So the ENT doctor told me I have a "severely" deviated septum and I can opt for surgery to correct the problem. Anybody have this surgery before? I drive for a living, will the surgery keep me from working? Any other info would be appreciated. Thanks guys and gals
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deviated septum
- Thread starter fmoore200
- Start date
I have the same problem, but I dont have insurance so surgery is out for me...I can live with it though, it sucks though, was eating ice cream with my daughter last night and it ended up in my damn nose for a second...sucks! Wish I would have made different decisions when I was younger!
Get a second opinion. It sounds like elective surgery, so think twice. My father had it, and it went fine. My wife had it, and it made her life much, much worse--in ways that can't be fixed.
I've always had a badly deviated septum, and it's been furthered by crushing my nose pretty hard; in spite of my enormous honker, it's not possible even to get instruments into one of my nostrils for exam. Still, conservative ENTs have recommended against surgery.
Surgeons cut--it's what they do. Some are more judicious than others. How much does this affect your life? What are the possible consequences? Have you made any lifestyle changes to help with sinus problems--eg, reducing or eliminating mucus-producing foods?
Not saying you shouldn't do it, if it's going to improve your quality of life. Just try to look at it from the perspective of somebody who doesn't do surgeries for a living. Sometimes when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Good luck now matter how you go!
I've always had a badly deviated septum, and it's been furthered by crushing my nose pretty hard; in spite of my enormous honker, it's not possible even to get instruments into one of my nostrils for exam. Still, conservative ENTs have recommended against surgery.
Surgeons cut--it's what they do. Some are more judicious than others. How much does this affect your life? What are the possible consequences? Have you made any lifestyle changes to help with sinus problems--eg, reducing or eliminating mucus-producing foods?
Not saying you shouldn't do it, if it's going to improve your quality of life. Just try to look at it from the perspective of somebody who doesn't do surgeries for a living. Sometimes when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Good luck now matter how you go!
I have a severely deviated septum, as well. I have a very difficult time breathing through my nose, and it is a major contributor to my sleep apnea.
I won't have the surgery, though it's been suggested. I know three people who've had it, and all of them have said the same thing: it's the most painful thing they've ever experienced (including the women who said "even worse than childbirth!"), and none of them experienced any improvements.
My ENT doctor even told me that the surgery has no guarantee of working, and recovery could be three+ weeks.
To go through that much pain and suffering for what amounts to a 50/50 shot at improving my breathing and might even make it worse? Not for me. I use a CPAP for the apnea and I breathe like I always have during the day.
I won't have the surgery, though it's been suggested. I know three people who've had it, and all of them have said the same thing: it's the most painful thing they've ever experienced (including the women who said "even worse than childbirth!"), and none of them experienced any improvements.
My ENT doctor even told me that the surgery has no guarantee of working, and recovery could be three+ weeks.
To go through that much pain and suffering for what amounts to a 50/50 shot at improving my breathing and might even make it worse? Not for me. I use a CPAP for the apnea and I breathe like I always have during the day.
My experience was much different. Did it as outpatient. Came home that evening. Hardest part for me was all the drainage. I had to have tissues with me all the time to catch it. 'nough said ...
Felt bad for 2 or 3 days, turned out over half of the problem was the pain meds. Switched to Tylenol and felt better within a few hours. My pain was relatively low. I've had over 5 kidney stones and the pain in no way even approached that level.
Interesting all the different experiences with the same procedure. So I guess that's my experience and your mileage may vary.
Felt bad for 2 or 3 days, turned out over half of the problem was the pain meds. Switched to Tylenol and felt better within a few hours. My pain was relatively low. I've had over 5 kidney stones and the pain in no way even approached that level.
Interesting all the different experiences with the same procedure. So I guess that's my experience and your mileage may vary.
I had it done 27 years ago ...
post op life sucked for a week...
My daughter had it done 7 years ago
Post of life sucked for a week...
It was very painful for a week at least .. I remember being on percocet during that time so I'm going to say no work....
post op life sucked for a week...
My daughter had it done 7 years ago
Post of life sucked for a week...
It was very painful for a week at least .. I remember being on percocet during that time so I'm going to say no work....
My 2 cents.
My brother had it done when he was in his late teens (he's 46 now).
Part was birth defect, but he also hurt himself several times playing soccer.
It went absolutely fine, he was in pain for roughly a week and after 12-14 days everything was over and no problems ever since.
My brother had it done when he was in his late teens (he's 46 now).
Part was birth defect, but he also hurt himself several times playing soccer.
It went absolutely fine, he was in pain for roughly a week and after 12-14 days everything was over and no problems ever since.
