With most VFS there is a compulsory period of silence. However I was wandering if it's equally important that this period is not left too long before the scar tissue becomes too inflexible. The vocal exercises help soften the tissue and perhaps it's important that these start sooner than later. Comments and thoughts welcome.

I'm really curious about this as well.  I've been learning ASL over the last month, and not being able to speak has really fast tracked my ability to pick it up, since I'm always trying to sign what I want to say instead of actually speaking.  I just wish more people knew sign language.  It would make life much easier.  I'm actually really enjoying the whole not speaking thing.  I could easily go 2 months or more of complete silence if I wanted to.

While I was at Yeson, Jessie had something come up, and I was working with another one of their staff members who knows some English, can't remember her name though.  She was telling me that if I could stay silent for 2 months that would be ideal.  I later emailed Jessie about it, asking if it would be better to stay silent for the entire 2 months, or if it would be better to start speaking a little bit starting after a month.  Her response wasn't overly helpful, basically just said I could speak if I wanted to.

At this point I think I'll likely go 5 or 6 weeks of complete silence instead of just 4.  I haven't been the best during the recovery period at avoiding coughing, and I choked on some water last weekend (I was 3 weeks post-op at that point), which made things a bit sore for a couple hours afterwords.  It was just minor soreness though, so I doubt I did any major damage, likely just irritated it a bit.  I figure giving it an extra week or two might not be a bad idea.

I think that the first year after VFS can be quite traumatic with all of its loss and highs. It does not take much to cause a panic and we are constantly hyper critical of ourselves. I know I am, that's why I appreciate the feedback from these thread from people who are sharing the experience.

When I was in there, Dr. Kim said that 3 days was the absolute crucial time to not harm anything, and by 7 days it was pretty much all the way healed. The rest of the time is keeping inflammation down as not to disturb the site.

I stayed silent for a month, then only said a few words (I could barely make a sound anyway) for the next 2 weeks or so. At 1.5 months I could actually start carrying on sentences, but it was so quiet and I did NOTHING to try to push it.

A year post op, I had an appointment with an otolaryngologist. She said she was flabbergasted how well it had healed. The surgical site was not even visible- it was smooth like it had never happened. Oh and the otolaryngologist had absolutely zero clue why I would have a voice surgery to shorten vocal folds. I figured that she would know that I am trans because I listed E+P on the medications, but apparently I passed to her with flying colors. Huge validation!

Hehe, that is funny, Jenny - so there are other women getting this surgery without having that trans diagnosis? I know Dr Kim also advertises it as a surgery helping with androphonia and actually androphonia is usually mentioned in my diagosis sheets.

The instructions by Dr Kim basically say to stay silent for a month and then speak only a little - and stop when it feels sore or hoarse - so basically use the voice but dont strain it, if possible.

I wonder what can be damaged when talking to early or coughing. The suture seems to be very stable, so I doubt speaking in a normal volume or coughing would really rip open the suture - screaming or shouting on the other hand seems to be able to do that. But my guess is that something in the details may become less well healed. I wonder for example if my coughing spell before I woke up from anaesthesia or that stupid 3 words on day 1 after surgery actually have part in why I am still having some issues with the voice now - maybe it prolongs the healing period and makes the ones who had those issues a "case 2" in his charts - the type of patients that need several months to rech their desired result rather than a few weeks ("case 1")?

What I dont quite get is why the scar has to soften. The scar is basically in front of the commissure - in the part of the vocal folds that are inactivated and should in fact not take part in the voice. My impression was rather that it is even desired to form scar tissue there to stabilize the new commissure (Dr Kim pointed out to me some granulation scar tissue forming under the commissure and telling me that it is desired in order to stabilize it). The parts of the vocal chords that are active - from the commissure back to the wide opening at the back should not be scarred unless one does laser vocal chord thinning maybe... so I am not sure what this advice really aims at.

I was told that the scar needs to soften in order for the cords to vibrate properly.

I understood that, but I am not sure why. As I wrote, the scar is supposed to be not in the parts of the vocal folds that vibrates.... so this is confusing me...

Quote from: anjaq on June 03, 2015, 09:30:30 AM
I understood that, but I am not sure why. As I wrote, the scar is supposed to be not in the parts of the vocal folds that vibrates.... so this is confusing me...

During the silent period the web is still rigid and the posterior part of the vocal cords the same. From my understanding that's why we need to make it supple.

From Professor Remacle point of view, the 4 weeks period of silence is too long and useless

He recommends a 2 weeks average, may be 3.

Surgeons in Germany sometimes recommend only one week. Personally, I would rather err on the side of caution and do a longer rest, even if it may be useless than a shorter rest and taking the risk that those who say it is an issue are right.

My original silent period was for 2 weeks, but was extended to 6 weeks, then 8 weeks. Here after 10 weeks, I still have glue and a single stitch in place.

Quote from: thegreenrabbit on June 09, 2015, 07:15:58 AM
My original silent period was for 2 weeks, but was extended to 6 weeks, then 8 weeks. Here after 10 weeks, I still have glue and a single stitch in place.

That's definitely NOT normal AT ALL that you still have the organic glue on, and still stitches, I think you really need to write to professor Remacle or Eric Burton for that problem as soon as possible.

Professor Remacle told me that if both glue and stitches after 3 weeks are not away I should see him or a good ENT

Quote from: Cristal Muso on June 09, 2015, 08:37:47 AM
That's definitely NOT normal AT ALL that you still have the organic glue on, and still stitches, I think you really need to write to professor Remacle or Eric Burton for that problem as soon as possible.

Professor Remacle told me that if both glue and stitches after 3 weeks are not away I should see him or a good ENT

Its all in order, under control and normal. Different horses for courses ...

Started using a thick plastic tube, instead of a straw in a bottle of hot water. Apparently blowing into it massages the cords and exercises them at the same time.