Vocal cord paralysis

Hey there

I'm new to this group, so I figured I'd jump in and say hi... if anyone here has some insight to share, I’d really appreciate the help...
Basically, I've been diagnosed with vocal cord paralysis, and I'm trying to figure out if anyone else here has dealt with this mess—specifically, what actually worked to get things back to normal?

No answer from me just yet, but I'll hit you guys up once I'm back on my feet. Basically, after having surgery on a tumor on my vagus nerve, I ended up with vocal cord paralysis on one side. Right now, I’m heading over to a speech pathology center in Washington, D.C., where the specialists are giving me hope that I can get my voice back through some serious, steady speech exercises. It’s been five months since the surgery, and while my speech has improved a ton, it’s still way too quiet.
Staying hopeful and keeping up with the drills...😉

Hey Kenneth Myers8,
Just wanted to let you know that logotherapy is working, though progress feels pretty slow. There’s a faster route to recovery involving plastic surgery—specifically fat grafting for the vocal cords using tissue from the abdomen. I’m thinking about looking into that this fall if I don't see better results from the therapy soon. It would be super helpful if anyone here who’s had that procedure could share their experience and what the final results were like.
Talk soon... stay well and let me know how things are going on your end!

I’ve been dealing with some persistent issues with my voice lately—mostly just this constant hoarseness that won't quit. It’s a bit strange because I actually had heart surgery about eight months ago, and it wasn't until three months after the procedure that I started noticing these vocal changes. I finally have my first appointment scheduled with a laryngologist in about three weeks, so I am really hoping they can pinpoint exactly what's going on. Could you tell me a little more about what that specific type of exam actually entails? Like, what do they do during the visit? I'm crossing my fingers that I won't end up needing another surgery, as I honestly don't think my body could handle another operation right now, but this loss of voice is becoming such a huge struggle for me...

Amy Wilson13 said:Hey Kenneth Myers8,
Just wanted to let you know that logotherapy is working, though progress feels pretty slow. There’s a faster route to recovery involving plastic surgery—specifically fat grafting for the vocal cords using tissue from the abdomen. I’m thinking about looking into that this fall if I don't see better results from the therapy soon. It would be super helpful if anyone here who’s had that procedure could share their experience and what the final results were like.
Talk soon... stay well and let me know how things are going on your end!

Hey... I'm heading to an ENT specialist in Washington, D.C., myself. I've been doing some exercises which helped a bit, but then I caught a cold and everything just went downhill again. Now I'm just waiting for my doctor to weigh in on the best move—whether I need the injections or go full surgery. I'll update everyone once I know more. Cheers.🙂

Thomas Jackson9 said:I’ve been dealing with some persistent issues with my voice lately—mostly just this constant hoarseness that won't quit. It’s a bit strange because I actually had heart surgery about eight months ago, and it wasn't until three months after the procedure that I started noticing these vocal changes. I finally have my first appointment scheduled with a laryngologist in about three weeks, so I am really hoping they can pinpoint exactly what's going on. Could you tell me a little more about what that specific type of exam actually entails? Like, what do they do during the visit? I'm crossing my fingers that I won't end up needing another surgery, as I honestly don't think my body could handle another operation right now, but this loss of voice is becoming such a huge struggle for me...

They'll probably give you a clear answer once they run the tests. Since it's your first visit, they'll likely record your voice and perform a fiberoptic scope—basically, they slide a tiny camera through your nose or mouth to get a look at your vocal cords—along with a few other diagnostic checks. It isn't anything terrifying, though having that tube go up your nose is definitely uncomfortable, but you'll manage. Don't take my word as gospel since I'm no medical pro, I'm just sharing what happened with me. Good luck! 🙂

Thank you so much for getting back to me with those thoughts; I’m really hoping everything turns out to be okay and isn't too overwhelming... I have my checkup scheduled for Monday, April 20th, so once I've had a chance to sit down with the doctor and hear what they have to say, I'll be sure to reach out and let you know how it went.

I’ve actually been diagnosed with vocal cord paralysis myself, so I know how unsettling that can feel. I'm currently heading into some speech therapy sessions and I've already scheduled a fiberoptic scope and a laryngoscopy to get a better look at things... I'm just keeping my fingers crossed and staying optimistic that we'll see some real progress soon.

Hey girls, hi!

So, I’m dealing with some hoarseness issues. It's not permanent yet, but it happens way too often for my liking—so I'm finally taking action (just doing some digging for info rather than full-blown tests right now).

