Loss Of Voice

Hi- I underwent total thyroidectomy 2 months ago for thyroid cancer and have experienced loss of voice, strength, and range and I am still experiencing pain in my voice box by the end of the day.  I use my voice all day at work, and usually by the end of the day I have nothing left.  I am going to an ENT doctor for an appointment today and was wondering if there is any other alternative than getting more surgery to recover my voice?

 

On 10/12/2007 s_ballgirl wrote:

Hi- I underwent total thyroidectomy 2 months ago for thyroid cancer and have experienced loss of voice, strength, and range and I am still experiencing pain in my voice box by the end of the day.  I use my voice all day at work, and usually by the end of the day I have nothing left.  I am going to an ENT doctor for an appointment today and was wondering if there is any other alternative than getting more surgery to recover my voice?

Hi, was curious to what your ENT had to say about the loss of your voice.  My son who is 3mths. post-op is still without his voice.  He sounds very breathy and raspy.  His ENT scoped him and we were able to see that his rt. vocal cord is paralyzed.  We were told you can have collagen injections and that will produce more range in your voice, it is only temporary and no one can say how long it will keep your voice strong.

Let me know how things turn out for you.

Lou 

 

I experienced a very weak voice after my TT, but after about 4-5 months I was almost back to normal.  Good luck.

My ENT scoped me and I have right vocal paralyzation, with partial paralyzation in my left..  He will not be able to do anything until they are sure that I am not going to undergo any type of radiation therapy of my neck area.  Then he will address the problem of my vocal chords and loss off voice... in the meantime, more suffering for me.  Trying to run a business in which communication is crucially involved.  I am on the phone constantly with customers, while trying to fill temp assignment orders.  My doc said that I could no longer do anything strenuous due to the restriction on my airway and the chance of passing out.  So no more softball league for me.  It was a stress reliever for me.

 Thanks for the well wishes-

Shannon

I just wanted to tell you that my daughter also has a paralyzed right vocal chord.  Her surgery was 8/9/07 and she still has not regained her voice, she is very raspy and cannot breathe well either.  She is 16 years old and plays volleyball, basketball, and tennis.  Volleyball wasn't so bad for her to get back...she even played while being hypo!  I think basketball she is having some difficulty which is really sad because she is probably the best athlete in her Junior Class.  She had a pulmonary function test to see if the breathing problem was due to asthma, havent got the results... get them Monday...but I really believe it was the surgery b/c she didn't have that problem before.  Should I be concerned...I never thought about her passing out...did your doctor say you would always have this trouble or did he give you any hope that it would get better with time?  Sorry to drill you with questions but it helps to know what someone else is experiencing too.  I hope things get better for you...I know she loves sports and it would be hard for her to give them up, but I want her healthy.

I had a total thyroidectomy due to papillary cancer in Dec, 2004. I also lost my voice and could barely talk above a whisper for three (3) months. With a scope, it was determined that my right vocal cord was completely paralyzed. However, I continued to talk and use my voice and my voice came completely back within 6 months. The advice I was given was to use your voice as much as possible -- that it stimulates nerve regeneration. As far as the passing out goes....during the time that I had no voice, I also had major shortness of breath. The ENT I saw explained to me that when your vocal cord is paralyzed, the other cord overcompensates and crosses further over to attempt to meet the other one, thus covering over your airway. In essence, that makes you unable to breathe during that time and you feel like you are suffocating.

Thank you for responding and giving me hope. That is what we are praying for, that over time her vocal chords will heal themselves. Her surgeon told us her right vocal chord will do one of three things...get better, get worse, or stay the same. We are praying it gets better. Again, thank you, anything positive is a relief.

 

On 11/4/2007 vlcomb wrote:

Thank you for responding and giving me hope. That is what we are praying for, that over time her vocal chords will heal themselves. Her surgeon told us her right vocal chord will do one of three things...get better, get worse, or stay the same. We are praying it gets better. Again, thank you, anything positive is a relief.

I lost my right vocal chord almost two years ago and the left one is barely hanging on.  I have metastatic breast cancer - the lymph nodes/tumors  putting pressure on the laryngeal nerve caused the damage.  By the time the doctors figured it out, there was no hope for it being saved.  I have had two injections into the chords - a little in each because they were afraid of totally blocking off the airway.  I, too, have difficulty breathing - they thought it was asthma, lung disorder, etc.  All lung function and cardiac tests were ok.  Somedays my voice is better than others - depends on where I am -  have difficulty projecting my voice.  If in a crowded restaurant or party, people cannot understand what I am saying.   A dr recommended daily sinus rinses.  I do them morning and nite and have noticed a tremendous improvement in the sound of my voice - not as high pitched.  My ENT agreed - said most singers/performers do this every day to protect their vocal chords - keep them hydrated.  My oncologist is amazed at the difference in my voice - doesn't get the whole sinus rinse thing, but is impressed.

Hope this helps.  You can buy the sinus rinse kits in drug stores - at health food stores - on line.  Can't hurt to try.  Just a simple saline mixture.

K 

 

Checking back in with everybody.  I posted the original thread.  I still do not have voice back and normal breathing functions. The ENT is saying I have to wait almost a year to see if it is permanent, which is hard enough to swallow.  Also, going in tomorrow for a CT scan of possible spread to my lymph nodes in neck and collar bones which are painful and swollen. So now I am facing more surgery and possible cancer treatments due to the fact that the surgeon thought it was well contained and the radioactive iodine was not needed......

 

Wish me luck-