Quote from: jollyjoy on November 17, 2015, 02:07:46 PM
This means you still have surgical laryngitis. Mine suddenly went away around six and a half weeks after hearing some deep, weird sounds. Before that, my voice was also whispery. You should be fine, but it wouldn't hurt to check with Dr. Haben.

I really hope this goes away soon.  I'll be five weeks in a few more days and still can't produce anything that doesn't sound like a whisper.  I emailed Dr. Haben last Wednesday and still have not gotten a response.  I knew my voice would be rough sounding for a while but I really didn't anticipate having NO voice after the one month mark.

I had for two weeks after surgery but because I was aware it could happen for an extended period of time - a month or more, I didn't worry about it.

After 1 month, I barely had a voice. Cashiers couldn't even hear me when I went out. I know your anxious feeling way too well having experienced it myself. You're a slow healer like me, you'll be fine.

Quote from: jollyjoy on November 22, 2015, 03:36:28 PM
After 1 month, I barely had a voice. Cashiers couldn't even hear me when I went out. I know your anxious feeling way too well having experienced it myself. You're a slow healer like me, you'll be fine.

Thanks for letting me know that!  Today my bank called about a transaction they thought was fraudulent and they couldn't understand anything I was saying. It was so frustrating I momentarily lost it.

Well, I finally heard back from Dr. Haben.  He seems to think everything is fine and I am just a slow healer. Everyone reacts differently to the stitches and I am most likely still very swollen.  I really hope my voice comes back soon though.  I have phone calls and things I've been putting off for forever that need my attention.  I tried to order carry out for lunch today and after trying to get my order across twice I just hung up and decided to eat something at home lol.

Pizza shops often allow you to do an internet order if they are big. Only once did I have to call them when they had a glitch in the system and didn't know my zip code. The store I was ordering from is in the same zipped but they switched ordering systems and the new system still wasn't right.

Quote from: Dena on November 23, 2015, 04:03:46 PM
Pizza shops often allow you to do an internet order if they are big. Only once did I have to call them when they had a glitch in the system and didn't know my zip code. The store I was ordering from is in the same zipped but they switched ordering systems and the new system still wasn't right.

Thanks, I've done plenty of online ordering, I just wasn't really thinking and called this sandwich place I haven't had in a while which is sort of old fashioned and doesn't really have an internet presence.  For some reason in the moment I had forgotten how difficult it would be to place an order lol.  Anyway, thanks everyone for reminding me to be patient.  I hadn't planned on being voiceless for this long but I have to adjust my expectations and trust it'll all be worth it soon enough

I've been tracking results for over a year and when you hear everyone else starting to progress at the one month mark and you, yourself, still can't produce real sound at that point you start to freak out and think that something has gone wrong.  However, as you have all helped to remind me, we all heal and react differently so I just have to trust the doctor and stay calm.

That was the story of my life for several weeks.

Quote from: kwala on November 23, 2015, 07:05:31 PMwhen you hear everyone else starting to progress at the one month mark and you, yourself, still can't produce real sound at that point you start to freak out and think that something has gone wrong. 

Quote from: Roni on November 08, 2015, 05:14:14 PM
I spent the last two days at the Blizzcon convention center in Anaheim and did a lot of talking...

OMG! Do you play any games? I'm playing waaaay too much Heroes of the Storm right now. It totally consumes all of my free time... How was the con? One of my guy friends was gonna go, but he didnt have anyone to go with--didnt think I was interested, but I definitely want to try next year!

Anyhow, just so we don't get off topic... a little serious note: I do find myself having to cough every so often... I mean I can't help it but it's a sudden cough, I think from phlegmatic buildup. To remedy this I've been taking the cough syrup, popped a couple ibuprofen, and been taking some cough drops for extra help. I imagine avoiding to cough 100% of the time is unavoidable.

Also, Jax was telling me that I snore when I sleep and have this gulpy-choky sound. I've been using nasal strips at  night...though I guess nothing to be concerned about.

