OT: Surgery for deviated septum

[bcroslin]

Anyone here on the PL ever had surgery for a deviated septum? I've struggled my entire life with nasal and sinus issues and finally my wife put her foot down due to my snoring and insisted I see an ENT. He spent 30 sec's looking in my nose and diagnosed a deviated septum that makes my left nostril useless. He suggested I have surgery to correct it and said it's a 30-60 min outpatient procedure that is no big deal. But I can't work for 3-4 days. And I can't ride my bike for more than a week. And it will take 3 weeks until I'm back to being my old self. Maybe longer. Etc, etc, etc....

I had a conversation with a friend this afternoon and he informed me his wife had surgery for a deviated septum and it was a nightmare. He insists if she had it to do over again she would not do it. Her story leads me to believe that if I google DS surgery it will lead me down a rabbit hole of horrors.

So, anyone here do it? I would likely schedule the surgery for Dec or Jan once CX season is over. I'm not at a point where I can't breathe but that might change if my wife decides to smother me with a pillow if I keep snoring.

[mbrtool]

I found out that I had one back in '67; never had any medical procedures to correct it and I'm fine.

Ray

[Saxon]

I had it done when I was 18. Same story. The doctor held a tongue depressor to my nostrils and when one side was clogged he said I needed the surgery. I also had problems with my sinuses and nasal congestion. NOTHING changed after the operation, which was anything but trivial. Much pain after surgery and it was a big deal. With years of distance on the operation, I've concluded (in my case) it was a scam and my symptoms could easily have been managed with anti inflammatory nasal sprays. Needless surgery and the doctors who practice it are below scum. I WOULD NOT do it again if given a choice.

[93legendti]

I had the surgery and didn't get much relief.

I was in so much pain after the surgery I remember telling my Mom, "if I ever think of getting a nose job, please remind me how much pain I was in."

I've broken a lot of bones. This was more painful. The pain pills did not manage the pain. I get more relief from Mucinex

I had the surgery about 25 years ago, not sure if things have improved.

I would try immunotherapy first and/or consult with an allergy dr

[Tickdoc]

I wear a snore guard and it has been a lifesaver/marriage saver. I couldn't do a cpap, and I'm always a fan of nonsurgical approaches (and second opinions).

[93legendti]

I wear a snore guard and it has been a lifesaver/marriage saver. I couldn't do a cpap, and I'm always a fan of nonsurgical approaches (and second opinions).

Who makes your snore guard?

[R3awak3n]

Pretty sure I have one too but I would only go under the knife if it is absolutely necessary and yes if you search online about it you will read about the people that have died from the surgery and other stuff.

But I say if it really bothers you then you should do it.

[Saxon]

I had the surgery and didn't get much relief.

I was in so much pain after the surgery I remember telling my Mom, "if I ever think of getting a nose job, please remind me how much pain I was in."

I've broken a lot of bones. This was more painful.

Yep, mucho pain. Removing the packing was so painful I almost passed out. Worse than anything else I've experienced in my 52 years on this planet.

[Tickdoc]

Who makes your snore guard?

I had it made custom ( I'm a dentist). Mine is old and needs to be replaced, but it really helps to go to a dentist who specializes in sleep dentistry as there are many different types available with advantages and disadvantages to each design.

There are mail order/ infomercial options out there but I wouldn't recommend them. Custom is well worth the money.

[93legendti]

Yep, mucho pain. Removing the packing was so painful I almost passed out. Worse than anything else I've experienced in my 52 years on this planet.

I don't remember that as much-although I am having a bit of a flash back now...I remember sitting on my Parents' couch with the meds in me and an ice pack on my head and just being miserable.

And I'd broken my nose 2x before the surgery and the pain was less by a magnitude of 1000%.

[93legendti]

I had it made custom ( I'm a dentist). Mine is old and needs to be replaced, but it really helps to go to a dentist who specializes in sleep dentistry as there are many different types available with advantages and disadvantages to each design.

There are mail order/ infomercial options out there but I wouldn't recommend them. Custom is well worth the money.


Ok, thanks . I have a bite guard my dentist made for me and the Otc bite guards don't compare. I will ask my dds for a referral.

[Ken Robb]

Or you can walk into a biker bar and yell "Harleys Suck!". Someone will probably rearrange your nose free of charge and you might breathe better after you heal. :) I know this is crude humor but we need any humor we can get this week at my house.

