saddle nose surgery???

[nessa]

so i just got clearance from my rhemo that i can get plastic surgery to get my saddle nose fixed. but i just found out that my insurance wont cover the procedure to them its cosmetic which sucks for me being that i cant work i have to come up with $2,600 dollars to get it done. which my mom is going to help me pay for it{what would i do without this woman by the way =-)} i am both excited and scared to get this done being that part of my rib has to be removed to make my new nose.. has anyone else gone threw this surgery before i would like to know what to expect etc.. i cant wait to have a nose again. but im really worried about the recovery..

[Yvonnea]

Haven't had the surgery yet...hope to get it in March or April of next year. But just wanted to wish you the very best of luck. Hope it is not too painful or the downtime too long...but it will be so worth it!

[Chris G]

There's a thread which was posted originally in May, called "saddle nose", which you might find helpful.

I'm shocked that they would consider the reconstruction strictly cosmetic, under the circumstances. Surely, your doctors could make the argument that being able to BREATHE properly is not a superficial problem! Have the doctors protested on your behalf?

[nessa]

thanks yvonnea :smile1: i really appreciate that... @ Chris my doc said that she contacted my insurance and they said medicaid will only pay for the rib extraction part of the surgery but im with you because i don't understand why they would consider it cosmetic when its the wegeners that caused me to have a saddle nose in the first place..:confused1:

[Sangye]

Saddle nose doesn't always affect breathing. I suspect that's the case for you, nessa or else your doctor would argue that it's medically necessary.

[delorisdoe]

Saddle nose doesn't always affect breathing. I suspect that's the case for you, nessa or else your doctor would argue that it's medically necessary.

Man, in Canada, if you have vericose veins that dont hurt or are large chested and it doesnt hurt your doctor will mark it down as medically needed due to pain. I guess thats bad but how can they say a saddle nose is not a necessary repair? Do they never think of the psycological damage something like this can inflict on a person? Far worse than back pain from a large chest.

[Sangye]

(Having a large chest doesn't just cause back pain, it damages the vertebrae irreversibly.)

[freakyschizogirl]

how can they say a saddle nose is not a necessary repair? Do they never think of the psycological damage something like this can inflict on a person? Far worse than back pain from a large chest.


Well said Leigh!

Good luck nessa - please let us know of your progress and how the surgery goes.

Like Yvonnea i havent had surgery yet but its on the cards. I think i would be excited/ scared - as if having your nose fiddled about with isnt bad enough but they have to take a rib to do it. I've heard the rib part is more painful - i hope this helps!!

[delorisdoe]

(Having a large chest doesn't just cause back pain, it damages the vertebrae irreversibly.)

Well my point is still the same...either way in canada a doctor will suggest to you that your back hurts due to the size of your chest and that you can have them reduced to avoid the pain. same with vericose veins.

[delorisdoe]

oh ya, hi freaky

[freakyschizogirl]

Hi Leigh:hug1:

[mama2005]

Hey nessa, I have not had the surgery yet but am schedule for it in febuary and like you I have to have the floating rib removed and rib cartlidge to build me the nose. I am having it done by dr fritz in cc. Now it started out that my insurance wouldn't pay but then after reading my insurance policy book it states that cosmetic surgery is covered as long as it was created by a disease. My nose is the worst that my dr has seen so he said that by rebuilding it, it may help with the breathing but he is not able to fix the septum yet so he said that there is no gaurentee that I will breath better. He is keeping me over night and said the most pain that i will have is at the rib site. Brusing and swelling will be in the face but not been complained about being overly painful this is what my dr has told me. hopefully this helps good luck.

[JanW]

I am now scheduled to have the surgery 2/1 so if anyone knows anything more about it, let me know. You guys have pretty much been echoing what Dr. Lebovics and the plastic surgeon Dr. Khosh has said. Painful at the harvesting site, and it takes about 5 hours (Dr. Khosh says it's very exacting trying to shave down the cartilage to get it exactly right. The weirdest thing I thought was that you won't have feeling on the front part of your nose any more, and that it will feel stiffer than a normal nose. Still I am nervous/looking forward to it although my saddle isn't very severe. Insurance will certainly pay - it is considered reconstructive, not plastic/cosmetic, as my wonderful Dr. L. pointed out many times.

[Brooke]

I had it done a couple of years ago. My ENT took cartilage from behind my ear. Hardly any pain, short surgery, easy recovery. I can feel my nose and it looks good so far! Good luck to you!

