Posted by: Laurie ®
02/10/2007, 21:49:41
|
Hi and welcome to the NSDA bulletin board,Glad to hear you are finally trying to get your voice problems diagnosed. If you let us know where you live, there are a lot of exceptional ENTs who specialize in voice disorders who could probably tell you whether you have SD without the 8 week wait. There are ways to differentiate SD from other voice disorders (one example being asking you to read voiced versus voiceless sentences), but it takes a highly trained laryngologist. The one thing that caught my attention in your message was saying that your voice is shakey. If you mean a vocal tremor then my lay person's opinion is no amount of speech therapy can even begin to address that and the cause is unlikely habitual or compensatory. It sounds like you have a lot of symptoms so hopefully you'll be able to get to the bottom of them sometime soon. A lot of us can relate to the job/interview issues. If your symptoms are so obvious they cannot be hidden, it certainly makes sense to be honest upfront. Hopefully, once you have a clearer diagnosis, treatment will make your situation a lot more tolerable. In the future when you are diagnosed, you may also want to consider looking into your local vocational rehabilitation office as they can assist with placement in jobs with fewer vocal demands with employers who are open to making accommodations. Again, welcome to the bulletin board. Let us know what happens in the coming weeks or if you'd like suggestions for some top voice specialists who may be able to assist. Laurie
|
Posted by: judylynn ®
02/15/2007, 13:20:20
|
Laurie,
You said that you could help us locate ENT"s in our area that give botox injections. I live in Monroe, Louisiana
can you tell me some?
|
Posted by: mdubovick ®
02/10/2007, 23:10:05
|
There are vocal disorders such as Muscle Tension Disorder or Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD) that resemble Spasmodic Dysphonia but are quite different. MTD can be cured with speech therapy. SD can be helped with speech therapy but not cured. Since your doctor is not positive you have SD, she is taking a very reasonable approach by starting with speech therapy. If the speech therapy does not work, then she will likely conclude you do have SD and try Botox shots which work for many people with SD. You're on the right path by following your doctor's plan. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about SD, go to the NSDA web site at www.dysphonia.org
|
Posted by: rabala ®
02/10/2007, 23:46:27
|
It could be muscle tension disorder. My dad would completely lose his voice when he was really mad. Only when he was really tense, would his voice go down to a whisper because he tried...but, he couldn't get anything out.I remembered today that when I was in 2nd grade, I was in a school play and had to sing a song by myself. At home, when I practiced the song, I did fine. It sounded great, but when I sang it in front of the whole audience, I completely choked. Some notes would come out and some wouldn't. I've heard the SD happens more so for people in their later years...after 40. I'm not sure if that's a medical fact, but I've had the tightening in my throat muscles so much so, that it chokes me. I have anxiety and depression and, like I said before, had panic attacks in my 20's, once on the phone. So, it could be neurological, psychological. I didn't even know there was a disorder called muscle tension disorder. Whatever it my speech disorder is,,....I'm glad I've found you all because we share something in common. It's been a hard thing for me all my life (my voice is also high pitched, so I got called "Squeaky" forever) and it's a sensitive thing for me just like it is for all of you, I'm sure. Thank you for your welcoming me.
|
Posted by: mariaa ®
02/11/2007, 11:03:28
|
I have had SD since my I was about 20. My voice started out with hoarsness and shakiness. I too had a experience with a panicky feeling on the phone because my voice started shaking.
This was all a part of the SD for me.
I have AB/SD. I sound soft, almost whispery at times.
I take Benedryl or antihistimes for SD. Its helps me alot.
I had speech therapy and it helped my shakiness in my voice alot.
My doctor is based in Manhattan.
I was diagnosed by Dr. Bllitzer. He is a excellent doctor in Manhattan.
Bendryl and voice therapy on a daily basis helped me the most.
I have not had botox yet. I may opt for that if I ever feel the need to do that.
If you need to email contact me a bellabene@aol.com.
Good Luck..........its going to be ok.
|
Posted by: poetelisabeth ®
02/11/2007, 12:33:47
|
You have a high-pitched voice and squeak? I do the same thing! Does your voice go up on the end of a sentence? Sometimes I go really high and squeaky in the middle of a word. Like a tic. People say I am trying to talk like a little kid. It's embarrassing because it sounds fake. Do you ever get stuck on words and repeat them? Or talk to yourself out loud? Do you ever just scream a word without meaning to? All of these things come out involuntarily. I'm afraid to talk in public for fear this will happen.
