Will I ever get my voice back?

11
u/Natalia-1997
Fri Jul 23 09:16:07 2021 UTC
(8 comments)

So, this April I had a tracheal shave with FT. The surgeons said that, in my case, they had to go until the anatomical limit of the thyroid cartilage during surgery, but they said it was a success, and that my vocal chords weren’t affected.

The visual result is excellent, and the only thing I noticed after the next 2-3 weeks was that my voice was a lot lower in pitch than before. I’m talking about I was able to reach a D5 and now I barely touch A4 without previously warning up. It’s fine to speak, but barely usable for any singing... Now, 3 months after surgery, I am in the same situation, and it has barely improved (I reach an A4# now…). FT told me to expect that change in the first 2 months, and my voice coach, after hearing me, said it’s probably because of some inflammation.

Is it really? After 3 whole months? I want my voice back 😩

all 8 comments


6
u/52jag
Fri Jul 23 10:30:08 2021 UTC
(1 child)

Yes, it could be swelling/inflammation. A lot of times it takes about a year to fully heal. You also may have to work (rather than have it be an automatic process) to get your range back via therapy/vocal exercise.

2
OP
Fri Jul 23 17:30:15 2021 UTC
(0 children)

Wow, a full year!! 😨 well, guess I’ll have to wait and see…. Thanks 😊🤷🏻‍♀️

6
u/sally745
Fri Jul 23 17:16:56 2021 UTC
(1 child)

It took me more than 2 months to get my voice back to normal after my trachea shave. Some people just heal slower than others. If your surgeons did as much work to that area as they say, it’s reasonable to believe that it could take even longer to fully recover. Just give it more time and let the surgical area relax and heal.

4
OP
Fri Jul 23 17:29:00 2021 UTC
(0 children)

Yeah, I hope I get that voice back :( heck, I was starting to love it!! But you’re right, maybe I need more and more healing… thanks 😊

3
u/stclairvoyante
Fri Jul 23 17:14:17 2021 UTC
(3 children)

I'm sorry to hear this happened to you. A similar thing happened to me after my tracheal shave, where I lost almost a full octave off the top, from G4–E5.

I went to see a voice therapist after the surgery and am able by warming up to reach A4 again, but much weaker than before, and I've never really been able to fully recover and I can't access my falsetto range anymore at all. I hope that this isn't true for you, but I wish people were told in advance of the risks that come along with this surgery.

2
OP
Fri Jul 23 17:32:28 2021 UTC
(2 children)

Since I started voice training I wasn’t able to get back to falsetto, and that was a bit weird… but I may fall into the same problem as you because of TS… I just hope I don’t 😕, but I’m a lot happier without being able to sing properly that I was having to see that weird ball in the mirror every F-ing day 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

3
Fri Jul 23 17:36:51 2021 UTC
(1 child)

I agree, it's worth a lot to not have to worry about it - honestly at this point for me it was so long ago that I forgot it was ever something that bothered me! - but honestly as someone who loves to sing it was something that I really grieved to lose. I've got my fingers crossed for you. Keep at the training and good luck - no matter what it's great practice to keep your vocal stamina!

2
OP
Fri Jul 23 17:42:19 2021 UTC
(0 children)

Fingers crossed 🤞I'll keep practicing and see where I get 🤷‍♀️