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Posted by: Jon Holder ® 10/24/2002, 21:56:25 Author Profile Mail author |
I have been getting Botox shots for adductor SD for almost ten years now. I get shots every 6 months and have decreased the dose over time to the point where I am down to .25 (each). The botox allows me to have a voice that is 100% for about four months out of six. The problem is occasionally I will get a shot that reduces me to a little more than a whisper for up to three to four weeks. It seems less related to dose and more related to how the shot is given. The last two times that I had this problem the doctor seemed to have trouble finding the spot and caused me to choke during the shot. Both times this happened my recovery time was significantly longer. Has anyone experienced this problem? The doctor suggested that I could have one vocal cord injected and then come back a few weeks later and have the other one done to ease the side effects. Has anyone tried this approach? |
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Posted by: Jan Joiner ® 10/25/2002, 13:30:04 Author Profile Mail author |
Hi Jon, Welcome to the NSDA bb for Spasmodic Dysphonia. I certainly understand you concern and ups and downs that Botox can and does cause. I've been there done that. It sounds like your case is a mild one, seeing as how low a dosage you are receiving. Plus the amount of good voice time you are getting with Botox. You are right in a way about the dosage being less important than how the shot is given. It is very important that you have a doctor who is highly experienced in administrating the injection. Because as you already have learned it is a hit and miss game. It's difficult sometimes when the right location of the muscle/nerve is not injected or hit properly. If the right location is hit when injected, it will cause longer recovery period meaning more breathy for a longer time
I've had Botox injections bi-laterly and unilaterly meaning one or both at the same time. Yes it might be a little less symptomatic for you and could possiblely work better for you. This is not the case with everyone, each of us are different. For me Botox was best given on both sides and in a month if nothing happened I was told to return for another injection. I took Botox Type A for 2 years and the longest good voice period I ever had was a period of 5 months. The last set of injections I took was 3 injections within a 3 month period of time and my voice only re-verting back to spasms except was sounding worse. So I decided to have SLAD surgery in 2001 with Dr. Berke and Blumin at UCLA in LA, CA. After a recovery period of 3 months 2 weeks I began to get a normal voice back and have been talking since. This surgery doesn't work for everyone, and I consider myself one of the more fortunate ones and very blessed. I only hope it continues to be as good as it is now. Best Wishes, Jan Joiner - Alabama - ADSD - SLAD Surgery - 6/01 |
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Posted by: Jon Holder ® 10/25/2002, 16:58:34 Author Profile Mail author |
Jan, Thanks for the response. I understand that everyone is different and I am going to probably have to try the unilateral injection to see what it does for me. Let me be more specific in my question. For those people that have tried both unilateral and bilateral what was the injection frequency and did your voice reach the same level of improvement with the unilateral? If the price for a shorter recovery time is a voice that is not as good as I have now at my best then it probably would not be my choice. Thanks |
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Posted by: David Barton (NZ) ® 10/25/2002, 18:25:35 Author Profile Mail author |
Hello Jon I've tried both bilateral and unilateral. Unilateral resolved the problem with extreme breathiness I was experiencing after bilateral injections. With unilateral I have a higher dose (started at 5 units, now 10) and it currently lasts about 6 months. David Barton (AD/SD, Auckland, NZ) |
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