|
Posted by: rabala ®
02/11/2007, 17:33:52
|
Actually, I'm more of a clear speaker when I speak high pitched. It's when I try to speak lower or do speak lower (because I'm depressed), that my voice is more strained. That could be psychological and physical.I did go to a speech therapist (vocal coach) years ago and she showed me that I have a "normal" range and it's higher pitched than what I normally talk. People used to tell me all the time "Speak lower! Didn't you ever go throug puberty? When's your voice gonna change?" Maybe that was "teasing", but I took it personally. In junior high, I ran for student council 3 different times. I'd have to give speeches in front of a school of 1800 students, yelling "SQUEAKS!!"...it didn't bother me back then. I'd read the morning day information over the intercom every am in school, so the whole school heard it. I got teased, but back then, I didn't care. It's when I got older, that it bothered me. Then, I developed a huge fear of public speaking. I did take Speech class in college because I had to and I thought for sure that I'd flunk. But, my teacher let me use a microphone, so I wouldn't strain to project louder and then crack and not be understood. I got an "A" in that class. When I get mad, I can yell and my voice gets higher. It doesn't turn into a whisper like my Dad's did. But, the tone of my voice stays the same and doesn't go up at the end of a sentence. There's just different words or vowels that are hard for me to say and then I will crack and not be heard on that certain vowel or word. I'm hopeful for speech therapy. Because I think I've developed some bad habits over the years and because of my depression/fear over my voice, I've made it worse. But, I'm grateful that I can speak, whether it sounds "funny" or not, it's my voice and I want to help it get as good as it can get and not listen to other's making fun of me anymore. I had a CEO of a large corporate business, laugh at me when I'd speak. Literally, LAUGH at me when we'd do our monthly meetings and go around the room and each of us tell what was going on in our department. It'd be my turn and I'd start to talk and he'd laugh. One day, I looked at him and said "is there something funny that I missed?" and his smile quickly went away..."Oh, NO! No, there's nothing funny". He never laughed at me again when speaking. People can be mean. Really mean. I met a lady that I loved dearly after my Mom die that became my "surrogate Mom", Myrtle, a few years back. Because of TIA'S (mini strokes) she shook badly when she spoke. Kind of like Katherine Hepburn. It took longer for her to get out sentences, but she was understood. Ladies would whisper behind her back and talk about her "handicap". "Isn't it a shame she has that speech handicap?" I'd say "She speaks just fine. I understand her completely and.....aren't we all "handicapped" in some way? Nobody's perfect". Myrtle passed away last Sept. I never noticed her speech problem. I didn't focus on it. I'm looking forward to gaining more confidence through treatment and not buying the feeling that I'm a "freak" anymore and when people ask me if I'm sick, I'll be able to say "nope" and leave it at that.
|
Posted by: mariaa ®
02/11/2007, 18:06:29
|
No, my voice only went higher pitched when I started the antivert which is a antihistimine used from my neurologist for SD.
Usually I am breathy.
What your describing sounds like Torrettes Syndrome.
Has that term been mentioned to you?
|
Posted by: Paula B ®
02/11/2007, 18:55:02
|
Hi Rabala, and Welcome too,When I first witnessed my vocal cords in action, I saw that they slammed shut after every noise that I made. I have Ad Sd or adductive. For about 8 years before I was diagnosed my voice started to change. I was also told that I sounded "sexy", which is a definite pain, because when you talk, you don't want to turn people on.... hahaha.. I was also asked by many if I was sick, when I would just reply, NO, but thank you for your concern. Believe me, I know how it gets so annoying when strangers approach you and have to know why you talk like you do. My excuses are over. Now, I just tell them why, and even tell them what happens, how my vocal cords slam shut. It's way better than wondering what's wrong with me, or what happend? Knowing whatever is going on with your body sure will make things easier for you, or even with you. I am sure that 8 weeks isn't a long wait at all, but if you want to find a Dr who specializes in Sd or throat problems, you would be able to find one on this site at a location near you. It's up to you. While on this site, please read as much as you can. It is so comforting to learn how others deal with this. You are far from alone. I wish you the best, Paula
Modified by Paula B at Mon, Feb 12, 2007, 15:57:11
|
Posted by: rabala ®
02/11/2007, 21:17:43
|
Thank you!! I do have a great Dr. that specializes in SD here in CO. My good friend has SD and has gone to this DR. for years and has really helped my friend.No, it's not tourette's. I also know people with Tourette's and their diagnosis is alot different than mine. Plus, uncontrollably, they yell out words whenever or have a constant tic. They don't have any problems projecting and I do...even when I do yell if I'm mad. My voice cracks and won't get out the full sentence. But, thank you for being a big support!! I appreciate all of you:) I don't have either of those.
|
|
|