Audree

The way I controlled coughs was regular sips of cold water with a straw. I would use ice water, warm the water for a few seconds in my mouth and swallow. If done correctly you will make many trips to the bathroom. Next, when you feel the urge to cough, lean forward and exhale quickly with your vocal cords open. While not as good as a cough, it will clear out enough junk to kill the cough.

You want to limit coughs as much as possible but they aren't the end of the world unless you have a coughing fit. The other advantage you will have is that Dr Haben will take another look at the surgery before you leave so you will know how the healing is progressing.

I sleep on my side and don't role in my sleep so I used my pillow to block my mouth shut to eliminate all snoring and dry air from my mouth. Snoring is produced without the vocal cords so they should be safe from physical damage but the dry air may make you want to clear out the nights accumulation when you wake up.

Quote from: audreelyn on November 27, 2015, 12:56:08 PM

Anyhow, just so we don't get off topic... a little serious note: I do find myself having to cough every so often... I mean I can't help it but it's a sudden cough, I think from phlegmatic buildup. To remedy this I've been taking the cough syrup, popped a couple ibuprofen, and been taking some cough drops for extra help. I imagine avoiding to cough 100% of the time is unavoidable.

Also, Jax was telling me that I snore when I sleep and have this gulpy-choky sound. I've been using nasal strips at  night...though I guess nothing to be concerned about.

Audree

Playing Street Fighter 4 has really helped me pass time during my recovery.  Sometimes gamer guys will send hate mail when I beat them and I can't resist the urge to tell them they got beat by a girl.  It drives them crazy.

I second what Dena said about sipping water through a straw.  I kept a glass near me all the time and any time I felt a slight tickle like I might cough I would take a few sips and 9 times out of 10 I was able to control it.  Hope your checkup goes well and I wish you a much speedier recovery than mine.  I'm at 5.5 weeks and still functionally voiceless.  I'm sure you'll recover much more quickly but just be prepared that it may take longer than you were expecting

Well this is my 6 week update, but there really isn't anything to update.  I still can barely make sound.  It's really unusual to be unable to speak at this stage and Dr. Haben agrees so I'm going to see about getting a scope done to provide further insight.  I never imagined I'd still be totally voiceless at the 6 week mark, but here we are.  I wish I could make a trip to Rochester but I've already used up my vacation time and flights this last minute around the holidays are through the roof.

Well I think it's safe to say despite some people having had successful surgeries with Dr. Haben, there are an equal number of girls who have had troubling complications. Not sure why this has happened. Bad luck on Dr. Haben's part maybe?

Kwala, let's hope your issue is something that can be fixed with time, just like Jolly's.

Quote from: Roni on December 02, 2015, 01:40:13 PM
Well I think it's safe to say despite some people having had successful surgeries with Dr. Haben, there are an equal number of girls who have had troubling complications. Not sure why this has happened. Bad luck on Dr. Haben's part maybe?

Kwala, let's hope your issue is something that can be fixed with time, just like Jolly's.

Yeah, I really hope so, too.  It is possible that I'm just really swollen like lunarain, but another issue that Dr. Haben brought up is that I may have developed granulation tissue over the sutured cite.  It's basically tissue growth that can appear over an injury or in this case the laser assisted web.  If that's the case, this new tissue could be preventing the cords from coming together.  I've been taking ibuprofen for the past two weeks and that doesn't seem to have helped, so I wondered if a stronger corticosteroid might be helpful, such as prednisone.  Who knows at this point?  I've been trying to find a local ENT who can perform a laryngoscopy so we can finally get some answers.  I can't completely give up hope that I'm just really, REALLY swollen and it will come down, but I also think I should have at least seen some improvement by this point.  I should point out that I have been pretty good about following the rules.  Keeping to myself at work, staying in my house instead of socializing, haven't had any alcohol, took all the prescription meds exactly as prescribed, etc...It appears my body has just not cooperated with the stitches and the web creation.  Hopefully we'll be able to find a solution soon.  Just for reference, here's another recording.
http://vocaroo.com/i/s118uvbad6l8

That isn't much different than I sounded at 6 weeks. I was sounding better at 4 weeks and then my body attacked the sutures at 5 weeks and I lost my voice again. If you heal anything like I do, expect another month before you see a large improvement. The vocal cords are vibrating so you don't have extreme swelling. The good news it it sounds like your pitch will be well into the feminine range after you heal more. Take it easy on your voice and if your voice gets over tired, get the paper and pen out again. I carried mine around for several weeks after surgery so if I needed it, I could make myself understood.

