UPDATE- Septoplasty Surgery-YEA, it's OVER!

SleepyNoMore · Post by **SleepyNoMore** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:36 pm

I just want to say THANK YOU for all of your prayer & good wishes, I remembered all of you while sitting in that room waiting to get taken to surgery! This is (DAY 4 of recovery) for me and let me tell you, it hasn't been easy! ROOSTER, DON'T GO OUT OF TOWN, YOU'LL BE SORRY! I ended up having (DOUBLE septoplasty resection with turbinate reduction and removal of bone spur), OUCH! I almost got totally dehydrated, I used a baby dropper and could only swallow a few drops of water a day until yesterday, I eyes are still sunk back in my head! They said that after the antheologist gave me my first dose of stuff,(and he did sneak it in on me) I said WOW, I feel WEIRD and in 2 seconds flat, I said WOO-HOO, I haven't been this loaded in years (I don't remember saying that) I know I embarassed my husband and Mother, they said I got kind of loud to After the surgery, I had a pretty good headache and nose hurt too. Was at the hospital for about 4 to 4 1/2 hours before I went home, what an experience, they take good care of you though! The 1st. nuse (male) I had said he has had sleep apnea for 5 years and I told him about the AUTO, he has the PRO, he was very excited about hearing that they make a comfy AUTO! He wrote our cpap.com down and cpaptalk.com down as well! I told him to remind everyone that I have sleep apnea! I was MISERABLE all night couldn't sleep from the pain, couldn't swallow liquid, pills, or food. There was so much blood and packing down the back of my throat I literally felt like I was drowning, I had to have my husband take me in to the doctor the next day and he suctioned the back of my throat out and pulled the gel packing to the front of my nostrils and I have been gently sucking it out from the back of my throat since yesterday, it never clears up I have to constantly do that in order to talk a little at all. Well, I also found out that I am allergic to Amoxicillan and Vicodin, BIG BLISTERS in the roof of my mouth(sore) so he switched me to Ceptin. I only took 1 vicodin before leaving the hospital and 1 and 1/2 in the 4 days I've been home, I just take ( extra strength tylenol ), works just great!!!!!!! There really isn't alot of major pain with the surgery, it's the yucky stuff after and the weakness and hunger So, today is the very best day so far! I took a shower and it was great , thought I was going to maybe pass out but didn't, yea! The first night, I have APNEA after APNEA events every few minutes all night long, it was awful and scarry! I get the plugs (gel packing) out on tuesday but don't know if I can last that long as I haven't slept now in 4 days. My mouth gets so dry and throat irritated from having to breathe out of my mouth that I feel like kicking a dog (joking) I love dogs, I have 2 babies that sleep with us! Oh, lastnight, I hit myself in the NOSE 5 times, I guess it was itching from the moustache bandages that have gauze in them so I finally got up and just gave the sleeping up AGAIN! Haven't had a nap today but I am very lightheaded, weak and can't breathe, today is the first REAL MEAL i've had since the day before surgery, wish I could of tasted it, it's like having a bad cold and your nostrils are all plugged up on both sides yuck, yuck, yuck! So that's it this far, ROOSTER, if you have any questions, just feel free to ask, I know you go in for your surgery the day I get my packing out on the 27th. of Nov. GOODLUCK to YOU and STAY HOME for at least a couple of weeks if you know what's good for you! Take care everybody, I'll update after the REMOVAL of the gel packing, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH BUT, I'm gonna say "I CAN FINALLY BREATHE" for the first time in YEARS~ YEA! I want my cpap back in my nose but it will be at least a month or 2. shoot, I need some good sleep! Love you guys

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:40 pm

Wait 'til you taste your first meal after the packing comes out.

Damn....

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:22 pm

Well bless your heart, you poor thing (as we say in the South).

That's not anything for me to look forward to.

Just two questions for now, first, are you able to lie on your side? If I have to lie on my back, I'm going to have 60+ apneas for every hour I sleep. Dealing with that and the surgery recovery at the same time might be too much.

Second question, you say it may be two months before you can use cpap. Is there one main factor causing it to take so long?

I am sure to have more questions before my surgery on the 27th.

Hopefully today you are past the worst of the recovery. Keep hanging in.

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:17 pm

I am so sorry you had such a ruff time.

(I guess I was more lucky than I had thought I was.)

Hope you get better soon!!!!!!!

Take Care.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:41 pm

rooster wrote:Well bless your heart, you poor thing (as we say in the South).

That's not anything for me to look forward to.

Only one question, are you able to lie on your side? If I have to lie on my back, I'm going to have 60+ apneas for every hour I sleep. Dealing with that and the surgery recovery at the same time might be too much.

I spent a week in the recliner when I had my septoplasty. You will be one tired &*% when this is over with. The doc told me to sleep with my head above my heart (to keep the bleeding down). It was one of the more miserable weeks I've spent on this planet.

SleepGuy · Post by **SleepGuy** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:48 pm

You're a FAR braver soul than I am. Hang in there and I really hope you see some real long-term benefits from the surgery!

