Voice problems

[Nancy]

With all the giant brains here, I thought someone might have insight and good ideas for this problem.

My husband Joe, has had multiple major surgeries, and with each additional surgery, his voice has become weaker. I strongly suspect that all the tubes down his throat, including some of the TEEs, have permanently damaged his vocal chords.

Right now, he can barely speak above a whisper and in order to talk, you can tell that he's straining. We've spoken to the PCP about this, and he thought that he would give it until September before sending Joe to a specialist (ENT). He thought the throat might need to heal a little from the last back to back abdominal surgery.

Anyone have similar problems?

 

[hensylee]

Maybe you ought to go now, Nancy.

 

[JenniferO]

Hi Nancy:

I don't know if any of this will apply to Joe but I offer it on the chance that it may.

I have friend who had an endoscopy done because of bleeding ulcers. As is common, she was given Versed as a sedative for the procedure. When she woke up, her voice was gone. After several weeks of hoarseness and not being able to speak above a whisper, she went to the ENT. He looked at the vocal chords through a scope, and while he did not find "damage", he did see inflammation. Apparently the normal treatment for that is steriods. Because of the ulcer situation, she was given antibiotics for the inflammation instead -- Zithromax. It did take about two months, but gradually the hoarseness went away. In her case it was assumed it was the tube down the throat that gave her the hoarseness, but I have a different theory.

I had a similar experience from being given Versed for a colonoscopy. Since the tube/scope didn't go down my throat for this procedure, I blame my hoarseness on the sedative itself. I have had Versed on other occasions with no problem but on this occasion the Versed dose was increased because I told them they didn't give me quite enough the previous time. Although the doctors claim to have never seen that as a side effect, all I know is I went in with a normal voice and came out without one. I sounded like I had laryngitis for about a week, then gradually over about a month, my voice came back, although as much as three months later, if I tried to raise my voice above a normal speaking level (say to call to my dog in the yard), my voice would still break.

Don't know if Joe's had Versed lately, but I'm just putting it out there.

At least the visit to the ENT might be worth it because he could see if it looks like damage or just inflammation that could be treated.

 

[Nancy]

Hi Jennifer-

Funny you should mention that--Joe had a colonoscopy while in the hospital a couple of weeks ago, and they probably gave him Versed. He's also had that several other times for presurgery prep.

Verrrry interesting.

 

[JenniferO]

Yep, I know it's just what doctors like to discount as "anectodal" but I still think losing one's voice is a side effect of too much Versed, much as I love the good sleep and amnesia effect of the stuff (having had four TEEs myself in the last year).

 

[John Cochran]

Nancy,
When my brother was in graduate school for speech pathology and audiology, I remember him describing how complicated the process of human speech is. Far more than vocal chords are involved, starting in the abdomen and lungs (for generation and control of air volume), and ending with delicate control of the lips, tongue and mouth musculature (for enunciation).

While meds may indeed play a role in reduced speech volume, I would speculate that abdominal surgery, combined with previous lung surgeries, may have incrementally diminished the volume and control of air needed for speech; consequently, the vocal chords may also have become deconditioned over time.

If you combine that deconditioning with possible drug side effects, plus the irritation of ventilator tubes and TEE's, we have one of those confounded multiple/inter-related causes going on.

If it turns out that there is no detectable pathology involved, there are speech pathologists that may be able to help in the reconditioning of his voice.

With all Joe has been through, I hope this turns out to be something that is easily treated.

Best to both of you,
--John

 

[Nancy]

You might be right, John about the complicated nature of what's going on with Joe's voice.

I guess he'll end up with a voice coach, maybe singing lessons?? No, never mind that! LOL

 

[John Cochran]

Singing lessons, eh? Just make sure he doesn't start with that old transplant donor standard, "I left my heart in San Francisco."

 

[EVELYN]

John....that last post was hilarious.....maybe we could do a repetoire of songs Joe could sing?????? How about, "HEART OF MY HEART!!!!" or "YOUR CHEATIN' HEART!!"

Nancy, you'd better tell Joe to tune himself up, we may have created a monster!!!

Evelyn

 

[Nancy]

That's funny about the transplant donor song.

Whenever Joe goes to have PATs (hopefully not ever again), they always ask if he would like to be an organ donor. Ha! I wouldn't want any of those organs, but he did get the last nurse going when he said he wanted very much to be a heart donor. She was so thrilled and started writing it down, when she realized that his heart is very, very compromised. So no more questions on that particular subject!