[Sangye]

ROTFL Brooke just blew all your concerns outta the water, Jan! :laugh::laugh:

[elephant]

Good luck JanW! I am everything will go well for you.

[Ashley]

I had saddle nose surgery on December 15th and was a lot less painful than I though it would be. My doctor used rib cartiledge to rebuild my nose and I love how it turned out. The rib site is sore after surgery and was for about 5 days. My nose wasnt very painful either. I had a cast on it for about 5 days which was then removed by the doctor and basically kinda popped off. All the stitches in my nose and at the rib where dissolving so I never had to have any stitches removed. I was put on antibiotics following the surgery - my doctor said he puts all his wegeners patients on antibiotics to prevent infection because that seems to be a problem for us. Luckily, I am doing well and had no post op infections either. It was covered for me bc it was caused by Wegeners. I am so glad i had it done and was a lot easier and less painful than I anticipated. I was able to go back to work 2 weeks after my surgery with no problems thus far.

Good luck to those having the surgery!

[mama2005]

Thanks for your post ashley I go on 2/28 to have the surgery done with rib bone and cartlidge. Did they keep you over night? My doc wants an over night stay? the cast is it hard or soft? I know these are odd queations but I have a little boy who is autistic so I am trying to get an idea of what it may look and feel like so I can make one to show him before the surgery so that I can introduce it to him before all the swelling and brusing. he doesn't deal with change well.

[Brooke]

I wonder why some docs use rib cartilage vs ear,,, seems like ear would be easier?

[mama2005]

I know why my doctor is doing the rib for me is that he also needs the bone. Some reasons why they use the rib is that it is a stronger cartilage and there is moore to use. If you don't have a sever saddle nose and only need small amounts the ear is a much easier location but for others they need more cartilage.

[pberggren1]

I also think the rib cartilage is longer lasting. What I mean is that statistically the fix on the nose lasts longer with the rib versus ear cartilage.

[JanW]

Phil is right. My docs have never had a patient who needed revision (unless they suffered collapse in a flare) and his oldest rib cartilage surgery was done about eight years ago.

Ashley: why did you have to wait so long to go back to work with no cast, stitches and pretty quick recovery. Doc says the same thing for me (I work at home so it's not problem) but I'm wondering if there's a reason that I CAN'T work if I'm just sitting at my desk typing. We you able to do other normal things (cooking, etc.) Did you have to sleep sitting up?

Good to know it's a lot less painful than I may be anticipating.

[Yvonnea]

Best of luck JanW. Hope all goes really smoothly for you. Best wishes.

[Ashley]

JanW,

I was advised by my doctors that it was about a two week recovery so I planned to take that much time off work. I work on my feet and thought I wouldnt be able to handle going back any earlier and wanted to make sure I gave myself enough time to heal. I felt so great following surgery I probably could have gone back earlier. I was able to resume most normal activites about 5 days after surgery. I did sleep sitting up for about a week - I found it more comfortable and lying flat or on my sides made the rib site ache.

My doctor also uses the rib cartiledge because it is stronger than the ear cartiledge. He has had better lasting results with the rib cartiledge.

[JanW]

Ashley - wondering if you could describe what the cast looks like. Does it cover the whole nose? Trying to get a sense for how horrible looking it is and figure out if I basically want to stay at home the whole time I have it on.

[Ashley]

JanW - If you pm your email address I can send you a photo. I didnt go out of the house until I had the cast off but it was only 5 days so it wasnt that bad. Once the cast was off though I was able to get out and do things. Went out for a 'new nose' celebratory dinner that night with my family!

[JanW]

Just sent. Thanks!

[JanW]

Just sent another pm with my email addy!

[Fran]

Jan - I know from reading your posts over the past couple of years that you have been patiently waiting the right time to have this 'op, so I just wanted to wish you all the very best and hope the results will be brilliant !

Fran

[nessa]

just curious what kindof insurance do you guess have.. i have medicaid will they pay for my saddle
nose surgery does anybody know about this thanx...

[drz]

just curious what kindof insurance do you guess have.. i have medicaid will they pay for my saddle
nose surgery does anybody know about this thanx...

Funding cuts have resulted in cuts in Medicaid coverage in many states. Call your state Medicaid office and ask.That will tell you a lot. If they sound negative ask about how you can appeal or ask for an exemption. Also ask your surgeon since they usually know what various insurance plans will cover or not. It might also depend upon whether it is viewed as cosmetic surgery which is usually denied by most insurances or a restorative type surgery to fix an injury which I think most insurances will cover.

