Help, No Voice!

[Guest]

Feeling glum today. Yesterday developed dry cough in the afternoon. Got up this morning with a very little voice. By the time I reached school, no voice at all. Decided as discomfort grew both in throat and chest to go home.

 

Reaction from management team when I said I thought I need to rest it was:'You'd better get it seen'. (Tone wasn't kind and friendly, had more of a no malingering feel!).

 

Maybe I'm over sensitive, but next stop on the way home was the doctor's surgery. Receptionist said had I seen a pharmacist? When I explained job and that I had had quite a lot of voice problems earlier in the year she suggested a routine appointment. Next available 24 March. Next stop pharmacy! Lovely pharmacist listened kindly and said yes did need to rest voice, also lubricate with plenty of drinks of water and also suggested vocalize pastilles that a 'singing doctor' friend of hers finds helpful.( ) I told her I also had pains in my chest felt like it was in a tube following down from neck into one side of chest. She then said it was more than a cough and voice loss problem and that I should consult a doctor in the next 2 days. Back to doctor's; I need to go there at 8.30am to try to get an emergency appointment.

 

Does anyone else have, has had similar problems. All thoughts gratefully received.

 

My anxiety is increased by the fact that I have an colleague who has done permanent damage to her voice. Advised to stop taking PE, Assembly, Playground duty etc etc. Also no longer able to sing.

 

I found during Autumn term that when I sing, particularly high notes my voice sometimes cuts out completely - This happens when there is no sore throat or other apparent problem.

 

Sorry for the long ramble. Must be feeling sorry for myself. Need more lemsip like Peggy.

 

AOB

[Guest]

Can't advise, I'm afraid, but wanted to express my support! Definitely see your GP as soon as. Keep us posted. Chin up.

Love and hugs,

Fox xx

[Guest]

Not much advice I'm afraid except to have a few hot toddys (whisky and mulled wine) , much better than lemsip.

 

You could call NHS direct, they are quite good at giving advice or try their website www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk ( I think).

 

Actually today at work I spent the whole afternoon whispering to the children, they were asked to whisper too. We turned the light off and had the quietest afternoon I've ever had in 4 years . The children responded really well and I noticed because they were whispering they were having to walk right up to the child or adult they wanted to talk to instead of calling across the hall. (ditto for me too). Tomorrow I shall get ALL staff to whisper all day and see how it goes,

 

Peggy

[Sue R]

Brilliant, as always, Peggy!!

 

Yes, it does help if you whisper and continue it.......

 

Sue

[Guest]

A colleague has occasional loss of voice problems, she was advised not to whisper when having a sore throat etc as this puts more pressure on the vocal chords than trying to talk normally.

Hope you feel better soon

[Guest]

Thanks everyone and Jo1, I'll ask the doctor about the whispering. Peggy I know what you mean about the hot toddy. That said, one of our NQTs had advice on a course recently that alcohol and caffeine are very drying to vocal chords and should be avoided in such situations. That does a great deal for one's morale! May the problem be short lived. Love a dose of brandy in hot chocolate! But not tonight. Husband - currently on a short fuse as in process of rebuilding kitchen having demolished it at half term - did provide a good ready made carrot and coriander soup. Could have done without all the fs and bs as he (and my 9 year old daughter) forgot to bring home a tart........for pud! I don't want any but he did. Guess who got the blame. Well at least I've managed to extract an apology on her behalf already. I think he's worn out and stressed. So am I but I keep telling myself that the new kitchen will be fab when it's all done. It will be a tremendous relief to move food stores back from understairs, saucepans and crocks from spare bed, and to be able to use kitchen sink and cooker!

 

The moral support here does do one the power of good. Thanks again everyone.

 

Think I'll go to bed now.

 

AOB

[Guest]

AOB I do sympathise - I too have suffered/suffer from this problem, and having lost my voice last year on three occasions (my headteacher was extremely supportive and sent me to the doctor's immediately and refused to have me back at school until my voice had returned) I was referred to ENT. They sent me to a couple of speech therapy sessions - along with two other teachers and a dinner lady (enough said). We were given some voice exercises to do and some general health advice - cut down/give up smoking, alcohol is bad - cut down, caffine ditto. Always have water available and drink throughout the day to keep the vocal cords lubricated. Avoid shouting as this jarrs the vocal chord, but similarly whispering through a lost voice is a no-no.

 

Can't put my hand on the voice exercises at the moment, but if you want to personal mail my, I'll try to hunt them out and send you a copy if you think they'll be useful.

 

Don't feel 'soft', your voice is a very valuable tool, and you can do irrepairable damage.

 

Take care,

Harricroft

[bubblejack]

Untill reading this I had forgotten that I used to suffer with this problem many years ago. I used to find that every body else caught bad colds but I just got a dry throat and lost my volce but never felt ill.

[Guest]

Thanks Harricroft,

How do I personally mail you from here? Exercises would be useful I'm sure. It's interesting about the whispering as folk wisdom in schools seems to encourage this and yes it is true that the children quieten down a lot in this situation. That said they still talk to you all day long and occasionally you do need more than a whisper! I decided to rest it and today am croaky but at least there is a noise. Am resting again tomorrow. Hopefully that and the weekend will have me on the mend!

 

AOB