Paralyzed Vocal Cord-Recovery

• By cflo
• Reply 2266784
• June 17, 2011 at 4:09 pm
• Report post

Thats awesome news!

• By daktt2000
• Reply 2267276
• June 17, 2011 at 8:22 pm
• Report post

How did you find the herb. were your docs okay with trying it. Do you take it life long. Is it only good post surgery to aid in swallowing? Thanks Diane

• By Kazzmo
• Reply 2267904
• June 18, 2011 at 5:08 am
• Report post

Wow that's fantastic news mine is still paralyzed after 13 months. Will have to try slippery elm, not sure if i will get it here in the UK.

• By lovarev
• Reply 2269342
• June 18, 2011 at 7:56 pm
• Report post

That's a good tip! Will try it. Both of mine were paralyzed after surgery, initially, and that of course was scary since I could only speak in a whisper for at least 3 months. Then, one began working again. Now, 3 1/2 years later, one remains paralyzed.

Good luck on your next surgery.

• By caterpillar
• Reply 2270315
• June 19, 2011 at 10:56 am
• Report post

I used the slippery elm right after surgery, I found it in a nutrition store. I did not ask my surgeon about it.. I had it recommended to me by someone else that went through thyroid surgery however hers was not cancer.
I spoke to my Naturopath about using this.. and they thought it was smart.
It is from a tree bark.. ground into a fine powder.. I mixed it with juice, for me pineapple juice tasted great with it.. just mix well.. its easier to swallow.. about 1-2 tsp mixed. I also mixed in hot water and drank as a tea.. I found this helpful in the early stages of recovery to help soothe my throat, and I was able to talk longer, and ease soreness.

Lovarev? I am curious you say both your cords were paralyzed? Did they remove both lobes of thyroid in one surgery? Did you end up with a trach? I am happy to hear one started working..

I was so discouraged... I prayed and prayed..

Also I am taking essential fatty acid, apparently this helps coat the nerve, and its good for you anyway. Its a good idea if you can, to get into see a Naturopath who is integrative meaning they can treat your whole body system and work with your cancer treatment. However I only just started the supplements so I can't attribute the spontaneous recovery of my nerve to that.

I say what I did for those 4 months while I waited for the nerve to return was drink lots of tea.. maybe 5-10 cups a day.. warm not hot.. with honey.. and slippery elm added to some of those cups. I drank tea with lots of antioxidants. I did vocal training on my own.. trying to sing the scales.. and as a result taught the cord that was working to overcompensate and I sounded better.

One day though I noticed that I was able to yell.. and that was new, I suspect that was when it spontaneously came back. I think at some point I ended up trying to relax, and just left it to God, because I was too tired of obsessing over it.

Well I have more surgery in front of me as I need to get the other side of my thyroid out, I really am scared because I do not want to go through this vocal cord nightmare again.

I hope this helps someone.. I heard Acupuncture may help, however I did not try that.

• By Sisco
• Reply 2273294
• June 20, 2011 at 4:21 pm
• Report post

Wishing you the best of luck in a speedy recovery. When I just had my neck dissection the surgeon told me that vocal cord paralysis was a possible outcome. I am grateful that mine didn't get damaged but I can totally sympathize with you for having to live through this. I wish you the best of luck with your completion surgery.
Thanks for sharing