I wasn't really sure what to expect going into it so I'd like to hear some perspectives of others who have had it done. Right now my voice is fairly hoarse from the procedure, which I didn't really expected from what the doctor said before hand. Is this normal? How long does it usually last?

Most people's voices become hoarse after any type of surgery that involved you going under anesthesia because of the breathing tube they put in your throat. I had surgery to get half my thyroid removed and I sounded funny for a couple hours after. How long it takes to clear up though depends from one individual to the next. Give it time, I'm sure it'll be fine (:

And CONGRATULATION!!

I'm going through the same thing myself.

I had FFS with Dr Z on the 29th.  He did NOT do a trachea shave because I had a HUGE neck.  He just trimmed it all back and bound up my trachea with the surrounding muscles (I think that is what he was trying to explain-any errors in that explanation are mine alone).

I still have good and bad days with voice.  It progressively gets better though.  Yesterday I did a lot more talking durning the day than normal and i got home to my family last night so I was talking a ton.   Right now my voice is really strained more than yesterday, but I think it is just overuse now.

Except for the overtaking, every day for me has been a huge step from the last.  Don't worry eventually you'll have it all back

Quote from: Jeneva on January 07, 2012, 12:25:05 PM
Don't worry eventually you'll have it all back

I sure hope so. This morning I woke up with no voice whatsoever. My neck is fairly small and my adam's apple wasn't all that pronounced so they didn't have to take very much off. The doctor made it sound like the surgery wouldn't effect my voice one bit. Had I been warned of this ahead of time I don't think I'd be so worried about it now. I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed.

If you don't mind me asking. How much did the procedure cost?

I wanted thinking about it, since my adam apple is noticeable. Really noticeable when I look up.

Quote from: nicole19 on January 07, 2012, 10:33:10 PM
If you don't mind me asking. How much did the procedure cost?

I wanted thinking about it, since my adam apple is noticeable. Really noticeable when I look up.

I payed just over $3,500 for mine. I'm not sure if that's standard or not.

Were you put under anesthesia?

I didn't have my trachea shaved at all and am still just recovering for that breathing tube they use when they put you under.

Quote from: Ayaname on January 07, 2012, 11:15:45 PM
I payed just over $3,500 for mine. I'm not sure if that's standard or not.

Oh, wow, that's a lot of money, heh.  If you don't mind me asking, who did you go to for this?

Quote from: likealolita on January 08, 2012, 02:46:26 PM
Oh, wow, that's a lot of money, heh.  If you don't mind me asking, who did you go to for this?

I just had it done locally. The doctor's name is Douglas Gervais. Supposedly he works with quite a lot of transgender patients.

I'm hoping that your voice is back to normal by now.

Do you think that you can provide some before & after pics to demonstrate what can be expected from a shave?

Quote from: Guantanamera on January 08, 2012, 08:20:27 PM
I'm hoping that your voice is back to normal by now.

Unfortunately I'm still completely voiceless

Quote from: Guantanamera on January 08, 2012, 08:20:27 PMDo you think that you can provide some before & after pics to demonstrate what can be expected from a shave?

I would except I have to wear a head binder/bandage thingy until tomorrow so my neck is currently covered up. Also, I'm pretty sure I don't have any pictures of my adam's apple before the surgery. I always avoided having pictures taken at angles that would expose it.

Quote from: Ayaname on January 09, 2012, 01:54:01 PM
Unfortunately I'm still completely voiceless

You can't speak even if you try, or, you can't speak because you are sore?
If you can't speak at all even if you try, it sounds very much as if the Surgeon simply shaved of too much cartilage, which, if this happens, makes the frontal wall supporting the Vocal Coards, too soft to support the movements and tightenings of the coards during speach.

This happened also in the earlier days of Tracheal Shaving, and the patient often had to wait it out for weeks, sometimes even months, to get it all back to normal, while yet others were stuck with the problems for life.

This is all just suggestion, and only you and the Surgeon knows how much was really shaved off, but if this would indeed be the case, then you must not despair, as such things can be fixed nowadays by inserting a permanent metal plate at the frontal wall to strenghten it anew, hence normalizing it again.

But first, wait it out and keep calm.

Quote from: Ayaname on January 09, 2012, 01:54:01 PM
Unfortunately I'm still completely voiceless


I would except I have to wear a head binder/bandage thingy until tomorrow so my neck is currently covered up. Also, I'm pretty sure I don't have any pictures of my adam's apple before the surgery. I always avoided having pictures taken at angles that would expose it.

Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't understand you couldn't talk at all.  I've been able to talk all along it is just either rattly and hurts or minie mousey or whisper quite.

Do you have a way to get a friend to call the dr and explain the situation?

Quote from: Jeneva on January 09, 2012, 02:18:58 PM
Do you have a way to get a friend to call the dr and explain the situation?

My roommate called the doctor this morning and they just told her that my voice loss is probably due to swelling. I have an appointment tomorrow to have my bandages taken off. The doctor will be able to tell more then.

Quote from: Bishounen on January 09, 2012, 02:03:17 PM
You can't speak even if you try, or, you can't speak because you are sore?
If you can't speak at all even if you try, it sounds very much as if the Surgeon simply shaved of too much cartilage, which, if this happens, makes the frontal wall supporting the Vocal Coards, too soft to support the movements and tightenings of the coards during speach.

This happened also in the earlier days of Tracheal Shaving, and the patient often had to wait it out for weeks, sometimes even months, to get it all back to normal, while yet others were stuck with the problems for life.

This is all just suggestion, and only you and the Surgeon knows how much was really shaved off, but if this would indeed be the case, then you must not despair, as such things can be fixed nowadays by inserting a permanent metal plate at the frontal wall to strenghten it anew, hence normalizing it again.

But first, wait it out and keep calm.

The soreness is only at about 20% what it was after the procedure. I can try my best to talk but all I can do is whisper or make quiet, unintelligible rasping noises. Immediately after the surgery I could still talk, but it was very hoarse. It wasn't until that night that I lost it completely.

It's good to know that there's at least a way to fix it if it is permanently altered. It will be a while before I can tell whether or not it is though.