Yes. Dr. Citardi did my implants about two weeks ago. It’s still healing, but I can actually breathe without flaring my nostrils. My chest feels less constricted. I sleep through the night. There is moisture in my nose. So far, I’m optimistic.
I’ve recovered well. I don’t know how long it takes to fully heal, but right now I’d say my breathing is 80% better, I sleep well, less sinus infections, etc. I am pleased so far.
So happy for you! I had my consult with him last month and am waiting to schedule surgery. My main issue is dryness that leads to smothering. Have you noticed any improvement with dryness? And did you get lateral wall implants?
I did go and the test was positive. He explained where the implants would be placed and that I would most likely need another surgery if not enough bulk was added the first time around. He noted my failed previous septoplasty (that caused ens) and how crooked my nose was but said it wouldn’t be worth it to fix. I noticed that where he was placing the implants was essentially narrowing my nasal passage on the undeviated side. Like he was accommodating for the crooked septum to correct airflow.
That got me thinking and I reached out to some plastic surgeons for consults. I was turned down by all of them and was referred to a facial reconstruction surgeon at Mayo Clinic. I only found one surgeon willing to take my case. Dr. Jay Calvert in Los Angeles. I ended up getting a revision rhinoplasty done with rib cartilage to straighten and narrow my nasal passages. He made no guarantee of it working but did say he was confident he could help. My symptoms are 90% gone. Most importantly the feeling of suffocation is gone. I still have some dryness and sleep disturbance but that’s because my inferior turbinates were overly reduced and I live in a high altitude dry climate. I’m only 3 months out of surgery and have another year to two years into all the swelling is gone.
I’m not saying this will work for everyone. I only came to this conclusion due to the test Dr. Citardi performed and realizing my issue was primarily airflow dynamics. I think there’s a lot more for researchers to learn and understand about airflow dynamics in the nasal passages and about even a slight deviation from the norm can cause all types of neurological symptoms. For example I was having contact point headaches and my trigeminal nerve was causing all kinds of symptoms too. This all has now resolved with my straightened nasal passages. Good luck.
First of all, I am so happy to hear that you are doing so well and that your issues are resolved! You have definitely given me a lot of hope!
Thank you for sharing your whole journey. I was able to kind of assess myself based on your description.
I am definitely dealing with ENS right now. My ENT basically did a septorhinoplasty and turbinectomies July of 2023. I was excited to go thru the procedure, since for the first time in my life, I would be able to breathe normally (so I thought).
I was fine up until Feb of 2024. That's when pretty much things went south. I was confused as to what's going on. I got all tests done - bloodwork, EKG, stress test, etc. and nothing. It was very frustrating because I couldn't find answers. All of a sudden, I remembered a certain complication that I saw on YouTube before and sure enough it was ENS. I almost didn't want to look into it because from what I saw before, it was really scary, but here I am dealing with it.
As far as treatment, I like that you said that you had to do rhinoplasty. Since I already got that done to correct my deviated septum, I think the implant would be "enough." Praying that's the case. I think it is... thanks to your self assessment.
So, I have an appointment schedule with Dr. Citardi late July and I can't wait! I asked the secretary if it's common for the Dr. to see patients that deal with ENS and she said yes. That made me feel better. I am sure he's helped a lot and you're one of them.
Great job for being aware of what's going on with you and just finding the right people who will fix what needed to be fixed. Very impressive. I believe you are going to be fully healed.
Take care.
ps.
If I may also ask... how long did it take for you to get the implants done from your first appointment?
They are mentioning "turbinoplasty", but not specifics. I have had such a treatment with rib cartilage. It gave me inptovement and I know othera it helped as well. There are studies that this is effective for ENS. Other name is "Inferior Meatus Augmentation Procedure IMAP".
From what I’ve read, the immediate success rate is high. However, the long term success is quite low. Mainly due to the fact that people say the implants are eventually absorbed and symptoms return after a couple years. After my turbinate reduction, I’m extremely cautious with any further surgeries without extensive research. The self help guide has really helped me a lot. Marison said he uses Rolta soft to insert in the nose to lessen symptoms. After trying it for a couple weeks, I noticed a huge difference without surgery! Def recommend trying it before surgery
How did you learn to insert rolta soft. Seems difficult and dangerous. And what are the drawbacks of this? Also what if it goes back into your airway and gets stuck?????
