Yeson voice feminization surgery 2.0

[iKate]

I have my preop voice but I am not comfortable making that public much. I can send it privately upon request.

Ah, screw it. I changed my mind. Here is my pre-op audition for Dr Kim. This is the regular untrained voice. This actually is around 133Hz but after I went full time I was up to about ~155Hz regular speaking voice.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1ZS7zGTO6IM

The "trained" (strained) voice I don't have a recording for, at least not on this computer. I have to dig around my workstation in the home office as I recorded it there. I never got the files from Dr Kim, just the video and stroboscopy of my vocal folds. I'll ask them if they have the recordings they took there. They took a lot.

[iKate]

And this is the "trained" voice which passed maybe 40-50% of the time. Actually, I'm sure people were being nice to me and it did not pass.

You can hear a lot of lower tone in it which frustrated me to no end.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1SnLVbc4Ixi

This next one I recorded in Korea the day before the op. It was at night, just before I went to bed. No raising of voice at all. I actually recorded this for my kids as they love me reading to them. (It's a video but this is the audio portion). This is with the Mac's built in mic.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s144FN0fNwee

[iKate]

You can get an idea of the kind of intonation that women from Trinidad and Tobago use. I still have to re-learn that accent because if I have any hope of passing there I can't sound like an American. Mrs Bissessar is a friend of my family, and in 2006 I had told her actually predicted that she would win her election. I am so proud of Aunty Kamla.



And this is a younger voice, a news announcer. Madam PM is also in this video.



This is Jowelle, a (non-stealth, out and proud) trans woman from Trinidad. She transitioned at 19. She says she really doesn't do anything with her voice and she hasn't had any surgery other than SRS. You can see that she sounds feminine even though her pitch isn't super high.

[anjaq]

The change to your pre OP recordings is really amazing. You have a good chance to be asked by Dr Kim to show your videos in the consultations - Next to Jennys videos he always shows. Thats such a massive change.

[Teslagirl]

You can get an idea of the kind of intonation that women from Trinidad and Tobago use. I still have to re-learn that accent because if I have any hope of passing there I can't sound like an American. Mrs Bissessar is a friend of my family, and in 2006 I had told her actually predicted that she would win her election. I am so proud of Aunty Kamla.



Whaaat! Your Aunty is Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago???!!!! That's astonishing. Am I dreaming all this? It's so surreal, and wonderful!!

Your new voice is so radically different from your old voice by the way!!! Even more impressive now I've heard your old voice!!!

[iKate]

No, she's a close friend of the family. As a mark of respect we call her "aunty." But yes, we are close, and were close for a long time along with my local MP who I'm also close with (I worked out of his office for a while and did exit polls for elections and other stuff for the party.) his brother is a pundit who did my grandfather's funeral rites. Haven't been there since 06 though.

[Teslagirl]

Kate's wonderful result just confirms for me what I've been thinking for a while since my own experience here started. If you're going to Yeson, don't make any coughing, throat clearing or talking mistakes. Kate didn't, and has a brilliant voice. I made quite a few mistakes, and from what i heard, my voice has reverted. The first time I made a mistake it seemed really high pitched. Not any more. I think I may have loosened the sutures or something. I'm not going to dwell on it; in the few days I have left here, I'm just going to enjoy this new culture as an experience. Maybe I can come back for a revision sometime (if Dr Kim does them). Please learn from me.

[iKate]

Umm don't think so. I also managed to actually try to shout at my son for disrupting a restaurant. I was fine. Right now there is no change for you because your folds are still swollen and your brain is trying to figure out what just happened. When you start talking your brain will try to use the lower pitches, give up and then seek higher ones. At least that's how I felt it.

But yes, do enjoy Korea and work on those smartphone thumbs. I used a text to speech app to get me through the month of silence.

And don't even try to talk. Do your best not to. It's hard and I was worried just like you but really you'll be fine.