I had the surgery in my teens - I was probably 16 or 17 at the time. Here was my experience:
It didn't involve any external cutting; everything was done through the nostrils. I was awake the whole time, on local anesthesia. I didn't feel any pain during the procedure, but it was uncomfortable feeling the doctor tapping inside my nose, basically chiseling the bone. It did start to hurt a little from time to time, I would just say "ow" and they'd give me more anesthesia. Actually, I felt surprisingly cheerful through it; found out later they'd used cocaine as part of the pain killer.
It hurt a LOT in recovery, though. I was on a pretty heavy codeine prescription that mostly just took the edge off. I had a pair of three- or four-inch long splints up my nostrils, back up my sinuses, and lots of packing and ice. I think it was a couple of weeks before all that came out, if I remember right. If you drive for a living, you won't be able to work with all the codeine.
I still have lots of trouble breathing through my nose and probably also a sleep apnea (supposed to get that tested soon). The surgery improved it a little but didn't solve it totally. I'm not sure how much of my breathing trouble is because the surgery didn't work or how much is because I'm allergic to half the planet and my passages just swell up anyway, regardless of any blockage from my bone structure.
It didn't involve any external cutting; everything was done through the nostrils. I was awake the whole time, on local anesthesia. I didn't feel any pain during the procedure, but it was uncomfortable feeling the doctor tapping inside my nose, basically chiseling the bone. It did start to hurt a little from time to time, I would just say "ow" and they'd give me more anesthesia. Actually, I felt surprisingly cheerful through it; found out later they'd used cocaine as part of the pain killer.
It hurt a LOT in recovery, though. I was on a pretty heavy codeine prescription that mostly just took the edge off. I had a pair of three- or four-inch long splints up my nostrils, back up my sinuses, and lots of packing and ice. I think it was a couple of weeks before all that came out, if I remember right. If you drive for a living, you won't be able to work with all the codeine.
I still have lots of trouble breathing through my nose and probably also a sleep apnea (supposed to get that tested soon). The surgery improved it a little but didn't solve it totally. I'm not sure how much of my breathing trouble is because the surgery didn't work or how much is because I'm allergic to half the planet and my passages just swell up anyway, regardless of any blockage from my bone structure.
For years my dad told me to have the surgery. He had the surgery when I was just a kid. Now that I am in my late 30's I've really started to have issues with sinuses, sleep apnea, weight, etc. I finally did the surgery even though my regular doctor and my allergist did not support the need. I went out of the immediate area and went to an ENT Surgeon in Boston. He was the same guy that worked on my dad. He said it would be a 60% chance that it would improve my life (in other words not as bad as my dad was). I talked about it with my wife and she agreed we should try. After the surgery he told me I was worse than they thought once they got up into my nose, etc. He kept me over night even though the insurance said it wasn't required. The doc said that's how he does things. I'm glad. It wasn't bad; he just wanted to monitor, etc. They took the packs out the next day and gave me some pain meds. I personally, didn't have too many issues and ended up working from home that same week while recovering (software). My only complaint is they told me try not to sneeze. That's hard when you have sinus issues but I figured out how to do it through my mouth. He also had me come back on a regular basis for a few months and he'd go up and clean out/suck out my sinuses. It freaked me out but I swear that was key to the recovery process. The other thing he told me to drink immediately after the surgery while recovering. The fluids just helped to replenish and he told me saline rinses are key. Minimum of 3 per day. I ended up doing it almost every hour for a week. He said the more you can do that the better. That was two summers ago. For the last few yeas, I couldn't even sneeze anymore. I would just get congested that became infections. Now I'm back to sneezing and a runny nose. Sounds gross but it's such an improvement. I still continue with the saline rinses albeit less often and I am breathing & sleeping better. I still use the sleep mask but now it doesn't lead to infections and NO MORE headaches in general. I have even started to go to a gym and have lost 20 lbs. I'm shocked that just having this type of 'elective' surgery worked to help me fix so many different areas. FYI - I stopped the allergy shots. I shouldn't have (even the surgeon said to continue) but I wanted to see how I did during the severe times of the year. Now that my nose is running ... it's been wonderful.
I will say this ... we are all different and there are always those that have a horror story to tell. I really do think it depends on the facility and the person who is working on/with you. Don't be afraid to look around and meet different people. I was going to try at our local hospital. I ended up in Boston at Mass Eye & Ear. There IS a difference.
Those that told me it was painful or had horrible experiences were the ones that didn't stay overnight and were the ones that went to a local ENT at a small hospital. Luckily (this is key) my insurance approved it and I was able to go to Mass Eye & Ear. They even had a discounted rate for my wife to remain in the city overnight at a nice hotel down the road and they drove her to & from (I mentioned she has some health issues).
