Lost my voice

May 01, 2011, 10:31 AM

Literally, I have laryngitis!

After my unexpected, yucky disclosure on Thursday, I woke up Friday with NO voice. It's Sunday, and I still can't talk.

I do feel like I have a bit of a cold, but nothing major. Just tired, mainly. No sore throat, fever, etc.

When I was in high school, I lost my voice for an entire semester. I went to the doctor over and over again, and they couldn't find anything physically wrong, but when I would try to speak, just squeaks would come out. Towards the end of the semester, my voice came back as quickly as I lost it.

I've wondered, looking back, what that was about. What was going on in my life at the time, etc? I know I was seeing the high school counselor at the time, but I can't remember the details. I've wondered if my body was just shutting down so I couldn't tell.

And now, I'm kind of wondering the same thing. Why, after I blurted out what I did, did my voice disappear? I mean, I think I'm sick, but I also think the body has strange ways of protecting us sometimes.

So weird. I have band today and I can't sing.

WePow · May 01, 2011, 10:47 AM

(((((Tree)))))

I lost my voice for one day - just like you describe. I wasn't sick AT ALL !! Not even a sore throat! It was actually a day when I went to a place I had wanted to go my entire life. I got there and WHAM! not a sound!!! It wan't "in my head" as they say. I tried to YELL and nothing came out! At the end of an enjoyable day, in spite of the loss of speech, my voice suddenly returned full force.

I asked my college T about that and he said it can happen.

Elli-Beth · May 01, 2011, 02:28 PM

Mine is called Selective Mutism. Selective does not mean that I'm choosing it, but that it's only triggered by certain people/places/events. Talking about my abuser is the main trigger for me, but there are a few smaller triggers we're still identifying. My longest bout was 6 months straight, and mine usually has stuttering as a warning sign. There are a few websites about it, but they're mostly about young children.

May 01, 2011, 03:43 PM

I wonder like Elli Beth has if its selective mutism also. There are times in my life when I have lost my voice for short periods of time and its been around abuse stuff.

When do you see your T next? Hopefully you can find out what's causing this

sunrise · May 01, 2011, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treehouse

I do feel like I have a bit of a cold, but nothing major. Just tired, mainly. No sore throat, fever, etc.

Sometimes the bad germs home right in on the larynx and we feel OK otherwise. Since you are feeling like you have a bit of a cold, it sounds like this really probably is physiological. Try keeping your throat warm with a scarf, do not try to talk or whisper as this does strain the larynx, gargle with salt water to kill the baddies, and drink hot peppermint tea with honey and lemon. That is a great drink for helping one's voice return.

Hope you feel better soon, tree.

May 01, 2011, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunrise

drink hot peppermint tea with honey and lemon. That is a great drink for helping one's voice return.

Yum

I'm going to try this.

I definitely do feel sick, actually. Or at least really really tired. I am super bad at identifying how I feel physically...once I ended up spending a week in the hospital for a kidney infection (literally near death by the time I went to the ER) because it took me that long to figure out I was sick...even with high fevers and a bunch of other symptoms

The selective mutism is interesting...I wonder if that was what was going on when I was back in high school? Because I really really don't think I was sick then, but I definitely couldn't talk for months. ???

BlessedRhiannon · May 01, 2011, 09:29 PM

I've had my voice just vanish many times...usually it's allergy related, even if I have no other symptoms. Drink lots of fluids, especially hot tea. Peppermint tea is my favorite as well. Also, just hot water with lemon and honey works well.

Hope your voice comes back quickly!

learning1 · May 01, 2011, 09:36 PM

Hope you feel better soon Tree!!!

sunrise · May 03, 2011, 08:57 PM

How are you feeling, tree? Did your voice come back? I am thinking of you as I strained my voice today at work having to talk over loud music for an extended period. Now my voice is rapidly leaving me and I am sitting here drinking peppermint tea and wondering about your voice. Hope it is back.