When I am talking my vocal cords give out and it sounds like I am sick. I would try clearing my throat but it never helped. As the frequency increased, it started to hurt when I talked too much…haha, I know some people might think it’s a good thing.
Here is an official explanation courtesy of Wikipedia: Spasmodic dysphonia, also known as laryngeal dystonia, is a disorder in which the muscles that generate a person’s voice go into periods of spasm. This results in breaks or interruptions in the voice, often every few sentences, which can make a person difficult to understand.
Since Dr Kumar is a movement neurologist, I had to see an ENT specialist. Spasmodic dysphonia isn’t externally visible, so they use a scope to watch the vocal cords. I didn’t know what to expect and maybe that was a good thing. They looked in my nose to decided which side to scope. One side was still blocked from my deviated septum and the other side had a spur. Next thing I know they sprayed both sides with some nasty spray that went down my throat, which almost made me throw up. Once the scope was down my nose to my vocal cords, I had to repeat certain vowels and sounds. I wish I had a copy of the video to share because I could see left side wouldn’t close shut and was spasming. (it’s kind of gross)
Once the Botox was approved, I went back for my injections. This is one of my most painful injections. It feels as though I am being choked and of course I can’t move. The doctor presses down on the larynx to brake the membrane so the needle can bend and twist until it fines the right spot. He believes there is a secondary dystonia issue in my upper neck. He injects under my chin and the fluid goes into the back of my mouth, which means I taste the Botox and that makes want to throw up. It always hurts to talk after my vocal cord injections, so I make the appointments late in the day and go straight home.
Hollywood has it wrong!! They always show someone being strangled that manages to get away. What do they do next? Scream or have some long conversation with the police. Yeah, that’s not possible. Can it be that one of my favorite movie channels don’t have an accurate portrayal?!?
I am on the same 12-week injection schedule for both a visit to my ENT and to Dr Kumar. About a year ago I was about 10 days out from my injections (this is peak effect) when I choked on a bite of food. I knew the bite was in my esophagus but I didn’t have the ability to swallow or cough. I had a mini dilemma conversation in my head – I could attempt to have a coworker understand me and hope they could give me the Heimlich, call 911 and hope they would send help and not think it was a mistake from a business, or sit there at my desk. The first two options seemed rather embarrassing. Thankfully I just sat at my desk because the food finally went down.
I immediately called both my doctors and left messages to call. My ENT got back to me first and I hightailed it to his office. Sadly, they had to use the scope to watch me swallow. I had too much Botox. I was getting injections in my neck for cervical dystonia and getting injections in my neck from my ENT. Neither doctor thought it was their injection pattern, so it was “assumed” there was too much paralysis spread. I was on a 10-day liquid diet. I had to take fewer pills at a time because they would get stuck at times. I always took my big 600mg gabapentin first because the repetitive motion of swallowing was sure to make me choke. I missed food but the thought of choking and possibly dying cured me from even sneaking a nibble. I think I went longer then 10 days. I was gauging it on the ability to swallow my pills.
Me Myself and My Dystonia 