Forum Discussion

Blondy's avatar
Blondy
Member
8 years ago

Voice problems

I finished 4 cycles of chemo on the 16th feb. Started radiotherapy a month ago and after one week  noticed my voice was sounding a bit fried. I'm a singer and its the kind of sound Britney Spears makes before she sings the actual word. It also splits and sounds yodelly like some old ladys voice. I was assured it was not connected to the radiotherapy. As it has now got to the point I am not game to sing in public I googled and  saw that it is a side effect of chemo. Has anyone else experienced this, and how long did it last, or does it ever get better

9 Replies

  • I'm glad it didn't last. Mine has gotten worse over the last month but I do know now it will eventually get better. 
  • Mine changed too with chemo and herceptin, deeper and gravelier. But went back to normal after a few days. I thought it may have been acid reflux in my throat.
  • Hi Romla. 
     Thanks for your very good advice, even nicer in some warm whiskey right before a gig. It's gone beyond honey. I make my husband swallow this between sets when gigging and it works really well . He sings a lot. Manuka is the best. 
  • Just a small thought - have you tried the opera singers remedy of a spoonful of honey ? Apparently it’s great for throats - I gather it’s antibacterial.
  • Many thanks Brenda5. I have been recommended to someone who can help me with this.  I'll just keep humming in the meantime lol 
  • Remember with chemo your good old cells are changing to good new cells and just like a baby you have to get your voice back in to its vocal range and train it. Try not to over stress it and perhaps choose songs with less of a vocal range. Little by little it will return as good as before but it will take time.
  • Thank you for your thoughts. A singer friend having problems last year sent me the details of who helped her. I will make an appointment and see what they may be able to do for me.    
  • @ Blondy - My voice changed during AC chemo almost overnight. I lost all my reflexes and coughing, sneezing and giggling were all quite difficult. I'm totally tone deaf so never try to sing but found that I could only talk at a whisper. Several people said I 'sounded' different. I finished chemo in November last year and my voice seems back to the 'new normal' that I'm becoming accustomed to for everything.
    I was told that my throat would be damaged during radiation cause it was in the way but I feel no difference after the radiation which left me with 3rd degree burns but no throat damage.
    I would blame the chemo for your voice.
    Just another little side effect that oncologists are always surprised to hear of.
  • That's a good question for your oncologist @Blondy

    It seems the variations on what can go pear shaped after chemo are pretty much endless. TC in particular is very hard on tendons, ligaments and muscles and, reading the posts here, it is very common for things to deteriorate some weeks after treatment ends.

    If there was anything wrong with my voice post chemo I'd have to had put it down to my endless whining about all the other aches and pains. As a singer the muscles in your throat would be more developed than most of us, but it is worth getting checked out to make sure you don't have some sort of infection lurking in the background. Mxx