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Post by Ruthiesings on Apr 2, 2003 12:11:13 GMT -5
No one I have talked to has had or ever heard of this happening...but I'm sure it must. About a month before my baby was born I had to start taking terbutaline to stop contractions. It was from that point on that I noticed my singing went down hill and fast. My voice was weak, I couldn't phonate on anything remotely high (past a C above middle C), my vibrato was so wide you could drive a truck through it, you name it. Now my baby is 8 months old, she has been weened for well over a month, almost two, I have had a normal menstral cycle, and the high notes are still gone, my vibrato is still wide, and I still feel a lot of weakness. I was able to see my voice teacher who listened to me sing and she said my chords aren't coming together. Hence breathiness and no high notes. Please give me some reassurance someone! I don't really want to go see a laryngologist (my husband is a grad student and I stay at home with baby), so we don't have a lot of $ for that. I have searched high and low for someone with something similar that happened, and I'm still searching. I hope you're out there...whoever has the solution! Ruthiesings
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Post by DivaDeluxe on Apr 2, 2003 12:23:10 GMT -5
Hi Ruthie, Please go see a specialist! I totally understand the financial issues, but this is serious stuff. Your insurance will cover most of it. You need to get medical attention immediately. Ask around, and find a doctor who understands the singing voice, as well as laryngology. You will need to get a scope and find out what is going on. You may not be singing too much right now with your baby so young, but you have many many years ahead of you. The body is resilent, and I am sure there are treatments, but you should find out exactly what is happening and set a course for action. Don't leave this up to chance. Love, DD
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Post by Mommee on Apr 2, 2003 13:40:22 GMT -5
Hello Ruthie and welcome to the board! Congratulations on your new baby!
I have to agree with Diva Deluxe on this issue. It's nearly impossible to devise a plan for your full vocal recovery without knowing exactly what it is with which you are dealing. The only way to know is to go to an ENT who specializes in singers. Since money is so tight, perhaps you could call the office beforehand and explain your situation (if you don't have insurance). It has been my experience that I have been able to work out an interest-free payment plan when I had services that my insurance wouldn't cover. Perhaps something similar could be arranged for you!
I do have a friend who suffered similarly vocally, post-partum. It was because of hormonal issues (even though she had finished nursing, etc) and also because the feelings of her support changed so dramatically once Baby was born. It was as if her body had forgotten how to support her voice - and the voice that came out was very different from what *used* to come. I know that she struggled for some time before it all came together for her again - and so much of it also was the emotional stress of dealing with the "loss" of her previously easily-produced sound. Your comment about "feeling a lot of weakness" made me wonder if this might be applicable to you as well.
It really is imperative that a doctor have a look at what's going on in there, if only to reassure you that physically, the cords are healthy. Then at least you know that it is most likely a technical issue and not something wrong with your actual mechanism. Additionally, if you are *just* coming back to singing, remember that it will take some time to get back into vocal shape.
What does your teacher advise? Does she have specific exercises for re-strengthening your voice? Perhaps there is a vocal therapist in your community who can better serve you unless your voice is repaired - and then you can return to your regular teacher.
Please keep us posted! Whatever is wrong, I am confident that it can be resolved. Weakness of tone and support after having a baby is normal. You will benefit greatly with a dr's visit and a good teacher who can guide you back to your vocal health.
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Post by Ruthsings on Jun 26, 2003 23:35:13 GMT -5
Hello everyone! Just thought I'd give you an update on my voice and some research I've done about my vocal problems. It's been about two...almost three months since I put my first message in here, and to be quite honest, not much has changed for me vocally. I've talked with dr's about some of the meds that I had to take pre-labor, but they said those shouldn't have done anything to my voice. My mom ran across an article in I believe April or May's Reader's Digest. It was written by Johnny Cash's daughter (I think) who completely lost her voice after having a baby. She couldn't even talk. She went to see specialists and vocal coaches, etc. and they all told her everything I've heard. It'll all come back after you quit nursing. The doc's did look at her chords too and they found a huge node, but they said it would go away after she quit nursing. Good news for her, everything did go back to normal. She did say that she expected that everything would return to normal right after she quit nursing. That's what I thought would happen for me. It didn't. It didn't for her either. So my conclusion is for me to continue to exercise my voice, be patient, and keeping praying that it'll come back! Thanks for all your advice! Ruth
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Post by Yoga on Jun 26, 2003 23:46:50 GMT -5
Thanks for the update, Ruthie. I am sorry that it didn't bear better news - this can't be an easy time for you.
I have a couple of questions for you. Was it your ob/gyn who said that the meds should not have affected your voice, or was it a voice specialist? Not just an ENT but one who specializes in singers? Also, were you scoped to make sure that all was physically stable in there?
Also, please check your private messages, because I have sent you a little note to steer you towards someone who might possibly be able to help you.
Best to you.
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Post by Rae on Jan 2, 2005 5:24:28 GMT -5
Hello, I just wanted to add to this with my own experience. First I would like to say to the young lady who wrote the original message, I understand in a huge way what you are going thru and I do encourage you to keep the hope and continue to research about what may be causing your vocal changes.
