Using Nasal Stents

I used nasal stents off and on for twelve years. I consider myself an expert on nasal stents because I used them for soo long. Nasal stents have evolved over the years.

My Thoughts and Feelings

The stents bothered everyone else. I didn't have a problem with them most of the time. They were noticeable. Because the tubes were noticeable, some people did stare. I got stares from both adults and children. Adults would ask me about my stents. Sometimes kids would ask questions. I even got questions from doctors and nurses about my stents.

People asked me if it hurts to have the stents in my nose. They did not bother me at all. For one thing, they only went to the beginning of the nasal passage. And I have very little feeling in my nose.

When I was weaned off them, it was a feeling that I wasn't be able to describe. The stents had become a part of me for soo long. The times that I had gone without them, I had felt a little naked. But it was nice not to have to use them anymore. :-)

My Experiences

I started using nasal stents back in January 1979. I had to go to the OR to have them placed in each of my nostrils then. My nose was so big that my nostrils contracted. It was a battle for over a year to change the tubes. In fact, my dad had to put them back in with me laying on the floor. It was not always pleasant. As time went on the tubes got easier to take in and out. The kind I used back then were short hard clear plastic tubes. The sizes were adjusted periodically. I used these tubes until my surgery in Oct. 1987. Then I got a reprieve from nasal tubes until Feb. 1992.

In Feb. 1992, I received white soft plastic custom made tubes. They were the most expensive ones too. They were short with holes for ventilation. The right tube stuck to my columella and would make it bleed from time to time. I stopped using the tubes in 1995. It didn't take long for my nostrils to start closing up.

In May 1996, I had surgery to open up my nostirls again. I started using longer tubes.

In August 1996, I was vacationing in southern California with my mom. We were on a boat ride from Long Beach CA to Catalina Island CA. On the boat ride, I was videotaping from the boat's railing. My tubes were loose. Guess what? My tubes fell out of my nose and into the ocean. LOL LOL Everyone was panicking. The whole thing was caught on video. LOL There was nothing we could do until the next day. The next morning, we had to make a call to my middle sister-in-law who called my PS' office and told them what happened. My PS' office FedEx new tubes to me. I received them the following day.

My Tubes before my April 1998 Surgery

My Tubes after my April 1998 Surgery

The Wean

On Sept. 1, 1998, PS told me that he wanted me to start weaning myself off the tubes beginning Oct. 1st. Guess what?? I have started to some small degree.

The sad thing out of all of the wean: I knew that it was NOT going to work. There was nothing supporting my columella. The wean was tried in September and October 1997 but it failed. I just want to have the surgery to rebuild my columella. I've been waiting for this surgery since 1992.

I have been taking out the tubes for up to an hour at a time with no problems.

Wed., Sept. 30, 1998

Tomorrow is the first official day of the beginning of the wean. I have been working on weaning off and on. Sometimes I forget to pull my tubes out. Yesterday I got busy updating my main homepage and forgot to pull the tubes out for an hour or so.

It's a weird feeling when I put the tubes back in because things feel tight. I am afraid that if I say this to PS because I am afraid that I will have to wait even longer to have my surgery. I know in my heart the wean is NOT going to work. It's been tried before and has not worked. It won't work as long as there's nothing to support my columella. Been there done that.

I think that I am going to have my nasal tubes bronzed. HA HA It will be my reward for having to use them for sooo long. :-)

Thurs., Oct. 8, 1998

The wean is going well. I have been doing it for a week now. On Oct. 1st, I had the tubes out for six to seven hours. Now I am up to twelve hours a day without the tubes!! When I put the tubes back in after they've been out for twelve hours, I have NO problem getting them back in.

Mon., Oct. 12, 1998

I had the tubes out for seventeen hours today!! And no problem getting them back in at all!!

The week of Mon., Oct 19, 1998

I left the tubes out for over 30 hours and had no problem getting them back in!!

I think the wean is going to work this time!!

Sun., Oct. 25, 1998

On Nov. 1st, I will start going without the tubes at all. By the time, I have the surgery, PS wants nothing to keep the nostrils open. He does NOT want any pressure on the newly-rebuilt columella. The blood supply is weak now and the surgery could weaken it more. Both PS and I know what could happen.

Thurs., Nov. 5, 1998

I've been without the tubes for about a week. The wean seems to be going well. Keep your fingers crossed. :-)

Thurs., Nov. 12, 1998

I've been without the stents for just about two weeks. I do notice some closure. :-( But I know why that is happening. It's because the columella is not strong enough to keep the nostrils opened. The only way that I will have permanent opening of the nostrils is if my columella is made stronger.

Wed., Dec. 30, 1998

I can't believe that the wean worked. I was so wrong. I thought the wean wouldn't work but it did. I've been without the tubes for two months. I am so glad to be rid of them!!!!

Thurs., Feb. 11, 1999

I've been tube-free for almost 3 1/2 months and it feels soooo good to be without the tubes!!!!! I am nearly one-month postop.

Sun., Aug. 29, 1999

I've been tube-free for almost a year. I am very use to being without the tubes. it is such a great feeling not to have anything coming out of my nose. :-) I hope that I never have to deal with them again. I think that I have had to deal them longer than anyone else.

Fri., Nov. 26, 1999

I've been tube-free for over a year now. I have noticed some contracture but that is to be expected. There is nothing that can be really done about the contracture.