Deviated septum repair- experiences?

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Anyone had it done?  

 

I'm considering this for myself, though my symptoms aren't awful.  I snore, I have a hard time blowing my nose, and for the last few years, I've been getting a sinus infection each winter (the main reason why I've decided to consider a repair).  

 

Were you glad you did it?  Was the difference big?  Did your nose shape change? (I'm ok with that last one, lol)

 

 

[Lanny]

I'm not positive that is the surgery I had done. It was in 1999. I would go, every year or so, to our E.N.T. doctor, to get my ears cleaned. She was never happy with my nose, but I didn't understand why. Finally, I asked her, "what don't you like about my nose?".  She sent me for Xrays (?) and then I submitted the request for surgery to the medical insurance we had then (I think like a PPO in the USA).  They approved the surgery. When I went to the Anesthesiologist, the M.D., also a woman, told my wife and me the problem I had could lead to heart problems, if not corrected.  It was out patient surgery and the recovery was very fast. Again, I am not positive it was a Deviated Septum or if it was something else. She removed a small piece of cartilage, which my wife said that she (my wife) took to the lab in the hospital. I had thought (assumed) before the surgery, that she was just going to rearrange something, so when my wife told me that the surgeon had removed something, I was *very* surprised.  My E.N.T. doctor was happy with my Nose after the surgery. That, and the LASIK surgeries, were the quickest surgeries to recover from, although the LASIK surgeries were done while I was totally awake and able to cooperate and during the Nose surgery I was asleep and unaware.  I am not aware of a big difference, and as far as I know, my nose looks like it did before the surgery.  Unless the Sinus infections are frequent and horribly painful, I probably would not have surgery for that, however, if you have what I did, where the Anesthesiologist said the problem could cause Heart problems, that takes it to another level entirely.  I suggest you go to another E.N.T. doctor for a 2nd opinion. The PPO we had required a 2nd opinion before approving surgeries and they required an office visit with the Anesthesiologist, before surgeries, which I believe is a wonderful thing. 

[ashfern]

My husband had it done as a teen. As usual for most of his procedures then, they didn't fix it correctly. He still can't breathe through his nose properly. I am pushing for him to be evaluated but he's resistant.

[busymama7]

My husband had it done when he was about 21. He's very glad he did. However, he had had his nose broken and so it was a problem for that. I'm not aware of reasons to do it otherwise.

We were dating at the time and recovery was easy. :)

[Elizabeth 2]

I had it done at 17 due to breaking my nose often. It was wonderful. I could breathe. I finally could taste food! The recovery at that point consisted of getting up to use the restroom, eat easy foods, drink water, take pain medication, start a show and pass out for three or four hours. Rinse and repeat for four days. By the end of a week I could go back to work, and was only taking mild pain relievers at night. Definitely worth it.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Thank you for the replies so far!  Mine has been deviated for a LONG time... but not sure if it's from a broken nose or a congenital deviation.  I'll talk to the doc about the pros and cons!

[Pronghorn]

I haven't had surgery for my chronic sinus problems. I do a daily neti pot, though, and that has helped enough that I don't think I'll risk the surgery.

[Lady Marmalade]

DFIL had it done a few years ago. 

 

At first it seemed like there was an improvement, but now it's almost like he didn't have the surgery.  Snores, snarfles, breathing through the nose isn't right, etc. 

[AngieW in Texas]

It was life-changing for my dd. She was sick all the time. She constantly had her sinuses running down her throat. She had NEVER in all of her life, had a runny nose. That was at 16yo.

 

When the doctor saw her scan, she said that one of her sinuses had probably never been able to drain at all.

 

The surgery was really difficult for my dd because of her medical condition. Her skin and mucous membranes don't heal properly, so it took a full year for her to stop coughing up blood.

 

Before the surgery, she would be miserably sick for 2 weeks, on-the-mend for another week, then nominally ok for one week and then fall right back into being miserably sick again. Nothing worked for her: no pain relievers, no antihistamines, nothing. She also became highly allergic to steroids.

 

Since the surgery two years ago, she has been sick for a total of about 2 weeks. That's compared to being miserably sick for at least 2 weeks out of every month before the surgery. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

My husband had it done as a teen. As usual for most of his procedures then, they didn't fix it correctly. He still can't breathe through his nose properly. I am pushing for him to be evaluated but he's resistant.

 

I recently took my teen to an ENT and he said there are surgeries that might work out for my son, but they do not perform surgeries like this on teens because they aren't done growing and it just doesn't work out. 

 

So that might explain it.  Might....

[HSmomof2]

Dh had it done when he was 29 for chronic sinus headaches and infections. It didn't help him at all. He still deal with chronic congestion and sinus headaches. The surgery didn't do any harm, but it didn't help either.

[Lady Florida.]

Anyone had it done?  

 

I'm considering this for myself, though my symptoms aren't awful.  I snore, I have a hard time blowing my nose, and for the last few years, I've been getting a sinus infection each winter (the main reason why I've decided to consider a repair).  

 

Were you glad you did it?  Was the difference big?  Did your nose shape change? (I'm ok with that last one, lol)

 

I had it done 10 years ago but had put it off for a good 15 years before that. Afterwards I couldn't believe I waited so long. I can breathe through my nose, which is something I was never ever able to do to any real extent before the surgery. It didn't change the shape of my nose though I wouldn't have been sad if it did. 

 

 It was one of the best medical decisions I ever made for myself. 