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:49 pm

I guess everyone is a little differant.... I had very little bleeding folllowing the surgery.... and by day 3 there was none. The worse for me was a sinus headache that was the WORST I had ever had!!!!!!!

jburnham · Post by **jburnham** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 6:56 am

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. I believe your recovery challenges were more from the turbinate/bone spur portion of the surgery. Septoplasty alone doesn't have to be so rough. I had splints with breathing tubes instead of packing and was able to breath through my nose. I used my full face mask with heated humidifier starting from the recovery room so my throat never got so dry. Unfortuneately, my throat was torn up from intubation (rare side effect) so that was a little miserable. I'm thinking that septoplasty could be easy with the right nose and surgeon. The pain will go away and you can look forward to breathing better for the rest of your life.

roster · Post by **roster** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:14 am

[quote="jburnham"]I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. I believe your recovery challenges were more from the turbinate/bone spur portion of the surgery. Septoplasty alone doesn't have to be so rough. I had splints with breathing tubes instead of packing and was able to breath through my nose. I used my full face mask with heated humidifier starting from the recovery room so my throat never got so dry. Unfortuneately, my throat was torn up from intubation (rare side effect) so that was a little miserable. I'm thinking that septoplasty could be easy with the right nose and surgeon. The pain will go away and you can look forward to breathing better for the rest of your life.

SleepyNoMore · Post by **SleepyNoMore** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:50 am

[quote="rooster"]Well bless your heart, you poor thing (as we say in the South).

That's not anything for me to look forward to.

Just two questions for now, first, are you able to lie on your side? If I have to lie on my back, I'm going to have 60+ apneas for every hour I sleep. Dealing with that and the surgery recovery at the same time might be too much.

Second question, you say it may be two months before you can use cpap. Is there one main factor causing it to take so long?

I am sure to have more questions before my surgery on the 27th.

Hopefully today you are past the worst of the recovery. Keep hanging in.

SleepyNoMore · Post by **SleepyNoMore** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:53 am

[quote="SleepyNoMore"][quote="rooster"]Well bless your heart, you poor thing (as we say in the South).

That's not anything for me to look forward to.

Just two questions for now, first, are you able to lie on your side? If I have to lie on my back, I'm going to have 60+ apneas for every hour I sleep. Dealing with that and the surgery recovery at the same time might be too much.

Second question, you say it may be two months before you can use cpap. Is there one main factor causing it to take so long?

I am sure to have more questions before my surgery on the 27th.

Hopefully today you are past the worst of the recovery. Keep hanging in.

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:56 pm

My experience has been very similar to yours Sleepynomore. I had the packing for at least a week -- hated as I couldn't get any air through my nose at all!! I dripped blood --not alot -- but still dripped constantly and it would run down my throat and make the old gag reflex kick in. I lost lots of blood and was so weak afterwards they kept me in the hospital for 4 days afterwards. I had five kids at home at the time and that was a strain on everyone as it was expected to be outpatient surgery and I would be home the same day. I had lots of pain but hate taking pain meds and will do just about anything to avoid it -- so I suffered a lot.

Others that talk about how easy it was I envy. My son-in-laws aunt had hers done on Wednesday and was at the family Thanksgiving dinner the next night. Said she was sore but didn't really feel bad and she was there several hours. She has the splints and not the packing.

I am unsure how they determine who gets the packing and who gets the splints unless it is a matter of blood loss during the procedure.

I am glad it is over for you -- but I am still worried about your recovery so please keep us posted!! Yes you will be able to breathe easier and it should help your cpap treatment. I guess I was lucky I had mine done a few years ago and don't have to face it now -- I know if I had a choice to make today about having it done and already having it done once I wouldn't do it a second time.

roster · Post by **roster** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:33 pm

Hello SleepyNoMore,

We haven't heard from you since Saturday. Do you feel like giving us an update today?

I guess you get the plugs out tomorrow.

I hope things are improving for you.

SleepyNoMore · Post by **SleepyNoMore** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:49 pm

rooster wrote:Hello SleepyNoMore,

We haven't heard from you since Saturday. Do you feel like giving us an update today?

I guess you get the plugs out tomorrow.

I hope things are improving for you.

Hi ROOSTER, DARN-IT, I know you are asleep by now as your surgery is tomorrow morning! I took my packing out yesterday(sunday) as they we're easing out of my nose then I had to go in a day early so he could dig the rest out of the back of my throat and in the back of my nose, THAT IS WHY I HAD SUCH A HARD RECOVERY TIME, all that packing was literally dried out and stuck all through from the back of my nostrils down to my uluva. If it wasn't from that, everything would of been perfect. I didn't have much pain , I only took in 7 days 1 nd 1 1/2 Vicodins then I got on extra strength tylenol and took only 2 a DAY! My packing in my nose was soaked in liquid cocaine, YES LIQUID COCAINE , that's why I hardly felt any pain and all I had was mainly a sinus headache! You are gonna do great tomorrow and believe me, my PRAYERS will go with you all the way, just rest, sleep, and most important drink alot of water, juices and gator aid. You'll need some jello and ummmmm mashed potatoes and gravy! Please POST back when you can, I am thinking you will anywhere from 3 to 4 days after the surgery, Do't leave town silly! Best wishes for a quick & safe Surgery & recovery! Nite-Nite

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:57 pm

Glad you are doing better Stevie

Your experance is somewhat simlar to mine. The worst part of mine was the sinus headache.

I had the nasal splints and packing... but due to the splints... I could still breathe.... It was just like having a really stuffed nose.

Rooster BEST of luck...... please let us know how it goes for you!!!!!!

UPDATE- Septoplasty Surgery-YEA, it's OVER!

UPDATE- Septoplasty Surgery-YEA, it's OVER!

Hi Rooster and everybody else "THANK YOU" :)

Re: Hi Rooster and everybody else "THANK YOU" :)

ROOSTER

Mask

Additional Comments: Equipment isn't correct, S9 ASV w/H5i

Mask

Additional Comments: A-Flex, Encore 1.8