Normal Voice

Hi. I've just stumbled on this forum and am new here. I've had SD now for around two years, and have just had my fourth injection, so am going throught the dreaded whispery breathy stages.
My question is if any of you have return to normal voice at any stage, or does any situation make your voice a lot better. Every time I go to have my Botox injection or see my Speech Therapist, my voice quality improves tremendously for the period I am with these guys. It's so frustrating, because I obviously only go for the Botox when my voice quality has deteriorated sufficienty to warrant it. So my voice quality is at its worst when I arrive, but whilst speaking with the staff there pre Botox it is excellent. They cant believe I have come in for a Botox and I even had a scope before it with excellent voice characteristics. As soon as I step outside again or later on in the same day I'm back to horrible again. Is there a psychological factor? Am I just nutso?
Mick
Kyabram Australia

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Re: Normal Voice
Re: Normal Voice -- Mick		Top of Thread	Archive

Posted by: krissie ^Ž

05/18/2003, 04:39:05

Hi Mick I could have written your post myself word for word.
I struggle all the way to the hosital, in the waiting room, walking along the corridor but as soon as I open the Consulting room door...voice. Not good voice but better.
The only other time my voice improves is when I talk to strangers and I am worried about how they are going to react to my voice.
Unfortunately although I have taken tapes of how my voice usually sounds with me for appointments these have not carried any weight.
I have had my strangled, effortful voice for 4 and a half years now and have recently been discharged again for the second time by ENT in need of a psychologist. So no help or Botox despite the fact a visible spasm of the cords has been seen during scopes.
I sort of decided that what ever chemicles my brain is producing when I am nervous ie adrenalin, must have a positive affect but who wants to be nervous all the time.

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Re: Normal Voice
Re: Re: Normal Voice -- krissie		Top of Thread	Archive

Posted by: Mick ^Ž

05/18/2003, 06:20:59

That's amazing Krissie. Why won't they give you Botox? Are you going to try the psychologist? What about hypnotherapy? Have you heard if anyone has used that to any success? I can't understand what triggers the voice to improve so much in those situations. I work as a Veterinarian and am always meeting new people in new situations in the consulting rooms or out on the farms, but it is always a struggle to speak for me in these instances and during daily life. It's only when I visit the neurologist(for Botox), ENT guy or my speech therapist that my voice quality really improves.

Mick

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Re: Normal Voice
Re: Re: Normal Voice -- Mick		Top of Thread	Archive

Posted by: krissie ^Ž

05/18/2003, 06:53:18

Hi Mick, feel free to mail me at home cos I am so delighted to talk to someone with the same problem.
I am ok when I go to the ENT, the Doctors and the Gastric department.
My voice is always a subject of converstaion at the dentist (I have no fear of going there) and also when I go to the vets (have lots of animals).
I would say the more relaxed I am with people the worse the voice.
Have had hypno..good for the relaxtion issue.
I was booked in to have a Botox injection as after the spasm was seen the next scope showed a tremour but when I went to have the injection I was turned away being told they now thought I had reflux.
13 months later after tests.........no reflux but I do have Achalasia and also a high dysphasia. Plus lots of other generalised muscular problems. So something is a miss and after this amount of time with no diagnosis I am a bit fed up.
I am however going to another hospital at the end of the month to get this appointment I had to change GPs.
Total nightmare. Also have seen a psychologist who sent me back to the ENT department.

Modified by krissie at Sun, May 18, 2003, 06:59:23

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Re: Normal Voice
Re: Normal Voice -- Mick		Top of Thread	Archive

Posted by: Micheal ^Ž

05/18/2003, 10:04:08

Hi Mick and Krissie,
To a certain degree what you describe is psychological but not that uncommon. It is like any other time you go to the doctor, you can feel horrible and then when you get there you feel better before they have even seen you. The mind does this for many reasons. Maybe from bad exerience as a child, or from the relief of knowing you will be "all better" when you leave. Also while you are there you are trying your best for these people because they are the ones who have worked you the hardest to obtain good voice. I think we have all (or at least most of us)had these same experiences.
Krissie I also noticed what you said about meeting strangers and feel it goes back to the saying "you never get a second chance to make a first impression". Subconsiously you try your hardest to speak your best and it comes out that way. You can not try to force it or you know the results, it goes into the spasims and garbled mode. If we could figure out how to control this we could solve the mystery. Until then we have to look at why and how our minds work.

Good Luck to both of you.