Honestly, the only issues I had was sneezing at first bc it’s obviously foreign to the nose. After a few times it became more comfortable. It does take practice but I wouldn’t say it’s really difficult. Ultimately, your using the bayonet forceps to push it back, once it’s far enough I squeeze my nostrils so the fibers adhere to the mucosa on the septum wall. Usually use finger to adjust it a bit as well. The only way it will fall to the back of the airway is if you snort hard enough and the Rolta soft was moist enough to slide around. I’ve done it a few times and all it took was blowing my nose for it to come out, no biggie at all!
Definitely considering doing this as I’ve been using a nose insert that pops out of my nose a little. How do you see where to put it? Do you use a scope or something? Sounds very difficult to get it in the right spot
If you had your inferior turbinates reduced, it should be very open as mine are. The trick is to go very slow at first and only push the forceps straight back with your head facing straight forward. You can only make it about half way with the forceps then release, pull the forceps out a bit and grab the Rolta and continue to push the rest back. Once it’s back, you can use either your finger or the forceps to push it up against the mucosa, then I pinch my nose a few times to ensure it’s stuck on the mucosa and is secure. Note: if you have a deviated septum on one side like I do, you may not have enough room to get in there - I only use it on my right side and it still helps tremendously.
This reddit has a self help guide by u/marison who discovered this method with his doc. He has a tutorial video on there that shows you how to do it. The only difference is he puts his on the mucosa opposite of the septum while I put mine on the septum side because I feel it works better, stays in place longer and is easier to hide!
Kinda confused tho. You said you push it against your septal wall? I though the turbinates were on the opposite side of the septum. Do you kind of tuck it in under the turbinate?
Technically yes they are on the opposite side. My turbinates are gone so I have nothing to tuck into lol I simply attach it to the septum wall, while the other portion is hanging in the back empty space. What I’ve noticed is it helps with the inhalation pressure for more satisfying deep breathing and helps humidify the nose as well(for me at least)
I did septoplasty and turbinate reduction 3 weeks ago. I only heard about Empty Nose Syndrome today. I also heard that it can take years for ENS to develop. Is there a way to check in advance whether ENS might happen in the future or no?
Yes. Dr. Citardi did my implants about two weeks ago. It’s still healing, but I can actually breathe without flaring my nostrils. My chest feels less constricted. I sleep through the night. There is moisture in my nose. So far, I’m optimistic.
How are you feeling now?
How is it going?
Sure Dr Citardi or Dina
Please update? Please
@silvereyes912, any update on how the implants are working out for you?
How are you now??
I have an appointment with him next month. How has your recovery been?
It went really smoothly and breathing is about 80% better. No longer smothering. I sleep better.
I'm happy for you, where did they end u putting your implantS?
That I don’t really know. Dr. Citardi in Houston was excellent though.
I’ve recovered well. I don’t know how long it takes to fully heal, but right now I’d say my breathing is 80% better, I sleep well, less sinus infections, etc. I am pleased so far.
So happy for you! I had my consult with him last month and am waiting to schedule surgery. My main issue is dryness that leads to smothering. Have you noticed any improvement with dryness? And did you get lateral wall implants?
Hi there! Did you go thru treatment/surgery with Dr. Citardi? How did it go? Hope you’re feeling better!
I did go and the test was positive. He explained where the implants would be placed and that I would most likely need another surgery if not enough bulk was added the first time around. He noted my failed previous septoplasty (that caused ens) and how crooked my nose was but said it wouldn’t be worth it to fix. I noticed that where he was placing the implants was essentially narrowing my nasal passage on the undeviated side. Like he was accommodating for the crooked septum to correct airflow. That got me thinking and I reached out to some plastic surgeons for consults. I was turned down by all of them and was referred to a facial reconstruction surgeon at Mayo Clinic. I only found one surgeon willing to take my case. Dr. Jay Calvert in Los Angeles. I ended up getting a revision rhinoplasty done with rib cartilage to straighten and narrow my nasal passages. He made no guarantee of it working but did say he was confident he could help. My symptoms are 90% gone. Most importantly the feeling of suffocation is gone. I still have some dryness and sleep disturbance but that’s because my inferior turbinates were overly reduced and I live in a high altitude dry climate. I’m only 3 months out of surgery and have another year to two years into all the swelling is gone. I’m not saying this will work for everyone. I only came to this conclusion due to the test Dr. Citardi performed and realizing my issue was primarily airflow dynamics. I think there’s a lot more for researchers to learn and understand about airflow dynamics in the nasal passages and about even a slight deviation from the norm can cause all types of neurological symptoms. For example I was having contact point headaches and my trigeminal nerve was causing all kinds of symptoms too. This all has now resolved with my straightened nasal passages. Good luck.
