Voice surgery issues

[crowcrow223]

Hi, I plan on having voice surgery pretty soon, and for about two months I won't be able to fully talk, I can't just say I've had a voice surgery to my friends at work, because I live stealth. Plus how will I explain the voice change... I was thinking about coming up with laryngeal cancer but  I'm afraid my employer would find out and question me about it... Any ideas how to convincingly explain all of that? Thanks so much in advance

[Nicolette]

You could explain it by saying you had surgery for vocal cord nodules and polyps or you had a very, very bad case of strep throat. Voice surgery does not change resonance or inflection, only pitch. The voice surgery should simply make it easier for you to reach your target pitch, which you may already be able to attain, albeit with a little more effort. By the time you've healed and are in full control of your voice, people may have already forgotten the sound (pitch) of your old voice.

[crowcrow223]

If I say that I've had this surgry, am I not supposed to let my employer know? I'd rather not

[Jennygirl]

Tell them you had a vocal fold asymmetry w/ vocal tremor and needed corrective surgery. Chances are you won't even be lying... Tons of people have that issue

Then you could tell them there's a chance your voice may sound slightly different as you start talking again.

[crowcrow223]

Thank you so much for the suggestion, I'll google it out!

[Kristal]

Are you absolutely certain that you can't get to your target voice without surgery? I've heard some of the results, and to be perfectly honest, they don't sound good. Most of the women I've heard sound like cartoon characters. As a singer and impressionist, I cannot in good conscience recommend vocal surgery. Training your voice is difficult, especially if you have never exercised it before, but it is rarely impossible.

Sorry to jack your thread like this, but the thought of someone taking a scalpel to vocal cords seriously freaks me out.

[Jennygirl]

Are you absolutely certain that you can't get to your target voice without surgery? I've heard some of the results, and to be perfectly honest, they don't sound good. Most of the women I've heard sound like cartoon characters. As a singer and impressionist, I cannot in good conscience recommend vocal surgery. Training your voice is difficult, especially if you have never exercised it before, but it is rarely impossible.

Sorry to jack your thread like this, but the thought of someone taking a scalpel to vocal cords seriously freaks me out.

Actually for most all of the VFS procedures, I tend to agree. There is only one I would in good conscience recommend- and that is from my own personal experience. CTA sounds unnatural and Femlar is downright scary as far as the risks. I went to Yeson Voice Center in S. Korea and they boast a risk free procedure with natural sound and that's exactly what they delivered. It's the only one I can recommend.

For the most part, I think Septet is right.

[Kate G]

Actually for most all of the VFS procedures, I tend to agree. There is only one I would in good conscience recommend- and that is from my own personal experience. CTA sounds unnatural and Femlar is downright scary as far as the risks. I went to Yeson Voice Center in S. Korea and they boast a risk free procedure with natural sound and that's exactly what they delivered. It's the only one I can recommend.

For the most part, I think Septet is right.

Did they have to make any incisions or was it done through the mouth?

Also did you hear anyone else who had your procedure or are you going only by your own experience?

At my present job I speak to customers (as my job) and I am often told what a sexy voice I have though it would be nice to have a voice I didn't have to be conscious of and it does feel like an effort though I do believe that if I was never around my parents or if I never had to speak to my parents, that my female voice would become much more concrete and natural.  I suspect it is a psychological issue but one I struggle with.

[abbyt89]

Did they have to make any incisions or was it done through the mouth?

Also did you hear anyone else who had your procedure or are you going only by your own experience?

At my present job I speak to customers (as my job) and I am often told what a sexy voice I have though it would be nice to have a voice I didn't have to be conscious of and it does feel like an effort though I do believe that if I was never around my parents or if I never had to speak to my parents, that my female voice would become much more concrete and natural.  I suspect it is a psychological issue but one I struggle with.

Hey, there's a huge thread over in the voice therapy forum about VFS at Yeson: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,139439.0.html

I too have had the surgery there and while I'm still healing I'm very pleased with the results. A couple other girls from here are having the surgery within the next few months. There is no incision, it's done entirely endoscopically. And unlike CTA/Femlar there are no risks aside from those associated with any surgery.

Oh, and by the way your issue is the exact same reason I and most other women went to Yeson, the fact that I won't have to concentrate on raising my pitch was a huge deal to me. It's not a complete solution, you still have to work on the other parts of feminine speech, so it's more of a quality of life/comfort thing for me.

[Kate G]

Thanks Abby