I'm now about 3/4 through Keath Fraser's book dealing with SD (although it's also an interesting read as a travel log). One thing that strikes me is that most of the people he interviewed seemed to have developed SD after some type of accident to the head or neck or severe illness.
Is this the same for most of you? Am I the only one who was healthy, not in any traumatic injury, and just had this thing develop out of the blue?
-Karen (AD/SD)
Re: Onset of SD?
I also developed sd out of the blue. This is probably one of the reasons why drs. can't find out what causes it. I know some people have developed it after having pneoumonia or bronchitis and others don't seem to have any reason at all.
Kristan
ab/sd VA
Re: Onset of SD?
I haven't had the opportunity to read Keath's book yet - I'm hoping it is available through Amazon soon. The Canadian bookseller have a very stringent policy on credit cards where they wanted me to photocopy statements and also my credit card, and then fax the copies to them - I wasn't prepared to do that so they have lost out on a sale and Amazon will get it eventually.Apparently I feature in Keath's book somewhere, and in my case there was no trauma or illness involved. I don't know whether Keath's book gives that impression. Typically, most cases of SD develop insidiously and are idiopathic (no known cause). Don't forget that just because one event (SD) follows another (trauma) doesn't necessarily imply cause and effect. So to answer your question, if Keath's book gives the impression that SD is the result of, or triggered by trauma/illness that doesn't seem to be the case with me personally. Also I wouldn't say my SD came on 'out of the blue' where it was present one day when it wasn't the previous day - in my case it came on very slowly and gradually. I had a slow realisation that my voice was giving me problems and it gradually got worse. David Barton (AD/SD, Auckland, NZ)
Re: Onset of SD?
My SD started after a bout with brochitis.
Cheryl
Re: Onset of SD?
My SD started after spending 5 weeks inhaling fumes from a faulty heating system.
Re: Onset of SD?
I, too, was exposed to fumes from faulty kerosene furnace for 6 mos. one winter and 3 the following winter. My voice started getting hoarse, gravely and in a two-year period became impossible to speak. Did your Dr. acknowledge that breathing fumes could be a cause of SD?
--modified by Rena Haynes at Mon, Apr 15, 2002, 19:29:03
Rena AD/SD --modified by Rena Haynes at Mon, Apr 15, 2002, 19:59:20
Re: Onset of SD?
Hi Rena, my landlord started a compensation claim for me but the hospital refused to send any paper work to them saying that they wanted to do further tests. Which they never did. Because SD does not show any abnormalities of the vocal cords or Larynx and they were basically looking for obvious damage not basal ganglia damage which can be caused by enviromental causes such as inhalation of carbon monoxide.
I have after 42 months of hell started my own "legal file" the dialogue is running at 12A4 size sheets at the moment plus associated paperwork. Due to the fact it would appear that I also have further problems(had more tests last week) with muscles in other areas, I am waiting until all the tests (have to have a lot more during the next 3 months) are complete and then I will sue.
I have done considerable research on the "enviromental" issue to back my case so if it is of any help to you please mail me.
Did your doctor back you up????
Krissie AD/SD--modified by krissie at Tue, Apr 16, 2002, 05:31:18
Re: Onset of SD?
Hi KrissieThanks for reply. Read your profile...am a collector of teddy bears also. Rented a house from daughter and son-in-law after my husband passed away, so don't think I want to sue them, but am very interested in information that carbon monoxide does cause the basal ganglia damage and thus SD. Really want some answers, as I'm sure everyone with this problem does. I was diagnosed by an Otolaryngologist end of Mar., (after 2 years since I lived in the house with faulty furnace). First Botox on 4/8 did not work, and appt. next week April with Neurologist. I could write a book with all the questions. Wishing you the best on all your test results and that your research pays off. I would like to know how you are doing, are you taking Botox injections, how the tests are going, etc. etc. Please feel free to email me, rhaynes@intercom.net Hang in there.
Rena, AD/SD
Re: Onset of SD?
I'm another one where there was no particularly identifiable precursor, but then given my strange brain wiring to begin with, it's not really surprising. My SD is probably more related to my other motor planning problems and sensory integration dysfunction than anything else. (that is, given all the other weird wiring stuff, especially the other coordination and motor organization issues etc. it's not surprising that one of the other effects is dystonia.)Kim
Re: Onset of SD?
