The good news is that the shot worked. The bad news is that I can hardly talk at all. I feel like I'm opening my mouth but that nothing is coming out but air and a very slight bit of voice. I mean, if I worked at a job where I needed to answer the phone? I'd be in trouble. If I was teaching a class? Trouble.

After my original shot, in June, I was breathy for about 2 weeks, but I'm now almost completely without a voice. Is this common? Any ideas on how long I might be able to expect to not talk at all?

I'm very frustrated at this point. I'm trying to freelance write full-time, but my family is having some financial difficulties, and I'm probably going to need to get a job, at least part time.

Thanks for letting me vent, Rachel

Sounds like the doctor hit exactly the right spot, and that the dosage was too high.

If my experience in the early days is any guide, you could be without a functional voice for at least a month .....

Where do you go from here? Try for a significantly lower dose next time. I'm assuming you had shots in both vocal cords - termed a 'bilateral' shot.

However some of us seem more sensitive than others to Botox, and even small doses cause this 'no voice' result, and if the dose becomes too small then the Botox might wear off faster. A different approach is this ... getting the shot in one cord only - termed 'unilateral'. If you think your doctor is not quite sure of getting the location correct, then discuss with him about putting the needle into two sites on the one cord - this acts as a kind of insurance policy if the location isn't exact.

Good luck