Voice impairment

[Thumper2000]

I have asked this before but sadly it got missed hence writing my post again. I really need some help as I’m finding my mental health being affected now (I’ve got BPD, depression and aniexty) I’m now on day 17 of next to no voice. Thanks to past asthma meds and now apparently stress (even though I’m not stressed, apart from of course now being on day 16) as worked out by my asthma consultant and the speech therapy team. My larynx over the past 6 years or so has decided it will give me impaired speech ability. I go from being just normal to a high pitched squeak to deep or a whisper or just nothing. Right now I’ve got nothing. Yes occasionally it can be funny (I had myself and my family crying at my laugh the other night) but in reality it definitely isn’t funny. The inability to speak properly has a serious impact on what I can do. I’ve got important calls to make but can’t. If I’m in a shop and need help I have to text it to the assistant (deeply embarrassing). At my chest physio appt last week the entire half hr I had no voice so had to write the entire time. Does anyone know how to use those voice to speech apps for making calls or using the accessibility parts on our phones (none of it makes sense to me on how to use the different things I’ve found). Or has anyone else had this problem and found a way to solve it? The longest my voice can be impaired for has been as long as 3 months. Sorry for the long message 😔

[Troilus]

Sorry Thumper I can’t help you with this query. However, if you also post it on the old BFL healthunlocked page (now lung or some such thing) you might get an answer. That page seems to get a lot more traffic . ( There are people with asthma on there too)

[Thumper2000 in reply to Troilus]

Thank you Troilus. I’ll see if I can find it x

[Bevvy]

Sorry to hear this. I have had intermittent lose of voice over the years. At one point for a couple of years. I had to wear a voice amplifier plus use telephone with voice amplifier! I know it isn’t easy and have been embarrassed by my situation especially when others have “mocked” me 😢In relation to getting assistance with your phone I would have thought you were best to speak to your phone maker. For example Apple or Samsung. Ideally I suspect going in to their store would be best so you can explain exactly what you want phone to do. Again ideally you could make an actual appointment so you don’t feel rushed and know you have time. Maybe take a friend with you to help you feel more comfortable…..??

[Thumper2000 in reply to Bevvy]

It can be so upsetting being ‘mocked’. Yes admittedly it can be funny especially some of the more comical sounds that come out but some just take the endless mickey so I just avoid those people as it annoys and upsets me so much. I think I’ll pop into Apple and see what they can suggest. That simple thought just didn’t occur to me so thank you for waking up my brain cells xx

[thegenegenie]

This is a very uncomfortable and unpleasant experience for you. Both my late husband and now my son experience this too so I understand. Is it possible that you have something called silent reflux? As the word silent implies you don’t know you are experiencing it. The acid reflux affects your vocal chords and you lose your voice frequently. Try taking an over the counter heartburn tablet every night for a month or longer. Your pharmacist will help. Reflux is horrible and affects us in many ways without us knowing. Good luck

[Thumper2000 in reply to thegenegenie]

Hi Tgeniegenie, the hospital have now said I do have silent reflux but despite all the appointments I’ve had with my asthma consultant and the speech dept neither have indicated the reflux causing my vocal issues. But I will definitely look into taking a heartburn remedy as that just could solve my problem. Thank you for your help x

[fraid]

I didn’t reply sooner as my voice loss is from M.E. but I know what you mean.When I get very tired-more than always- my voice goes,sometimes completely.Or I sound like Minnie Mouse or a Dalek!Usually by the end of the day it’s going.I read it’s just another fatigued muscle,which makes sense with the M.E.

But if you know it’s from your inhaler perhaps it needs changing?A good drink of water after using it?A throat spray that singers use?Or maybe you talk too much like me😂

Hope you can sort it,it’s very annoying.X

[Thumper2000 in reply to fraid]

Hi fraid, it was meds I used to be on years ago that started damaging my larynx from what my asthma consultant has said. So I can’t have powered inhalers anymore and I need to stay away from small particles as much as is possible. She said her hands are tied to a degree as obviously all inhalers have a certain degree of particles but she said my current 1 fostair is 1 of the least offenders especially using a spacer and gargling straight afterwards. So she is at a loss how else to help me unfortunately. But yep I do like a good chat when I get a chance 😂😂😂 x

[pink123floyd]

Hi Thumper i suffer from the same went for yrs up and down from micky mouse to silent doctors put it down to laryngitis but after changing my doctors i had wonderfull consultants who now have told me its disorder of the vocal cords also as my windpipe had been closing this didnt help as your doctor if this could be your problem .hope you find some answers.take care and stay safe.xx

[Thumper2000 in reply to pink123floyd]

Hi pink123floyd, yeah I’ve been told that some of my vocal issues has been down to laryngitis but the bulk of it hasn’t been. I had a camera down my throat and there is no sign of vocal cord dysfunction so sadly it’s down to some other reason. Hopefully it will be the reflux that thegeniegenie suggested.

[fraid]

Just a thought but when I get bad hay fever it gives me asthma,but also my voice goes then,wonder if could be allergic?I take a cetirizine anti allergy pill which does help,perhaps I should try that when next I lose my voice.It has gone again today and asthma back,thought Prevent inhaler helped so was on none for a week or so now found X room mouldy again which explains relapse!🤨

Which voice do you prefer Miinie or Dalek? 😁

[Emer1000]

I’m afraid I don’t know the answer, it seems similar to an issue I’ve had for years which was not as severe as. Didn’t last for more than 2 weeks at a time, however but it is now under control.

I used to loose power in my voice and it would become a whisper, this always was an indicator my asthma was getting bad. I had an endoscopy and a broncoscopy. I was told it was acid reflux sitting on my larynx and shown pictures of white spots of acid on my voice box. Consultant prescribed tablets to reduce my stomach acid but I got virtigo so I went a less conventional route and went to a kinesiologiest who was recommended by a nurse friend. She told me that gluten and nightshade veg were causing my asthma, so with little options I went gluten free and gave up night shade veg and now I have a very stable voice, I still have asthma but my voice is consistently strong now. I hope you find a solution.

[Poobah]

My dysphonia was sorted once I came off my LAMA inhaler. I had been on Spiriva and then Eklira Genuair. I would lose my voice at times, or just have a weak voice. I couldn't sing a note (was in a choir). I found that low humidity wasn't good for my voice either. And I also found nasal breathing exercises helped my voice, probably as I wasn't overloading the voice box when inhaling through my nose. Mouth breathing can over inflate the lungs so I'm assuming it can't be good for the voice box.

I'm fortunate that my preventer inhaler doesn't affect my voice much, but inhaled meds can relax the larynx and that can cause dysphonia. But it can be a complex issue, beyond just asthma meds, and an ENT specialist is the correct avenue I believe as they will understand alot more about your voice function than an asthma specialist. Personally I would chase a referral to an ENT specialist who's speciality is dysphonia.