At present Botox injections are still the treatment of choice for SD, but in recent years some patients (not all) are having success with surgery. This was covered by Doctors Berke and Maragos at the NSDA Symposium in Scottsdale, AZ in March this year, and you can read transcripts of their comments at the www.dystonia-support.org website - click on "Symposium reports". Also, to read about patient's experiences with surgery, use the "Search" function on this bulletin board and enter words like "surgery", "SLAD", "thyroplasty" etc.

Best wishes

Welcome to the NSDA BB. I'm not around much myself, ie, no computer for awhile, so I don't get to post very often. But, when possible I'm a real blabber mouth! :) Since you've come and posted, the best people will send you GREAT information! As for a brief history on my own SD ........I've had SD with a severe tremor for 21 years and had been receiving Botox since 1994. For me anyway, the Botox injections gave me back my life as well as my self confidence. On June 20, 2002, I opted for the SLAD/R surgery. It does not work for everyone and has not been very one's choice. (Although, the success rate is very good in most cases). In my case, since June 20, I have had a dysphonic whisper after the surgery until last Tuesday, my little new voice kicked in and is getting stronger everyday. I would do it again in a heartbeat! But, study all the options......read and research all you can about SD. There are REALLY great people here all in the same boat.

None of us knows what the future holds......with standing possible "tune-ups" .... and hopefully corrective surgery for those that the surgery didn't work for. I really believe that everyday holds something new for all of us.

This is a great place to be right now and I guarantee the people here are the best!

Again, welcome!

Thank you for you`re respons,i`m very glad to hear from you and

i will sure read and resurs all possible sites for a operation

but because theires little information here in holland.

I want to go to the chatroom but theires a time differents for # 8 houres.

I will try to go theire and hope to speak with you and orther people

who can help my to understand it.

If you want to email me at jxeno13@yahoo.com I can mail you the information on the surgery. I got the information from Dr. Gerald Berke in Los Angles at UCLA. I don't have his phone number off hand, but I'm sure there are people here who do. Dr. Dedo in San Francisco, developed the original surgery for dysphonia and Dr. Berke revised it and refined the procedure. Doctors are still doing both types of surgery. Here is another link that may perhaps help. http://www.voicedoctor.net/surgery/denervate.html with history, procedure, etc. I hope it helps you. Most recent Dr. Berke and his former associate Dr. Blumin have taught other doctors in other states the surgery procedure. I had my surgery at Vanderbilt, by Dr. Mark Courey in Nashville, Tennessee. I was his first for the SLAD/R surgery. I do not know about the surgerical procedure outside of the United States though. I had been living in Kentucky and going to Nashville since 1994 for Botox injections. When I moved back to California last year, I saw other doctors there, and had one injection and then decided that I could not give up my doctors at Vanderbilt. I flew back for other injections and the surgery. I am presently in Kentucky now for my post op on my voice surgery and also get Botox injections in my neck for Dystonia and a head tremor. I have had 34 injections for my voice since August 1994.

Note: The surgery is NOT A CURE, only an alternative to Botox. None of us has a clue to if or how long the surgery could last for our voices and is not for everyone. The surgery has worked for most of us, and not for some others.

I hope this helps.

Good luck to you, Carin. Best wishes from America!

Richard

I have SD since januari this year and had my first injection in july, just like you and the second oktober 18e...............