Posted by: PJSmith ®
07/08/2004, 20:10:01
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Hi Kim!My experience with my botox injections while working in the staffing and recruiting fields were this.... I had a great boss that would tell me to "go home" after my injections. He could see that I was uncomfortable and he would prefer I come back the next day rested. For your own state of mind I suggest you do what feels best for you. If it means taking a half day off, so be it. Always put yourself first. Remember you are a special if not unique person! Good luck with the botox! Pat in Phoenix
AB/SD
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Posted by: kabert ®
08/04/2004, 08:55:17
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Pat:
I see that you are from Phoenix and I have desperately been looking for someone, with the exception of Mayo, in this area that does Botox. Mayo is so expensive and my experience with them has not been good. Can you recommend anyone? Thank you.
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Posted by: Ida ®
07/08/2004, 20:26:32
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I found that over the 10 years I had Botox injections, the ones that didn't take very well were ones where I did a lot of talking right after the shot. I got so I would go right home and unplug the phone and rest my voice for at least 4-5 hours after an injection.
Good luck.
Ida
ADSD 26 yrs. 10 yrs Botox 4 months thyroplasty
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Posted by: Myrab ®
07/08/2004, 23:07:14
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My doctor told me not to talk for the rest of the day after an injection, which I've abided by. Seven days ago I had my 34th shot, and that evening a super-special person called (my son), so I chatted for 5-10 minutes. The next morning my voice wasn't as smooth as is usually is, and I felt some slight spasms. It still isn't as smooth as usual. I don't know if this is a "post hoc ergo prompter hoc" situation (I washed my car and it rained, therefore it rained *because* I washed my car) or just that this shot has its own personality, but it won't hurt anything NOT to talk until the next morning. Gives the vocal cords a little down time. Myra AD/SD Texas
Modified by Myrab at Thu, Jul 08, 2004, 23:09:19
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Posted by: David Barton ®
07/09/2004, 00:10:42
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Hi KimI have never found it's made any difference whether I talked or not after an injection. I did notice an immediate effect (probably euphoria kicking in because the procedure was over with) that it was less effort. This was not the effect of the Botox itself, which for me usually takes effect a day or two afterwards. I always go back to work immediately after the shot - which I usually receive around 9 am. Good luck! David Barton (AD/SD, Auckland, New Zealand)
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Posted by: Laurie ®
07/10/2004, 12:19:06
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Hi, Kim. I have some experience with the "talking after an injection" issue which I can share.I've had 17 injections so far, only two of which did not "take" (i.e., my voice did not change at all). Interestingly, it was after those two injections that I met up with other patients in the waiting room and talked afterwards. So these days I don't talk at all for a few hours after an injection. I will admit here that my experience could have been coincidental and it's by no means scientific! But at this point, I figure I have nothing to lose by not talking at all for a few hours. There's very little that bothers me more than botox not taking effect. At the last NSDA conference this past March, I mentioned my experience to a speech pathologist, while admitting it was "probably just my paranoia." She said that the physician/ENT she works with actually tells their patients to rest their voice the day of the injection. I know plenty of people who talk after an injection and have it work just fine. In fact, I've come across very few who share my paranoia and keep completely silent! But I plan to continue. I find this topic very interesting. Good luck with your injection. Laurie (AD/SD)
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Posted by: Kaye Moore ®
07/14/2004, 21:27:20
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I always get my Botox on Fridays. Therefore, I have the weekend to "rest" my voice. I don't think it really makes alot of difference. My voice doesn't seem to change for 48 hours anyway. My doctor has never told me to rest my voice. I've had 11 injections over the past 4 years for AD SD.
