Post op issues with strength of voice?

[LittleBill 2,231]

I did a search on this and found a couple of threads started by singers, but nothing real conclusive to answer my question(s).

I am only about six weeks post op, so maybe it is early yet, but I have noticed my voice is not nearly as strong or as clear as it used to be. In the fat old days, I could stand in front of a group of 50-100 people and speak all day (6-7 hours) without amplification, often over the sound of running machinery. Now I can barely run my yap for half an hour of conversation. If I am attempting to sing a hymn in church, my voice starts getting all raspy halfway through the third verse.

I seem to have lost a bit of range as well. Singing well will never be one of my skills, but I can go way low, like five notes from the bottom end of the piano - or more accurately, could go. Now it it very difficult to hit those lows. I've also noticed a larger than amount of mucus being produced by my system, which contributes to the problem.

Is this something common? Are there others here who have had this issue, and is it something I can expect to improve as I progress along? Do I need special exercises? Do I need to talk to the people on my medical team about this?

[higher 965]

It might be related to reflux. I was dealing w a raspy voice after I went off Prilosec and haven't had any issues since going back on. That's my only thought for you.

[LittleBill 2,231]

I can see where that could be a possibility. I've never had any real problems with reflux though. Before starting the pre-op program, I was taking about three Prilosec a week. In the pre-op program, that dwindled to less than one a month. Since my surgery, I've been taking one a day on doctor's orders, so I've had no reflux since I can even remember.

[facebro29 272]

When I woke from surgery I had severe throat pain but I thought it was from the tube down my throat. I suffer with a raspy croaky voice don't know what that's about.

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[higher 965]

yeah, I didn't have any actual reflux symptoms that came on w/o Prilosec except for the raspy voice and some congestion. But those went away after a couple of days of restarting the Prilosec. My dr said if I had reflux "I would know it" but I think the symptoms must vary in different people.

I'm almost done with this round of Prilosec and am thinking about staying off it a bit to see what happens. I'll let you know if I lose my voice again.

[111 118]

I'm only 5 days post-op and I noticed my voice cracks and I no longer have the octave range or volume that I did pre-op. My reflux was well under control months before surgery, so I know it's not that either. Very curious! I'm also a little dismayed that the op is still having issues months after surgery. I just thought that it was because of the tubing they put down my throat during surgery too.

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[Fredbear 397]

You can sustain some minor damage when you're intubated during the surgery. The best thing to do is to work back up to your old range carefully and methodically, and to ensure that you warm up and warm down appropriately.

[birdie bird 24]

I am 12 days post op and my throat hurts on and off also and it seem like I can't breath in as hard used to my I can't wait to fell 100%

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[Caribear 184]

I would mention it to your team if it is really bothering you. I am pre-op and haven't had to deal with this yet, but I would imagine that your diaphragm and abdominal muscles are probably still healing from the surgery. Did you have a hernia repair by any chance? That might lengthen your recovery time.

[LittleBill 2,231]

Well, six weeks isn't quite months. I can hold my own for normal conversation. Long ones are what gets me, and I don't have the stamina I used to. I guess I'll just wait and see. In some ways I feel like it has been forever since surgery. Then my wife reminds me I'm still supposed to be taking it easy with a lot of things.

I did have a very small hiatal hernia repaired during surgery. It was small enough that the doc told me he didn't see one during the endoscopy a couple weeks earlier. In fact, my throat hurt more from that than it did from the surgery itself.