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Does anyone loose their voice when pseudomonus is at high levels?

Posted , 6 users are following.

pinksnugsy
pinksnugsy

Hi all,

When I'm starting to get another infection and pseudomonus levels start to rise in loone my voice or its very hoarse and I struggle to talk. It only starts to improve after day 6/7 of ivs.

Has anyone else suffered with this??

I have been to a speech therapist but she's unsure why this happens.

Thanks

Rachel

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • ohara
    ohara pinksnugsy

    Posted

    I am interested to hear you say this Pinks ,  I too am colinised with Pseudo  and I too lose my voice , but I have never made toe Pseudo connection, but thought it was perhaps the inhalers, or antibiotics that caused it.  I will be interested to hear what others say regarding this
    • pinksnugsy
      pinksnugsy ohara

      Posted

      It's interesting to know you also have the same problem (not that I want anyone to suffer but I've not come across anyone else with the same problem.)! I used to think it was the inhalers but I do the same regime everyday so it can't be that! It always happens when I'm starting to brew another infection. Everyone now knows when I'm not good because they hear it in my voice. People who don't know me think I got a sore throat but it's never sore. I've had to keep a diary for my next speech therapy appointment so I will be able to tell her I know of someone else who is similar to me.

      Thanks for responding.

      Rachel

  • Gill200
    Gill200 pinksnugsy

    Posted

    Rachel

    My voice is croaky occasionally but I put it down to my inhalers (it is a side effect). I get oral thrush regularly because of my inhalers so always gargle with water after use but probably don't do it stringently enough sometimes.

    Regards, Gill

    • pinksnugsy
      pinksnugsy Gill200

      Posted

      They originally thought it was inhalers but it only happens when I start to get really poorly. I always gargle after taking them but this is something else I'm sure! I've had thrush in my mouth even when I didn't know I had it (it showed up in my sputum sample) & my voice is fine. Most bizarre.

      Thanks for responding. I feel like I'm on my own with this one lol! 😆

    • Gill200
      Gill200 pinksnugsy

      Posted

      I feel the same, partcularly in the winter. The cold really affects me so in the really cold months I don't go out much. Even close friends cannot begin to understand the condition and how it affects us. I coped quite well until I got the pseu bug about 7 years ago. I've had bronchiectasis since I was 9 months old and am now 68.
    • ohara
      ohara Gill200

      Posted

      You sound like me Gill I have had bronchiectasis since a baby. I am a little older than you though smile smile   Have you only been losing your voice since you got Pseudo?  I have only been losing it since I had a positive sample back for Pseudo.  But I do lose my voice now even when I am not having a flair up, but I am colonised with pseudo so I have losy my voice most of the time ,  Hope Pinks doctor has some answers
    • Gill200
      Gill200 ohara

      Posted

      My voice goes croaky and weak but it doesn't happen that often. Always put it down to my inhalers and not necessarily when I'm under the weather.  I am wondering how you got bronc as a baby - I got measles which led to phneomonia and of course antibiotics were not dished out like they are now, but I was given them eventually but the damage was done. Is this like you?
    • pinksnugsy
      pinksnugsy Gill200

      Posted

      Hi Gill

      No one has ever said why I've had it since I was little they always ask if I had whooping cough as a child but I didn't but I think I had measles I'll have to check with my mum! My voice is back to normal now after 3 wks of it being hoarse and on times I've had no voice. It always goes back to normal after a wk of being on ivs. I've always coped well with bronchiectasis and always kept fit and healthy but since I colonised the pseudomonus bug my health has deterioratedone but I still try my best to stay as well as possible. Life's to short to moan and groan so when I well I make the most of it I find staying positive keeps me going!.

      Hope you are well at the moment Gill.