I was diagnosed with asthma almost two years ago. Before that, I never really dealt with allergies or any voice issues. But then I got hoarse around Christmas, and now it's been going on for about a week and a half. The thing is, nothing actually hurts—swallowing is totally fine and painless... and it wasn't even a steady decline at first. It started okay for three days, and then after day five, my voice just completely crashed. It's been such an erratic curve. Every morning before I can even get a word out, I'm just sitting there wondering what kind of day I'm in for.

I haven't found anything online linking this specifically to asthma. But, I mean, I have a hunch it might be related—maybe even because of the inhaler I use every single day.

Has anyone else gone through this?

Thomas Jackson9 and Kenneth Myers8, what triggered it for you guys? How does it show up? I've got an appointment scheduled with my doctor in a month, so hopefully, I'll figure something out by then.

Thomas Jackson9, heart, breath, swallowing, lungs—all those organs are controlled by the Vagus nerve. Maybe you just need to wait until it’s been a full year since your surgery; I'm guessing you aren't quite back to 100% yet. I had my procedure back in August and I'm still on the mend myself. Hang in there and wishing you a speedy recovery—don't sweat it too much, the worst part is already behind you.

Amy Wilson13 said:Thomas Jackson9, heart, breath, swallowing, lungs—all those organs are controlled by the Vagus nerve. Maybe you just need to wait until it’s been a full year since your surgery; I'm guessing you aren't quite back to 100% yet. I had my procedure back in August and I'm still on the mend myself. Hang in there and wishing you a speedy recovery—don't sweat it too much, the worst part is already behind you.

Thank you so much for the kind words and support... I am really holding onto the hope that these issues with my voice will resolve themselves soon. My doctor mentioned something similar, suggesting that things might just return to normal once enough time has elapsed. It makes sense, really, considering I'm only ten months out from the operation and haven't fully bounced back to my old self just yet.

Amanda Doyle74 said:Hey girls, hi!

So, I’m dealing with some hoarseness issues. It's not permanent yet, but it happens way too often for my liking—so I'm finally taking action (just doing some digging for info rather than full-blown tests right now).

I was diagnosed with asthma almost two years ago. Before that, I never really dealt with allergies or any voice issues. But then I got hoarse around Christmas, and now it's been going on for about a week and a half. The thing is, nothing actually hurts—swallowing is totally fine and painless... and it wasn't even a steady decline at first. It started okay for three days, and then after day five, my voice just completely crashed. It's been such an erratic curve. Every morning before I can even get a word out, I'm just sitting there wondering what kind of day I'm in for.

I haven't found anything online linking this specifically to asthma. But, I mean, I have a hunch it might be related—maybe even because of the inhaler I use every single day.

Has anyone else gone through this?

Thomas Jackson9 and Kenneth Myers8, what triggered it for you guys? How does it show up? I've got an appointment scheduled with my doctor in a month, so hopefully, I'll figure something out by then.

For me, it happened right after heart surgery; I suspect they might have accidentally nicked my vocal cords during the procedure...

Got some great news regarding our voice issues. I’d honestly love to track down someone who went through this surgery and check back in with them four months later to see how things actually turned out.

Give singing a shot. Seriously...

Some great news for us! I’d honestly love it if we could get in touch with someone who actually went through this surgery so they could share their story with the group.

Jessica Cook11 said:Give singing a shot. Seriously...

Honestly, singing is just one part of the therapy. It’s a long haul and takes a ton of grit and a real drive to get your speech back. I've been grinding away at it for eight months now, just practicing and putting in the work.

I’m scheduled for that vocal cord fat graft surgery at the end of September, so I'll circle back with the results once it's done. It feels like the right move, and I'm hopeful it actually does the trick. Good luck to everyone out there. Cheers!

Nice! I'm actually planning to go for it in October myself. I'll let you know how everything turns out once I'm done. Apparently, you have to wait about a month for the final results since about 30% of the fat tissue gets absorbed by the body.
Good luck!

Hey everyone, checking in after my surgery... It’s been two weeks now and I’m feeling incredibly happy with how things turned out; my voice is back and I can talk just fine, though they told me this isn't even the final result yet... so there's a good chance it'll get even better... just stay optimistic, keep the faith, and everything will work out! Good luck to all of you!! Best, :-)

I’m seriously so happy for you! I can only imagine how incredible it feels to finally be able to speak after all that whispering. I’m actually counting down the days until my own appointment—it’s been 15 months of whispering already. Huge props to you for being so brave. Cheers!