Edited November 20, 2016 by Lady Florida.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

My brother had it done because his nose had been broken, maybe more than once, and he suffered from sinus infections and snoring.  It did change the shape of his nose, it is slightly wider, and has no bump, and is straight.  It's not something you would notice if you met him.  It helped him sleep much better (which helped his wife sleep much better, lol). And, I don't think he gets sinus infections anymore.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Thanks for all the information!  It's amazing what a wide range of experiences people have had with this!!!  

 

I have only seen my GP about this so far, and he says it's "very deviated".  I have a referral to a ENT and perhaps I'll get some clearer information from him!  

 

I am a mouth-breather, and it would be nice to NOT be!  

[DawnM]

My friend had it done.  She couldn't really talk well for a couple of weeks as they had her nose all plugged up.

 

I have a deviated septum, but I am not pursuing getting it fixed.

[kroe1]

I had it done because of chronic sinus infections, almost daily. It was life changing. I have had an occasional cold since the surgery 30+ years ago, but never another sinus infection. I had one nares that was completely obstructed, if I remember correctly. There was a few days of massive swelling and really black eyes. I did not need pain medicine, though. Within a few weeks, my nose looked exactly the same as it did before surgery.

[Barb_]

I recently took my teen to an ENT and he said there are surgeries that might work out for my son, but they do not perform surgeries like this on teens because they aren't done growing and it just doesn't work out.

 

So that might explain it. Might....

Yeah after a tonsillectomy, my daughter was told by her ent to return after she was 18 to have her septum fixed because the growth plates wouldn't close until then. She had a very good experience and an easy recovery--much easier than the tonsillectomy.

 

You asked about the shape of her nose. Em doesn't think she looks any different but I think she looks a lot less swollen across the bridge of her nose under her eyes. The bump is still there but she seems more slender through the bridge. The ent said that her septum deviated 90 degrees in one direction and then turned back 90 degrees in the other direction. She feels so much better now that it's fixed.

 

ETA The swelling I mentioned was before the surgery--likely caused by continual sinus pressure and irritation

Edited November 20, 2016 by Barb_

[Barb_]

I had it done because of chronic sinus infections, almost daily. It was life changing. I have had an occasional cold since the surgery 30+ years ago, but never another sinus infection. I had one nares that was completely obstructed, if I remember correctly. There was a few days of massive swelling and really black eyes. I did not need pain medicine, though. Within a few weeks, my nose looked exactly the same as it did before surgery.

With today's surgical advances, there was zero swelling or bruising. I was amazed. She just had it done this past summer.

[mom31257]

I had it done 4 years ago. I had been having sinus infections and even nose bleeds. In surgery they found I had a tumor on my septum, which was blocking the entryway to the sinus cavities on the entire right side of my head.

 

The surgery and recovery were easier than I expected, mostly Neti pot rinses. I had hardly any pain. It didn't bruise or change my nose at all.

 

Because the biopsy taken during surgery was not clear, I had to have another biopsy in the office, and it was benign. I had to have an MRI to check for other tumors in my brain because of the kind of tumor and to see if it extended beyond my septum. I had another surgery to remove the rest of it.

Edited November 20, 2016 by mom31257

[Jan in SC]

My dh is having this on the 30th, so I'll update about his experience. I'm hopeful that it will really help.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Jan in SC

[Tap]

I'm not positive that is the surgery I had done. It was in 1999. I would go, every year or so, to our E.N.T. doctor, to get my ears cleaned. She was never happy with my nose, but I didn't understand why. Finally, I asked her, "what don't you like about my nose?".  She sent me for Xrays (?) and then I submitted the request for surgery to the medical insurance we had then (I think like a PPO in the USA).  They approved the surgery. When I went to the Anesthesiologist, the M.D., also a woman, told my wife and me the problem I had could lead to heart problems, if not corrected.  It was out patient surgery and the recovery was very fast. Again, I am not positive it was a Deviated Septum or if it was something else. She removed a small piece of cartilage, which my wife said that she (my wife) took to the lab in the hospital. I had thought (assumed) before the surgery, that she was just going to rearrange something, so when my wife told me that the surgeon had removed something, I was *very* surprised.  My E.N.T. doctor was happy with my Nose after the surgery. That, and the LASIK surgeries, were the quickest surgeries to recover from, although the LASIK surgeries were done while I was totally awake and able to cooperate and during the Nose surgery I was asleep and unaware.  I am not aware of a big difference, and as far as I know, my nose looks like it did before the surgery.  Unless the Sinus infections are frequent and horribly painful, I probably would not have surgery for that, however, if you have what I did, where the Anesthesiologist said the problem could cause Heart problems, that takes it to another level entirely.  I suggest you go to another E.N.T. doctor for a 2nd opinion. The PPO we had required a 2nd opinion before approving surgeries and they required an office visit with the Anesthesiologist, before surgeries, which I believe is a wonderful thing. 

One possibility is that you had an obstruction like a polyp.  Obstructed breathing can cause apnea, which can result in significant lung and heart complications. 

[Lizzie in Ma]

I recently took my teen to an ENT and he said there are surgeries that might work out for my son, but they do not perform surgeries like this on teens because they aren't done growing and it just doesn't work out. 

 

So that might explain it.  Might....

 

My youngest had to have hers done due to a bad break on the growth plate at 9 but they wouldn't touch her until she was 16 and done growing.

Surgery went well but they said it will be a full year before she is completely healed.