I'm now a week and a day post op from my open septorhino, turbinate reduction, spreader graft surgery, & I just left my docs office a few hours ago, but I've asked him so many questions I feel I'm annoying him!

Before my surgery they explained the risks and possible complications. One of them was fluid from your brain leaking out (which can be fatal,no?). Clear runny fluid will just leak out and the way it was explained to me, it's b/c when they operate and "break" your nasal bones it can move your nose from ur skull and, hence the tear and brain fluid leaking. I thought it was pretty uncommnon, but my mom actually knows someone it happened to. They didn't die from it though..

I'm having the runny fluid leakage!! the dr is having me use mupirocin ointment in my nose about 5x a day, and it melts down and i'm not sure if its that running out or brain fluid, or just runny (a bit thicker than water consistency wise) snot!?? I originally used bacitracin which didnt really run this bad or turn to liquid consistency; but he changed the stuff i put in my nose. To say that I'm FREAKING OUT is an understatement! So what do you guys think? Brain fluid or what?

Also, I have whitehead looking things inside my nose (doc must not have been too concerned about them bc he looked inside my nose today and didn't say anything about them, said i was just irritated inside there) I'm not sure if thats from where the stitches were at or if its pimples? Surely not pimples bc the doc said if I get one to call him immediately before it turns into staph infection. Did anyone else notice these little pimple looking white things right inside where the stitches were?

And finally, i have blackheads on my nose for the first time in my life!! I'm assuming from having a cast and gauze over my nose for nearly a week did me in, and now I have the strongest urge to take a biore pore strip to my nose! (dont worry, I wouldnt dare lol). I cant even let a stream of water hit my nose strait on yet. But what did u guys do to get rid of them after u were able to actually wash ur face, or do what ever, to get them out!! I have never had black heads on my nose before!!

I am such a hypochondriac. I can't help it!

I had the white clear liquid for a year. My nose always felt "wet" or as if it was dripping. It never actually dripped, but if I wiped, it was wet and the liquid was clear.

The blackheads are normal, as are the "greasies" on your nose.

When I was able to - I washed with my normal face wash (Olay) very gently over my nose. I also used a Toner.

I did use Biore, but not until many, many months later.

I just had a revision a week ago - when the cast came off I had a large pimple - I left it alone - in the shower this morning, it popped itself - It bled SO much, it was unbelievable! I think alot of the blood is sitting close to the surface so soon after surgery - it took me awhile to get it to stop. Very odd.

owww!! did u tell ur doc? i know all the surgeons are different, but i know mine was pretty anal, about if u get a pimple come to the office immediately!

really? why?

ahhh brain fluid???

i never had blackheads until post surgery. it stinks.

the pimple inside your nose may just be stitches dissolving. Sometimes it tends to swell up like that.

caz04, b/c the pimple can turn into a staph infection! and if untreated u can die and ur nose will be ruined lol. seriously, maybe my doc is just too protective, but he said if i got a pimple, or a sore in my nose to come, he'd check it out and put me on anti biotics for a PIMPLE! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY THOUGH, RIGHT? I'm more concerned about this liquid coming out of my nose tho... staff wouldnt kill me in a day, but a brain fluid leak might?..

The chances that you could have cerebrospinal fluid leaking from your nose following a surgery would be very very rare but not impossible. Is it salty? Ointment in your nose 5X daily would also make you quite gunky and leaky too I'd imagine that's the culprit because you said this happened after you started using that. The only way to confirm anything would be to have a doctor, such as an ENT or neurologist, look to confirm anything medical like that. CSF leaks can often times repair themselves if they aren't severe. Are you having any other symptoms that make you think its CSF leaking??

The whitehead looking things are most likely just inflammed mucous membrane. Are they like right inside your nose in the upper part of the nostril area? I had those in both sides. One side is totally gone and the other side is still there but very very teeny and not noticable.


Easier said than done but you can't freak out over a pimple and think you're going to get a staph infection and die as a result. The teenage morbidity rate would be sky high if that is the case. Try to relax hon.

My daughter was so drippy post op that we started to put a gauze pad
under her nose when she was home so she wouldn't keep wiping her nose.
Mucous Membranes are very sensitive....I think running is pretty normal.
Just hang in there.

She also had the blackheads on her nose and even some where the tape was on her face- granted she is 17 so that is just part of the teenage years but she did put on some black head wash from neutrogena and let it sit for a little bit then she gently washed it off- cleared up in a few days

Wendy
http://samsnewnose.shutterfly.com/

I have had clear fluid dripping from my nose many times a day since my surgery 4 days ago. My PS is basically OCD with being meticulous - a perfectionist - and he is crazy about everything being sterile and sanitary. I'm saying this because he told me to call if I started to bleed again because we'd have to put my packing back in. But he didn't mention anything about clear fluid. My guess is that if it was a likely issue, he would've definitely warned me about it since his post-op instructions were so strict and detailed.

I highly doubt that you have brain fluid leaking, sounds like the ointment. However, I would be concerned about the pimples. Staph infections are common in the nose and it appears as tiny little whiteheads. They may just be because of surgery, but you never can be too careful, especially with staph. Good luck!

i think the inside was just irritation. but now i have these small white pimples on my nostrils and the side is inflamed. wtf?! the information pack said "those who have acne may experience a flair up and please contact staff for instructions on how to care for it".... umm i never had acne before this. and i asked and he just said use cetafil cleanser. that stuff clogs my pores. this is ridiculous? is this happening to anyone else?!

I still have the runny nose with the clear fluid... now 13 months post-op. My PS said it's a common thing after rhinoplasty and stops after a year or so with some people, and with some it doesn't... I believe another term for this condition is rhinitis (or some word like that, can't remember how to spell or say it).