19 things I bought from Amazon to prepare for my deviated septum surgery

I was told to avoid pulling clothes over my head for a few days after surgery, so I mostly wore zip-up sweatshirts. The weather was getting warmer and I didn't want to overheat, so I wore thin hoodies like this one.

I wanted to up my cozy game so I bought myself to a new pair of sweatpants. These cost less than $10 and I like that they don't have a drawstring.

Since the swelling makes you unable to breathe through your nose post-surgery, you end up doing a whole lot of mouth-breathing — day and night. This made my lips constantly super dry. I did not need more discomfort in my life, so I carried this lip balm in my pocket at all times.

This humidifier worked really well for keeping my nasal passages from getting too dry after surgery. I was also waking up with a lot of throat pain from sleeping with my mouth open all night so keeping the air humid was key.

I hadn't thought to buy a humidifier before surgery, but I quickly purchased one in a late-night haze on day three of recovery; it definitely helped and I wish I had it earlier.

Read more: The best humidifiers you can buy

Keeping your nasal passages clean and hydrated after surgery is vital, and saline nasal spray is key for that. I had a splint inside my nose for the first week after surgery to keep my septum straight. The splint removal is an uncomfortable process and can be a lot more painful if you don't follow your after-care instructions. Once my splint was removed, I continued to use this spray to keep my nose hydrated and avoid nose bleeds.

I applied Aquaphor with a Q-Tip to my nasal passages in the morning and at night to keep my nose moist.

I was advised to clean my nose in the morning and at night using hydrogen peroxide and a Q-Tip.

My doctor recommended using Afrin for nasal stuffiness. I didn't love how it made my nose feel, but this spray definitely helped relieve some congestion.

These ice packs were great because there were enough included that I could easily swap for a fresh, frozen ice pack when the one I was using thawed. Having multiple also meant I could be lazy and not return ice packs back to the freezer right away.

I also liked that these ice packs were small enough that they only covered my nose and didn't make the rest of my face cold.

I didn't have much swelling near my eyes, but I used the mask to calm my itchy eyes since rubbing so close to my nose proved to be a dangerous game.

I like this mask because it has eye holes and also because you put it in the refrigerator instead of the freezer, giving you a cooling, calming sensation rather than an ice cold, numbing feeling.

Bromelain is supposed to help with swelling. I honestly don't know if taking these made a difference, but I was willing to try anything and everything to heal quickly.

Arnica is an herbal remedy for bruising. I didn't wind up trying these because I didn't experience bruising — which is usually more prevalent after a rhinoplasty, not a septoplasty. I was happy to have these handy just in case.

For pain management, I wanted to avoid relying solely on the painkillers I was prescribed because they were a narcotic. Since my doctor instructed me not to take any aspirin-containing products or any other NSAIDs, I stocked up on Tylenol Extra Strength to pull me through the first week after surgery.

Both anesthesia and painkillers can be a constipant. I generally don't have digestion issues, but I wanted to be sure I had this available in case I ran into any issues!

For a few days following surgery, your nose will get super oily. Blotting papers were really effective for making me feel less gross and allowed me to gently remove the oil without having to touch my nose too much.

My nose was so tender that I wasn't able to properly wash my face or continue my daily skin-care routine. I wanted to feel clean and avoid skin problems, so I used cleansing pads in order to be careful around my nose.

Your nose will be sensitive to sun for a couple of weeks post-surgery; if you get sunburned, then it could cause swelling and slow down the healing. Make sure you're protecting your skin!

If it wasn't clear at this point, keeping hydrated is super important for a quick recovery. To avoid bumping your sensitive nose on cups, use straws.