't remember if she had one or both knees done at the same time, but an infection set in and killed her. Some of these common surgeries get riskier as we get older. I've had an aunt and an uncle get both knees replaced and they both did fine, but they were in their 50's, not 80's.

My great aunt thought the risk was worth it, but if you ask my widowed great uncle, he'd certainly disagree.

 

[DocHeb]

my wife was telling me the other night about a friend of a friend type deal that had had sugery on his sinuses...

There's a useful, helpful, friendly post for a comrade 1 week post-op...

 

[firefighter9208]

Had my sinus surgery one year ago. I was having 8-10 infections a year. I've had 2 since the surgery, both related to other illnesses. It took almost a year for the swelling to go down in the left side of my nose. Now I can breathe freely from both sides. First time I can do that in my life (36 years).

In my personal opinion it was the best thing I've ever had done. Don't get me wrong. That first week or two was h#ll. The splint removal was the worst. And flushing out my nose with saline water was bad, but now it's all worth it.

D7E, hang in there. I have a feeling that you'll be glad you had in done before long.

Chris

 

[Alan L.]

After my surgery I started irrigating my sinuses with saline/backing soda in warm water, using a special adapter for my waterpik. You should have seen the huge blood clots I got out of there after about a week. They were rubbery and had multiple legs on them. Kind of looked like a big old burgundy octopus.

I continue to do the irrigation every morning - 16 oz of warm water with a teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of baking soda. Feels great. Surprisingly soothing. I also do it after mowing, and usually get all kinds of logs and boulders out of my nose. Funny how plain water hurts like crazy, but mix the salt/baking soda and it feels great.

I've had much less trouble with my sinuses since the surgery. Pretty sure I have not had a sinus infection since then, and before surgery I had chronic infection. CT scan showed all my sinuses totally full. Haven't had a CT since, but I assume it would be fine now.

I still have allergies and take monthly shots, but the irrigation really helps that too. Keeps the pollen and stuff cleaned out of my nose.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

what does this irrigating device look like?

After my surgery I started irrigating my sinuses with saline/backing soda in warm water, using a special adapter for my waterpik. You should have seen the huge blood clots I got out of there after about a week. They were rubbery and had multiple legs on them. Kind of looked like a big old burgundy octopus.

I continue to do the irrigation every morning - 16 oz of warm water with a teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of baking soda. Feels great. Surprisingly soothing. I also do it after mowing, and usually get all kinds of logs and boulders out of my nose. Funny how plain water hurts like crazy, but mix the salt/baking soda and it feels great.

I've had much less trouble with my sinuses since the surgery. Pretty sure I have not had a sinus infection since then, and before surgery I had chronic infection. CT scan showed all my sinuses totally full. Haven't had a CT since, but I assume it would be fine now.

I still have allergies and take monthly shots, but the irrigation really helps that too. Keeps the pollen and stuff cleaned out of my nose.

 

[dmccarty]

...
My great aunt thought the risk was worth it, but if you ask my widowed great uncle, he'd certainly disagree.

My grandfather had both knees done years ago. I guess he was in his 60's or 70's. He was never the same after the surgery. No way to prove it but he started having strokes soon after the surgery which we think were related. Another family member has bad knees and their DR said to stay away from knee replacement as long as possible.

Once upon a time cable had a channel that showed surgeries. I saw a knee replacement done and it was like they were sawing 2x4s with a rcip saw.

As always research the surgery before getting it done.

Later,
Dan

 

[Chuck52]

My older sister, who's about 66, has had both knees done. She was getting to the point where she couldn't get around at all. She's much better now. My older brother had one knee done last year. He hikes and gets around fine, now. He had a number of other health problems before the surgery, but had no unexpected ill results. Dan, I wonder if your grandfather might have had problems either because years ago the surgery was not done as well as today, or perhaps because years ago the recovery was usually followed by a longer bed rest period, possibly leading to problems with clots and such.

Chuck

 

[DocHeb]

Anyone that is considering elective joint replacement surgery nowadays should look into the "bone-sparing" surgeries such as the "Birmingham Hip Resurfacing" and the "ConforMis iUni" knee resurfacing procedures. These procedures greatly reduce the amount of bone removed during the surgery, give faster recovery periods, and leave enough bone so a replacement procedure can be done if needed in 15-20 years.

 

[dmccarty]

Dan, I wonder if your grandfather might have had problems either because years ago the surgery was not done as well as today, or perhaps because years ago the recovery was usually followed by a longer bed rest period, possibly leading to problems with clots and such.

Chuck

I'm sure its done better today than 10-15 years ago. My grandfather never really gained much mobility from the operation and some/all of it was his fault. He just did not do the PT like he was supposed too due to the pain. The DR that did the surgery was a specialist and was supposed to know his stuff. My grandparents lived in a fairly rural part of NC but the area had a large population of elderly. The local hospital brought the DR in to do this kind of work. At least that is my understanding.

For whatever the reason I think the surgery was likely a waste for my grandfather. Hard to tell since we don't know what would have happened if he did not have the replacement. But he certainly did not gain much from the surgery. Not blaming the Dr or the replacement at all. Just for Gramps it did not seem to work. And that might very well be because he did not do the PT as directed.

What is sticking in my head from a talk with my mother who just did some research and asked her Dr. was that this surgery can lead to strokes for some reason. Don't know if that is true or not, so research and ask the Doc. My moms doc said to wait until the replacement is absolutely required. Which seems like good advice.

DocHeb, thanks for the pointers!

Later,
Dan

 

[D7E]

Well 3 weeks gone since surgery.....A big difference now as the right side (That was the best anyway) Is perfect...Left side is different day to day and still aint doing much ,Got the feeling back in the lip but my top front teeth still feel weird.
A second trip back to the doc revealed as i suspected a sinus infection which antibiotics don't seem to be clearing and still bringing up a blood clot some mornings,Scabs and stuff are all out now and i think at this point i see the improvement ...If the sinusses finally cooperate.
Had a little set back a few days ago as starting my sons quad for him he swung around an butted me in the nose with his helmet on......(F#(K) i can't describe how that felt ....Doc wants to keep an eye on the sinusses though may have damage from 15 years of ignoring it but i'm starting to see a difference and the air ways definateley are better..?
Have to admit i'm a light smoker too but had none for 12 days after but had no irritation...Considering docs told me smoking was fine after 24hrs...???????
The only advice i can give is be prepared for that first 24hrs, You have to train yourself to breath/eat/drink differently and it does hurt with sneezing being your worst enemy as the pressure has no-where to go..???????????....BTW ..i'm 33.