Septoplasty done

jackr · Post by **jackr** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:15 pm

Jeff,
Are you really sure you want the splints out? I cant tell.

I guess it will be like an early birthday present!

Will there be immediate results as far as breathing goes when the splints come out? Or is it just a comfortability thing. As I said way back when when I got mine, there were no splints involved.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:19 pm

They really aren't that uncomfortable, but they do restrict your breathing and you whistle when you breath thru your nose with them in. Also all sorts of nasty blood clots and strange looking stuff up around them.

Also, I'm just weird and don't like foreign objects in my body. O.K. I've made peace with the pacemaker. After all it's been 21 years with it so I've learned to ignore it for the most part, but strange pieces of plastic up your nose is another thing.

Today is the best day so far, so I do think I'm recovering OK. I just want it all to be better NOW....you can understand that can't you JackR?

JeffH....LOL

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:21 pm

Here's what I've got up my nose, I guess...

erik67 · Post by **erik67** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:38 pm

Jeff,
That's about the size of them.
The memory is very vivid, as I just had my splints pulled out today.
The splint removal was mildly unpleasant, but not really painful. The clean out (with the Vac-o-matic 8000) was very unpleasant, but again not really painful.
Went home with another moustache bandaid unre my nose due to some minor bleeding (now if that's not a step back...)

I have to admit some disappointment - I can now breathe out of my nose (yay!) but am still fairly congested. I was really hoping for a "WOW - that was really worth it!"; instead, my MD says that some congestion is normal after removal of the splints, so I have to wait a bit longer to find out exactly how much improved my breathing is...

One piece of advice - get some sort of nasal irrigation system and start using it. A neti pot, or one of the brand name syringes (I use neilmed, but there are others). It made the cleaning go much better, and it is helping to wahs out some of the congestion that I have now.

So hang in there - I am eager to know your experience after splint removal. Right now, i have to go blow my nose......

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:13 pm

[quote="erik67"]Jeff,
That's about the size of them.
The memory is very vivid, as I just had my splints pulled out today.
The splint removal was mildly unpleasant, but not really painful. The clean out (with the Vac-o-matic 8000) was very unpleasant, but again not really painful.
Went home with another moustache bandaid unre my nose due to some minor bleeding (now if that's not a step back...)

I have to admit some disappointment - I can now breathe out of my nose (yay!) but am still fairly congested. I was really hoping for a "WOW - that was really worth it!"; instead, my MD says that some congestion is normal after removal of the splints, so I have to wait a bit longer to find out exactly how much improved my breathing is...

One piece of advice - get some sort of nasal irrigation system and start using it. A neti pot, or one of the brand name syringes (I use neilmed, but there are others). It made the cleaning go much better, and it is helping to wahs out some of the congestion that I have now.

So hang in there - I am eager to know your experience after splint removal. Right now, i have to go blow my nose......

frapilu · Post by **frapilu** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:00 am

I'm so lucky to have BOTH of you scouts running ahead & reporting back for me. I wish I were having my septoplasty sooner than the end of April but Canadian wait times for health services are long.

My doctor has warned me that it'll take a good 2-4 weeks after the operation where I'll be having progressive improvement on congestion. So I'll keep hoping to hear from you guys on that.

France

erik67 · Post by **erik67** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:36 am

My doctor has warned me that it'll take a good 2-4 weeks after the operation where I'll be having progressive improvement on congestion. So I'll keep hoping to hear from you guys on that.

I wish that my MD had told me that. I would not have expected as much relief after he removed the splints. I will say that today I am a bit less congested, but it sounds REALLY funny when I blow my nose (my 5-yo daughter thinks it's hilarious). Also have much more energy today.

I tried to wear CPAP, and it was too difficult due to congestion. Wife exiled me to the guest room again

I think that if improvement keeps up, I'll be breathing even better in a few days. I did have a brief moment while shoveling snow yesterday where I breathed in and felt a brain freeze

I'll keep you posted. Good luck tomorrow Jeff! Let us know how it went.

jackr · Post by **jackr** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:45 pm

T-Minus 1 day till the splints come out and counting!

Yes I can understand that you want them out NOW. Nothing like some instant gratification.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:52 pm

jackr wrote:T-Minus 1 day till the splints come out and counting!

Yes I can understand that you want them out NOW. Nothing like some instant gratification.

Ain't it the truth!....LOL

frapilu · Post by **frapilu** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:23 pm

Erik67,

How does your blowing your nose sound funny? Can you describe it? I'm trying to figure out if my 51-year-old husband (who often acts like a 5-year-old ) is going to be laughing at me after the surgery.

France

erik67 · Post by **erik67** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:29 am

How does your blowing your nose sound funny? Can you describe it?

It seems that although I'm congested, that when a blow my nose A LOT more air is coming out than before (encouraging! ). It makes the insides of my nares vibrate, causing a noise a bit like letting the air out of a baloon. However, having just blowed my nose as I was writing this, the noise seems to be subsiding.

If your husband has the mind of a five-year-old, he'll likely make fun of your "moustache bandage"; my 5-yo daughter called me "Daddy band-aid nose"....

Anyway, I think that the strange noise will go away as my nose heals. I'll keep you posted.

Erik

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:53 am

hey jeff, sounds better every day!

i saw my sleep doc. yesterday for my first 6 week check up and we both came to the conclusion that deviated septum seems quite probable ...i have an app't with an ent coming up, and i was wondering if someone could enlighten me as to what is actually done to fix it

thanks

sharon

frapilu · Post by **frapilu** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:38 am

Erik67

Thanks. I hope it subsides. I hadn't thought about the moustache bandage but you're right, I'm sure he'll enjoy that

Thanks
France

frapilu · Post by **frapilu** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:44 am

Guys,

It just occurred to me but could the pressure you need for CPAP be different after septoplasty? My doctor didn't say anything about it but the idea just popped in my head.

I've just called my RT and she says that yes, it could change. We've agreed that about a month or so after my septoplasty, I'll get my GP to write me a prescription for an APAP trial (my CPAP is only a CPAP) so we can check it out. Awesome! That would be great!

Just FYI.

France

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:38 pm

Well, I just got back from the splint removal. My God, what a difference! I can finally BREATHE!!!!!!

Anybody who has a deviated septum and is on cpap should get the septoplasty surgery if at all possible. I just went upstairs and put my old Adams on and what a difference. I've lowered my pressure to between 11 and 14 and will see how that does for a while.

Erik, I don't have any problems with my nose being congested.

I did notice when I was waiting for the Doc to show up that he graduated from medical school in 1966, so he's been doing this a LONG time. I think I got a really good Doc. He told me not to blow my nose for a week and that he didn't need to see me again.

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