[Plum Hill]

I had two surgeries for a deviated septum back in the mid- to late-eighties. Breathing through my nose was fantastic. For the first five minutes after the packing was removed.
Years later, an allergist told me the surgeries were not necessary, and then realized he was dissing another doctor. Allergist said I had non-allergic rhinitis.
Twenty five plus years down the road, breathing is still restricted through my nose. Living in the Mississippi River valley doesn't help.
Get a second opinion and see an allergist before making a decision.

[bcroslin]

Ok, second opinion it is. It sounds like an awful process with not much relief.

[Rpoole8537]

I had an OD do my nasel surgery and he used a balloon technique. He also put plastic tubes in place after he corrected the septums. The tubes are a bit painful but result in a better outcome. No sinus issues since then, 18 months ago.
I use steroid spray each day due to allergies.

[mgm777]

Went to an ENT doc for the same thing. The doc, who I trust, told me 50% of patients who have the surgery report some improvement, the other 50% report no change, or their condition worsens. Based on his advice, I opted for non-surgical therapies.

[unterhausen]

my previous ENT used to tell me I have a deviated septum every visit. He never pushed me to have surgery. I was there because I have really bad hearing in one ear.

[djg21]

I had it done in the mid-90s. I apparently had broken my nose playing sports and never had it set right. It was very difficult for me to breathe through one side of my nose and I was constantly getting sinus infections. The surgery fully corrected the issues and made me far more comfortable. It wasn't much fun having the packing removed, but that was pretty quick. I was never a snorer, so cannot comment.

[daker13]

wow... I had no idea there were so many problems with this surgery. I've been stuffed in one nostril my entire life, asked my doctor about the surgery and she dissuaded me but I kept it in the back of my mind as an option.

Fwiw, I had a friend who had it and said it made a world of difference. He really looked like he'd been worked over for a few weeks, though.

[ElvisMerckx]

I had deviated septum surgery along with a turbinate reduction back in '08. The recovery was horrible, painful, awful, etc. When the doctor removed the packing (imagine having several twin mattresses pulled through each nostril), I swear I nearly bled out in the doctor's office.

Results: I still snore like a stump grinder, I still have allergies, and I still get several sinus infections every year. The only sinus improvement is that I can now get Afrin into both nostrils instead of just one. Woo woo.

Strangely, the sinus surgery corrected a minor lower back problem. I had been sleeping on the same side for decades which apparently made half of my lower back weaker than the other half. Now that I can sleep on either side, the lower back problems have disappeared.

Would I do it again or ever recommend sinus surgery? Nope.

[ptourkin]

Anyone here on the PL ever had surgery for a deviated septum? I've struggled my entire life with nasal and sinus issues and finally my wife put her foot down due to my snoring and insisted I see an ENT. He spent 30 sec's looking in my nose and diagnosed a deviated septum that makes my left nostril useless. He suggested I have surgery to correct it and said it's a 30-60 min outpatient procedure that is no big deal. But I can't work for 3-4 days. And I can't ride my bike for more than a week. And it will take 3 weeks until I'm back to being my old self. Maybe longer. Etc, etc, etc....

I had a conversation with a friend this afternoon and he informed me his wife had surgery for a deviated septum and it was a nightmare. He insists if she had it to do over again she would not do it. Her story leads me to believe that if I google DS surgery it will lead me down a rabbit hole of horrors.

So, anyone here do it? I would likely schedule the surgery for Dec or Jan once CX season is over. I'm not at a point where I can't breathe but that might change if my wife decides to smother me with a pillow if I keep snoring.

I had it done, turbinate reduction two years ago after my ENT asked if I wanted it while he was doing another procedure. I was off the bike for only a few days. I didn't have too much pain. Things move better now. It's not perfect but I can use both nostrils more efficiently. It was a win for me.

[thwart]

Get a second opinion and see an allergist before making a decision.

Good advice, IMO.

[inlimbo87]

My wife had this surgery a few years ago after battling with recurring sinus infections.

It helped her tremendously, sinus infections are few and far between now and we joke how it was her free nose job.

[velomonkey]

Wow - I had a doctor recommend it to me in the 90s - he walked out and the nurse said "tons of people have a deviated septum" - so I didn't do it. I'd get 2 or 3 sinus infections a year, moved away from DC and the sinus infections went down, but still got them. Could not breath through my nose, basically was a mouth breather.

New doctor who I liked (I ride with him from time to time) told me he could fix it. A buddy in Jersey got it and swore by it. So I got the surgery done. Doc said I had bone spurs, too.