In my 7th month of pregnancy, I began to notice a dramatic lowering of my voice. Some notes that I could reach effortlessly before were completely lost on me. I couldn't even sing above middle C. So I basically went from a soprano to a contralto. It was awful. After I had my daughter (who is the light of my life!) I was breastfeeding but still no change. Knowing the body still acts as if pregnant, and hormone levels may continue to change during nursing, I decided to ween my daughter at 2 months of age. Well she is nearly 31/2 months old and gladly, I have shown a little improvement. I can now reach high notes, still sing very LOW but am having difficulty transitionong in the middle register. At times my voice will absolutely crack or croak as I like to describe it. So I feel there is a lot of work that needs to be done.
There was one response that caught my eye however and it was in regard to a friend who went thru an experience simliar to this. She worked for a while to get things back to normal after her voice lowered as a result of hormonal changes. I want to know, does the body return to normal estrogen levels eventually, will my voice truly ever go back to that quality again, or am I stuck with this new low voice forever?
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Post by cantodei on Feb 16, 2009 19:18:51 GMT -5
Hi Moms!
This thread was posted 6 years ago and I am experiencing the exact same phenomenon! I wondered if any of you are still here and have an update on Ruthie about how her post-partum issue resolved itself.
I have been lactating three years now without stopping between child one and two. The youngest is now 6 months. I finally gave up working regularly on my voice because of sheer frustration and have only attempted one lousy audition. I am dying on the vine here!
I did see an ENT while in my third trimester of my second pregnancy and the scope showed that my folds are approximating well. They said there could be some acid reflux going on, but hard to tell.
Any updates or new thoughts you could share would be greatly appreciated!
Canto
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Post by SinginMom on Feb 17, 2009 15:07:26 GMT -5
Readjust your support - you've lost it - and HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE!
If your dok said everyting is fine with your chords - it's a support and hudration issue. Trust me.
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Post by Alicia on Jul 2, 2009 14:31:42 GMT -5
OMG! I am so glad to read all of these posts about vocal problems during pregnancy and after giving birth. I am going through the same exact thing....and all the docs I talk to poopoo it and say it could be reflux damage from pregnancy. At 5 months pregnant I noticed my voice getting lower and it was much harder to support...and my high notes went away real quick. I nursed for 4.5 months and thought after I stop nursing my voice would recover...well my son is 7 months now and my voice is still gone. Soooo frustrating. It's like 70% of my singing voice is gone....and I feel like I don't sound the same as before in my lower register. It's very scary. I did get scoped a few months ago but the Dr. said my cords were clean...no swelling or nodes...etc...which is good...but why the problem? ? Sounds like a good vocal coach and hydration is the answer? Any other suggestions?
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Post by twibby on Aug 6, 2009 20:51:49 GMT -5
Hi, ladies. It is so interesting (and sad) to read these posts because I went through the same thing with my first pregancy. I did go see doctors, and even speech therapists. Ultimately, after being treated for a while I noticed other things about me and my body that weren't right and after doing some research on my own, I found that the Thyroid is responsible for a LOT of stuff! I asked my ENT if he could check me out because I thought there was my problem: my Thyroid. He hadn't noticed that it was swollen and none of my OB appointments had checked my levels, but, I was glad I brought their attention to the possibility because, apparently I had developed a thryoid condition and was seriously out of whack. Hypothyroidism and thyroiditis (Hashimotos). Thyroid conditions can be brought on (or enhanced by) pregnancy, and they generate the kind of symptoms that every one associates with having had a baby: fatigue, depression, achiness, but they can also affect the voice. After thyroid supplements (which I must remain on) I noticed drastic improvement in my overall health as well as in my vocal function, and after painstaking work to readdress my support (which, indeed, seemed to have completely changed), things got back to normal.
So, I say it bears doing a simple blood test with your doc (ENT or even your PCP, and ultimately if you have any thyroid issues, an endocrinologist). Sometimes the levels can appear "normal" but indicate something abnormal if they have changed at all -- which makes it extra hard to detect if you were never tested in the first place.
I'll say that now, after two kids, a new teacher and lots of focus I feel that I am a better singer than I was before -- and for a while there I truly thought I would never sing again. Having kids changed my whole perspective on what was important. Keep up the good work, and don't be afraid to ask for help from the medical community SPECIFIC TO YOUR OWN SYMPTOMS! You know yourself best. Don't just assume it will go away on its own... Keep at it until you get some answers and I am sure you will be back in time! GOod luck all.
