shoegirl03 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 wow this thread is huge! i just turned 20 this year and am seriously considering a nose job. I thought about going to korea but since i don't speak the language, its kind of a risk, plus if anything happens, i'd have to fly 1/2 way around the world. I live in SF, Ca and was wondering if any of you knew of any asian plastic surgeons. I know of some american PS but they don't really know how to do rhinoplasties on asians that will suit them. I know Dr. Charles Lee in Beverly Hills is very popular and suppose to be very good. I've seen him on a few talk shows. Anyone gone to get a rhinoplasty from him??? And I had NO IDEA that silicon implants could cause problems in the long term. Makes me reconsider an implant. also, how do you guys pay for the surgeries? their so expensive, do you guys take out loans or something? hope you dont mind me asking! Sorry if people have already asked, but theres 300 pgs in here and i dont really have time to read them all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asin Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Hi guys, I just wanted to share my rhinoplasty experience so far with Dr. Lee. The surgery was scheduled 2 weeks ago. I got to the office this morning and did some paperwork. I then had a brief consultation with Dr. Lee (15 minutes) or to discuss what I wanted, and what he is going to do. I was scheduled for rhinoplasty, but I was also speculating a chin implant. Dr. Lee said that my chin was marginal, and that a chin implant would not make that much of a difference. So I decided not to do the chin for now especially since it will cost me another $4500. I might do it later in the future. Dr. Lee and I both agreed on narrowing the nostrils, raising the bridge, and sharpening the tip. The surgery began around 12pm. The staff was extremely nice. I'm not sure if I got local/or general anesthesia. When I asked what kind of anesthesia I was going to get the nurse said local. However, I had a tube in my arm. Once Dr. Lee arrived he injected multiple shots of anesthesia surrounding my nose area and I was knocked out cold I was waken up about 2 hours later to then words "It's over." I had forgotten where I was for a moment lol. I was extremely nauseous and dizzy, and a nurse took me out to the front in a cart where my friend was waiting to pick me up. When I got home I threw up a couple of times, though not much came out because I hadn't eaten since 7pm the night before the surgery. I didn't feel a lot of pain, just some aching/tightness around the nose and discomfort. My main problem was nausea. Nevertheless, I went straight to bed and past out. It is 12am, so roughly 10 hours after the operation now. I am still feeling some nausea and have no appetite. Because of this, I haven't taken any of my medications - the antibiotic, vicodin, anti-nausea medication, and arnica. Unfortunately, I don't know which medication is mandatory to take. THey did say that the viocidin and anti-nausea meds are optional, but I should take the antibiotic. However, I cannot take it on an empty stomach, and I can't bring myself to eat right now because of the nausea. I will just throw up if I try to eat something to take the antibiotics. Surprisingly, I do not look totally beat up like pictures of some people I have seen post op. I do not have any bruising, though I can feel some swelling around my nose. I have no idea what my nose looks like because it is covered up. I can see that the bottom of my nose (nostril/septum) area has stitches and lots of dried blood. My right ear, where they took cartilage out to build the tip, is pretty bloody as well. There is a cotton stuffed and taped in my ear canal and its soaking with blood. I just threw up again though not much came out. Just a little bit of green stuff. I also want to mention that when I vomited earlier there were tiny traces of blood. I think it is just blood from my nose which have gone down to my mouth and I swallowed. A problem I have right now is that I am unclear about when I am supposed to go back to office. I will give them a call first thing in the morning to find out. I have a few questions for the doctor: -When can I take that soaking bloody cotton out of my ear?? -I was advised to buy antibiotic ointment before the surgery. When do I apply it? -When should I return to the office for follow up? -Is it normal for me to see traces of blood in my vomit? Sorry this was long. I felt like listing a detailed account. If you have any questions about the surgery and how everything is giong fell free to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkryu Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 I think you're supposed to let the doctor remove any dressing from your ear and nose unless otherwise instructed. The bacitracin ointment should be applied to the sutures. First, you should gently clean the stitches with a q-tip dipped in hydrogen peroxide solution to remove blood. I think the ointment can be applied once or twice a day. I returned for a follow-up the day after surgery. I saw Dr Lee again 2 days later. He replaced the tape and the splint. On the 4th day, he removed the stitches from the alar base reduction and ear and also the cotton from the ear. I never vomited but I'm guessing the blood is probably from what you swallowed. You should ask Dr. Lee when you see him. It may be a good idea to try to get something in your stomach. Oatmeal is a good option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asin Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Thank you for the help. I don't know why they didn't clarified this. For now, I'll just leave everything alone until I go back to the office tomorrow. I'll be sure to ask them anything that is not clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukorientalgirl Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 btw does anyone know if the bk clinic does cheek fat removal as i cannot find it on the site? I dont think id want mandible angle surgery (is this the same as bone shaving?), sounds too invasive. tia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shar-c Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Hey