Long-term hoarseness and throat problems

[braveheart]

Two months ago I started having problems with my voice (dysphonia), which I didn’t care much since that can be something common when weather is cold here in Autumn (southern hemisphere). But after a month the problem continued I started having sore throat so I decided to stop avoiding doctors and saw an Otolaryngologist (the throat specialist).

Long story short, the Otolaryngologist sent me back to the Gastroenterologist because he understand I am having hoarseness and throat problems due to Gastroesophageal reflux. And I am writing this message here because I have many doubts about this diagnosis. I really know how it feels when you have acid indigestion and that is not how I feel now.

So I month ago I was given a very high dose of Omeprazole, 40mg twice a day, even I do not feel like having acid indigestion. And I do not see much progress on this. I still having hoarseness and some discomfort (mild pain) when I swallow.

Does anyone have or had this problem? Any clues? Any treatments? Thank you!

 

[braveheart]

anyone?

 

[Dyana]

I also have horseness and reflux. I take 20mg famotidine daily for years. It does help and it is related to crohn's. good luck.

 

[Lady Organic]

Hi,
did you get any testing done for Gastroesophageal reflux, like esophageal pH? Your GI could order it.
I have had mysterious issues with my throat as well, but I feel better now. It started in the winter as well when we heat and the air is dry and at that moment I was teaching too, once a week (speaking loud for few hours). Do you have a job that involves lots of talking?
I have seen an orthophonist referred by the otorhynolaringologist at the hospital. This could be of an help for you.
The first advice the ENT dr gave me was to clean and hydrate my nose twice a day with a saline solution spray found at the pharmacy. The dr compared this care as important as brushing teeth everyday. Some throat issues come from the nose mucus crawling down.

 

[braveheart]

Thanks Dyana and Lady Organic for your comments. I will post an update here just in case someone else comes here with the same problem.

Throat specialists observed my larynges and gastroesophageal reflux was discarded on this particular case. I had video laryngoscope and tomography done to check in deep and discard serious diseases such as cancer.

One of the doctors says one of my vocal cords is paralyzed. The other one says vocal my cords are ok and I do not have a vocal cord problem. On the bright side both say I need to see a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and do some voice rehab exercises.

None of the doctors thinks there is a connection between this problem and CD, but who knows? I also feel some discomfort while eating when I shallow. All in all the larynge is part of the larynx also belongs to the GI tract and can also be affected by Crohn.

 

[braveheart]

Just an update about this wired event with my voice and how I overcome it.

I ended up losing almost completely my voice. I had to shout to make people hearing me whispering, that was very frustrating.
Lost of medical studies where done on my throat and vocal cords but noting relevant was found. Then I was sent to a phoniatrist (speech therapist) that is something that usually kids do when they mispronounces some words. Then the phoniatrist gave me a routine of exercises for the vocal cords, including blowing bubbles into a jug with a hose.
Then I started recovering my voice little by little. I started sounding like “the godfather”, then I started having a ridiculous voice like mickey mouse clubhouse or a tranny.

After 3 moths treatment I started to sound almost like myself and I fully recovered my voice in 4 months time.
Then after years I had a cold that caused me dysphonia but fortunately it lasted a couple of days.

I am documenting this here just in case someone experience the same voice issues.

 

[Pug Gamer]

I never knew this could happen to us. But it has made me wonder if it is connected to a random patch of lost voice I had earlier this summer.
So I have acid reflux, crohns and a plethora of other stuff.
One day I was singing away to a song and I noticed I couldn't hit notes, I'm no singer but days before could do it.
That evening my voice went raspy and later that night I lost it completely. I am shielding and had not been out, I didn't feel unwell at all. No cold etc. Just lost my voice and it felt like a struggle to try to talk at all, and the more I would the more I'd lose my voice until nothing came out. Whispering helped a little but I did sound like the above mentioned, godfather!
It lasted a matter of 7 days but didn't feel right for another 4 or 5. And months later I still to this day cannot sing like I used to. Can't hit or hold some notes. It's like somethings changed.
So can it be crohns?
It's nowhere as serious as above, but maybe the more experiences we share.. we might get somewhere and find what this is and why.