deviated septum

anyone have or know someone who had surgery on a deviated septum.. my DH is supposed to go in on Wed for surgery and I was just wondering what the recovery will be like for him...

Re: deviated septum

I had the surgery 4 yrs ago and the recovery wasn't bad at all. It was an outpatient surgery and I had to go back the next day to have the packing removed. IMO that was the most painful part of the whole procedure. After 2 days, I didn't groggy, medicine head feeling.

If he has pain medication, my advice is to take it an hour or two before the packing is removed. Also, since he has to breathe through his mouth bc of the packing his throat will get very dry, so be sure he drinks lots of fluids.

Re: deviated septum

I've helped two people through this surgery.

The night spent with the packing is not pleasant. I recommend a humidifier in the room and lots of pillows to rest on, or a recliner as laying down in bed is uncomfortable.

Have straws available for him to drink through and some soft easy to eat food or soup so chewing is limited, although he may not have an appetite. As previous poster said, he should drink lots of fluids.

Above all remeber that it's only 1 night with the packing, keep the pain killers going and he'll feel much better after the packing is removed.

Good luck!

Re: deviated septum

DH just had the first of three sinus surgeries. The second is where they will actually work on his deviated septum. This first surgery was to clean the pollyps out of one nostril and he was pretty uncomfortable that first day. He did have to sit up and even sleep "propped up". I know he did not feel better until the packing came out and the bleeding lessend.

I hope his surgery goes well!

Re: deviated septum

Re: deviated septum

thanks for the info!

May be TMI warning...

I had my septum corrected as well as turbinates shrunk and my maxillary sinuses opened up and polyps removed in 2003.

Honestly I think it was better than the 4 impacted wisdom teeth I had removed in 94.

I had it done in NYC (Manhattan eye, ear and Throat -MEETH)- not on the island - so I had to have mom and DH drive me to and from the city- which was not a problem at all. I had the packing removed the morning after the surgergy.

It was an outpatient procedure.

I won't lie the first night was I would say more uncomfortable than painful. I was never actually in pain. I was nauseated a few times from the -tmi - blood post nasal drip and the antibiotics I was given.

Just a fyi - I was told that I had to sleep sitting up for 5 days. I just got a bunch of pillows and propped myself up on the couch and was very comfortable.

Just be prepared with lots of things like soup to eat and a ton of movies to watch and he should be fine.

The worst part of the procedure was the check ups when they would suction and check my sinuses than the actual pain from the surgery.

Re: deviated septum

DH had this surgery 2 years ago and I don't remember his recovery being that bad.