Voice nearly gone afrer radiotherapy - help!

Dinosaurus
Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
in Breast Cancer #1

My wife has nearly lost her voice after radiation treatement for breast cancer and can't get it back to normal - has any one any suggestions to remedy this or help to get her voice back a little - Consultant is please with her other progess after chemotherapy but her voice is so poor she is depressed and embarrassed. Talking on the telephone is almost too unclear to be understood.

Are there any suggested remedies to improve a nearly lost voice if the damage done by the cancer to vocal cords cannot be properly repaired?

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
    NO info..just sending pixie

    NO info..just sending pixie dust..

    Denise

  • Kats2
    Kats2 Member Posts: 126
    #3
    Voice problems..

    Hi....I had voice problems too, but not as a result of radiation. I believe it came about from the oral chemo meds I was and am taking. I kept clearing my throat and coughing.  My voice sounded terrible. I ended up at the Ear Nose Throat doctor's and he put a scope down my throat and found a polyp on one of my vocal cords. I had to have it removed, same day surgery. That took care of that although I still get sore throats off and on. I take Ibuprophen for that. I looked at the side effects on my medicine that I take and it does list sore throat as a side effect even though it's rare. 

    My suggestion is that your wife see an ENT Dr who'll get to the bottom of her problem. Don't put it off. I did for 4 months and only got worse as the weeks went by. No more hoarseness for me now!

                  Let me know how your wife makes out.      Kats2

     

  • Teach76
    Teach76 Member Posts: 354 Member
    edited January 2017 #4
    Sore throat after treatment, too

    I experienced a sore throat and changes in voice 3 months after my treatments finished.  I had been put on anastrozole in July and by mid September I had a daily sore throat.  Med onco said none of his patients had this . . . Rad onco said radiation DEFINITELY did not hit vocal chords, scoped and said all clear . . . ENT scoped and saw swelling and redness, but not enough to be a concern.  Suggested that it may be silent reflux ( already take am meds for GERD), she added Zantac at night.  Fast forward 6 weeks - still sore throat.  Med onco agreed that I can stop the anastrozole for 2 weeks to see if throat is better.  After 1 week I returned to ENT who scoped and said swelling is gone, just some redness remains.

    I don't think there is any easy way to determine what is a side effect and what is a new condition.  Just keep trying, but only change one thing at a time to try to find the cause.  Drs said if it is reflux, it can take a while to get better - of course, then you have to throw in timing of eating, etc, too.  One more thing " . . If it is reflux related, Ibuprophen can compound the issue - Tylenol is better to avoid stomach issues.

    hope knowing you are not alone is some comfort, but sadly, just that does not make it better.

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited January 2017 #5
    Sore throat...

    I an now on the targeted Herceptin and last month they added the Amastrozole.  Sore throats everyday.  Hot tea, cold tea it helps.  add honey to the hot.

    Extreme ear pain (nerve damage) from the high dose chemo.  Hearing is fine.  However noise and wind hurt.  Ear plugs, cotton balls, and ear muffs.

    I have also had a perpetual runny nose since day one of the high dose chemo that has yet to go away.  Benadryl helps that. 

    Hot flashes are off the charts.  fan, cold air, water, covers on, covers off.  It is a constant battle to deal with the symptoms.

    Keep fighting. 

    There is no dumb questions and these pink ladies are the best. 

  • Dinosaurus
    Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
    #6
    disneyfan2008 said:

    NO info..just sending pixie

    NO info..just sending pixie dust..

    Denise

    Thanks

    Thanks from my wife and me.

  • Dinosaurus
    Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
    #7
    Kats2 said:

    Voice problems..

    Hi....I had voice problems too, but not as a result of radiation. I believe it came about from the oral chemo meds I was and am taking. I kept clearing my throat and coughing.  My voice sounded terrible. I ended up at the Ear Nose Throat doctor's and he put a scope down my throat and found a polyp on one of my vocal cords. I had to have it removed, same day surgery. That took care of that although I still get sore throats off and on. I take Ibuprophen for that. I looked at the side effects on my medicine that I take and it does list sore throat as a side effect even though it's rare. 

    My suggestion is that your wife see an ENT Dr who'll get to the bottom of her problem. Don't put it off. I did for 4 months and only got worse as the weeks went by. No more hoarseness for me now!

                  Let me know how your wife makes out.      Kats2

     

    Thanks

    Thanks from my wife and me - ENT is a good suggestion

  • Dinosaurus
    Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
    #8
    Teach76 said:

    Sore throat after treatment, too

    I experienced a sore throat and changes in voice 3 months after my treatments finished.  I had been put on anastrozole in July and by mid September I had a daily sore throat.  Med onco said none of his patients had this . . . Rad onco said radiation DEFINITELY did not hit vocal chords, scoped and said all clear . . . ENT scoped and saw swelling and redness, but not enough to be a concern.  Suggested that it may be silent reflux ( already take am meds for GERD), she added Zantac at night.  Fast forward 6 weeks - still sore throat.  Med onco agreed that I can stop the anastrozole for 2 weeks to see if throat is better.  After 1 week I returned to ENT who scoped and said swelling is gone, just some redness remains.

