Collagen Injection

Just in case there are any doctors or nurses on board this question is addressed to you.  We were told while waiting to see if your voice comes back from having had a PT with neck dissection you can be given a collagen injection into the vocal cord.  This will make your voice stronger.  Have you seen any side effects from this?

To all thyca patients if you have had this injection, would love to get feedback from you.

Thank you.

Lou

I have had several personal experiences.  July 06 surgery for TT for cancer throughout thyroid and a lymph gland - During surgery my vocal cords were paralyzed.  Had a trach for awhile and after that was removed had trouble talking and breathing.  I have only one vocal cord and still have problems on top of dealing with the cancer situation.  It's been over a year and I have had collagen injections and just one week ago I had an injection of calcium (very thick substance).  This should last longer.  The collagen does work but in my case it only last a few weeks.  My dr. told me each person is different - some people the collagen lasts several months.  The collagen is naturally absorbed into your body.  There are a couple ways to have this treatment done.  I highly suggest if this is what you would like to do, find a very good doctor.  I don't want to be put under so I made the choice to have it done in the office without anything, except for the numbing agent up the nose.  Then a camera is placed in your nose and it is run through your nose and into your vocal cord area so the dr. can see the vocal cords.  Then the injections are done through the outside neck area.  It is painful, but for a very short time.  I did feel relief immediately.  My husband heard my "old voice" immediately and I felt relief with breathing.  I will say it is worth the few minutes of pain.  You can also go through outpatient and be put under for a few minutes.  The last injections I received we are hoping could last for a year, or more.... I know this was alot to probably hear/read, but remember your vocal cords are not just for talking - they control your breathing and it is a very precious area.  My dr. at Standford CA is the greatest and I wish the best in whatever you decide. 

j

On 10/3/2007 Learn Something New Every wrote:

I have had several personal experiences.  July 06 surgery for TT for cancer throughout thyroid and a lymph gland - During surgery my vocal cords were paralyzed.  Had a trach for awhile and after that was removed had trouble talking and breathing.  I have only one vocal cord and still have problems on top of dealing with the cancer situation.  It's been over a year and I have had collagen injections and just one week ago I had an injection of calcium (very thick substance).  This should last longer.  The collagen does work but in my case it only last a few weeks.  My dr. told me each person is different - some people the collagen lasts several months.  The collagen is naturally absorbed into your body.  There are a couple ways to have this treatment done.  I highly suggest if this is what you would like to do, find a very good doctor.  I don't want to be put under so I made the choice to have it done in the office without anything, except for the numbing agent up the nose.  Then a camera is placed in your nose and it is run through your nose and into your vocal cord area so the dr. can see the vocal cords.  Then the injections are done through the outside neck area.  It is painful, but for a very short time.  I did feel relief immediately.  My husband heard my "old voice" immediately and I felt relief with breathing.  I will say it is worth the few minutes of pain.  You can also go through outpatient and be put under for a few minutes.  The last injections I received we are hoping could last for a year, or more.... I know this was alot to probably hear/read, but remember your vocal cords are not just for talking - they control your breathing and it is a very precious area.  My dr. at Standford CA is the greatest and I wish the best in whatever you decide. 

j

You say, your vocal cords were both paralyzed.  I have heard sometimes with time when only one is paralyzed the other compensates for the one that does not move.  How many injections have you had, again have heard you can only have 3.

Has your voice become stronger on its own or only after having the injections.  Again, spoke to someone who only had one vocal cord paralyzed and had one injection, lasted for about a year and had another and within 6mths. her voice came back on its own.  I guess the injection plumps up the area and it actually moved the paralyzed cord to the good one and started moving on its own.

Something my son, he is the patient is thinking about since he is a teacher and it has been very difficult dealing with the absence of his voice.

Lou 

you are right in saying that sometimes a vocal cord can come back.  that is only if it is permanently damaged or has been cut.  Unfortunately, mine is not repairable.  Another answer - my dr. never has told us that I am limited to injections - in fact he has given me the option to continue the injections and not resort to surgery, which I will need to do.  I am just putting off until I feel I can handle it not just physically, but mentally.  Another answer - from what I have learned over the past year dealing with all of this is that one vocal cord cannot compensate for the other.  The way the vocal cords work is this:  the two must come together tightly to allow you to swallow, talk, and breath.  When one is not working, or working well - the two cannot complete the process.  The vocal cords also do not work alone.  There are muscles, nerves, your voice box, and I can't remember what else, but these areas all work together to work the vocal cords.  It sounds like alot, but there are many web sites to look at - in fact you can see video of what your vocal cords look like and what a paralyzed one/two look like.  If your son's dr. feel this is temporary for him - even maybe a one year basis - I would suggest he give it try - I am happy with my results.  One more bit of information, we have consulted SEVERAL dr.'s before finding one that we felt comfortable with.  One thing I have researched and discussed with my dr. is that once a year has passed your chances of a vocal cord repairing itself is very slim.

good luck

j

On 10/3/2007 Learn Something New Every wrote:

you are right in saying that sometimes a vocal cord can come back.  that is only if it is permanently damaged or has been cut.  Unfortunately, mine is not repairable.  Another answer - my dr. never has told us that I am limited to injections - in fact he has given me the option to continue the injections and not resort to surgery, which I will need to do.  I am just putting off until I feel I can handle it not just physically, but mentally.  Another answer - from what I have learned over the past year dealing with all of this is that one vocal cord cannot compensate for the other.  The way the vocal cords work is this:  the two must come together tightly to allow you to swallow, talk, and breath.  When one is not working, or working well - the two cannot complete the process.  The vocal cords also do not work alone.  There are muscles, nerves, your voice box, and I can't remember what else, but these areas all work together to work the vocal cords.  It sounds like alot, but there are many web sites to look at - in fact you can see video of what your vocal cords look like and what a paralyzed one/two look like.  If your son's dr. feel this is temporary for him - even maybe a one year basis - I would suggest he give it try - I am happy with my results.  One more bit of information, we have consulted SEVERAL dr.'s before finding one that we felt comfortable with.  One thing I have researched and discussed with my dr. is that once a year has passed your chances of a vocal cord repairing itself is very slim.

good luck

j

I actually got to see my son's vocal cords during the scoping.  The doctor had him do a few vocal sounds and I could see the left one moving back and forth like crazy, but the one on the rt. just stayed straight up and never moved.  One thing we didn't ask was if it had been cut or was it just paralyzed.  By what I saw it didn't look like it was severed at all, it just didn't move.

Regarding the one compensating for the other, I was surprised to hear your comment.  His doctor along with other thyca patients I have talked to say the same thing.  In time if the cord is just paralyzed there is a good chance that the working cord will compensate for the injured one.  My son has never had any breathing or swallowing problems before or after the surgery.

I'm aware we all heal and mend differently.  Glad to hear that the injections have worked for you, he will definitely consider having one to see how his voice reacts.

Again, thank you for responding.

Lou