Posted by: Ingvar Andersson ®
08/07/2007, 18:17:36
|
Some of us are very sensitive to Botox. I had my first treatment with Dr Mitchell Brin at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in 1990. He started with 1.25 U in each cord. I had a perfect voice on the first day after treatment and on the third day I could only whisper and this lasted for four weeks before my voice gradually and slowly returned. I have later learnt:
1. My correct dose was for several years to be 0,2 U per cord, which gave me an acceptable weak voice, but no breathiness or whispering.
2. I have during the last three years gradually increased my dose to 0.5 U per cord. After 75 treatments during 17 years my sensitivity has probably decreased.
3. I repeat treatment every 2-4 months.You have to experiment and find the dose that is correct for you. If you do not like breathiness or whispering you should not select a dose that gives you breathiness or whispering!! I think before you know your sensitivity to Botox, a dose of 2,5 U per cord should never be selected. I am very pleased with my bilateral Botox treatments and very few people have noticed that I have SD.
Ingvar Andersson, AD/SD, Malmo, Sweden
|
Posted by: mariaa ®
08/07/2007, 19:59:06
|
What you are experiencing is normal and means the shot worked. Your voice will get better in a few weeks with no spasms. As each day goes on you will be able to talk more and more. And even though you will have low volume for the first week after about three days you should be able to be heard one on one. I dont know about your dosage everyone is a individual on that. And after the first shot they will tweek it to what is best so keep a journal on each day untill your voice is back. You should be excited because the shot worked and soon you will talk like you never had SD. Also, I had the mucous problem also. Drink alot of water, small, slow sips, with a straw. It will be fine in a week or so. I am fine and I had it also. I also had the whispery side effect. I am a teacher. Hang in there we all go through this stage.
Good Luck..........Maria
|
Posted by: sfstrickland ®
08/11/2007, 14:08:34
|
I talked specifically about this with my pathologist/counselor before receiving the first injection. I specifically asked for a low dosage and to work from there. However, the policy at the Vanderbilt voice center, she informed me, was to start every patient at 2.5 U and work up or down from there. I was reluctant about it, but deferred to the professionals. I now wish that I had refused that dosage. I, too, did much research and was told by several to start with not more than .5 U. I did not make proper preparation to be without a voice for 3 weeks or better. Thanks for your input. However, I am looking forward to a good voice for awhile.
|
Posted by: Ingvar Andersson ®
08/14/2007, 15:55:35
|
Let us know how your voice develops and the problems you have with your profession due to the voice or lack of your voice.
Ingvar Andersson, AD/SD, Malmo, Sweden
|
Posted by: sfstrickland ®
08/17/2007, 20:47:59
|
I appreciate your interest. Well, I will try to give you some details on how this has affected my professional life. Since I had my first injection, I have had to cancel 3 speaking engagements and will probably have to either cancel or curtail some more. I will have someone stand in for me at a wedding I'm supposed to officiate this weekend, and have just had a parishioner die - I don't know how I'm going to do his funeral, which will be in a couple days. Since I am his pastor, and was personally requested by the person, I feel that I have an obligation to the family. It might not be too pleasant for the hearers, but I will try. So you see, it has been, for me, not a good situation. I may take another injection if they will drop the dosage way down, next time, but as of right now, I will deal with the ADSD before I go without a voice like this again. I learned to deal with it for the nearly 2 years before it was diagnosed. I can function with a weakened voice, but I have had virtually no voice. It has been two weeks since my injection, and my voice is just beginning to return. However, I can only speak a few words that sound nearly normal before my volume is down to a whisper.
|
Posted by: ChokedUp ®
08/08/2007, 10:20:06
|
Hi there. Your experience does not seem unusual, unfortunately, from all I've read and researched. However, that does not have to be the outcome—-- a good Botox result should make your situation better, not equally bad or worse.I personally did so much research prior to consenting to Botox that I knew there was a very high probability of ending up with a breathy voice, whispery voice, or no voice. Little or no voice was not acceptable to me because I viewed it as trading one problem for another. My doctors wanted to start at, I believe, 2.0 or 2.5 units per cord. I refused. I insisted on a lower starting dose of about 1.0 unit per cord. I had no idea how I would respond--- would I be highly sensitive to Botox, or would I need a larger dose to achieve my desired outcome?? I don't blame you for being unhappy with your result. While you can expect to regain your voice that will likely be spasm-free for a period of several weeks, what you have to go through now may well be worse than the SD itself. My personal feeling is that a doctor should begin Botox therapy with a very conservative approach until they know how a patient will respond. My exact words to my doctor when he wanted to give me a higher dose were “Look, I'd much rather stick with a problem I am familiar with (my SD symptoms) than trade it for a new problem that is no better and possibly worse (no voice).” My personal outcome was a breathy, but very useable voice, and about 2-3 months of benefit. I’d still like to improve upon that. Be encouraged that this period will be temporary and you should regain a good voice. But insist on a more conservative approach until you know exactly how your body responds and can achieve the right dosage and interval between injections that is acceptable to you.
|
Posted by: Paula B ®
08/12/2007, 13:15:44
|
Just remember,Your voice will return. At the beginning for me, the breathy phase was difficult, but the end results will keep me going back for injections for years to come. I first had 3 bilateral injections, and then chose to try/get unilateral. I have had two unilateral injections with great outcomes. With my unilateral injections there is no difficulty with breathiness at all. As was said, just experiment until you find out what works best for you. Make sure to read as much information as you can about SD, since that will make things much easier to relate to and understand this condition. The best of luck to you, Paula (IL)
ADSD for 2 years (diagnosed)
soa3503@aol.com
|
Posted by: lolalisa ®
08/22/2007, 18:48:06
|
This happened to me after my first treatment. I could barely speak for 3 days..and I gagged when I tried to drink fluids. Fortunately, I was on vacation after the botox.. and it didn't happen on the second treatment. I understand your frustration; I'm a teacher.Today, my 18 year old daughter told me I shouldn't bother with the Botox injections.. she says my voice just gets WORSE for a few days.. and then when I can talk again.. I sound the same. I'm due for my fourth injection in September. I think I'll skip it.
|
Posted by: mariaa ®
08/23/2007, 10:04:50
|
I am a teacher also. How do you teach with the spasms? And what do you teach? I teach autistic children who have very limited verbal skills and they use the pictures to talk or sign.
|
Posted by: lolalisa ®
08/23/2007, 15:47:00
|
I teach special ed... we have small classes. I tell the kids they have to listen carefully, because I can't raise my voice too loud. They're very understanding because they have their own issues.. It's high school and I do the botox treatment. My voice is soft, but it works. :) I have SD/AB, the only real problem I encounter is when I try to talk on the phone. I prefer email!
|
Posted by: mariaa ®
08/24/2007, 06:24:59
|
Thats interesting I teach special ed too. And yes they have their own issues.
Does your voice spasm, like shake alittle?
or are you just breathy?
I have a mixed SD but mostly AD
|
Posted by: MsMuteVampire ®
08/24/2007, 17:37:43
|
Hi,
I have had about 3 botox injections into my vocal cords. Each time the first couple of weeks is different. I wish I could be more positive..I don't know why it is never the same..the first time seemed to be the best one, but I was so bad off before the shots I guess anything would have seemed like a miracle, and kind of was. The second and third shots, I, like you, am very breathless and have to really work to speak semi-loud and clear...it DOES get some better...but each individual and each session of shots seems to be different...hang in there! It should get some better...Good luck!Brenda
|
|
|