everyone, I know this is off topic...but i just wanted to warn any females thinking about travelling to korea alone to be careful. My mom who is Korean told me that human trafficking has become a huge problem in Korea and often these smugglers prey on vulnerable foreign women in the airport posing as taxi drivers and in tourist areas. So if you are travellling to korea for surgery always make sure you know who is picking you up and also to try and create a buddy system while walking around Korea especially at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkryu Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 In my case, the cottonball in the ear was stitched in. So you shouldn't try to take it out yourself. I hope you are feeling better and that you aren't vomiting anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berryeyes Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Hi Asin - sorry for the late reply... oh my, you must've been in the operating room when I was there. It was a busy Friday. But just so you know, everything you are going through is normal. My experience was pretty much the same as yours except I wasn't completely knocked out. I didn't go back the very next day but 4 days later. It wasn't clear to me what to do either. Also I tried pulling the cotton ball in the ear out. Big mistake! Don't pull it. He'll remove it when you go back. There was alot of vomit after surgery for me because my mom kept making me eat, so I just kept throwing everything back up. Don't eat until your body tells you it is ready. In the meantime use peroxide to clean up the blood, it dissolves it. Also, the stitches he used in my ear and nose are dissolvable so in time it disappears without him taking it out. It depends how and where he stitched it. Hope you are feeling better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vannyvan10 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 asin! im glad you were so detailed. i know what to expect when i get my surgery now.! im so afraid. I hope everything comes out well! im sure it will though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nini1021 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Hi, everybody. I have a question. can you trust those people who organize the trips to Korea for plastic surgery? I've see some threads here before, which gave information about going to Korea, is it real? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vannyvan10 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Does anyone know when i should stop drinking before my surgery? i know i should stop at least 8 weeks and i did. But i wonder if drinking will have any effects during surgery and when should i quit? Does any1 know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nini1021 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Hello. does anyone has Dr. Chuang's web site link? with many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nini1021 Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 I don't think alcohol does anything to the surgery. but I do know some anxiety medication can cause you to bleed during surgery. that's why the doctor always ask the patient if he/she is taking any medication. if he/she is, he/she has to stop taking it for few weeks before having the surgery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asin Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Thanks mkryu and berryeyes for sharing your experience, especially since you went to the same doctor. It really helps a lot. So it is 9pm on Saturday, roughly 30 hours since the surgery. The swelling and discomfort began this morning when I woke up. Although I don't have much bruising (no yellow/bluish skin tone), my eyes and cheek area are so swollen that I look like a lion! My nose also feels swollen. It feels so tight that it feels as though the stitches are going to burst! I called Dr. Lee this morning and he said that since my surgery went smoothly, I won't have to go back until Tuesday. He told me that I can remove the pad under my nose and behind my ear. I didn't know that the cotton ball in my ear was stitched in lol. Good thing I didn't try anything. It is really gross though, it is hard and dried up with blood. I've done nothing but lay in bed and sleep since the surgery, and getting up occasionally to browse the web. I probably made a mistake by sleeping near-flat on only one pillow, hence the swelling. I'm going to try to lay on 2-3 pillows from now on. I got my appetite back, and had a bagel this afternoon so I took my meds - the Cephalexin (antibiotic), Vicodin, and Arnica. I just had a frozen dinner and took the meds again. Also drank a good amount of fruit juice. Right now, I'm feeling too much discomfort to do much. Don't even wanna sit around and watch TV. I just want to lay down and pass out. I can't wait until I heal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asin Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Berryeyes, how important is it to clean all of the blood out? I have lots of dried blood inside my nostrils and I had to go through like 15 cotton swabs trying to clean it all out, but its still there. I gave up. There isn't much blood around the stitches so I didn't have to clean that area much, i just put bacitracin on it. About the stitches - were yours black? It's nice to hear that they are dissolvable cause getting them removed sounds painful. I have stitches around my outer nostrils, and not my septum. It's just like this person's except no stitches on the septum.http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/47/9407/1024/njdays.jpg I wonder why I didn't get stitches there. I believe what I had was an open rhinoplasty with implant. Basically, when I go back on Tuesday (in 4 days) what is Dr. Lee going to do? He said he was going to remove the stitches and bandages. Does that mean I am ready to go home? I am staying at their complimentary apartments right now. Sorry for all the questions. Thanks again in advance for the help and support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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