[Dena]

Thank you for posting your old voice. I wasn't going to ask you for them but they answer a little question for me. You had a very feminine speech pattern before surgery and the only real issue you had was the lower pitch. The surgery give you the pitch and combined with your natural feminine speech pattern, you sounded right with the first word in the new voice. I am not really sure you need speech therapy unless you want to touch the voice up a little.

[iKate]

Thank you for posting your old voice. I wasn't going to ask you for them but they answer a little question for me. You had a very feminine speech pattern before surgery and the only real issue you had was the lower pitch. The surgery give you the pitch and combined with your natural feminine speech pattern, you sounded right with the first word in the new voice. I am not really sure you need speech therapy unless you want to touch the voice up a little.

I guess so. I've been saying that but now I realize it's true. After month 2 I'm going to evaluate where I am and see if I do need therapy. The yeson exercises by themselves are good so I could start with that as they are free.

[Lynne]

Wow Kate, I just listened to your voice and you sound great! I wish you luck with the rest of your recovery. I can imagine how much this will improve your confidence, I know it would do a lot for me.

[iKate]

Wow Kate, I just listened to your voice and you sound great! I wish you luck with the rest of your recovery. I can imagine how much this will improve your confidence, I know it would do a lot for me.

Like you would not believe. Even basic things like filling up gas (NJ is all full serve) is not an ordeal anymore. I can't wait until month 2. I'm dreading month 4 since that's when Botox starts to wear off.

Thank you!

[Dena]

Not having used your voice for a month, I would expect it to be weak. When I first started the mouth voice I could only hold it for a short time but as I used it more, I reached the point were I could work a couple of hours on a customer call without issues and be ready for more.  As for the kid, Parental Authority. They behave or they don't get the treat/story. Sometimes my mom could do more with her eyes than with her voice.

[iKate]

Not having used your voice for a month, I would expect it to be weak. When I first started the mouth voice I could only hold it for a short time but as I used it more, I reached the point were I could work a couple of hours on a customer call without issues and be ready for more.  As for the kid, Parental Authority. They behave or they don't get the treat/story. Sometimes my mom could do more with her eyes than with her voice.

Oh trust me. They do get it. I put all 3 on time out today because they were playing with the fan and also fighting over a pair of shoes. They got the message after that. I don't joke around. I am a strict but fair parent. They love me to pieces but know to behave around me.

I also have "the look" and when I clap everyone is silent... my son though, he tests the limits. Boys. smh

[Dana88]

Kate's wonderful result just confirms for me what I've been thinking for a while since my own experience here started. If you're going to Yeson, don't make any coughing, throat clearing or talking mistakes. Kate didn't, and has a brilliant voice. I made quite a few mistakes, and from what i heard, my voice has reverted. The first time I made a mistake it seemed really high pitched. Not any more. I think I may have loosened the sutures or something. I'm not going to dwell on it; in the few days I have left here, I'm just going to enjoy this new culture as an experience. Maybe I can come back for a revision sometime (if Dr Kim does them). Please learn from me.

You sound like me. I got overly anxious for a bit about the outcome as well after I accidentally said four words on day 3. But my postop went very well. Everything looked well healed so far and symmetrical. Also, if you go back to the beginning of this thread and reread Jenny's experience, she talks about how she accidentally cleared her throat he first few days so many times she convinced herself she had dislodged a suture. Also she mentioned she got quite sick when she got back and 'did the best she could' with the coughing and throat clearing. Lastly, you'll also note Dr. Kim's rules have gotten stricter as time has gone on. When Jenny got it done, she was allowed 15-20 words a day after week one. Even when I first emailed about the procedure 8 months ago, Jessie said 5 words a day after week one. By the time I got the procedure done it was one to two words a day. So I don't think these things are really a factor outside of doing something so bad that you rupture the surgical site. I think the things that are a factor are things we have no control over; preop vocal health, age, how well our individual bodies heal and how quickly, how quickly our mind adapts etc. I was freaking for a while too, feeling like every time I accidentally cleared my throat with vocalization or coughed a little that I was majorly compromising the healing process. I'm not at the point that I can speak again, and I'll admit I'm still anxious about it, but try not to get yourself too worked up.