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Post by Hopper on Aug 8, 2009 1:46:36 GMT -5
Dear Operamoms in trouble There are many conditions which affect the voice which can be exacerbated by pregnancy. I didn't have an obvious vocal problem but sever problems with my joints which eventually I cured by going completely sugarfree. This was a solution I discovered by accident when I got food poisoning and my problems disappeared only to return when I started to eat again. Prior to that I had been to my obstetrician who referred me to a rheumonologist who said it was hormonal and would clear up after I stopped breastfeeding.....sound familiar. In hindsight, I believe my joints were inflamed due to a candida infestation, possibly because it can affect the hormones. During my second pregnancy, i was fine but my son had cronic and acute colic which was eventually linked to candida and this time I did the 'diet' and took the probiotics andwithin twodays he was a changed baby. Within two weeks he stopped having cramps and his thrush, both anal and oral, had cleared up. Also I felt great and although I didn't link it, my voice was very healthy during this time. Recently I did this 'diet' again. This time it was as support for my daughter who at 5 had spent 3 years scratching her genitals which we had tried all kinds of remedies for, both medical and alternative. Just prior to starting this, she developed a throat condition which never went away. She was constantly clearing her throat and then the tummy aches started. I was desperate so together we gave up sugar, fruit, yeast, mushrooms, refined grains, fermented things like vinegar, etc. This time we took anti fungal herbs and then probiotics to try and speed things along.......I didn't want to put her through this forever. We stayed on this gruelling regime for 8 weeks. Her throat clearing and scratching cleared up within days. The tummy aches and nightmares took longer. It's several months since we stopped the diet and her symptoms haven't returned. Again, I feel so much better than I did. I have lost twelve kilos since we started the diet and my voice feels clearer. The point is that Candida can have unspecific symptoms and sometimes it's just something you can't put your finger on. You don't always have a bad case of thrush. You might just be too tired or too much wind or developing food intolerances all of a sudden. It can also affect the voice. David Jones, NY voice teacher has written an article about his experience of candida www.voiceteacher.com/alternative.htmlThis last time I did the diet, I again noticed a difference for my singing. My stamina was improved and I didn't get any hoarsness even if I overdid it a bit. I have just been singing Leonore in Fidelio which is a gruelling role and I think it would have been harder without the improvement in my health. It is worth exploring this option. You should seek the guidance of a good naturopath to help you through it should you decide to try something like this. Hop hop
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Post by Jen on Nov 12, 2009 16:24:42 GMT -5
I feel better having seen this forum and knowing I'm not alone. My son is now two, and my singing voice still hasn't returned. I would say it has only slightly improved. It's very frustrating. I'm not a professional singer; only someone who really enjoys singing. Because of that, I feel kind of silly going to an ENT... At least I know I'm not the only one with this problem.
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Post by Hopper on Nov 13, 2009 21:23:30 GMT -5
If you enjoy singing then you must go to the ENT. You are missing out on doing something that feeds your soul so you should try to find out if it is likely to improve. Just because some of us earn our living from singing doesn't negate the importance of it for those who don't. Look after what matters to you.
Hop hop
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Post by SavageMommy on Apr 24, 2017 17:25:23 GMT -5
I am terrified that my voice will never come back. My daughter is 18 months and I haven't breastfed in over a year but my upper register is completely gone and I just wanna curl up in a ball and DIE!! I'm not a professional but ABSOLUTELY love to sing and was preparing to try out of The Voice when I got pregnant. I have nicknamed my daughter Ursula because she stole my voice and even though I would never take it back for ANYTHING IN THE WORLD I really just want my voice back.
Help anything helps, what have you tried, what works???
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Post by Georgia Haege on Jan 15, 2018 22:13:56 GMT -5
Hey all, i know this original post is very old but I see some more recent commenters! My voice was lush and juicy in early pregnancy but I started losing it at about 13-14 weeks. I saw my ENT and he said “there’s a bit of edema, it's just pregnancy”. Worth noting I am a musical theatre singer who 3 years ago had surgery to remove bilateral fold pseudo cysts (polypoid tissue) wth excellent results. After I delivered my daughter, my voice seemed to come back and I was ecstatic! Just singing softly to her, I could go high and soft with tons of control. But now 11 weeks pp and it is worse than ever. I am so depressed. I’m not working or auditioning right now but I am worried about my future. My agent got me an audition and I turned it down because I can’t sing. My voice is croaking and hoarse and I even have diplophonia. I plan to get scoped again and also see the speech therapist, but she said last time that she couldn’t figure out what was going on. My voice teacher also has said it’s normal pregnancy hormones, but this is extreme. Even my speaking voice is slightly affected, but it’s mostly my upper register. Any advice, mamas??! Thank you.
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Post by Lee on Jan 31, 2019 10:10:35 GMT -5
It’s almost four months ago since I gave birth to my first child and my singing voice still hasn’t come back. I lost my high register notes most of it and my voice cracks easily everytime I do a falsetto. I was diagnose with Pre-eclampsia by my OB at 32 weeks and had emergency c-section at 35weeks. I was so swollen due to water retention. My face, my hands, my legs down to my feet. I first noticed my voice became different when I was five months pregnant. Right before I gave birth my voice was severe, hoarse and weak. My voice gets tired easily even when I speak. Now that I’m okay and the swelling has gone. I still can’t sing like I used to. How long should I wait before my real voice comes back. My son is 3 months old. Does breastfeeding really affects womens voice? I’m not a professional singer but I do have a band with my friends.
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Post by rifotik on May 12, 2019 20:09:41 GMT -5
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Post by uahasishikt on May 12, 2019 22:01:11 GMT -5
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Post by adarvan on May 21, 2019 6:27:25 GMT -5
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Post by icivapa on May 21, 2019 8:50:02 GMT -5
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