[sue7211]

Good luck to you Jan. Any chance you are going to the Vasculitis Day in Atlanta this summer? How about the rest of you?

[Sangye]

Every day is Vasculitis Day for me. LOL Just kidding.

[annekat]

Every day is Vasculitis Day for me. LOL Just kidding. I like that. It would make a good bumper sticker or T-shirt slogan. Vasculitis is a word that rolls off the tongue a lot easier than Wegener's Granulomatosis or what GPA stands for. That is a word that can be gotten out there somehow to raise people's awareness, and they will remember it. I know I had heard of Vasculitis a long time before I ever heard of WG, but of course had no idea what it was or that it would ever apply to me. But I remembered the word. Just a thought....

Anne

[nessa]

I know why my doctor is doing the rib for me is that he also needs the bone. Some reasons why they use the rib is that it is a stronger cartilage and there is moore to use. If you don't have a sever saddle nose and only need small amounts the ear is a much easier location but for others they need more cartilage.

hi just wanted to know what kindof insurance do u have???

[JanW]

Thanks, Sue! Was thinking about Chicago but I'm not sure yet (went to college out there). Are you planning on going to either with your son?

[JanW]

I have Cigna insurance and while they are fighting (but they are always fighting, they even fought inpatient staff when I had my throat opened for God sake) I'm sure they will pay because it's completely reconstructive, not cosmetic.

[sue7211]

Chicago is closer but I have a conference in Florida a few days after the Atlanta meeting. My son doesn't want to go because it's just one day and it doesn't serve the purpose for him of socializing with his peers. I have to agree that 1 day in not enough for that to happen for patients or their parents/families. We went to Univeristy of North Carolina last May for 1 day and it just covered the basics which is all they can do in 1 day. OK enough..I'm still glad they have them!

[mama2005]

hi just wanted to know what kindof insurance do u have???

I have blue cross blue shield. They fought but my doctor also fought and proved that I needed the surgery for medical rather then cosmetic.

[JanW]

All set for surgery tomorrow at 10. I'll you all know how it goes and thanks everyone for your best wishes.

[Ashley]

Good Luck tomorrow!!

[annekat]

Best of luck from another one with a saddle nose. We'll be anxiously awaiting the results.

Anne

[KathyB]

Hope all went well, Jan! Let us know how you're doing!

KB

[Psyborg]

All set for surgery tomorrow at 10. I'll you all know how it goes and thanks everyone for your best wishes.

I've not been keeping up as well with updates...I hope this went very well for you.

[Sangye]

Wow, Jan I'm just getting on after a couple days being tied up with other stuff. I hope your surgery went well and that you're healing up nicely. Let us know!

[drz]

Waiting for nice report. Best wishes for a quick recovery!:smile1:

[mama2005]

I hope the surgery went well.

[JanW]

Yes it did. Back home now and the pain is not too bad. The big reveal will be next Thursday. They took the cartilage out to shave it down three separate times to get it just right so they feel optimistic about the result. So glad I had it done!

[Brooke]

Awesome Jan! Good for you, glad everything went well!

[KathyB]

Great news, Jan! Keep that positive mojo going!!

KB

[Sangye]

Happy to hear that, Jan!

[mama2005]

I hope recovery is fast andgod to hear it went well.

[pberggren1]

Good to hear that the surgery went well for you Jan. I hope it meets your expectations and you will never need another surgery again.

[Rini]

:D this was just 2 cute to not pass on

1539

[annekat]

:D this was just 2 cute to not pass on

1539 Too funny, Rini! :lol:

Anne

[Sangye]

LOL Priceless! :laugh::laugh::laugh:

[JanW]

Cast is off and I'm pleased with result although it will take some getting used to after living with the saddle for a couple of years.

My surgeons were happy -- my wegs doc especially.

[pberggren1]

Cast is off and I'm pleased with result although it will take some getting used to after living with the saddle for a couple of years.

My surgeons were happy -- my wegs doc especially.

Party Time! Congrats!

Now, will we get to see any pics?

[Sangye]

Cast is off and I'm pleased with result although it will take some getting used to after living with the saddle for a couple of years.

My surgeons were happy -- my wegs doc especially.
Congratulations, Jan. I'm really happy it went well and you like the fix. :thumbsup:

[vdub]

Good show, Jan! I'm glad it has worked out.

[Yvonnea]

Delighted that you are pleased with the results....wishing your nose a very long and strong life and that you never have to go through that again!

[annekat]

Me, too! Gives encouragement and hope to all of us saddle-nosers. I'm glad you got it done.

Anne