Mine started after I let out this horrific scream. I actually felt something shift in my throat!There were other things happening around the same time. I had just had 2 wisdom teeth pulled that week. The dentist used Novacane (?) or some other numbing solution, as it was a local procedure (no anesthetic). Right after that scream incident, I had a really bad cold. My voice was becoming weaker even before the actual SD onset. But once I let out that scream there was a big change in my voice.
Re: Onset of SD?
I had a severe upper respiratory infection. Lost my voice and it didn't come back after the cold was gone.
Cindy (AD/SD Northeast Kansas)
Re: Onset of SD?
My AB SD developed very slowly, over the course of 3-4 years. Prior events that I have wondered about include a car accident (but minor whiplash,) possible reaction to mold (that possibly was the causative factor in a 2 year bout of vertigo,) and emotional stress (illness, caregiving and death in family.) However, all of that may be completely coincidental. I have noticed in the past, when this question was raised, that there was a noticeable percentage of people who had some sort of the physical event, plus emotional stress, prior to SD onset. I wish you well, Robin (AB/So. Calif.)
Re: Onset of SD?
In my case I'm really not sure whether SD started suddenly or gradually. The only trauma was about 25 years ago when I had thyroid surgery because of a goiter (not malignant). The surgeon then said he had to "scrape" my vocal cords to remove the tumors and I lost my voice for a couple of weeks or so. After that my voice was normal for years but then in the past 10 years or so it seems I got "laryngitis" quite frequently. Usually it started with a cold, sore throat, sinus drainage, etc. and I could tell the laryngitis part was coming. Then in August of last year the "laryngitis" never went away. So I'm not sure if the frequent laryngitis was the gradual onset of SD, or if I had sudden onset in August after frequent sinusitis. An interesting sideline: I've had a head cold this week and my voice has been stronger than it's been in months. I remember reading on this BB that this has happened to other AB's. What I'm wondering is, since in my case the laryngeal swelling that accompanies my cold causes my vocal cords to contact more frequently, would the bilateral type I thyroplasty that Dr. Maragos talked about at the symposium have the same affect on me? I hadn't heard of anyone who's had very positive results from this surgery, but this makes me wonder if in my particular case it would be successful. Any thoughts from anyone on this?
Vicki ABSD Illinois
Re: AB and colds
Hi Vicki,
I posted a couple of months back about how much my AB/SD voice improved with a bad cold. I did have the same thought you did, if the swelling from a cold improves my voice then maybe I'm a good candidate for thyroplasty. That would be a good question to ask Dr. Maragos. But for now I'm going to stick with BOTOX because I do get some benefit from it and I would rather not take the risk of having surgery.Bill Vanderlinde
AB/SD Columbia, Maryland
Re: Onset of SD?
My experience is a little different than what I have read so far.Both times my voice disappeared overnight.The first time it was completely gone for 5 days and then came back just as suddenly.Approximately 12 months later it again disappeared over night and this time has been gone for 5 months so far.I was having some stress from work and until the SD diagnosis was being treated for stres/depression/and panic attacks.I am still taking Effexor but do not feel it is doing anything for me.My thoughts are about why I read that some have at least a whisper and I can hardly make a few sounds.I am in the process of getting a new doctor through Baylor College of Medicene and he or she will know more about dealing with this condition........Micheal
Re: Onset of SD?
My SD started within a couple of days of getting hit in the chest with a spinaker pole that broke in race on a sailboat. ( was lucky it did not kill me but I'm still racing boats) In just one of many visits to Baylor Med. Center in Houston to get Botox injections for SD I met a your boy (10 years old) who had develeped SD after getting hit in the chest ,almost the same location by another boy playing little league football and a gentleman about forty who developed SD after a chest injust from a seatbelt bruise caused in a car wreck. I have to think that for atleast some folks there is a physical cause related to the chest area for their cases of SD.
Re: Onset of SD?
Very interesting theory, Donald. When I screamed and my voice changed, I was wearing a seatbelt when my boyfriend slammed on the car breaks. But I don't recall any chest injury or soreness. If the chest area is involved in some SD cases, I wonder how it connects with affecting the vocal cords. Does the diaphragm have spasms too while speaking? Is there a connecting nerve between chest and voice?
Re: Onset of SD?
My SD, also, came on very gradually. I had had voice problems for years, but it has gradually gotten worse through the years. I think mine might be related to having a mental illness.
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