Nasal septum deviation
Author
Discussion

NitroNick

Original Poster:

758 posts

239 months

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
quotequote all
A few years ago I broke my nose in a bike accident. I never noticed until recently that my left nostril has completely closed, I can breathe out through it but not in.
Its not really a problem but it does cause me to breathe through my mouth more and i think this could be causing me to get colds more frequently.
The operation to rectify it is apparently quite straightforward but I don't really want to under-go a procedure if it is not necessary.
The reason I would contimplate it is because I am a competitive cyclist and surely having only one nostril is a disadvantage.
I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has had the procedure, is it worth it, how long does the recovery take and will it have any effect on my fitness?

tobeee

1,436 posts

297 months

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
quotequote all
I had a septorhinoplasty op last week!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gAssing/topic.asp?h=0...

No update yet as I'm still blocked with the swelling, but I'll geive more feedback when things calm down!

Driller

8,310 posts

307 months

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
quotequote all
NitroNick said:
A few years ago I broke my nose in a bike accident. I never noticed until recently that my left nostril has completely closed, I can breathe out through it but not in.
Its not really a problem but it does cause me to breathe through my mouth more and i think this could be causing me to get colds more frequently.
The operation to rectify it is apparently quite straightforward but I don't really want to under-go a procedure if it is not necessary.
The reason I would contimplate it is because I am a competitive cyclist and surely having only one nostril is a disadvantage.
I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has had the procedure, is it worth it, how long does the recovery take and will it have any effect on my fitness?
Do it, piece of cake, you'll thank yourself later smile

phucks1976

242 posts

246 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
I had this done and it went badly wrong when trimming the lower turbinates. Lost 3 litres of blood in one night (whilst they where blood transfusing at the same time) In the end had to be cortorised (don't know if thats spelt right). It's never been the same since. If it's not too bad I would weigh up the risks, all surgery carries a risk especially with a general.

Lefty

21,079 posts

231 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
I had it done a few years ago with no problems at all.

Symptoms were limited to bad snoring and puking green bile every mornign when i woke up - doc kept telling me to lose weight. I was 17 stone (am 6'4" but still overweight), got down to 14 stone and it was still happening. GP never once examined my septum. Went to a bupa hospital on a Wednesday night, was diagnosed immediately, op on the friday, back to 100% within 10 days.

Fantastic, best £3k i ever spent.

Lefty

21,079 posts

231 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Should have said, that was 4 years ago and I've never had any problems since.

Driller

8,310 posts

307 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Lefty said:
Fantastic, best £3k i ever spent.
Blimey, did mine private here in France, cost €600 and my mutuel paid it all back biggrin

Lefty

21,079 posts

231 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Haha. Sounds about right. That included MRI and a few post-op consultations.

I didn't have BUPA at the time, surgeon told me that the op would normally cost ~5k but, as i was paying for it myself, they could discount. Shows how much profit they make from the insurance companies...

BIGDAI

412 posts

240 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Had mine done about 15 years ago - in hospital day 1, op on day 2, out on day 3, back in work (albeit with a slightly swollen face and sniffing a lot) around day 7.
Would I recommend it - not really - it didn't make much difference to either my breathing or my snoring.

Ray Singh

3,078 posts

259 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Its an uncomfortable process, but not painful in any extent.

I had mine done about 12 years ago. It worked well for about 3 years, but now my nose is back with one nostril being larger than the other to such an extent that i struggle to breath.
the doctors have offered the operation again, but i doubt i will take them up on it. I live on some steroids called Flixonase.


phucks1976

242 posts

246 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
I am also always on Flixonase.

Driller

8,310 posts

307 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Lefty said:
Haha. Sounds about right. That included MRI and a few post-op consultations.

I didn't have BUPA at the time, surgeon told me that the op would normally cost ~5k but, as i was paying for it myself, they could discount. Shows how much profit they make from the insurance companies...
Well, at any rate, I would have happily paid £3000 if that was the price, it would still have been worth it smile

Sammo123

2,187 posts

210 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
NitroNick said:
A few years ago I broke my nose in a bike accident. I never noticed until recently that my left nostril has completely closed, I can breathe out through it but not in.
Its not really a problem but it does cause me to breathe through my mouth more and i think this could be causing me to get colds more frequently.
The operation to rectify it is apparently quite straightforward but I don't really want to under-go a procedure if it is not necessary.
The reason I would contimplate it is because I am a competitive cyclist and surely having only one nostril is a disadvantage.
I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has had the procedure, is it worth it, how long does the recovery take and will it have any effect on my fitness?
I found out that I have a deviated septum a few years ago when I was in Hospital having some hearing tests (I am quite deaf). They glanced up my nose to see if anything could be affecting my hearing and after seeing that my right nostril was almost totally shut they offered me the operation to sort it out. I turned it down at the time but recently I have been reconsidering it to try and aid my breathing when at the gym/cycling and in summer when my hayfever is going for it.

The only thing that puts me off is the thought that something might go wrong and screw up my face in some way. I dont profess to being the best looking bloke in the world but I'm not bad looking.

Driller

8,310 posts

307 months

Thursday 3rd March 2011
quotequote all
Sammo123 said:
I found out that I have a deviated septum a few years ago when I was in Hospital having some hearing tests (I am quite deaf). They glanced up my nose to see if anything could be affecting my hearing and after seeing that my right nostril was almost totally shut they offered me the operation to sort it out. I turned it down at the time but recently I have been reconsidering it to try and aid my breathing when at the gym/cycling and in summer when my hayfever is going for it.

The only thing that puts me off is the thought that something might go wrong and screw up my face in some way. I dont profess to being the best looking bloke in the world but I'm not bad looking.
Don't worry, it's all internal. If it was a rhinoplasty (nosejob) then it could conceivably go wrong on a visual level.

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 4th March 2011
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I had this problem sorted when I was younger. Couldn't breathe through my nose properly and believe it was from a major face/floor interface coming off a bike at speed when I was a kid.

Never really got an explanation but it hurt like hell, stitches weren't removed properly and I have a hole in my septum. I had the option of breaking the nose, but I declined at the time (wish I hadn't now). I can breathe better now, but I would have had it done properly if I'd have known!