hoarse voice

Yesterday out of the blue, I developed a hoarse, raspy voice.  I didn't know I had it till I answered the phone and couldn't believe the sound coming out of me.  It was the MS nurse calling, and I think she thought I was crying.  Because it took me off guard I didn't think to ask her opinion about it, just told her I was fine.

Anyway it's the same today.  No pain, no trouble breathing or swallowing.   I don't have a cold or anything.  Just this weird, Demi Moore voice.

Could this be related to MS?  or maybe my recent Solumedrol treatment?  I'm still recovering from my recent relapse.

It's disturbing to me, but I don't feel as though I need to go running to the dr.  I see my neuro on April 22 so I guess if it doesn't improve by then he can check it out.

Has this happened to any of you?

db1

[jensequitur]

Seems like it's a symptom of a lesion at C1, but I could be crazy...

[speechgeek]

Speechgeeek here to tell you...yes vocal changes are a sympton of MS. especially if you tend to suffer from spastisity.

Rebeccah

[doublevision1]

Thank you both.

Rebeccah, do the spasticity medications help to relieve it, or is this something one must live with as is?

Also would this be indicative of a C1 lesion as Jensequitur suggested?

db1

[nikki861]

yep, I started this also. It comes and goes like everything else. I am really hurting today....had my spinal MRI done this morning. It whipped me. Which I found strange. They put the prop under my knees to keep me more comfortable, but I think it made it worse? My hip and my thigh are very painful. Since I am undx at this time, I dont take anything. I took Ibrupro. but I'm worried about taking too much for stomach upset.

Hugs to all
Beth

[speechgeek]

I don't know if your meds would help. Meds, stress enviromental factors effect vocal quality as well.Your vocal chords and all the muscles of swallowing are controlled by cranial nerves. Cranial Nerve 10 also known as the vagus or the "wandering" nerve because travels the furthest has a huge role (cranium to colon) in vocalizing and swallowing.

Often changes in voice/speech/swallowing for some people are indication of flaring or onset of  a cycle of symptoms.  Vocal changes can come and go along with symptoms. If it gets worse or persists you might to see your PCP and see if you need to be seen by an ENT. Vocal rest is best.

This time of year with everything blooming and allergies there's a lot of hoarsness going around. I hope this helps


Rebeccah

[doublevision1]

Beth, thanks for your comment.  Hopefully it remits with me as it does with you.  Sorry to hear you had a tough time with your MRI.  Hopefully you can get a good night's rest and feel better tomorrow.

Rebeccah, thanks for the great explanation.  I'm disheartened that this problem has started 4 days AFTER being treated with solumedrol for my current relapse.  I would've hoped the treatment would stop this relapse in its tracks but I guess that is not the case; maybe I was not treated long enough (did 3 days of steroids instead of the 5 that I did previously).  Interesting about the 10th cranial nerve involvement.  I have 6th cranial nerve issues which has caused me to have double vision for the past 7 months.  Definitely I'll be mentioning this voice thing to both docs at my next visits.  If it doesn't stop by then, it will be quite obvious as soon as I open my mouth.

db1

[sllowe]

Hey Double,

I got this too, but mine was coincidental with the increase in my Rebif.  I couldn't remember if it was 22's or the 44's. It never did quite go away, just was spotty and would come and go at it's own will.

Who knows if it really is or not (it was an assumption on my part), I just look sometimes to what I had going on, or changes.  If it goes away for you, it may be allergy.

be well,
SL

[mokibear]

I'm still in limbo land but I have had that happen since I was in my 20's. No pain, no trouble swallowing etc. just the raspy voice. I would get it 4-5 times a year for up to 5 weeks at a time. I finally went to a throat specialist and the only thing he could fine wrong was a cyst on the chords. I had surgery and couldn't even get a whisper out for 4 weeks after.

Needless to say after that, he just scratched his head and said he didn't know what was causing it. It still goes raspy periodically but I'm down to once or twice a year now.

Hope you get better soon
Moki

[doublevision1]

Well today it appears my voice is completely back to normal!  Came on suddenly Thursday, worse Friday, better yesterday and resolved today.  Didn't feel a thing throughout.  Bizarre.  Nice for something to resolve so quickly and on its own for once!  Still totally perplexed as to its origin.  If my neuro thinks it's MS-related I'll let you know.

SL: interesting about the timing with the Rebif.  Do you think it had anything to do with that?  The darn pamplet is in such fine light print with so many seemingly hundreds of potential adverse reactions, maybe hoarse voice is somewhere on there?  If I do get to go up to 44mcg Rebif (after all this liver enzyme stuff), I'll pay attention to whether the voice thing happens again.

Moki:  wow you had this problem a lot!  You must be glad to have the number of episodes reduced, but it sure would be nice to know why these things happen, wouldn't it?

db1

[sllowe]

Yea, it was so coincidental, that I thought it was totally from it.   Don't think it's in the pamphlet though. . . thinking if yours is anything like mine, it will come and go.  No real way of knowing if it is from the meds though.

[cz1970]

Wow, so many with vocal issues. Do any of you get the shaky tight/ spastic feeling too? Sounds like your gonna cry but your not?  I litterally pulled a muscle in my neck from this stupid thing...

Thanks
cz

[Hallie610]

Ok now I don't feel like I am crazy..I have the raspy voice thing happen to me to many of time, feeling like I need to drink water to get it to go away..Feel fine no cold coming on, just the raspy sound.. I am glad to hear that others get this, cuz really I was thinking it was all in my head or my ears were going bad and I was hearing things..lol.... Ok now I can add this to my list of things that is happening to me for my May 8th visit Neruo. So thanx for bring this one up.

Hallie