It's been 2 years. Zero sinus infections. I sometimes get some congestion, but I can for sure breath through my nose. I recall the first time I drank out of a large glass after the surgery - breathing while drinking was something I forgot.

The recovery wasn't that bad - I bled a few times the first night. I woke up the next morning with massive crusty blood. You sure can't touch your nose. I had stints and when they came out that wasn't fun, but it was over in no time. I think I only took 2 days of pain killers.

So I'm OK with it, I think what's better is to get a doctor you trust - most doctors are out for themselves. Whatever you do, surgery or not, a neti pot is your best friend. Use that thing all the time. My doctor, who I said is kind of a buddy, doesn't take himself seriously - he calls himself a nice picker doctor. Just make sure the doctor is good and, yea, get a 2nd opinion.

[cdn_bacon]

had mine done. didn't really correct the problem. felt great after the surgery for about 4 hours... then the pain started. still not a 100% super breather.

[bcroslin]

Good advice, IMO.

I've been to an allergist and I've had the full run down of tests. I'm allergic to dust mites, vegetation mold and pet dander. Same stuff everyone seems to be allergic to. I definitely have a deviated septum but I'm not convinced surgery is the answer. I wear breath right strips and they make a big difference.

Anyone tried the tube things you stick in your nose to sleep?

[azrider]

Wow guess I'm in the minority here.

Suffered from sinus infections, sinus pressure, poor breathing, snoring etc. Went to an ENT and he deemed my situation: "extremely deviated septum". Was in bed for about a day and half and returned to normal life after about a week and half.

For me it was a game changer. Better airflow for breathing, sleep quality improved 100% and have not suffered a sinus infection in the 4 years since I had the surgery.

I have even recommended my doctor and the procedure itself to multiple people. YMMV

Best of luck with what you decide.

[eippo1]

I had it done, but also needed a fair amount of sinus rescuplting too. Have allergies that always used to lead to sinus infections. Got the surgery in 2008 and rarely get a sinus infection (as in 1 since), can breathe easier, and a weird side effect is that I have had only 1 migraine since and used to get them fairly often.

The recovery is fairly painful, but so is anything with your head/ face because of all the nerve endings. Had it done on a Thursday and was back to work on Tuesday.

It was also hilarious in the waiting room for the follow up because it was myself and about a dozen 12 year old girls. So for me it was the right choice and my life is much better since. I'd at least recommend getting an MRI of your sinuses too because if they are going to mess with that area, they might as well fix everything.

[moose8]

I had it done three years ago or so. The recovery was harder than I expected but the payoff was well worth it for me as I can now breathe through my nose and before I could only half breath through one nostril. My septum looked like a "z" where each side was pinched off from a very bad bike accident I had 20 years previously. I would absolutely do it again.

[Gern]

I have been an ENT surgeon for 18 years. I have done many of these procedures. The key to a successful outcome is patient selection. It is important to remember that nasal septal and turbinate surgery is generally ONLY helpful for breathing. It should not be expected that it will improve allergy or sinus infection symptoms. Sinus surgery (not the same as septoplasty or turbinate reduction) can help with infections -- not allergies, though.

All patients need an adequate trial of appropriate medical therapy for non-allergic or allergic rhinitis prior to surgery. Most patients in my practice have improvement with medical therapy.

Surgical recovery has changed quite substantially in the past two decades. Pain is still an issue for some patients. All patients will have nasal obstruction for a few days after surgery. Most patients are "functional" after three or four days. I have not used non-absorbable materials for packing for over 10 years. I still use silastic splints to stabilize the septum if the deviation was significant (the majority of my operative cases). External splinting is only used if the external nasal bones need to be fractured -- this is generally only for previous trauma. Facial bruising and swelling is usually only seen in cases where the nasal bones need to be reset. It is almost never seen in a straight up septoplasty, which is internal surgery by definition.

It is true that some patients do not have improvement with surgery. My training and my experience tell me that this number is small with proper pre-surgical assessment and medical therapy. One of my professors famously said, "I can teach a chimp to operate. I'm here to teach you judgement."

[gary135r]

I have been an ENT surgeon for 18 years. I have done many of these procedures. The key to a successful outcome is patient selection. It is important to remember that nasal septal and turbinate surgery is generally ONLY helpful for breathing. It should not be expected that it will improve allergy or sinus infection symptoms. Sinus surgery (not the same as septoplasty or turbinate reduction) can help with infections -- not allergies, though.