Quote from: Dena on December 02, 2015, 03:10:09 PM
That isn't much different than I sounded at 6 weeks. I was sounding better at 4 weeks and then my body attacked the sutures at 5 weeks and I lost my voice again. If you heal anything like I do, expect another month before you see a large improvement. The vocal cords are vibrating so you don't have extreme swelling. The good news it it sounds like your pitch will be well into the feminine range after you heal more. Take it easy on your voice and if your voice gets over tired, get the paper and pen out again. I carried mine around for several weeks after surgery so if I needed it, I could make myself understood.

That's good to know.  Still, I think maybe I gave a false impression with that recording.  I have a pretty high end stereo mic and in an attempt to be clear, I spoke directly into it, so it can pick up every ounce of tone.  However, when I stand only one foot away from the mic, http://vocaroo.com/i/s1iMGxRJwy92 you can tell that there really isn't much more than a whisper, and the high tones you hear when up close are most likely unintentional high harmonics from the open space where the cords should be closing and vibrating.  So it isn't necessarily a reflection of what the final voice will sound like, or where the pitch will be.

My healing was very sudden, all within a day, from a whispery falsetto like voice to a louder, clearer but still hoarse voice. I'm at 10 weeks and although my voice sounds feminine, it's still quite hoarse and gets more hoarse if I speak more than a minute, and my voice gets easily drowned out in noisy settings. Dr. Haben told me the hoarseness can take upto 3 months to subside. Please continue to keep us updated on your progress, it will help someone else down the line so they can know there's a wide spectrum of healing time. Hope your voice can recover soon! And if it's really slow, remember Lunarain's situation, there's always hope!

Quote from: jollyjoy on December 02, 2015, 04:44:58 PM
My healing was very sudden, all within a day, from a whispery falsetto like voice to a louder, clearer but still hoarse voice. I'm at 10 weeks and although my voice sounds feminine, it's still quite hoarse and gets more hoarse if I speak more than a minute, and my voice gets easily drowned out in noisy settings. Dr. Haben told me the hoarseness can take upto 3 months to subside. Please continue to keep us updated on your progress, it will help someone else down the line so they can know there's a wide spectrum of healing time. Hope your voice can recover soon! And if it's really slow, remember Lunarain's situation, there's always hope!

Of course I will continue to update.  Many posters here contributed to my decision to have surgery so the least I can do for the community is keep the information coming   That said, my main concern now is just making sure nothing is wrong.  I had great difficulty trying to schedule with an ENT today so I ordered an endoscope cam and if I can't get an appointment I'll try to take some pictures myself when it arrives.  Prime shipping ftw lol.

I hope you can control the gag reflex without the numbing agent. I know I can't as I can't take more than one pill at a time without gaging.

My voice is improving a little bit each day and I finally can hit normal speaking volume but it still fades  with extended usage and gets sore if I over use it. That's a bit of a problem now because I am doing a fair amount of work with other moderators using Skype so there is a strong temptation to talk about anything.

Well, I think I may have frightened Dr. Haben when I suggested that I might attempt to take pictures myself.  It was a little silly, now that I think about it.  I hesitate to post medical information on a public forum, but here is a snippet of our most recent exchange:

"...almost certainly granulation tissue now that I have had a chance to
re-review your post-op exam.  It WILL resolve without any intervention, but could take up to 4 months.  I know that this is frustrating, but we have no control over scarring.  The good news (yes, there is some) is that the web has certainly formed, otherwise there would be no granulation."

If I end up with a great result, this will all be worth it, but 4 months is a REALLY long time.   I can live with an imperfect voice for 4 months but I certainly don't know how I'm going to deal with having NO voice for that long.  Hopefully, there will be at least some improvement along the way.