planning to do my 2nd VFS with Yeson .. but

[Jennygirl]

Hi Elle

It will take some time before you can go at it fully. It's possible that Dr. Kim changes his post-op instructions per person, so please do just follow his instructions to the tee.

That said, for me he asked that I not talk for another week following the botox injection (at 1 week post op), so that was 2 weeks total no talking. Then at 4 weeks time I could have conversation as much as I wanted to, quietly, for the next month. And holy heck was I quiet. Even after 2 months I had to limit the amount I spoke because I could tell I was straining during long periods. You really have to take it easy at first. I would say my voice was at about 30% by 2 months, 60% by 3, 90% by 6, and probably at around 12 or more I was at 95.

I am still noticing improvements in my voice's durability, and I am 1.5 years post-op by now. I think most likely my vocal tremor affects matters, because I have not had any botox injections following the one immediately after the op. And, I never took the clonazepam because I do not like the idea of taking benzo's every day no matter how small the dose.

I still have to watch out for yelling too much, because my voice will be less powerful the next day if I don't- but as I said this is still becoming less and less. I talked to Dr. Kim about it several months ago, and he said it is absolutely a symptom of my preexisting focal dystonia of the larynx (vocal tremor) and recommended that I take clonazepam as a minimum... or get another botox injection. I have done neither, because it is very manageable. I find myself in lots of situations where I am talking over things using full voice power. My friends even tend to lose their voices sometimes in conditions like that.

[ElleA]

Hi again Jenny,

Thanks for your reply, it really gives me a lot of confidence in being able to do this and still be able to work within a reasonable amount of time.

I have conversations with people all day long so I don't really need to be loud but I do run the odd workshop or training where being a bit louder can help. My work is really good with working around people with odd illnesses or injuries so I'm sure they will have no trouble finding somewhere less vocally intensive for the first few months. [emoji6]

Thanks again for your reply, I really can't wait for my trip to Seoul now.

[anjaq]

Oh wow, 1.5 years post op and still issues with yelling. Hmm. I would not like the idea of Botox and Benzo either. It probably would only be a temporary fix anyways.

Getting 95% back is quite ok - I think 100% is probably not possible. If I have to speak loud over some music or therelike, I am really tired and weak afterwards now (without surgery) as well and the next day is also not the best then. So that would not be a change. Yelling a lot ans speaking loudly a lot is obviusly as straining in a surgically altered voice as it is with a voice that has to be controlled without surgery

I think it makes sense to plan to have no voice intensive work for 2 months which is why I was having it in my mind to do such a thing only in semester break when the students are away for 2 months and less speech is needed. In the end I will need to reach all over a small lecture hall again though, so it is crucial for me that the voice will have volume, loudness and fullness after some time, if it stays weak or is less resonant, it may be a problem for me.