Vocal Cord Paralysis...Thyroid Nodule

[frutipebs]

I have been reading all of those posts and would like to post my story.  I am a 30 year old female with the following symptoms that finally drove me to see an ENT:  hoarseness lasting six weeks, right neck and ear pain, feeling of fullness in my throat.  The ENT diagnosed me with a paralyzed right vocal cord and ordered some CT scans...neck CT showed thyromegaly.  Ultrasound was ordered which showed a 1.5cm hypoechoic solid nodule (this nodule is not palpable).  Long story short after several docs, I am having a right thyroidectomy with a frozen section in 4 weeks (although my doc does not feel it is cancer...even though he has NOT done a FNA)...however my doctor also does not feel this is the cause of my vocal cord paralysis.  Anyone with similar symptoms??  If so, did your vocal cord return to normal function after surgery.  Any input appreciated.

[MANmom]

I am a singer and did have hoarseness and swallowing  issues.  I had four nodules, three in the right and one in the left.  I opted to have the right side removed to see if that helped, it did.  I have not had the swallowing issue since that.  I could also sing, although I have not tried to sing for more than 15 minutes.  SInce then they found cancer, so I had to have the other side removed. I am 2 1/2 weeks post surgery, seems like my voice is fine.  If you are concerned about the voice, you MUST GET THE VERY BEST SURGEON, ONE WHO DOES 50 THYROIDS A YEAR AT LEAST.  I cannot stress this enough, you need to protect the vocal nerves.  My surgeon actually left a thin film of tissue around the vocal nerves to make sure that I did not have any knicks, and I have vocal function.  Ablation should kill that remaining tissue.  Good luck.

[nissah46]

I had a paralyzed vocal cord after surgery.  It lasted 6 weeks and then my voice returned to normal.