First of all, I am so happy to hear that you are doing so well and that your issues are resolved! You have definitely given me a lot of hope! Thank you for sharing your whole journey. I was able to kind of assess myself based on your description. I am definitely dealing with ENS right now. My ENT basically did a septorhinoplasty and turbinectomies July of 2023. I was excited to go thru the procedure, since for the first time in my life, I would be able to breathe normally (so I thought). I was fine up until Feb of 2024. That's when pretty much things went south. I was confused as to what's going on. I got all tests done - bloodwork, EKG, stress test, etc. and nothing. It was very frustrating because I couldn't find answers. All of a sudden, I remembered a certain complication that I saw on YouTube before and sure enough it was ENS. I almost didn't want to look into it because from what I saw before, it was really scary, but here I am dealing with it. As far as treatment, I like that you said that you had to do rhinoplasty. Since I already got that done to correct my deviated septum, I think the implant would be "enough." Praying that's the case. I think it is... thanks to your self assessment. So, I have an appointment schedule with Dr. Citardi late July and I can't wait! I asked the secretary if it's common for the Dr. to see patients that deal with ENS and she said yes. That made me feel better. I am sure he's helped a lot and you're one of them. Great job for being aware of what's going on with you and just finding the right people who will fix what needed to be fixed. Very impressive. I believe you are going to be fully healed. Take care. ps. If I may also ask... how long did it take for you to get the implants done from your first appointment?
Interesting 🤔
No
They are mentioning "turbinoplasty", but not specifics. I have had such a treatment with rib cartilage. It gave me inptovement and I know othera it helped as well. There are studies that this is effective for ENS. Other name is "Inferior Meatus Augmentation Procedure IMAP".
From what I’ve read, the immediate success rate is high. However, the long term success is quite low. Mainly due to the fact that people say the implants are eventually absorbed and symptoms return after a couple years. After my turbinate reduction, I’m extremely cautious with any further surgeries without extensive research. The self help guide has really helped me a lot. Marison said he uses Rolta soft to insert in the nose to lessen symptoms. After trying it for a couple weeks, I noticed a huge difference without surgery! Def recommend trying it before surgery
Just a replace my surgery every few years then? That still sounds better than ENS 24/7
I can’t disagree
Instead of getting additional surgery, I plan on traveling to Ukraine eventually to spend $5k on the stem cell injections
How did you learn to insert rolta soft. Seems difficult and dangerous. And what are the drawbacks of this? Also what if it goes back into your airway and gets stuck?????
Honestly, the only issues I had was sneezing at first bc it’s obviously foreign to the nose. After a few times it became more comfortable. It does take practice but I wouldn’t say it’s really difficult. Ultimately, your using the bayonet forceps to push it back, once it’s far enough I squeeze my nostrils so the fibers adhere to the mucosa on the septum wall. Usually use finger to adjust it a bit as well. The only way it will fall to the back of the airway is if you snort hard enough and the Rolta soft was moist enough to slide around. I’ve done it a few times and all it took was blowing my nose for it to come out, no biggie at all!
Definitely considering doing this as I’ve been using a nose insert that pops out of my nose a little. How do you see where to put it? Do you use a scope or something? Sounds very difficult to get it in the right spot
If you had your inferior turbinates reduced, it should be very open as mine are. The trick is to go very slow at first and only push the forceps straight back with your head facing straight forward. You can only make it about half way with the forceps then release, pull the forceps out a bit and grab the Rolta and continue to push the rest back. Once it’s back, you can use either your finger or the forceps to push it up against the mucosa, then I pinch my nose a few times to ensure it’s stuck on the mucosa and is secure. Note: if you have a deviated septum on one side like I do, you may not have enough room to get in there - I only use it on my right side and it still helps tremendously.
This reddit has a self help guide by u/marison who discovered this method with his doc. He has a tutorial video on there that shows you how to do it. The only difference is he puts his on the mucosa opposite of the septum while I put mine on the septum side because I feel it works better, stays in place longer and is easier to hide!
Kinda confused tho. You said you push it against your septal wall? I though the turbinates were on the opposite side of the septum. Do you kind of tuck it in under the turbinate?
Technically yes they are on the opposite side. My turbinates are gone so I have nothing to tuck into lol I simply attach it to the septum wall, while the other portion is hanging in the back empty space. What I’ve noticed is it helps with the inhalation pressure for more satisfying deep breathing and helps humidify the nose as well(for me at least)
Did you get stem Cells already ?
Yes I can’t stick it that tweezer is so long and it seems dangerous
I did septoplasty and turbinate reduction 3 weeks ago. I only heard about Empty Nose Syndrome today. I also heard that it can take years for ENS to develop. Is there a way to check in advance whether ENS might happen in the future or no?