Chronic and Mysterious Weak Voice

[frustratedindividual]

Symptoms: weak voice, decreased vocal range.  if i rest for awhile i can speak at a gentle volume,
but after an hour or so my voice power decreases and i may feel swelling at the back of my throat,
occasionally with a little phlegm to clear.

Here's the problem.  I've already seen a couple ear-nose-throat specialists.  They looked at my
vocal chords, saw that they were agitated and red, but saw no major problems otherwise (i.e. no
vocal nodes, tumors, etc.).  One doctor tried antibiotics (eventually a lot of them), another told
me not to speak for 14 days (which I followed).  But my symptoms are still here after 4 months of
this...  now my doctor wants me to wait 4 MONTHS! for an acid reflux test and voice therapy
consultation.

I don't believe it's acid reflux because I never get heartburn or a burning sensation in my throat.
In fact, I'm never in much pain.  Also, I don't think speech therapy will help because I talk quite normally, have never had a strained voice before, and after the 2 weeks of silence the symptoms came back too quickly.

I don't speak very often these days, can't get a job like this, and can't spend much time with friends or
family.  My life feels paralyzed.  Please help me find a solution!

[frustratedindividual]

hey sysco,

actually i think i know what you have, since i've done a lot of researching here.  check out: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/GERD-and-LPR.cfm
it REALLY sounds like you have LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux), or at least GERD.  it's stomach acid that will travel up your throat while you sleep, which is why the mornings are always worse for you to talk then the nights.  also, these acid reflux problems account for a LOT of laryngitis symptoms.  until the doctors tell you otherwise, you might try taking an antacid before bedtime.  this should help a lot.  hope you feel better!

frustratedindividual

[sysco1999]

Im Just 22 from India, and been having this problem for around say 5 years from today,i feel theres a tight feeling,a lump at the back of my throat, sumthing ready to be swallowed,but stuck there, and my voice keeps gettn hoarse time to time,if i sleep or take rest for sumtime,it gets fine for sometime,but tends to get worse in few minutes,water helps at times,though i try n keep my vocal chords and throat hydrated,,my worse gets hoarse from time to time,and i am really down and depressed at times when im in a group or try speaking,they sometimes dont pay attention or at times dont get me properly,,this has troubled me very much,,and the same feeling that iam defective n paralysed and not being worthed creeps in..i went to and ent specialist a week bfore,and was talking about my tonsils to be taken out,as they had grown much in size and also taking an endoscopy before that to check out any problem with my vocal chords,,and also prescribed me with 3 tablets ( antibiotics ) to be taken after dinner,n i followed them n every night after those tablets started workn on my throat, my throat fully cleared up and was a like a free way and i sounded beautifull n normal as i wanted too which lasted for the whole night and after which i had slept and the time i got up again,there i had this lump feeln again like bfore and likewise everynight iam normal with my voice after takn the anitbiotics but back to worse in the mornin..i shall post my further reports after ive taken endoscopy...

[sysco1999]

hey bro..even i have been this same problem