Posted by: Laurie ®
08/16/2004, 17:28:26
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Hi, Keith. This topic seems to surface a lot so I'll tell you what I've heard at SD conferences in the past. Most people with SD need to put a tremendous amount of effort into speaking and it's possible that effort causes GERD symptoms.GERD is also very common in the population at large. My sense is that most people (in the general population... not talking specifically about SD patients here) who take medication (i.e., PPIs like Protonix) do have constant heartburn/reflux symptoms. I think the publicity has increased with Prilosec going over the counter. PPIs are more effective for controlling reflux and the pharmaceutical companies certainly benefit by marketing them like crazy! But acid reducers like Tums, Maalox, etc. have been popular for ages. It doesn't seem like a new phenomenon. It seems to me that GERD/reflux in some voice patients is diagnosed based upon redness/inflammation in the arytenoid/vocal cord area either with or without more typical heartburn symptoms. I guess plenty of these people are put on medication even when they don't have "typical" heartburn. In general though, the idea that the effort required to speak can cause and/or aggravate reflux makes perfect sense to me. Laurie (AD/SD, NYC)
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Posted by: janp ®
08/16/2004, 18:41:06
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I started to lose my voice over 3 years ago. In the beginning, I was told by my ENT doc that acid reflux had burned my vocal cords. I went through treatments for the acid reflux for over a year and a half. Once the reflux was under control, my voice continued to deteriorate. I was sent to a speech therapist who told me that I needed to leave my position as a credit manager at Lowe's Home Improvement as the dust and fumes were contributing factors in my deteriorating voice. I did as suggested, and quit my job. I took another job in sales. Within a week, I could hardly speak above a whisper. I went back to my ENT and told him that I felt there was another problem with my voice other than the environmental ones at Lowe's. He sent me to a specialist at KU med center who finally made the diagnosis of SD (AD). Since this diagnosis I have had botox injections on five different occasions. After an initial 4 to 5 weeks of a whispery voice, I then have a strong voice for about 3 to 4 months. Had I known that my problem was actually SD and not acid reflux, I would not have quit my position at Lowe's. I am now working as an airline security screener in Kansas City. The company is very good about dealing with my "whispery" stage -- I am moved to screening luggage during that time so it's not necessary for me to talk to passengers. Once my voice comes back, I am then put back at the gates screening passengers which I love. For those of you who may have problems finding employment, you might want to consider this possibility if you live in a community with an airport. I don't feel that the acid reflux really had any bearing on my SD. Currently I do not have reflux problems, yet the SD continues to reappear after the botox injection begins to wear off. Jan
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Posted by: PJSmith ®
08/16/2004, 21:44:56
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I was also misdiagnosed with acid reflux at first. I knew better and continued my search for an answer. I found the answer on the internet contacted a specialist in Chicago and my diagnosis was confirmed to be AB/SD. Last March I took the first half of the TSA security screener test and passed. Since then there has been a freeze here in Phoenix despite the outcries from other security screeners and the public. I am awaiting the posting date to complete phase II. This is an ideal job for us who have the unique voices. I just wish Phoenix Sky Harbour would lift the freeze so I can get to work! Thanks for sharing!
Pat in Phoenix
AB/SD
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Posted by: Gary Lea ®
08/22/2004, 22:40:11
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There is some excellent info on the connection between acid reflux and voice disorders at the following 2 websites: www.scrippshealth.org/1070_1083.asp and an article of Koufman's on the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center website at www.bgsm.edu/voice/reflux_voice.html. I was on a proton pump inhibitor, completely suppressing stomach acid, for over 3 months without any discernible benefit. Others, however, have apparently benefited. Gary Lea
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Posted by: kitty ®
08/16/2004, 19:50:33
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I have ABSD which became worse in 2003. I had acid reflux for many years that failed every drug so in 1998 I had a fundoplication to repair the hernia and have not had any acid since. Why I lost my voice 5 years later is a mystery but I wonder if all those years of acid damaged some nerves. I had the surgery because I got tired of waking up at night chocking and gasping because I was inhaling liquid from my stomach. I was worried it would damage my lungs but now I wonder if it did damage my vocal muscles.
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Posted by: doris st. clair ®
08/25/2004, 07:24:16
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Hi everyone,Before my SD emerged I had several bouts waking up choking and gasping for air from acid reflux..I didn't know what it was at the time. I still have it but not as badly as the first few times and not as often. I also have a constant cough which could have come from the acid reflux because it started around the same time. Does anyone else with reflux have a chronic cough? Doris St. Clair AD/SD
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Posted by: larrysmith ®
08/29/2004, 19:31:10
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I was diagnosed with SD 3 years ago. I had been seeing doctors for hoarseness, bad voice, chocking feeling, coughing at night, etc. Eventually, one of the doctors said they thought I had SD. This was confirmed with a specialist. He also said I had acid reflux and prescribed med for that. No improvement to my voice from these meds. I tried botox but could not speak above a wisper for 2 months. Got discouraged with that and have not had another shot. Read Dr. Mortons book. Seemed to make sence but could not make any improvement stick. I had gained a lot of weight when I was diagnosed with SD. Up to 222 from a normal weight for my height of 172. Over the past 2 years, I have lost the 50 pounds. I quit overeating and began a walking exercise routine. My acid reflux is gone now. Also, my voice has improved quite a bit, however it is not back to normal. This leads me to believe, right or wrong, that acid reflux can be related to being overweight and over eating. Also, since my voice has improved without acid reflux, it seems that the combination of acid reflux and SD somehow combine and make the SD worse. Probably just an additional strain on a voice that is already strained. For me, I seem to be getting by now. I do a lot of phone calls. I am in real estate sales. Some days, I am on the phone off and on all day. If I over use my voice it gets tired and I just have to wait until the next day or when it feels more normal. Oddly enough, many people have commented that I sound like Bill Clinton. But I used to have people ask me if I was "OK" when my voice was bad. Anyone else have a similar experience?
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