| My Doctor visit last Wednesday |  | ||
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Posted by: Mitch ® 09/15/2002, 14:45:18 Author Profile Mail author |
Hi,everybody! I went to an SD specialist in Oklahoma City last Wed.He definately thinks I have AB/SD. He wants to clear up my acid reflux problem before doing the actual test,so for the next 2-4 weeks I'll be taking Nexium. I go back for the actual test Oct 9. It was kind of hope-shattering to here him tell me that AB is the hardest to treat & that he just isn't very good at giving the injections for AB! He said he would try,however. Luckily,there are 1 or 2 other specialists in OKC, so I don't feel totally hopeless! I would love to here back from some of you with some words of encouragement! (We all need that,right?!) Thanks so much for those of you who wrote to me the other day! We all need to just hang in there together.That's all we can do. Thanks for listening! Mitch |
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Posted by: William Vanderlinde ® 09/17/2002, 10:47:32 Author Profile Mail author |
Hi Mitch, It never ceases to amaze me how many folks with AB/SD also have acid reflux. Dr. Berke commented on it at the Scottsdale symosium. Of course the acid reflux alone can cause voice problems, or it can make a bad SD voice worse. I think your doctor is on the right track in wanting to clear up the acid reflux first before diagnosing the SD. If it turns out you do have AB/SD don't give up! The odds are about 50% that you will get some benefit from BOTX injections. A lot of folks with AB/SD also are helped by speech therapy. The breath support and frontal focus techniques I learned from speech therapists did not cure my AB/SD but they are helpful in letting me do the best I can with a larynx that doesn't work quite right. Please let us know how you make out. best,
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Posted by: Larry Blair ® 09/25/2002, 16:13:09 Author Profile Mail author |
William, I have noticed that myself. Although I had read along time ago on the USC Medical Center Gastriology Dept. WEB Site, that Gerd can cause problems with the voice. I know that I have this bad valve between my stomach and esophogus. I had some kind of negative pressure test done, and they found that the valve is pretty much open all the time. So I get alot of acid up there at night even though I sleep with my head elevated and I am taking Prilosec. I had been seriously considering having the corrective surgery that USC offers. Dr.Thomas Demeester specializes in this type of surgery, and did surgery on my Dad, for an unrelated problem. The Doctor came highly recommended. If I thought it would improve my voice, I would do it in a heartbeat. I also read a testimonial from a patient that had the surgery and how his voice had improved? I wonder what percentage of Dysphonia sufferers have Acid Reflux or GERD. Would be an interesting statistic, Wouldn't it? Larry MTD/SoCal |
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Posted by: Sherry A. Kjellberg ® 09/17/2002, 17:40:55 Author Profile Mail author |
It seems that we "special vocal ones" have been given the lesson of "patience" in this life...slowly working toward the goal of recovery. I, too, had many months of GI tests and medications...some redness continued when I was scoped, so I had surgery that tightened the esophogus to prevent acid reflux. It did help the spasms considerably, and stopped the choking out of the blue and all the non-productive throat clearing and coughing I couldn't control. It was also extremely hard for me to eat and maintain a voice for some reason. It did fix all that and was a big part of my problem, but alas it did not fix my voice spasms, breaks, hoarseness. But, by ruling out asthma, GERD, vocal chord dysfunction,etc., they finally were able to make the correct S.D./abductor diagnosis. Botox and vocal therapy are certainly helping me sound better than I have in six years post car wreck. Best wishes to you!!! Know that you are on the right journey...that makes it easier. |
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Posted by: Linda S. Adamson ® 09/17/2002, 19:31:53 Author Profile Mail author |
Mitch, I've read the other posts to your news and I echo their encouragement to hang in there. I would add that, if I were in your shoes, I'd ask some questions about how many AB patients your doctor and the other doctors in town who treat SD have treated successfully -- and see if they have a patient who is willing to talk to you. For any of us, AB or AD, the technique for giving the injections must be key to the success (can the dr. hit the darn muscle fiber?!?) and the comfort/discomfort for you in the shot itself. I've read this BBd pretty assiduously, and I've certainly noted a huge range of comfort/discomfort in injections. I can't thank Bill Vanderlinde enough for being willing to tell me explicitly, step by meticulous step, what our mutual doctor would do on my first visit. I hope you can find someone who can help you get a handle on how your particular doctor goes about it -- and I sure would want to go with someone who does AB folks a lot! It was one of the first questions I asked before getting Botox #1. Please keep us posted.
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