However, if any of you have been through this, maybe you can suggest some things I can ask the doctor to make treatment more successful.
I have severe, serious laryngitis. I cannot speak, AT ALL. I am not making it up. I can whisper a little, but according to the interwebz, whispering is the worst thing for your larynx when it is inflamed. I am taking max doses of OTC cough meds (I had Tessalon, but ran out). I am inhaling steam. I am drinking lots and lots of fluids, but avoiding anything acidic, like tea and OJ. I am refraining from trying to talk (not that it would do any good). I called in sick to work today. I am taking NSAIDS.
I have been hoarse before, and I have lost my voice for like, 1/2 a day, but I have never completely lost my voice and had it persist for days. I’m on day three. Saturday, Sunday, Monday. I was very hoarse Friday. I had to get my classroom aids to do all the talking when I taught religious school yesterday. It was still my lesson plan, but I had to write notes if I needed to comment.
Has anyone ever had a severe laryngitis like this before?
I recall having something like this as a teen once, but it was when I still had adenoids and tonsils. That time, I took steroids. I’m going to ask the doctor tomorrow about steroids.
Does anyone know of anything else to try in the meantime, or anything else I should ask the doctor about?
My daughter had it last year. The doctor prescribed azithromycin, but not a z-pack. Instead of dialing down the dosage every day, it was consistent throughout the course. When we picked it up, the pharmacist said “wow, somebody has a serious infection going on.” (cue maternal meltdown and lots of quality time with my Merck manual, which confirmed that the doctor was correct).
So don’t be shocked if you’re prescribed a LOT of antibiotics. The good news is that my daughter got her voice back within 24 hours of starting them.
I’ve had this infection since the Friday before Thanksgiving. My doctor gave me a z-pac on the Wednesday before, and I finished it. It seemed like things were getting better, then about two days after I finished the antibiotic, my cough got much worse, and I ran a very high fever (102.2’F). I also started vomiting. I was swabbed for the flu, and it was negative. I was NOT swabbed for strep. The doctor is assuming the infection is viral, since it seemed to thumb its nose at the antibiotics. Who knows? maybe she’ll try a different one. I definitely need more Tessalon.
Apparently I am hard to diagnose, because I don’t have tonsils.
It’s also possible I had a bacterial sinus infection, and caught something viral right on the heels of it. I work at a preschool, and those little kids are teeming cultures of infections.
I’ve had it 2 or 3 times. Once while in high school (cause unknown). Once during the recovery period for a serious case of pneumonia. I remember growing up how my grandmother got it every once in a while, too. Every time it was a self-correcting problem. Go a few days without being able to speak, then it clears up, no medication involved.
Happened to me recently - I had a cold and was a bit hoarse and then, one morning, my voice was just gone.
I went to my doctor* and she told me I just had to wait it out. So for a week I stayed at home, drank lots of tea, had lots of throat lozenges (the ones with hyaluronic acid really helped) and restricted all my conversations to WhatsApp.
I went back to work after a week, but had to call in sick again after a few days as my voice was going again - I’m on the telephone a lot and apparently I started talkin again too soon. It took a couple of weeks before I felt really healthy again.
*Ironically that was the only time the receptionist at my doctor’s office made a mistake (I’ve been going there for decades and am usually very happy with them!) and they forgot me in the waiting room while they were starting lunch. I couldn’t even call attention to myself so eventually I just wandered out of the waiting room and gave my doctor quite a start when she saw me.
To add insult to injury they ribbed me (good naturedly - I was playing along with the joke happily!!), saying that patients who can’t talk - and thus not complain! - are the best patients.
I had it back in the day, once. Fluids, fluids, can’t say it enough. You probably do need another round of antibiotics and steroids. Good luck! Keep your trap shut.
I had no voice at all just a couple of weeks ago. It came back and then went away again. I never had a fever that I’m aware of though and no nausea, thankfully.
My doctor just suggested rest, fluids and over the counter cough meds. I felt pretty awful, but I think it’s pretty much gone now.
I had chronic laryngitis about 3 years ago. In my case, the doc found a polyp on my vocal cords, which they removed. Upon further investigation, they found pre-cancer cells. So 6 weeks of radiation. Then they found cancer cells. So 2 laser surgeries. Then 2 cryo freezing surgeries.
I have another surgery for freezing next week. And I STILL cannot talk! I’m only 44, they said it’s probably from acid reflux.
My advice is to get a referral to an ENT who can look down your throat with a scope.
My doctor says that right now ENT referrals have about a six week wait, and she sees nothing to suggest that this isn’t caused by an infection. She did give me steroids to see if that will clear it up a little faster than waiting alone, but she said to talk as little as possible, and gave me a work excuse. Work is pretty cool though. They actually like it when people don’t come in and spread stuff around.
I took my first steroid around 3pm. I know it would have been smarter to wait until tomorrow morning RE: my sleep, but I just couldn’t wait to get it working on the vocal cords. I didn’t speak at all on Sunday or yesterday, because I literally could not. Today I could croak out a word or two, but only if I was doing what felt like shouting at the top of my lungs. So I reserved it for the brief conversation I needed to have at the pharmacy. I’ve been writing notes on my phone to everyone else. Some people in stores assume I’m Deaf.
I really do have to go to work tomorrow, though, because of the yearly Hanukkah show. They need all hands on deck three days a year, and this is one of them. But I don’t think I’m contagious at this point, and I can herd toddlers with minimal talking. Then there’s the staff lunch at the Mexican restaurant. Plus gift exchange.
I also have a new Rx for Tessalon, because I ran out of those a few weeks ago.
