[deanna692]

#1058679

Any singers out there?
I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. Since then I was on tapazole for a while and then got RAI about 2 months ago and now I’m taking Synthroid every day.
I’m currently studying music education in college. I’m an instrumental major but I’m considering changing to voice. The problem is… my singing voice has not been the same since I had RAI. My range is not nearly as high as it used to be and it feels very strained when I sing for more than 5 minutes. It makes practicing really hard when it hurts to sing. Also, my voice sounds hoarse and I’m not getting much volume. I’m worried that I might not be able to audition to be a vocal major because I"m having trouble singing. Has anyone else experienced similar problems? Does it get better? Is there anything I can do to make singing easier?

Thanks!
Deanna

[Kimberly]

#1169315

Hello – Hopefully, you will get some other responses, but my understanding is that vocal cord complications after RAI are very, very rare.

Damage to the nerves that supply the voice box *can* be a potential complication of thyroidectomy. A surgeon who presented at last year’s conference noted that if there was damage to one nerve, the other can learn to compensate over time, and that speech therapy can be helpful.

I don’t know if you would see this same type of recovery following RAI, but you might ask for a referral to an otolaryngologist for further evaluation and treatment recommendations.

[Ski]

#1169316

I didn’t have any issues with my singing voice following RAI, and I would agree with Kimberly that you should speak with your general practitioner and get a referral to a doctor to see what’s going on. I have never heard of voice issues being a specific risk from RAI, but swelling of the thyroid can result from thyroid levels that are out of the normal range (in either direction), and I suppose it’s possible that the RAI action may cause some irritation and swelling as well, which may well be going on at some level for you still. My dosing doctor told me that the RAI would do most of its damage in the first six weeks, but could potentially keep working for six months (if there were still thyroid tissue to act on at that point).

Let us know how this works out for you, it’ll be interesting to know!

[Bobbi]

#1169317

The nerve that "operates" the vocal cords runs through the thyroid. I don’t know if RAI damage to the thyroid could possibly affect that nerve — at least temporarily — but given that you have had RAI so recently, it is a thought. The initial stages of RAI involve a wound, of sorts, to the thyroid cells, and if any scarring is involved, temporarily, it might impact that nerve.

In addition, however, being hyperthyroid does impact our muscles, which weaken. You might be observing the results of that issue, and it may just take time for you throat to regain strength and stamina — like the rest of you.

If you have a voice coach, it might be worthwhile to discuss these ideas with your doctor so that you could find out if there’s any validity to my speculations, and then take them back to your coach to help you work through the problem.

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