    I don't think there is any easy way to determine what is a side effect and what is a new condition.  Just keep trying, but only change one thing at a time to try to find the cause.  Drs said if it is reflux, it can take a while to get better - of course, then you have to throw in timing of eating, etc, too.  One more thing " . . If it is reflux related, Ibuprophen can compound the issue - Tylenol is better to avoid stomach issues.

    hope knowing you are not alone is some comfort, but sadly, just that does not make it better.

    Thanks

    Thanks from my wife and me - ENT will be next

  • Dinosaurus
    Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
    #9
    Thanks

    Thanks from my wife and me - we'll give honey drinks a try but hope consultant will look more closely - good luck

  • Kats2
    Kats2 Member Posts: 126
    #10
    ENT appointment?

    Hi, was wondering if your wife has an appointment set up with ENT doctor? I remember my Oncologist telling me to see my Primary doctor about my voice problem and they would take it from there. I did that and was told that I had redness in my throat and that it could be allergy-related. I was prescribed Flonase and told that if I didn't improve with that, then it was time to see an ENT. I didn't improve, saw the ENT and had a polyp removed. Instant improvement. I did continue to have sore throats though and was re-checked by  the ENT. It was found that I had lots of post-nasal drip running down the back of my throat and that that could have something to do with the continued sore throats. I was prescribed Omneprazole to cut down the drip. It helped. After some time my sore throats very slowly went away. Now, almost 9 months after the surgery and medicine I believe I'm done with all of it! Oh, I also was told to gargle with salt and warm water at least twice a day. That helped me too.

    But your wife's best bet is to see the specialist and let him/her take it from there. Everyone's different. It may take some time, but I'm sure with a diagnosis, she'll be on the mend.

    Let us know what happens, and good luck to both of you!   Kats2

  • Dinosaurus
    Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
    #11
    Kats2 said:

    ENT appointment?

    Hi, was wondering if your wife has an appointment set up with ENT doctor? I remember my Oncologist telling me to see my Primary doctor about my voice problem and they would take it from there. I did that and was told that I had redness in my throat and that it could be allergy-related. I was prescribed Flonase and told that if I didn't improve with that, then it was time to see an ENT. I didn't improve, saw the ENT and had a polyp removed. Instant improvement. I did continue to have sore throats though and was re-checked by  the ENT. It was found that I had lots of post-nasal drip running down the back of my throat and that that could have something to do with the continued sore throats. I was prescribed Omneprazole to cut down the drip. It helped. After some time my sore throats very slowly went away. Now, almost 9 months after the surgery and medicine I believe I'm done with all of it! Oh, I also was told to gargle with salt and warm water at least twice a day. That helped me too.

    But your wife's best bet is to see the specialist and let him/her take it from there. Everyone's different. It may take some time, but I'm sure with a diagnosis, she'll be on the mend.

    Let us know what happens, and good luck to both of you!   Kats2

    Thanks your comments

    Thanks very much your extensive comments - my wife is due to see her consultant next week and I will suggest ENT doctor / primary doctor take on the problem with her voice.

  • Kats2
    Kats2 Member Posts: 126
    #12
    Is voice better?

    Hi, Was wondering how your wife's voice is now? Did she see ENT? I hope things are improving for her. Drop a line if you can. We care.     Kats2

  • Dinosaurus
    Dinosaurus Member Posts: 8
    #13
    Voice problem

    Hi - my wife is reluctant to press the consultant to do anything to improve her voice - I think he should - but he is not making a move on this - its becoming a bit political. On plus side my wife took a taxi and went to town by herself for the first time in 7 months - before this she had always had someone with her. Thanks your interest.

  • Kats2
    Kats2 Member Posts: 126
    edited February 2017 #14
    Consultant?

    Hi... I think if you really want an answer to the voice problem, your wife would see a DOCTOR. Who is this consultant? If your wife doesn't want to "voice" her concerns about her voice, then I guess the problem can't be that bad. Mine was, and I got it tended to. The end.    Take care.  Kats2

     

  • tstids
    tstids Member Posts: 3
    #15
    Hoarse Voice

    I just had a polyp removed from my vocal cord. I did total voice rest for 7 days and now i just started talking and i am extremely hoarse. Katz2 did you talk good after yours or did it take a bit for voice to fully recover? I am praying this hoarseness is from me being loud and voice abuse and not releated to my Tongue cancer in 2012. (had radiation and chemo) Also Katz2 did you have surgery or Laser? I actually had 1 of them on each side of my vocal cords. 1 he removed and the other they put steroids in to reduce the size and go away on its own. He said if that failed they would bring me back and Laser it off in the office. Appreciate your sharing of your surgery and awesome you are not hoarse anylonger! Thank you

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