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Posted by: kimberly ®
07/19/2004, 13:52:04
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Thanks for everyone's advise. I had my injection today and well, I got beat up. The first needle bent and the doctor kept missing the target. I went home and didn't go back to work. That was my original plan. I'm glad that part worked out well. This was my third injection, I'm glad that wasn't my first because I'd probably never do it again. Oh well stuff happens.Kim
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Posted by: Bob in IL ®
07/20/2004, 08:51:18
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I have discussed this issue with my ENT, Dr Bastian, and also ran across an article when I was doing research. Basically, my understanding is that is helpful to rest your voice for about 30 minutes after the injection, to let the Botox stay in the muscle and start working. Apparently, if one starts talking immediately after the injection, some of the Botox may be "squeazed out" and the effect could be reduced somewhat. It's also a good reason to try to avoid having an injection if you have a bad cold and are coughing a lot. However, I'm not sure it's a major problem, just may reduce the Botox effect a little. Bob Cramer ADSD / Meige Central IL
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Posted by: twood ®
07/21/2004, 18:01:20
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This is my first time to this website. I just now happened upon it, and I am SO-O-O glad I did. My doctor has never said anything about resting my voice afterwards. I wish he had or I wish I had read these posts before so that I could try it. I just went for my 6th Botox injection today, but I always call my parents, or husband, or son on the way home & talk to them. I've never been quiet for more than 5-10 minutes after an injection. And so far, none of mine have worked very well. He keeps telling me they should last about 3-4 months, but I have never been that lucky. The contractions have always stopped immediately after my injection and the first week, I am real breathy. The second week, my voice is a little stronger, and by the third week, the contractions have returned. Today, I can't even tell I've had an injection. The contractions have not stopped, and I sound awful. He keeps trying different things--injecting both, just one or the other, a little in one, more in the other, etc. He says I'm his only patient that it doesn't seem to work on very well. Lucky me!! But I am going to try your idea the next time & rest my voice for a couple of hours. I'm glad to see I'm not in this alone.
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Posted by: kimberly ®
07/22/2004, 18:14:59
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I'm having the same problem with my third injection. It doesn't seem to be working. My voice has improved a little bit, but there are still the spasms. I was asked by two or three people today if I was sick. I haven't been able to talk to my doctor to discuss what to do next. I'm bummed out.Kim
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Posted by: Bob in IL ®
07/23/2004, 10:44:23
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I'm going to try to paste the abstract from the article I found about voice rest after Botox.Just like Kim and twood, I am often disappointed with the results of Botox. Even though I get quite hoarse from a small dose, it usually seems to me that the spasms initially get worse, so that for the first few weeks I have both hoarseness and spasms. Then, as the Botox effect wears off, I get some relief from the spasms, so that my best voice tends to be from about 6 to 10 weeks after the injection (I take unilateral rather than bilateral). By the end of that period, the spasms again increase in severity. I try to wait at least 12 weeks before returning for the next treatment. So, the end result is a trade off of partial relief and symptoms that are worse than the condition untreated. I have debated numerous times whether to give up on Botox all together, but so far I keep going back. I think some of us just don't respond as well as others. Every one seems to have considerable variation in response from one treatment to the next, probably because the injection is never in exactly the same place, and maybe also because of central (brain) effects. When I first read about Botox, after about 6 months of suffering from ADSD, I expected it to be a miracle. Not so, at least for me. Here's the article:
Effect of neuromuscular activity on the response to botulinum toxin injections in spasmodic dysphonia. Wong DL, Adams SG, Irish JC, Durkin LC, Hunt EJ, Charlton MP. Department of Otolaryngology, Toronto Hospital, Ontario. Spasmodic dysphonia (SD), a neurologic disorder characterized by involuntary vocal spasms during speech, has been effectively treated by injections of botulinum toxin (BT) into the laryngeal muscles. The aim of the present study was to determine if the therapeutic response to BT is enhanced by immediate and continuous activation of the injected muscles. Twenty SD patients were randomized into two groups following bilateral injections: vocal rest for 30 minutes and continuous vocalization for 30 minutes. Evaluations consisted of voice ratings by expert observers, acoustic measurements using computer analyses, and laryngeal aerodynamic measurements. The findings suggest that vocal rest, rather than vocalization, produces a superior and longer lasting response in SD patients receiving BT injections. It is recommended that SD patients refrain from post-injection vocalization to maximize the therapeutic effects of BT. Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
Randomized Controlled Trial PMID: 8551532 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] My cutting and pasting got a little fouled up, hope it's legible. Bob Cramer ADSD / Meige Central Illinios
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Posted by: kimberly ®
07/23/2004, 19:52:47
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Bob,Thanks for the article. It was most helpful. Kim
ADSD Port St. Lucie, FL
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