All my life I have had a weak, raspy voice. I always assumed it was because I was on a venilator for 5 weeks when I was born but come to find out a few weeks ago I went to the ENT who said I have a paralyzed vocal cord. He also mentioned a surgery called thyroplasty that would help to improve my voice. However, after reading up on it I have heard that you have to be awake for the surgery and it really freaks me out so I would like to know if this is true. I would also like to know what the recovery time would be like or if my voice will even change that much. Thanks!
Hi frenchfri
YOU MIGHT HAVE 2 OTHER SOLUTIONS WHICH ARE NOT SO DRASTIC!!!
if you search "vocal cord" on these boards you will see a fair amount of posts in ENT board , Thyroid board and Spinal cord injury board.
On the internet there is precious little info on recovery and therapy.
I am 90% recovered from vocal cord paralysis (right). Mine was a result of having spine surgery where they go thru the front of neck to get to the spine. They use retractors to push esophagus aside and unfortunately damaged the nerve that controls right vocal cord.
Some "experts" had a dim view of my recovery 6 months out and I was told that if by 6 months my cord was paralyzed I would have to consider the thyroplasty operation. I read everything you did. I was well past 6 months and still struggling.
My Paralysis occurred in Oct 06.
Dec 06 I had a surgical gel foam injection to move my vocal cord midline, I knew going in it could last 10 to 20 weeks. What a miracle! But it only lasted 12 weeks.
I had 2nd surgical gel foam injection end of March 07.
All the while I was doing conventional speech therapy exercises and not getting a lot of results from the therapy.....until I found a speech therapist from Yale University Hospital (via internet) who was kind enough to email me back and then followed up with me by phone and fax a NEW way to treat vocal cord paralysis with different exercises. The new exercises and the gel foam implants have my voice almost normal again!
The new exercises are primarily using words with m's and n's. Those sounds force the cords to work. I saw my vocal cord played back on video not moving at all, so I know this works!
I did 1/2 an hr am and then 2 more 15 minute sessions daily. I printed out a list of words and phrases in giant bold type and practiced in the car driving.
You can hum "mmmmmm "in scales then "nnnnn" in scales.
I had a list of phrases with m and n words
"Mama made some money. Mama made some jam. Mama made money maling lemon jam. Many men on the moon (and on and on) Nuns make notes.
Moon beams make me swoon." get inventive and have fun with it!
I made up a ton of these and practiced in varied tones.
And it worked for me!
I urge you to look at my posts you can click on my name and anything I have posted will come up and you will read my struggle and my success!
july,
Thanks for the information! I'm still trying to decide what route to take but those are definately options I'll look into! Are the injections a surgical procedure and do they hurt? And I'm just curious before your recovery did you get winded really easily? That's what's been happening to me and up until now I've blamed it on my asthma but now I'm not so sure! Thanks again!
frenchfri
Hi
Injections are a very short surgical proceedure. You are out about 20 minutes.
I read where some drs will do in office while you are awake (NOT FOR ME!)
Winded? Are you kidding? I had no air! Your vocal cords control breathing, swallowing and voice.
Immediately after my surgery that paralyzed vocal cord, I couldnt breath! I was reamitted to another hospital thinking that I had a pulminary embolism during surgery. They ended up releasing me 5 days later with drugs for athsma and COPD. (Totally wrong diagnosis) Noone knew I had a paralyzed vocal cord until 2 months later when after searching the internet I suspected it and demanded to be tested.
My breathing and energy levels are almost 100% now.
That sounds exaclty like me!! haha! I have to take tons of breaths when I talk...Also, after I eat, I start coughing and gagging, do you think this could be related to my vocal cords too? I didn't start noticing it until about a week ago but now that I have its really annoying! I'm just full of questions, huh?
Paralyzed Vocal Cord-Need Advice 
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