Safety of gel foam injection?

[Iwantmyvoiceback]

I'd love to hear from others regarding their experience with gel foam injections to bring paralyzed vocal cord midline. I had a thyroidectomy about a month ago and can't speak above a whisper.  Do the risks outweigh the temporary restoration of voice?  Is it harmful to whisper? Has anyone tried vocal therapy? What did you do? So many questions, I know, but I'm desperately looking for answers and hope.

[Barb135]

I was told that if I tried to talk too soon and/or too much before my vocal cords had been completely healed and been retrained, after surgery, that I would do further/permanent damage.  

I've only done a little research on the gel foam since reading your post... it sounds like it could be a viable solution, but I'd also want voice therapy along with it to make sure you're being trained to use the vocal cords correctly.  Once there's been damage (the stretching is damage) to them, it's no longer a matter of opening your mouth and making the same sounds, the way you did before - at least it wasn't for me.  I wouldn't take any chances. Even though you trust your doctor, get another opinion if need be.

[Iwantmyvoiceback]

Thank you so much for your response.  The doctor that performed my thyroid surgery is an ENT.  Nothing went wrong during my surgery. No nerves were cut; he thinks one was stretched from large multinodular goiter removal. I asked about voice therapy and he thinks time is the answer and is encouraging me to have the gel foam injection to get my voice back sooner. I have complete faith in my doctor, but your response has me wondering if I need to see a voice therapist.  Can you give me more information about vocal cord damage that occurs from talking before repair? Thanks again.

[Barb135]

I haven't had a thyroidectomy, but I did have 2 surgeries on my vocal cords, several years ago.  Unless something went wrong during the thyroidectomy, your voice should come back.  I had voice therapy after my surgeries.  

Have you seen an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist?  One of my first "exercises" for learning to use my voice again was blowing through a kazoo a certain way, but I had to learn to do that with the help of a voice therapist, at my ENT's office.  

If there is damage to your vocal cords, trying to talk before getting it repaired could cause more damage.  If you haven't seen an ENT, I strongly suggest you do so and see about voice therapy, asap.