Well, I finally had my appointment with the ENT (ear, nose, throat doctor) last week who assured me after sticking a teeny tiny camera through my nose and down my throat that my vocal chords looked just fine, thank you. Of course, by the time of this visit my voice had returned to near normal.
In his opinion, my sexy (hoarse) voice, might have been caused by a broken blood vessel due to coughing. Imagine that! I've been told that I will always have a cough due to the problems with my lungs. Sometimes I cough a lot, sometimes not so much. But I always have a cough.
Oh, and the ENT said there is some evidence of acid in my throat, too. No surprise there as acid reflux is a complication of scleroderma, which is my case is pretty well-controlled by taking medications, avoiding certain foods, elevating my bed, etc., etc., etc.
So thank goodness, no new meds, no further testing, no follow-up appointment. Just some tips on how to prevent acid reflux. Avoid coffee, tea, cola - basically anything with caffeine, don't drink red wine, and don't eat dairy products after dinner, blah blah blah.
I am pretty good at avoiding foods or drinks that will trigger acid reflux, except for one of my favorites:
CHOCOLATE!
Yes, the doc said to limit chocolate. I can do without coffee. I don't drink cola or red wine, and I hardly ever eat after dinner. But chocolate? I enjoy having a little bit of chocolate each day. Isn't it supposed to be good for you in some antioxidant sort of way? Doesn't everyone deserve a little bit of chocolate every now and again?
I don't think I can easily give up chocolate. I can try, but I will have to be strong.
I will try to remember this quote by author Judith Viorst:
"Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands --- and then eat just one of the four pieces."
Viorst is best known to me as the author of the children's book, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." It is precisely on that kind of day when I need a little bit of chocolate.
Wouldn't you agree?
Showing posts with label hoarse voice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hoarse voice. Show all posts
Monday, February 1, 2010
Monday, December 14, 2009
Losing my voice, adding a doctor
About three weeks ago or so, I began to have a very hoarse voice.
The nurse at the office of one of my doctors said it sounded sexy.
I disagree.
I sound like a frog with a very bad sore throat.
It is starting to be annoying.
When I speak to my husband, he replies "What?"
When I talk to my mom. She asks, "Huh?"
When I try to talk louder so the kids will hear me,
they think I'm yelling at them.
It's hard to help my son with his speech homework,
test both kids on their spelling words or
read them a bedtime story.
It is frustrating.
I would like to pull the covers over my head and not speak to anyone until January.
That is when I have an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat doctor. I think he has a fancier title, but I'm not sure what it is.
Another doctor joining my team - yippee I shout in a sarcastic voice.
Here is the current roster:
A rheumatologist, two (count 'em two) pulmonologists, and a gastroenterologist. I like to refer to them as the "ologists."
Over the past six years, I also have seen several primary care doctors, three other rheumatologists, an infectious disease specialist, and a cardiologist.
Why so many doctors? Because scleroderma is a complicated disease with complicated symptoms.
The rheumy takes care of my overall health, checks on skin tightening, joint and/or muscle pain, monitors Raynaud's phenomenon - a condition in which fingers (and sometimes toes) turn purple, blue, or white with exposure to cold or stress, orders tests and blood work, and coordinates with other specialists.
The pulmonologists (one local, one at a big city research hospital) treat and monitor lung complications. In my case, these include pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs), and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). These are the most serious complications of my disease. These complications will most likely shorten my life span.
The gastroenterologist treats and monitors my acid reflux and slow moving stomach.
Sometimes it's very hard to keep all these doctors on the same page. Other times, it's hard to determine which doctor to call when a new symptom pops up.
Like my "sexy" new voice.
Ribbit.
The nurse at the office of one of my doctors said it sounded sexy.
I disagree.
I sound like a frog with a very bad sore throat.
It is starting to be annoying.
When I speak to my husband, he replies "What?"
When I talk to my mom. She asks, "Huh?"
When I try to talk louder so the kids will hear me,
they think I'm yelling at them.
It's hard to help my son with his speech homework,
test both kids on their spelling words or
read them a bedtime story.
It is frustrating.
I would like to pull the covers over my head and not speak to anyone until January.
That is when I have an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat doctor. I think he has a fancier title, but I'm not sure what it is.
Another doctor joining my team - yippee I shout in a sarcastic voice.
Here is the current roster:
A rheumatologist, two (count 'em two) pulmonologists, and a gastroenterologist. I like to refer to them as the "ologists."
Over the past six years, I also have seen several primary care doctors, three other rheumatologists, an infectious disease specialist, and a cardiologist.
Why so many doctors? Because scleroderma is a complicated disease with complicated symptoms.
The rheumy takes care of my overall health, checks on skin tightening, joint and/or muscle pain, monitors Raynaud's phenomenon - a condition in which fingers (and sometimes toes) turn purple, blue, or white with exposure to cold or stress, orders tests and blood work, and coordinates with other specialists.
The pulmonologists (one local, one at a big city research hospital) treat and monitor lung complications. In my case, these include pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs), and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). These are the most serious complications of my disease. These complications will most likely shorten my life span.
The gastroenterologist treats and monitors my acid reflux and slow moving stomach.
Sometimes it's very hard to keep all these doctors on the same page. Other times, it's hard to determine which doctor to call when a new symptom pops up.
Like my "sexy" new voice.
Ribbit.
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