Hello. I am in the same boat as you. I had my thyroid surgery on January 9th of this year. After my surgery, I couldn't talk either. I then had an appointment with an ENT doctor and both my vocal chords were paralyzed in the open position. I wasn't able to swallow without a straw and I had to tilt my head to one side so I wouldn't choke. I couldn't talk above a whisper. I have now one vocal chord working (left side). I went to the ENT on June 11th to have an injection of a gel to make the chord go to the center. I still don't have my full voice. I was told if the voice doesn't come back within 9 months, it is a possibility it would be permanent unless I have another surgery to put a stint in the throat. I am not going to do that at all. I know sound like "Minnie Mouse" as my family has told me. You just have to be patient. I know it is hard without a voice but I manage pretty well. I am out of work because I am a customer service rep and I cannot talk on the phone for no more than 30 minutes.

Thanks - I am better off knowing the possibilities then the 'oh its not working right now' I got from the Drs. I too, am not sure if more surgery is worth getting my voice back.

Have you been seeing an ENT doctor or just your surgeon?

So far just the surgeon, but I believe she is an ENT specialist. I am waiting on the call for my apt with another Dr to discuss RAI and scans. I also have another apt with the surgeon next month as she wants to follow up on my vocal cords.

As I am going through the VA, I am sort of at thier whim as to who, when, and where I get to see Drs.

Luckily my schedule is open until late Sept - the VA is paying for me to go back to college since I can't work anymore. I will take an education, no problem there! So having them call and say be here at this time is ok for the next few months.

I also went through RAI and the body scans. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The diet was a little tough since I like dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese and regular milk. I had to stay in isolation for 3 days from my family and pets. I caught up on movies and did alot of reading.

I plan to spend my isolation at a hotel. I have too many pets in the house to be able to be isolated from them all. I just have no idea when it is going to be . Sigh. One day at a time.

it's been5 years since TT and my voice is still easily tired. Talking for a while wears it out to a whisper. I still can't yell loud in a normal voice. I have to bring the pitch up high which sounds really silly.

Anyway, I didn't go to speech therapy because my voice isn't important in work or singing.

I'd ask for speech therapy.

My Primary Care Doctor says that although the surgeon is going to wait 18 months, if my voice is not a lot better in five or six months, he is going to put me in for voice therapy.

My voice is getting stronger. I have high hopes that it is going to come back on its own.

Here is to wishful thinking!

In response to speech therapy to cure the vocal chord, my doctor gave me a couple exercises to do but nothing worked. I had bi-lateral voice chord damage and now one side is working. Just take it one day at a time. I have my next appointment with my ENT for a scope again to see if there is any improvement.

I hope it goes well!

Just bouncing about the house. I don't want to do too much and hurt myself. So watching daughter folding laundry while I wash it. She and I are learning to do ASL until my voice comes back - if it does.

Yadlim
Did you see a "vocal specialist" from ear nose and throat? I don't know how many of them are around but I feel blessed to have one close by me. Did they recommend voice therapy? I did therapy once a weeke for about 5 weeks and it did help. I haad a vocal cord medialization done which helped my voice and also helped reduce some of the aspirating.
Take care and I wish you the best. Keep pushing and find a otolarinologist that specializes in voice.

I am now scheduled to see one in Oct. I am not sure of his exact specialist - but that is part of the problem with dealing with the VA. Treatments might now cost me anything, but I don't have any say in who I see and for what.

I had my thyroid removed in 2006 for my cancer and yes my right vocal cord was paralyzed I had extensive damage to my neck nerves and no voice louder than a whisper for like a year. It sucks but now I am talking alot louder I wouldnt say Im back to normal but it is above a whisper. I had to do voice exercises and have alot of patience! You will get it back not fully it will never fully come back but you wont notice in awhile except when u try to scream or sing that was the biggest thing for me cause I used to be a singer...Well I know what your going through and if you want to know more about what I went through u can message me I went through everything and I am currently still battling the cancer and prob going in for round 4 of surgery..good luck!

I have a slightly paralyzed cord on the right side. I have been to voice therapy. My voice has gotten stronger and my surgery that stretched and damaged the nerves was a year ago. I could not talk very loud and I can now, although it is not back to normal. I would say it is weaker. My damage was from a lateral neck dissection and they took every lymph node out of my larynx. They were actually afraid that I would wake up without a voice. I sometimes have a hard time with swallowing, and sometimes my throat will not open up when I run. It takes a month for a nerve to grow a a millimeter so recovery is slow, but hang in there;)