It really does depend on the person doing the work. If you have it, I would suggest treating it and trying. I say this because it finally got to the point where it affected me in other areas ... which meant I was grumpy, etc. at home. That's NO way to live. Instead of doing what the reg. docs wanted me to do (continued medicinal treatment for a prolonged time) I chose my own route to look at the possible 'structural issues' that were causing the problem (my engineering backround auto-kicks in).
Just fixing a structural issue in my nose has been a wonderful experience.
keept looking around and ask people who worked on them. You will eventually find that there are many that are happy now and had good experiences ... and I bet there's a connection as to who worked on them.
One other thing; the guy that worked on me used some pretty new tools. He's been on the Today Show in the past to talk about it and was in the Boston Globe in the past when he was demonstrating the newer technique and what it allows him to do.
If I can provide any further information, please let me know.
I will say this ... we are all different and there are always those that have a horror story to tell. I really do think it depends on the facility and the person who is working on/with you. Don't be afraid to look around and meet different people. I was going to try at our local hospital. I ended up in Boston at Mass Eye & Ear. There IS a difference.
Those that told me it was painful or had horrible experiences were the ones that didn't stay overnight and were the ones that went to a local ENT at a small hospital. Luckily (this is key) my insurance approved it and I was able to go to Mass Eye & Ear. They even had a discounted rate for my wife to remain in the city overnight at a nice hotel down the road and they drove her to & from (I mentioned she has some health issues).
It really does depend on the person doing the work. If you have it, I would suggest treating it and trying. I say this because it finally got to the point where it affected me in other areas ... which meant I was grumpy, etc. at home. That's NO way to live. Instead of doing what the reg. docs wanted me to do (continued medicinal treatment for a prolonged time) I chose my own route to look at the possible 'structural issues' that were causing the problem (my engineering backround auto-kicks in).
Just fixing a structural issue in my nose has been a wonderful experience.
keept looking around and ask people who worked on them. You will eventually find that there are many that are happy now and had good experiences ... and I bet there's a connection as to who worked on them.
One other thing; the guy that worked on me used some pretty new tools. He's been on the Today Show in the past to talk about it and was in the Boston Globe in the past when he was demonstrating the newer technique and what it allows him to do.
If I can provide any further information, please let me know.
Crap. I had a huge reponse typed ... and I forgot to post it. So instead this response is shorter and more to the point.
For years I was growing increasingly miserable. Headaches (pressure), infections, etc. I started to suffer bad apnea and was just miserable. I was so miserable sometimes that I was short/ mean with my wife. My dad had it done on him when he was a kid and he kept telling me you gotta do do this. Even my mom was pushing me and saying go to the guy that worked on your dad.
My wife is suffering from health issues now. I knew I had to do something so that I could support /care for her. So I asked my regular doc & allergist what to do. They wanted me on my continued/prolonged medicinal treatment. I've seen the damage that can do (my dad has issues from prolonged use of prednisone).
I opted for the surgery and went to Mass Eye & Ear in Boston. My insurance was willing to cover it. I spoke with someone on the phone and she said that my record shows I'm constantly being treated for infections, etc. She said as far as BCBS in concerned ... a structural fix may be just what's needed.
She was right ... I haven't needed allergy meds in two years. I haven't had much issues with asthma in two years. I am now sleepign better, I'm happier, more energy, no headaches, and I've since joined a gym and lost 20 lbs.
My wife is relieved I did this and so am I. It really does make a difference.
There are always people with horror stories. I did a lot of interviewing. I met people at holiday parties at other friends' homes and they would share their experiences. Those that had issues were the ones that had it done as 'outpatient' at their local hospital.
The majority of those that had good experiences were linked. They all went thru a place such as Mass Eye & Ear where they specialize in this. I even found that they all had it done by the guy that worked on my dad. I went to this guy and he said you have a 60% chance so he couldn't suggest it. He said it was up to me. I liked him and I trust my mom & dad who had to live thru the same thing.
This guy used the latest techniques & tools. He's been on The Today Show in the past to demonstrate and is a published author on the subject.
Some things to note ...
1. he kept me overnight even though the insurance isn't a fan of that. He said he does that for all surgeries and he's willing to fight the insurer.
2. he told me to drink, drink, drink afterwards to replenish
3. he packed my nose with these 'tampon-esque' things. he said those work better and pull out easier than the old fashion gauze
4. he told me the more saline rinse I could do the better. He wanted minimum 3 per day. I did almost every hour for a week after
5. for a few months after he would have me come back & he'd clean out/suck out my sinuses (weird / freaky but after the first time you realize just how good it is).
