Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

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newcpap
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Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by newcpap » Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:03 am

Hi all,

For those who have went through the septoplasty + turbinate reduction surgery, what was their recovery time/experience.

I will be flying to the UK for business and I am planning to have the surgery there. The doctor secretary told me that I should remain in the UK for 2 weeks (minimum) before I can fly back, which to me sounds a bit long. I would appreciate some feedback on the following:

1. I know that I need to stay for 1 night at the hospital, but can you move around after being discharged and be reasonably mobile (not working, but shopping, going out, etc)

2. When would it be considered safe to fly after the surgery?


Thanks in advance,


newcpap

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palerider
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by palerider » Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:12 am

newcpap wrote:Hi all,

For those who have went through the septoplasty + turbinate reduction surgery, what was their recovery time/experience.
The doctor secretary told me that I should remain in the UK for 2 weeks (minimum) before I can fly back, which to me sounds a bit long.

2. When would it be considered safe to fly after the surgery?
ask your doctor, not an online forum, one would hate for your nose to explode at altitude, it'd be very messy for the other passengers.

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newcpap
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by newcpap » Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:14 am

Thanks for the useful feedback, the doctor would be ultimate authority. But looking for other people experience would be helpful too!



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palerider
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by palerider » Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:30 am

newcpap wrote:Thanks for the useful feedback, the doctor would be ultimate authority. But looking for other people experience would be helpful too!
newcapap
obviously I wasn't trying to be too useful... and don't take other people's experience to heart too much, everybody is different, and your healing rates may be different than other peoples. you may be really good at healing up and be ready after a few days, or it might take you even longer than most and be three weeks... it really is something that the doctor should evaluate you on.

and while there are comedic aspects to a nose exploding on a flight, (ok, dark comedic aspects) it really wouldn't be good to decide you don't have time to wait, board the flight, and as cabin pressure drops, you get a severe nosebleed that necessitates turning the plane around.

just saying

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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by Pstar » Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:29 pm

You could probably manage after a week. That's a long flight. Why not have it in the States?

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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by newcpap » Thu Jul 24, 2014 4:15 pm

I don't live in the states. I used to live in Canada, but I moved to the middle east couple of years ago and I did n't have good feeling about the doctors I met (not that there aren't competent doctors).

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palerider
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by palerider » Thu Jul 24, 2014 4:17 pm

Pstar wrote:You could probably manage after a week. That's a long flight. Why not have it in the States?
cuz it won't cost him a bajillion dollars if done in england.

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49er
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by 49er » Fri Jul 25, 2014 3:57 am

Hi newcap,

There is a very long thread on this topic in this forum that you might want to do a search of.

When I considered having the procedure and did some research, I sensed the average time for recovery was about 1 week. But since you would be flying, it doesn't sound unreasonable to wait two weeks just to be on the safe side.

Best of luck with your surgery.

49er
newcpap wrote:Hi all,

For those who have went through the septoplasty + turbinate reduction surgery, what was their recovery time/experience.

I will be flying to the UK for business and I am planning to have the surgery there. The doctor secretary told me that I should remain in the UK for 2 weeks (minimum) before I can fly back, which to me sounds a bit long. I would appreciate some feedback on the following:

1. I know that I need to stay for 1 night at the hospital, but can you move around after being discharged and be reasonably mobile (not working, but shopping, going out, etc)

2. When would it be considered safe to fly after the surgery?


Thanks in advance,


newcpap

newcpap
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by newcpap » Sat Sep 20, 2014 4:12 pm

Hello All,

I thought to provide an update on this post in case anyone is considering the septoplasty procedure. I had it done about three weeks ago in the UK by one of the ENT surgeons who has a lot of experience in sleep medicine, he basically did three things:

1. Septoplasty
2. Turbinate reduction using radio frequency
3. Sedative endoscopy to evaluate the obstruction of my upper airway.

The summary of points that I wanted to highlight here are:

1. I was wondering at the beginning of this thread on whether I can fly back after a week, the doctor advice was minimum of two weeks. After the procedure I realized that the doctor was definitely right in his advice. One week was not enough for me to be able to fly back safely. However, two weeks after the surgery, I was moving around comfortably and able to fly with no issue.


2. The sedative endoscopy is a procedure that not many ENT/Sleep doctors do, it basically involves giving the patient a sedative to put him to sleep and monitor his breathing and airway using fiber optic camera. Although, not 100% accurate (as muscle tone during normal sleep is not exactly the same as under sedation), it gives the surgeon and indication of whether the patient can benefit from oral appliance, or having a surgery done to address the upper airway obstruction.


When I discussed the result of the endoscopy with the doctor, he recommended that I come back in 3 months time to do the following:

1. Trimming of the urvula
2. removal of my tonsils, as they are big in size
3. Apply radio frequency to hold the soft palate and base of my tongue.

When I asked the doctor about the horror stories that I read about on the internet from people who done UPPP, he basically assured me that this is not as invasive as UPPP and his experience with the outcome of his procedure has been very good so far.


I thought to mention this for anyone considering treatment avenues for his/her sleep apnea.

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KSMike
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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by KSMike » Sat Sep 20, 2014 10:30 pm

I would say 2 weeks is not too much. I had it done when I was 30. I didn't feel like much for a few days, didn't start to feel really normal again for about a week, but sure wouldn't have wanted to fly just a week after that.

If I can answer any specifics about it, let me know. In my case it did absolutely nothing for my sleepiness or snoring, but it did eliminate the debilitating allergy symptoms I'd suffered with my whole life.
Mike
Kansas City

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Re: Septoplasty + Turbinate Reduction Recovery Time

Post by SleepGuy » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:49 am

I am SO happy I had this procedure to correct my severely deviated septum. CPAP works SO much better for me--no more sinus infections! My colds clear up in a few days. Average AHI is 0.1 consistently every night, even when I am a little congested. A little of the Clear essential oil does wonders for that (that's my product by the way).

So to answer your question, I had to use a full face mask for the first 3 or 4 nights. I set up in a recliner in my room. I also slept sans cpap on my couch, sitting position, head vertical. I don't think I was having apneas sleeping like that.

As soon as I was able to start sleeping on my back with my Activa nasal mask (like the 4th or 5th night), everything was just great from then on--pain and discomfort, sensitivity for about 2 weeks...After 2 months I forgot I even had the surgery.

Good luck with your therapy!