Considering REMACLE/JANET WILSON and preop voice clips

[Ritana]

Can you plz provide a link for the lax voice  exercises plz Lara?

[kwala]

Kwala,

I can totally understand your situation and where you're coming from! The first time I opened my mouth to say my first word (I was a month post op) and nothing came out except air, I had a such a shock that. I spent the whole day crying. I was unbelievably disappointed and depressed!!

Luckily, the next few days that followed brought some changes, which meant that I have been regaining my voice gradually. I only say a word or two a day just to test my voice until I reach my two month mark. I am now 6.5 weeks post op.

In your situation, it must be far worse, and I applaud you for being so brave. However, I agree with you, not having a voice (or a clear voice I should say' for half a year makes you wonder whether the whole hassle was worth it.

Big hug from me hun!

Rita

Thanks for your post!  Best wishes for a speedy but steady recovery 

[Lara1969]

The youtube video is a good starting point:

[Ritana]

There was no link, LARA?

[calicarly]

To be honest the relaxed voice was meant to be my worst case scenario voice type thing but I will make one of my voice first thing in the morning or late at night when tired when it's most dry and what not, that surely would be a worst case scenario.

I think Ritana has a pretty good understanding of what I mean. I have never been misgendered from my voice, it's not a passing problem, it's more of a I don't want to keep damaging my vocal chords with my voice as is and lose it later as I age. It doesn't feel like the trained voice alone is a permanent solution...

[calicarly]

Ritana, Lara posted the link it's not showing on here, but if you try to answer on the thread, while you're composing an answer, it actually shows the link for some reason, try that Hun.

[Lara1969]

Sorry I hope it will now work:

[Lara1969]

Nope I do not understand why the link is not shown.

Just look for "lax vox" at Youtube.

Lara

[kawaiiprincess]

you definitely have a female voice, much better than mine perhaps. You just need to keep up the good work darlin'!

[calicarly]

you definitely have a female voice, much better than mine perhaps. You just need to keep up the good work darlin'!

Thanks Hun

Well Prof Wilson has emailed me back saying she thinks I sound female and that she doesn't think I need it in her opinion.. So she pretty much has declined to do my surgery it seems. I have now contacted Prof Remacles secretary with a voice clip to see what they think. I feel like this is not about passing or not so much but about feeling more natural and effortless like Ritana mentioned. So I'll let you all know what Remacle says...

[Ritana]

The difference between your relaxed viice recording and your elevated one is extremely subtle. This leads me to believe that you're probably suconsciously straining when using your relaxed voice. You should be able to increase your relaxed voice by an average of 40hrz if it was really from a totally ralaxed mode.  I had exactly the same issue when I emailed Dr kim my voice recordings (One at 187hz average and the other at an 199.5 hz average). His analysis was that I was that I was subconsciouly straining (when using my relaxed voice); otherwise, I would've been able to reach 230hrz as a strained AVERAGE.

I am currently at my 7 week post op mark , and my totally relaxed voice has been flawlessly passing on the phone (not that i had to use it much). My cough, sneeze, voice timber have all been radically transformed into purely feminine tones.

I would advise you to measure your AVERAGE elevated pitch then take off 40Hz then see if it falls into the female range i.e. At least 180hz. One other thing to remember is that your timber will probably be changed  as well by vfs.

[kawaiiprincess]

Thanks Hun

Well Prof Wilson has emailed me back saying she thinks I sound female and that she doesn't think I need it in her opinion.. So she pretty much has declined to do my surgery it seems. I have now contacted Prof Remacles secretary with a voice clip to see what they think. I feel like this is not about passing or not so much but about feeling more natural and effortless like Ritana mentioned. So I'll let you all know what Remacle says...

Oh ok that makes sense. I guess tater than straining your voice or anything a more natural range that is effortless sounds a little bit better

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[Ritana]

Ritana, Lara posted the link it's not showing on here, but if you try to answer on the thread, while you're composing an answer, it actually shows the link for some reason, try that Hun.

I can see it now. Thanks hun.

[calicarly]

Exactly ladies.

So I have received feed back from Marc Remacle and he sent a short answer but pretty much saying similar things like what dr Kim told Ritana when she had hers. He said my pitch would stay very similar to almost the same, but the voice would be and feel effortless, I would do away with strong coughs not sounding right and he did say because it being effortless it would produce a slightly more natural sound.

Which is what I was hoping for. I am recovering from GRS at the hospital right now but I am gonna be having an appointment with Remacle very soon and keep you gals posted.

[Ritana]

Congrats on your srs hun! I'm assuming you're in Charing Cross hospital?

I am at my 2 month post op mark, and although my voice is still a bit hoarse and somewhat raspy, my caughing and sneezing have become totally feminine. What a pleasure !

Looking forward to other more positive changes!

[calicarly]

Thank you Ritana!!

No , I'm in Brighton at the Nuffield Health Hospital.

very Pleased for you, I know it's a bit lengthy if a recovery so I wanna try my best to do it while I'm still recovering from GRS kill 2 birds with one stone and have some time to actually go on vacation or something with my BF this year.

[Ritana]

You go go girl! I'm very happy for you!

I'm starting to see the results of vfs. I pass 100% on the phone without any straining whatsoever, and that is such a beautiful feeling!! I know this might sound strange, but had my srs a few years ago, and even this massive surgery (which changed my life dramatically) didn't give me the confidence i got from vfs. It's like a rebirth! Pre-vfs, my dysphoria was such a handicap that I could not operate in public. I absolutely hated my voice!

You are right in wanting to combine recovery times for srs and vfs. Both surgeries require lots of patience and lengthy recovery times, but in the end the outcome is just amazing and incredibly rewarding!

Sending you lots of hugs and positive vibes in your hospital bed.

Rita

[calicarly]

You go go girl! I'm very happy for you!

I'm starting to see the results of vfs. I pass 100% on the phone without any straining whatsoever, and that is such a beautiful feeling!! I know this might sound strange, but had my srs a few years ago, and even this massive surgery (which changed my life dramatically) didn't give me the confidence i got from vfs. It's like a rebirth! Pre-vfs, my dysphoria was such a handicap that I could not operate in public. I absolutely hated my voice!

You are right in wanting to combine recovery times for srs and vfs. Both surgeries require lots of patience and lengthy recovery times, but in the end the outcome is just amazing and incredibly rewarding!

Sending you lots of hugs and positive vibes in your hospital bed.

Rita

Rita!

Thanks I am feeling all those positive vibes right from my hospital bed. You are a very sweet and coo, person. And I am ecstatic to hear how happy you are from your vfs. Now that Remacle has listened to my Cllip and he is happy to operate I'm gonna get a date set keep in touch and let me know how it keeps progressing for you?

[Ritana]

I will do hun, and once again congrats on your SRS!

Rita

[audreelyn]

Woooowww. Girl.

Your voice is amazing. Even after I'm fully healed I doubt I'll even sound as good as you do. Honestly, don't do it.

We are our toughest critics. But if you think having to pay for the surgery to give you that confidence, then, I guess you have to; I know I've been there.

Congrats on the GRS
Audree