I'd be happy to provide more info. I really do think it depends on who's doing the work. I took the whole week off and was ready to be laid up miserable. I ended up spending the week in the recliner (they dont' want you to lay down for a few days) and ended up getting more work done from home (software) vs. being in the office. Luckily, I work for a guy that recognized that effort and told me not to claim the full time off.
I know each situation is different but it's been a huge 'life changer' for the better.
The engineer in me kept saying to myself it's got to be a structural issue (think pipes) vs. the continued need for medicinal treatment.
Let me know if I can provide any further details.
For years I was growing increasingly miserable. Headaches (pressure), infections, etc. I started to suffer bad apnea and was just miserable. I was so miserable sometimes that I was short/ mean with my wife. My dad had it done on him when he was a kid and he kept telling me you gotta do do this. Even my mom was pushing me and saying go to the guy that worked on your dad.
My wife is suffering from health issues now. I knew I had to do something so that I could support /care for her. So I asked my regular doc & allergist what to do. They wanted me on my continued/prolonged medicinal treatment. I've seen the damage that can do (my dad has issues from prolonged use of prednisone).
I opted for the surgery and went to Mass Eye & Ear in Boston. My insurance was willing to cover it. I spoke with someone on the phone and she said that my record shows I'm constantly being treated for infections, etc. She said as far as BCBS in concerned ... a structural fix may be just what's needed.
She was right ... I haven't needed allergy meds in two years. I haven't had much issues with asthma in two years. I am now sleepign better, I'm happier, more energy, no headaches, and I've since joined a gym and lost 20 lbs.
My wife is relieved I did this and so am I. It really does make a difference.
There are always people with horror stories. I did a lot of interviewing. I met people at holiday parties at other friends' homes and they would share their experiences. Those that had issues were the ones that had it done as 'outpatient' at their local hospital.
The majority of those that had good experiences were linked. They all went thru a place such as Mass Eye & Ear where they specialize in this. I even found that they all had it done by the guy that worked on my dad. I went to this guy and he said you have a 60% chance so he couldn't suggest it. He said it was up to me. I liked him and I trust my mom & dad who had to live thru the same thing.
This guy used the latest techniques & tools. He's been on The Today Show in the past to demonstrate and is a published author on the subject.
Some things to note ...
1. he kept me overnight even though the insurance isn't a fan of that. He said he does that for all surgeries and he's willing to fight the insurer.
2. he told me to drink, drink, drink afterwards to replenish
3. he packed my nose with these 'tampon-esque' things. he said those work better and pull out easier than the old fashion gauze
4. he told me the more saline rinse I could do the better. He wanted minimum 3 per day. I did almost every hour for a week after
5. for a few months after he would have me come back & he'd clean out/suck out my sinuses (weird / freaky but after the first time you realize just how good it is).
I'd be happy to provide more info. I really do think it depends on who's doing the work. I took the whole week off and was ready to be laid up miserable. I ended up spending the week in the recliner (they dont' want you to lay down for a few days) and ended up getting more work done from home (software) vs. being in the office. Luckily, I work for a guy that recognized that effort and told me not to claim the full time off.
I know each situation is different but it's been a huge 'life changer' for the better.
The engineer in me kept saying to myself it's got to be a structural issue (think pipes) vs. the continued need for medicinal treatment.
Let me know if I can provide any further details.
It really affects my sleep. Even though I haven't done a sleep study, I am fairly sure it has caused a sleep apnia. It's nearly impossible to breathe through my right nostril
Yes, it definately is a contibuting factor to sleep apnea. If you are even mentioning sleep issue then you most likely have apnea. You know. If you drive for a living this is not good.
I have a sleep machine. I fought it for a couple of years but finally had the surgery and gave in and tried the machine. I've since learned what it's like to sleep (and actually dream again). I have lost weight and feel so much better.
Definately get that sleeping issue looked at. The overnight tests suck, but a good sleep technician will help and put you at ease.
Need more info; just yell. I'm 40 and love my machine (as does my wife) so many less health issues.
Funny. I had the same experience. The only thing I didn't like about the whole experience were the pain meds. Instead I did the saline rinses and used Tylenol for a week.
Ok. It's nice to hear that not everyone had a terrible experience. The pain killers will mean I will have to miss work, so I will likely have to wait until January to plan any surgery.
I live in NYC, so I'm thinking that finding a good ENT shouldn't be too hard.
I live in NYC, so I'm thinking that finding a good ENT shouldn't be too hard.
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