1. Lip Balm
Chances are you are going to have some dry lips. Keep vaseline, lip-balm or chapsticks on hand to keep those puckers well moisturised and prevent cracking.
2. U-shaped travel neck pillow
Surgeons have different opinions on how long you need to sleep upright, 1 to 2 nights is probably enough. A nice comfy U-shaped neck travel pillow should make sleeping upright a little easier.
3. Prunes, laxatives or stool softeners
Operations cause constipation – It is better to prevent constipation than to treat severe problems.
4. Movie or Series streaming, or a good book
Netflix, Stan, AppleTV – whatever. Have some entertainment planned for your recovery.
5. Straws and a water bottle – stay well hydrated, especially as you’ll be mouth-breathing a lot.
Pretty self-explanatory really. Drinking out of a straw is much easier during the immediate post-op recovery phase and you are going to want to keep those fluids up, so have plenty of water on hand.
6. Saline irrigation
I will send you home with a Saline irrigation bottle to wash out crusts and scabs, a spray and ointment 3 times a day, 5 minutes after using the Decongestant nasal spray. It is OK to blow your nose – in fact, I recommend it for comfort. If the cast gets a bit wet it is OK – if it gets soaked it might fall off too early.
Then Chlorsig eye ointment INTO your nose, to soften the crusts.
7. Pain medication
I will send you home with Celebrex, to take morning and night. It is an NSAID, a long-acting painkiller (like Nurofen and Naprogesic, but does not cause bleeding).
Panadol – take 2 tablets regularly and Endone (very strong) – to take if needed.
Snoring surgery and tonsillectomy patients also have a Norspan patch, and a spare to change on day 6.
9. Pre-prepared meals
Organise a week’s worth of food before your surgery. Pick foods that are soft and easy to eat.
Fast snacks are great to keep on hand so you don’t have to take your medication on an empty stomach.
Better still – stay with your mum/wife/significant other – flatmates aren’t much help.
10. Moisturising face wipes
The post-Rhinoplasty splint and even post-op dressings are going to make washing your face difficult. Moisturising cleansing wipes will have to be the next best thing for cleaning your face.
The “bolster” under your nose is just needed for the first few days.
11. Facial bruising after Rhinoplasty
Hirudoid or Arnica cream – help speed up the resolution of post-operative bruising.
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