All patients need an adequate trial of appropriate medical therapy for non-allergic or allergic rhinitis prior to surgery. Most patients in my practice have improvement with medical therapy.

Surgical recovery has changed quite substantially in the past two decades. Pain is still an issue for some patients. All patients will have nasal obstruction for a few days after surgery. Most patients are "functional" after three or four days. I have not used non-absorbable materials for packing for over 10 years. I still use silastic splints to stabilize the septum if the deviation was significant (the majority of my operative cases). External splinting is only used if the external nasal bones need to be fractured -- this is generally only for previous trauma. Facial bruising and swelling is usually only seen in cases where the nasal bones need to be reset. It is almost never seen in a straight up septoplasty, which is internal surgery by definition.

It is true that some patients do not have improvement with surgery. My training and my experience tell me that this number is small with proper pre-surgical assessment and medical therapy. One of my professors famously said, "I can teach a chimp to operate. I'm here to teach you judgement."

Had the surgery done twice, back in 2003, (ironically which got me hooked on the TDF while I was rehabbing) and in 2009. My sinus's won't flush properly and have had many infections after. My ENT finally prescribed me Budesonide nebulizer steroid to be mixed with a saline rinse to be used twice a day and it has been the best prevention for me so far. I can see why people move to the desert because the summer humidity seems to make life tough for a person with sinus issues.

[Elefantino]

I had a deviated septum as the result of the my broken-neck-spinal-cord-damage bike accident. Because of it I could barely breathe out of my right nostril but it didn't seem to hinder me too much so I let it go, figuring I could get it done at a future date.

Flash forward several years and I was at a town fair and, while walking, tripped over a tent stake and fell flat on my face. Hard. I was stunned momentarily. But when my senses returned I realized my ability to breathe through my right nostril had returned. Went to the doc the following week and he confirmed that I had, um, "corrected" the problem on my own.

I swear I am not making this up.

I also swear I am NOT counseling you to fall on your face.

Good luck.

[bcroslin]

I have been an ENT surgeon for 18 years. I have done many of these procedures. The key to a successful outcome is patient selection. It is important to remember that nasal septal and turbinate surgery is generally ONLY helpful for breathing. It should not be expected that it will improve allergy or sinus infection symptoms. Sinus surgery (not the same as septoplasty or turbinate reduction) can help with infections -- not allergies, though.

All patients need an adequate trial of appropriate medical therapy for non-allergic or allergic rhinitis prior to surgery. Most patients in my practice have improvement with medical therapy.

Surgical recovery has changed quite substantially in the past two decades. Pain is still an issue for some patients. All patients will have nasal obstruction for a few days after surgery. Most patients are "functional" after three or four days. I have not used non-absorbable materials for packing for over 10 years. I still use silastic splints to stabilize the septum if the deviation was significant (the majority of my operative cases). External splinting is only used if the external nasal bones need to be fractured -- this is generally only for previous trauma. Facial bruising and swelling is usually only seen in cases where the nasal bones need to be reset. It is almost never seen in a straight up septoplasty, which is internal surgery by definition.

It is true that some patients do not have improvement with surgery. My training and my experience tell me that this number is small with proper pre-surgical assessment and medical therapy. One of my professors famously said, "I can teach a chimp to operate. I'm here to teach you judgement."

Thank you for your input. Hugely helpful. My situation is that my septum has grown into a deviation and wasn't caused by an injury. My surgeon said he would be shaving away the bone in the left nostril and then clearing any blockages on the right side. I'm more worried about the recuperation period then anything else. I'm on the fence about the surgery and I feel like since I know my options I want to take the next few months to see if I can live with the issue.

[bcroslin]

I wanted to follow up this thread with something I discovered that seems to work. When you're desperate you'll try anything including stuffing things up your nose. I picked up some Rhinomed turbine inserts and they seem to help. Your mileage my vary but they're worth a try if you suffer from your nose being a useless bump on your face.

http://www.theturbine.com

[velomonkey]

Oddly enough I saw my ENT who did my surgery this weekend - I told him about this post and how half the people said it did nothing and half said they got something out of it (myself included).

He said to me: "In your case it was very straightforward, I knew without doubt you'd breath better."

Translation: doctors sometimes do stuff just to do stuff cause they want to make money.

Find a doctor you trust. Aside from diet, a doctor only has one of two remedies: pills or a knife. I don't like either (well, you know - excluding broken bones and the like, but you get my point).