      Take care

      Rach

  • tabatha84296
    tabatha84296 pinksnugsy

    Posted

    Hi, Rachel,

    I have no idea if I have pseudomonas anymore but have the 'lost voice' thing going on.  I coughed my heart out during pneumonia a year or so ago - coughed so badly my chest hurt and it never let up for weeks/months and one day I noticed my voice was gravelly.  that's the only word to describe it.  I don't think I struggle to talk as you mention, but I was embarrassed at the sound - I believe it's probably strain on the voicebox or constant post nasal drip which I've just started taking an OTC med for that.  A couple of years ago I had horrible laryngitis that lasted for weeks.  I'd had back surgery and was OK immediately after but about 3 weeks later the laryngitis came - I hadn't been sick or anything.  Just one day I couldn't talk.  I went to an ENT Dr. and he stuck a scope down to examine my voice box and said there was no damage.  He recommended that I breath steam as that would add moisture.  I did that one day and it felt good but I couldn't keep that up.  I think eventually my voice might have straightened out but I can't be sure; but when the pneumonia and coughing hit  that really ruined my voice and I have not gone for another laryngoscopy (and don't plan on it).

    So I'm gravelly and I notice it but don't care anymore.   I wonder if cough lozenges would work.  Zinc lozenges perhaps - and one other tip I was given years ago is 'resting the voice box' by not talking if possible.  Say we go a whole day without talking and drinking lots of water and see if that makes any difference.  (One thing - you've got me wondering now if I have active Pseudomonas).confused

    • pinksnugsy
      pinksnugsy tabatha84296

      Posted

      Hi Tabatha

      Generally if you've had pseudomonus show up in previous sputum samples it likely that you still have it. It's an extremely difficult bug to obliterate and I've never managed to get rid of it I just manage it. My voice does get gravelly and then it gets to a point where I struggle to talk and I hate the sound of my voice. Iveach got an appointment with my speech therapist in 3 wks it's my second appointment so I'm going to show her my diary she asked me to keep & tell her about the responses I've had on here and see what she says. I do know coughing doesn't help but I'm sure it's not just coughing that causes this.

      I'll keep you posted to see if I get any answers.!

      Rachel ☺

  • tabatha84296
    tabatha84296 pinksnugsy

    Posted

    Rachel,

         How do u struggle to talk?  Is it that you can't get air or you can't form the words?  It's very hard to imagine exactly where the problem is.  For example sometimes I might struggle to talk when having an asthmatic 'episode' of being out of air then I'm gasping and can't talk - I think at that point we have to use our emergency inhalers.      Is that the kind of struggle you mean?

         My pseudomonas may be just colonizing and not active - do you have to be sick  to know if it's active?   I don't have that problem - what happens when your pseudo. levels start to rise?  how do u know? and also how do u know when you are getting an infection?  I'm puzzled because so many on this site talk about prevalence of infections and I swear I don't experience all that.  That I know of.

  • julia91342
    julia91342 pinksnugsy

    Posted

    I too have this problem, my doctor told me not to talk so much(was not helpfull)  I also have Pseudo.  My voice is just very soft and I wonder sometimes if I am being heard it is really annoying.  I dont use sprays so it is not that.  I do no it has been getting worse over time.  I do use antibiotics when things get really bad but they dont really eliminate the bugs.  Hope you find some help
    • pinksnugsy
      pinksnugsy julia91342

      Posted

      Hi Julia

      It's hard trying not to talk when you have a family. My speech therapist told me not to whisper as this can make things worse she said try and talk softly if possible. A few things that help are honey (manuka if possible this is also good for the immune system), steaming, raw ginger & trying not to cough, which is difficult for us with chest conditions! I'm convinced it's to do with the pseudomonus. I'm on a mission to find out as it's so frustrating!

      Keep well

      Rach

    • tabatha84296
      tabatha84296 pinksnugsy

      Posted

      I'll try to find out today if my Immunologist/allergist/asthma specialist knows what might cause that and let u know tonight. I assumed too it was inhalers that did it OVER MANY YEARS use or years of post nasal drip.  Because Julia is right, not talking doesn't help.biggrin
  • Kris1012
    Kris1012 pinksnugsy

    Posted

    Hi

    I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 1996. I'm always in hospital for times yr with infection. I also lose my voice when start get bad infection. I find it very frustrating to deal with. I also have chronic pain and on several different pain meds over yrs. Do you have chronic pain too? I'm very lucky to have great lung doctors.

    Take care

    • tabatha84296
      tabatha84296 Kris1012

      Posted

      Hi,  Kris,

      Just wondering where your chronic pain is located.  Surely not in the lungs?  Chest? Or are you talking about arthritis or something else? You mention being lucky you have good lung doctors but it also sounds like they are not helping your pain?

      Tabatha

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