# ENT visit disconcerting



## grammazanne (Sep 22, 2012)

Hi folks. I am 5 wk. out from TT and still not much of a voice and awakening some nights with choking and breathing problems. My surgeon poo-pooed the idea of my seeing an ENT, saying that it would resolve itself in time. He said since I had the hematoma and had to go back to have the drain put in, and since I coughed a lot in recovery, that there was a lot of inflamation and irritation that would take time to heal. I went to the ENT anyway. My rt.vocal cord is totally paralyzed and my left vocal cord is functioning perfectly well but is very irritated. He said that if the surgeon, indeed, did not damage the rec.laryngeal nerves as he swore he didn't, he would have to look for other reasons for the left vocal cord being so irritated and inflamed. I asked him if it could be irritated because I cough hard when I get choked. He said yes, but he wants to biopsy it in 2 weeks if the antibiotics and steroids he's prescribed for me don't improve the situation. AND, he wants me to have complete voice rest---no speaking at all. All this time I've been trying to yell, saying eeee, etc. because I read on the Net somewhere to do that. The ENT is sending for my post-op reports to see if he can figure out how so much damage was done not involving the laryngeal nerves. And now I'm worrying that it's cancer. 
Please reply if you have experienced anything like this.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I think odds are pretty high (very high) that the surgeon damaged the laryngeal nerve, even if he is in denial about it. It happens a small percentage of the time.

EDIT: My voice problems are pretty different from yours, but I have done a lot of research about it. The nerve can heal on its own, but could take up to a year. And there is surgery available to repair it if it doesn't heal on its own. Research layrngeal nerve damage...there's quite a bit of information out there, so you can see what matches up to what you're experiencing, and that might give you more guidance. In the meantime, I would be VERY hesitant to let the ENT biopsy the laryngeal nerve, if that's what you're talking about.


----------



## grammazanne (Sep 22, 2012)

I wonder if the left vocal cord is irritated because it's having to compensate for the rt. one being paralyzed. Thank you for replying!

Suzanne


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I have to agree with Octavia on all points. Is there a particular reason he's worried about cancer and therefore biopsying?


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

grammazanne said:


> Hi folks. I am 5 wk. out from TT and still not much of a voice and awakening some nights with choking and breathing problems. My surgeon poo-pooed the idea of my seeing an ENT, saying that it would resolve itself in time. He said since I had the hematoma and had to go back to have the drain put in, and since I coughed a lot in recovery, that there was a lot of inflamation and irritation that would take time to heal. I went to the ENT anyway. My rt.vocal cord is totally paralyzed and my left vocal cord is functioning perfectly well but is very irritated. He said that if the surgeon, indeed, did not damage the rec.laryngeal nerves as he swore he didn't, he would have to look for other reasons for the left vocal cord being so irritated and inflamed. I asked him if it could be irritated because I cough hard when I get choked. He said yes, but he wants to biopsy it in 2 weeks if the antibiotics and steroids he's prescribed for me don't improve the situation. AND, he wants me to have complete voice rest---no speaking at all. All this time I've been trying to yell, saying eeee, etc. because I read on the Net somewhere to do that. The ENT is sending for my post-op reports to see if he can figure out how so much damage was done not involving the laryngeal nerves. And now I'm worrying that it's cancer.
> Please reply if you have experienced anything like this.


Oh, my gosh!!! I am so so sorry for all of this. I pray and hope that the surgeon did not cause any damage and the Ab and steroids solve the problem.

Meanwhile, do as ENT suggests and do not talk. The vocal cords need a rest.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

grammazanne said:


> I wonder if the left vocal cord is irritated because it's having to compensate for the rt. one being paralyzed. Thank you for replying!
> 
> Suzanne


It's probably irritated because you're working it pretty hard with trying to do your standard communication/talking PLUS the exercises you thought were a good idea...and like you said, it's having to compensate.

Hopefully, the resting of your voice will make a difference.

Before agreeing to any sort of nerve biopsy, I would really quiz this ENT on what he sees in there that gives him any suspicion of cancer over just plain nerve damage and being overworked. My fear is that a biopsy could do more damage than what you're already dealing with.


----------



## grammazanne (Sep 22, 2012)

It wasn't clear to me, but I thought he was talking about biopsying the left vocal cord and he may have said the trachea was also irritated. I'm really weary of thinking about/worrying about all this! I kind of wish I hadn't gone to the ENT! No news is good news sort of thing. I'm terrible about taking new pills and now have to take steroids and antibiotics. I have this phobia about new meds and always freak out thinking I'm going to be allergic to them, even though I've never had an allergic reaction to anything. Don't know where this comes from.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

grammazanne said:


> It wasn't clear to me, but I thought he was talking about biopsying the left vocal cord and he may have said the trachea was also irritated. I'm really weary of thinking about/worrying about all this! I kind of wish I hadn't gone to the ENT! No news is good news sort of thing. I'm terrible about taking new pills and now have to take steroids and antibiotics. I have this phobia about new meds and always freak out thinking I'm going to be allergic to them, even though I've never had an allergic reaction to anything. Don't know where this comes from.


It is always wise to err on the side of caution. All these new pharmaceuticals w/no previous experience would make me leery also. As a matter of fact, I won't take anything that I personally am not familiar w/already having had it in the past.

And even then, you could have an allergic reaction. The body always changes and so do the pharmaceuticals from time to time. Especially generics.


----------



## grammazanne (Sep 22, 2012)

THanks for your input. Well, I'm going ahead with the steroids and antibiotics, but I'm not sure if I'm going to return to that ENT on Dec.20 or not. I might go with an older more experienced one. I've had the scope through my nose and down my throat before by another ENT, and it wasn't that uncomfortable, but this time was painful. He did the spray up my nose to numb and almost immediately ran the scope in. The other ENT gave it about 10 min. to numb. It was my first time seeing him and he had an alarmist kind of manner which made me panicky. I know I'm being immature but I wish he hadn't mentioned possibly doing a biopsy if the steroids don't help the inflamation of my left vocal cord. He could simply have said to take the meds and we'll look at it again in 2 weeks---then if it was still inflamed, he could have discussed the biopsy option, instead of me worrying for 2 weeks. I'm trying to resort to what the surgeon said to me---that I didn't need to see an ENT, that it was going to take time because of all the coughing I did in recovery that damage was done. I don't have a sore throat or problems with swallowing; just an occasional tickling feeling that makes me cough, and I can't speak very loudly and have a low-range. I'm not talking at all now, per ENT's orders.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

grammazanne, I agree with you about possibly seeing a different ENT. If nothing else, I would love to see you get a second opinion on the idea of the biopsy. (For the record, I disagree with it...but then, I wasn't looking at what the camera showed.) As I mentioned before, I would be afraid the biopsy would do more damage.

How long did he say to avoid speaking?


----------



## grammazanne (Sep 22, 2012)

He really didn't say, so I assume I'm to avoid speaking until my next exam in 2 weeks. I have talked a little but most of the time, I am silent.


----------

