Voice loss - temporary injection experiences?
Hi all. I’m looking for experiences from anyone who dealt with vocal fold paralysis/immobility after thyroidectomy.
I had a total thyroidectomy with central on March 4 for PTC. My voice was fine right after surgery... just unable to hit some high notes. About two weeks later, I caught a respiratory virus and my voice became very hoarse/weak. It improved a little, but then after a loud work event where I had to shout, it crashed again and has been a whisper ever since.
So I'm on about 9 weeks of no voice.
My surgeon scoped me and said my right vocal fold is not moving. He thinks it may be temporary nerve dysfunction, possibly related to viral illness. Apparently the nerve tested fine during surgery.
He recommended a temporary vocal fold injection/filler to help close the gap while we wait to see if the nerve recovers.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through this:
- Did your vocal fold movement come back? How long did it take?
- Did you do a temporary injection? Was it worth it?
And also:
- Did your voice return to normal, or did it become a “new normal”?
I’m working with my surgeon and trying to get in with a laryngologist, but I’d really appreciate real-world experiences. This part has been harder emotionally than I expected, especially with a toddler and a communication-heavy job.
Thanks so much for your time!