Voice changes post thyroid surgery

[Icroak]

Ten weeks after surgery my voice is raspy. I sing in stereo now, like there are two voices going. The surgeon said that the vocal chords looked good and that I should recover. My question for anyone is how long can it take?  When do I know when I need more help, if I do. Is this ever permanent? I would love input. Thanks.

[Danniabg]

Hi Leish
I had a partial thyroidectomy back in July, and I was the same as others have said, raspy, soft low voice, and it felt tight and strained if I tried to reach high notes, I couldn't get much sound out if I tried to, but now it is fully back to normal, though I still get tired if I talk too much.
It is very early days for your Nan, but my heart goes out to you both, give it some time xxx
Nikki

[Leish81]

Hi a-soft_heart_55, has your voice gotten any better? My nan had a parathyroid removed a few days ago and is so upset because she now finds it a struggle to talk. I'm furious with the dr who performed the surgery because he said he's only human, these things can happen even though it is only a 1% chance. I'm just praying that she gets her voice back and that it doesn't bring her spirit down :-(  

[a_soft_heart55]

I too had surgery 2 weeks ago. 9-9-2011.....and am terrified.  I can't barely talk above a soft voice.  I sound WEIRD. I am beside myself with worry.  The doctor says ONE thing..but I can't talk or breath..i run out of speech.  In a crowd..i am invisible. No one can hear me.  If there is an emergency...i'm going to be in trouble. I can't yell or scream.  I talk in hushed tones.  I am beside myself with worry.  First cancer and now this????  what to do....HELP!!!  

[binkley75]

I had the left side of my thyroid removed on July 15th 2010. Since surgery I have had a hoarse raspy voice... I hate it! I worked for a call center and have recently been let go from work because I can not perform my job because of my voice and being hard to breath when I am talking. And another job that I do is home parties, and unable to do that because of my voice as well. My surgeon said he tested my vocal nerves during surgery and that everything was fine...I honestly don't believe that or I would be able to talk louder than a whisper and I don't sound anything like myself. I am hardly understood when I am on the phone. I also have had a cough since my surgery as well. It does seem a little louder when I first wake up but by the time I go to bed, I can hardly hear myself think. LOL My kids love the fact that I can not yell at them, or at least they can't hear or understand what I am saying. I have to be within a few feet of someone to talk to them and I can't talk for very long without feeling like I can't breath.  It will be a month on the 15th and really hope this does not last much longer...I never thought I'd say it but I miss my own voice.

[Haunted1]

I had a hemi thyroidectomy on the 18/12/2008 so nearly a year to the day and my voice has still not come back fully, it does seem to have improved in very small bursts but I can't be heard above music and I can't shout without straining which is a nightmare as my other half is in a band and I go to watch with friends but I can't socialise and come across like i'm a quiet person when i'm not, it is really upsetting sometimes and it is a pain when you have to tell the story to every person you meet who can't hear you properly over crowded places etc.  I am really hoping that one day my voice will just spring back, I was told by my surgeon at the time that my vocal chords hadn't been touched so I have come to the conclusion that I am one of the 1% that this can happen to grrr!  Does anyone know if my voice could actually come back fully??  I personally never went back to have my vocal chords checked as I hate hopsitals and the thought of a tube up my nose and down my throat was enough to put me off so I have just been carrying on with the hope that things will improve!  People have told me that it is getting better as I sound louder but until I can speak above loud music or shout I know that my voice isn't back.  All I know is that I definately can't live the rest of my life like this! xxx

[Tommy74]

I had a TT on Aug 18,09. I have been a profesional Sax player and singer in small bands as part of my living for 40 years. I also love to sing. My ENT didn't think it would bother either one, No problems with playing the sax, but I lost some of the high range and quality in the beginning and found some info in a book how the Thyroid fluctuating against the back of the V chords helps the airflow through the chords enhancing the higher range. I since have been practicing with a deeper pull from my diaphram and made some great improvement. I have worked a few gigs since then,( I am 74 and pretty much only sub now) and the last one went well.      Tommy 74