[iKate]

Lastly, you'll also note Dr. Kim's rules have gotten stricter as time has gone on. When Jenny got it done, she was allowed 15-20 words a day after week one. Even when I first emailed about the procedure 8 months ago, Jessie said 5 words a day after week one. By the time I got the procedure done it was one to two words a day. So I don't think these things are really a factor outside of doing something so bad that you rupture the surgical site.

Here is what Dr Kim explained to me. Mind you I had my mom there as well and she was an ENT nurse in the OR for many years. I think that made him comfortable to explain things more. He said after 7 days external healing is more or less done. However, internal healing of the surgery site and wound is not. He explained that lower tones especially cause the vocal folds to vibrate very strongly and this could cause internal healing to be less than optimal. Coughing is especially bad. This is why I was super duper careful not to cough. I took the synatura religiously along with all the pills. If I even felt a hint of a cough or tickle I opened my mouth and went, "hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" a few times until that sensation went away. It was really really hard and mentally taxing. However, I knew it was only for a short time and I also knew that it was for my own good. I did manage to cough twice and on the follow up he asked me if I did. I said just two times. He said, "good." So one or two times is not bad. Just don't make it a habit.

He did not even tell me I could say 2 words a day. He said, "I know it says 1-2 words but really its best to keep silent." I did for the most part, except talking in alarm to my son, telling the kids "I love you" when I was in tears when I arrived home from JFK airport, and a few words here and there. And as you can hear, I'm fine. Even between months 1 and 2 I'm not really talking loudly.

I suspect he took extra caution with me as I am diabetic and things (are supposed to) heal slower for me. But even with that, as you can hear, I am just fine.

Near the end of the month I started saying those 1-2 words (okay, it was more like 3-4) but I did my best to stay silent otherwise.

I think I would have been fine if I was talking but I did not want to take that chance. I have heard people who had voice surgery gone wrong and I don't want to end up like them. That scared me into silence.

So yes, the rules have tightened but I think he is adding some extra margin of safety.

[Dana88]

He explained that lower tones especially cause the vocal folds to vibrate very strongly and this could cause internal healing to be less than optimal. Coughing is especially bad. This is why I was super duper careful not to cough. I took the synatura religiously along with all the pills.

Of course you had to tell me that after I've had two days where I simply took a breath and basically uncontrollably wheezed out a ton of phlegm over and over and I was worried about what felt like a low rumble haha. And to clarify I can't quite tell if the low rumble is coming from my vocal cords or just from phlegm rumbling around my chest. Back to paranoia :-P. Coughing though I've managed to mostly keep at bay. Only happened two times and both times it wasn't a coughing fit, I managed to stop myself after one cough.

And yeah, he told me the same thing. And save for one slip up on day 8, I don't plan on speaking at all for the next two weeks.

[Dana88]

Also iKate, Dr. Kim gave me a few days worth of extra Synatura when I asked but my pills from Yeson only went through the first week. Did you get extra pills too?

[iKate]

Also iKate, Dr. Kim gave me a few days worth of extra Synatura when I asked but my pills from Yeson only went through the first week. Did you get extra pills too?

Nope just extra synatura, 'cause I asked for it (primarily because it's better than anything I've had in the US for cough suppression).

The pills are basically antibiotics and other stuff. Antibiotics are usually given as a course, meaning there is a definite start and end date. You can't just take more. It could cause bacteria to become resistant to it.

[Dana88]

Nope just extra synatura, 'cause I asked for it (primarily because it's better than anything I've had in the US for cough suppression).

The pills are basically antibiotics and other stuff. Antibiotics are usually given as a course, meaning there is a definite start and end date. You can't just take more. It could cause bacteria to become resistant to it.

I meant extra of the expectorants and anti-inflammatorys not the antibiotics :-).