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.

[Sierra Sue]

Three months after Thyroidectomy for Thyroid Cancer, my voice is still hoarse.  It gets worse as day goes on, and by evening it's almost a whisper.  I am worried because the doctor who gave me the radiation pill said that the longer the hoarseness, the more likely it is that your voice will not return.  I'm a singer and love it.  I tried to sing the scales, and couldn't, but the wrse part was I was off-key.  any input will be so appreciated.

[dl]

I had surgery on 12-27-06, and my voice is still raspy and almost at a whisper.  If I am in a crowded area, no one can hear me.  I have to stop in the middle of a sentence to catch another breath.   Although, it does seem to get a little better every day.  I am keeping positive and believing that it will come back completely, but I guess it will just take time.  I do have some problems swallowing.  I feel like I have to lean my head down to swallow.  At this point, I am just glad it was not cancer, and pray for my regular voice soon.

[rr80]

My voice is hoarse too. my surgery was the beginning of january. It feels very strained when i talk. I does seem to be gettiing better but is sore when i laugh and i find it very difficult to talk within a crowd environment. I've heard this is pretty rare.

[Pie Face]

I had a Total Thyroidectomy for a Giant Substernal Thyroid Dec 2005 and still have severe tightness in the neck and cannot extend my voice or sing.  I'm going to a Laryngologist tomorrow for a EMG nerve study.  Will keep you posted.

[Changed]

Hello.
I had a total thyroidectomy with neck dissection for thyroid cancer in 1-03.  I lost my voice for 3 mos, regained it slowly and to this day it is not the same.  I lived to sing before (not sure how good I was but I loved it!) now my range is about 1/3 of what it was before and low.  My Dr says it is due to the extent of the cancer invading my vocal cords and will likely never be the same again.  I do believe that with lots of work it will come back if even a little. I'll take whatever I can get.
I also have 2 friends who have been thru thyroid surgery of different types with the same results.  So it isn't uncommon, uncomfortable and agravating, but not uncommon.

[hawkfan]

How long have you been without Synthroid?  My voice went very deep when I was off of my Synthroid for awhile and I was told this was normal.  It went back to normal when my TSH levels went back down.