Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction

MEDICAL ADVISE

I haven't been able to fully breathe out of one nostril for the past several months. I got an allergy test done and negative. Tried various otc and prescription allergy meds with little to no effect. I thought maybe it was just chronic sinus infections, but nope. My recent CT scan shows a slightly deviated septum and enlarged turbinate soft tissue.

My ENT’s prognosis is to do the septoplasty and a turbinate reduction. It’s an outpatient surgery, but is definitely invasive. I’m looking for medical advise’ and am curious if anyone has ever gone through with it? Or taken other measures.

Gracias Amigos

 

You guys are a trip.

I’m really not sure what caused this. I have eaten a few punches in younger years through boxing. Maybe that?

I am pretty positive that I’ll opt for the surgery. Just wanted to gather input from multiple sources and make an informed decision. I know a few ppl on here have discussed having this done before - e.g. pumpmaster.

 

^ is that what you had?

I must’ve mistakenly read your previous comment, because the septoplasty I’ve been recommended is a different method than the balloon I believe.

 

I just want to breathe normal agayne

 

I’m about to give some very long winded insight on the septoplasty and turbinate reduction op I had done last Monday. I see it as useful medikal advice in the event that anyone is ever recommend this surgery or is thinking about getting one done. P.s. this is gonna be a book, so brace yourselves.

Background:
I’ve always had issues breathing, so I may be one of the unlucky many who are born with a slightly deviated septum. I’ve taken several punches to the nose and also played many contact sports in my youth, so that alone is certainly another conributing factor.

Your septum and turbinates are two small parts of you’re nasal anatomy, which in whole, is comprised of highly complex structures that serve a multitude of different, yet very vital functions. The nasal septum equally separates your air passage ways between left and right and is made of thin bony cartilage with layers of mucosa covering it. The are three different pairs of turbinates, sausage like pieces of soft tissue and bone that protrude into the back of your nasal cavities. The turbinates serve the purpose of moisturizing and humidifying air, they give you you’re sense of smell and they allow for the physical/ psychological recognition of the air that you breathe etc.

For the greater part of the last year, maybe year and a half I (thought I) was having chronic sinus infections. It was sporadic. But typically following a surf I would worsen. My nose would get almost completely stuffed up one or both sides and in turn I would have difficulty sleeping, low energy, head pressure, etc, etc. Not until this winter did it ramp up really bad; to the point where I knew I had to seek medikal advice. Constant headaches and breathe right strips every single day were the norm. I knew after a marathon surf sesh I would be done for.

Medikal advice:
Long story short I saw two different docs, had an allergy test done (negative) and was prescribed various nasal decongestants to no avail. I eventually got sent in for a CT sinus, which showed exactly what was wrong internally. According to the doc, my CT showed that my inferior turbinates (bottom pair of turbinates) were hypertrophic, i.e. very enlarged, and also the septum was slightly crooked.

Enlarged turbinates and or a deviated septum can completely or partially block the nasal passage ways. When the turbinates are aggravated they become vascular. Mine were enlarged from unknown irritants/ deviated septum and would completely fill up one nostril, thus giving off that stuffy feeling. Having a deviated septum alone, is enough to agitate the turbinates and cause them to become randomly engorged. The only thing that gave me true relief was Afrin... which is fantastic, but it’s a devil in disguise. I think overuse of it may have further contributed to my complications. If you are a person who responds well to afrin, there’s a 99% chance that you have hypertrophic turbinates like me.


Pre-Op:

So now my doc tells me I need to have a septoplasty and turbinate reduction operation. Doesn’t sound fun right? In essence he says it is an endoscopic surgical procedure that will ultimately straighten out my septum and reduce the size of the turbinates. (This is purely functional, the septum straightening is not used for physical changes.) I’m thinking that it can’t be that bad. I’ve had multiple surgeries for broken bones, wisdom teeth removed, etc... Well I did my homework and learned it would not be fun. I learned that it requires general anesthesia, is highly invasive and involves a semi-rigorous recovery. I also read of horror stories. If you get a chance, look up “empty nose syndrome”. It’s probably one of the scariest medical conditions known to man. It produces the constant feeling of suffocating, and there are no cures. So I spent my last day prior to surgery mentally preparing myself for death. I was negatively psyched out. Fortunately, I went snowboarding that night before to take my mind off things.

Procedure:

Time is set for 9am Monday morning. No food or drinks after 12am the night before. My buddy drives me to the surgical center and I’m kind of anxious from everything I’ve read and researched... They get me linked up on an IV, I get some Tylenol 3 and then it’s a waiting game. 3 hours pass and I’m finally seeing my doc. When I see him I pour my heart about my fears, particularly the empty nose syndrome (ens), but he reassures me he has never had any complications like that and he’s done 100s, 1000s of these surgeries with success. If he hadn’t reassured me well enough, I was ready to rip that IV from my veins and walk right out the door.

I finally get taken back to the surgical table, lie down and before I know it my lights are out from the anesthesia. Roughly two hours pass, they introduce me to the reversal agent and I wake up with my legs shaking, in pain, liquid in my chest and absolutely no airway in the nose. I was kind of freaking out. After a few moments to collect myself and figure out what was happening I got really scared. It wasn’t even the pain, but the psychological anguish of feeling claustrophobic in my own body. The liquid in my chest and no nasal airway FREAKED me out, as my only way to get air was through my mouth. My surgical staff was phenomenal. They gave me meds to calm down and lessen the pain, removed my nasal packing and 45 minutes later I’m wheeled out and driven home. I was incredibly nauseous the rest of that day, had a lot of facial pain in the nasal area/ mouth and could not breathe though my nose at all. It was rough. I’m fortunate to have a girlfriend who is a nurse. She was my only saving grace and helped me with everything I needed that day and the next. Like I said before I’d been through the ringer already with surgeries, but this was another beast.

Post-op:

I’m getting bored with writing this so I’ll try to keep it brief.

Expect to take off a full week off from work or more. I’m young and my body bounces back quick. So a week seems to be a decent enough time for me.

Day 1: Miserable. Can hardly breathe. Nose is swollen. See doc and get junk removed from nose and feel amazing for 5 minutes. Go home, rest all day, vegetate and feel awful.

Day 2-3: Extremely miserable. On couch or in bed all day. No air through the nose at all. Swollen. Constant irrigation with a neti pot. Saline solution rinse. Saline gel. Pain. Nasal pain, gum pain, mental pain. Pondering the reason for my existence and losing hope fast. Finally on that 3rd night I start getting airway and I’m stoking hard. Kind of like a doggy door barrel, not a clean exit, but amped on the coverage nonetheless.

Day 4: I’m day 4 post-op now and what a whirlwind it’s been. I have been able to breathe out of both nostrils all day, give or take a few moments, but I’m finally starting to see the light. The things coming out of my nose are unholy, but it’s a huge relief. The journey is not over, but I’m really looking forward to my final improvements, which may be weeks away.

I would never in a million years do this if I didn’t need it and I would never recommend it unless you are affected everyday with breathing problems like I was. I can tell that it is already going to increase my quality of life and it will all be worth it in the end.

I’ll post back with more info. as I progress. Yew!