Thyroid Cancer & Vocal Cord Paralysis

What happens when you are told you have Cancer? I just remember thinking, "Oh my God, will I survive this? Will my husband and the kids going to be ok?" That kind of thinking didn't last long. I have always been a very positive and determined person. I was going to live a long and happy life!

After I was told that I had Thyroid Cancer, I got into action. I made the appointment with the doctor and got all my questions ready. I was extremely lucky to have a great, caring doctor, and he made sure all my questions were answered. He also scheduled my surgery as soon as he could. I believe it was only a month after I got the diagnosis. So, I advised my boss and sister that I would have to be off work for a few weeks.

The surgery went well, and I didn't have a very big incision. He did a great job! I had to spend a longer time than normal at the hospital because my calcium and magnesium levels were out of whack. When I went for my follow-up appointment, he told me he was happy I chose to have a full thyroidectomy because the Cancer was on the right side. He also had to do a lot of scraping to ensure all the cancerous cells were removed. Unfortunately, we found out months later that all the scraping had caused me to have some vocal cord paralysis. At least I didn't have Cancer!

There was not much I could do for the paralysis. It was becoming difficult to work at my job answering the telephone because sometimes my voice would just not come out. It isn't easy to deal with when you have someone on the other end of the telephone. I went to speech therapy and then tried an injection in the vocal cord
to help it work, but it only helped about 20%, which was not worth the pain during the procedure. If I spoke too much or tried to project my voice, I would get a growth called a granuloma on the vocal cord, which was extremely painful.

Eventually, I had to stop working. The pain, fatigue, and vocal cord paralysis were too much, and I could no longer do the job. It saddened me because I had finally found a job I truly loved! 

I then applied for a disability pension and you can read about that on my Fibromyalgia and disability page. 

DON’T FORGET, that even when life gets hard and you feel like giving up, there is a future that you haven’t seen yet. Stay strong, believe in yourself, and never stop moving forward

How Vocal Cord Paralysis Can Change Your Life

Vocal cord paralysis, whether affecting one or both cords, can significantly alter your daily life and experiences. This condition, which results from a loss of nerve function to the vocal cords, can lead to challenges in speaking, breathing, and swallowing.

For many, the impact on communication is the most immediate change. Speaking can become difficult or strained, affecting personal and professional interactions. The inability to project your voice clearly can be frustrating and isolating. I find that every since I have developed vocal cord paralysis I do not enjoy going to large social gatherings. It is very hard to communicate when you can not project your voice.

Breathing can also become more challenging, especially when vocal cord paralysis causes the cords to remain partially open, leading to a sensation of breathlessness. This can affect your ability to engage in physical activities or even carry out everyday tasks without feeling fatigued. I also find that my breathing is my louder and heavier than it was before.

Swallowing difficulties may arise, making eating and drinking a more cautious process. This can impact your enjoyment of meals and require adjustments in diet and eating habits. Knock on wood but I have not developed this. 

Overall, vocal cord paralysis can deeply affect your quality of life, but many find ways to adapt. Speech therapy, medical interventions, and lifestyle adjustments can help manage symptoms and improve communication and overall well-being. Unfortunately speech therapy & medical interventions did not work for me so I have had to make some lifestyle adjustments.