A cure for my voice.
Cepacol works every time. It can be found at Walmart, or any drug store, next to the Halls Cough Drops. Good luck!
You might want to call your doctor about a steroid shot. I went through some very tough bronchitis and just like you I sounded like Marge Simpson. Even resting it didn't work. I got a steroid shot and it was back within just a couple of hours.
I am going to keep an eye on your responses because I have had Bronchitis for over a month and can almost talk. As the day goes on it gets worse. I hope there is lots of advice....
Gina
I worked for the telephone company for 15 years. Whenever we would lose our voices, the managers always had some home rememdies for us. Barring that this is a major medical condition, try these things.....suck on a lemon (it helps the vocal chords), get some zinc cough drops in the pharmacy-they work wonders, and if you have to talk, find the lowest,quietest voice you can to ease the stress-no yelling even if the kids are driving you crazy.
While you are recuperating, use a lot of sign language with your children. Clap your hands to get their attention then just mouth the words to them if possible. You didn't say how old your children are...older children can usually understand lip reading since they do it themselves.
Well, I have this happen a lot too. One thing that usually helps is lemon and honey in tea, or in a tiny big of whiskey and warm it up (aka hot toddy). Also, gargle with warm salt water...that will help in time, too.
Stop talking and go to your doctor and get a steroid shot to reduce the inflamation. The other thing to do is drink hot sweet tea and hot apple cider. The best things to do are to not talk as much as possible (whispering actually hurts you cords more so don't whisper, just try to talk normally when you must), suck on halls cough drops or ricola drops and drink warm fluids all day. Also, taking aleve or advil around the clock for 72 hours should help reduce the inflamation. Laryngitis is generally caused by the same virus that causes croup in young children, so be careful and remember that it will take a while to get over especially if you keep talking.
M.
I agree with Michelle, I had lost my voice once, didn't come back fully for almost a year!! Do your best to not talk at all (I know fully well how hard that is with kids!!!) Do not whisper unless you have to or yell either. It will take some time, but once you give your vocal cords some rest, they will repair themselves. I finally went to an ENT and he said I actually had a callus between my vocal cords from them rubbing together TOO much (could have been the yelling....)
Take good care of yourself - I would definitely get to the Dr. and see if they can give you that steriod shot!
There is a tea that I swear by for throat issues. Whole Foods carries it, and some Albertsons stores have it as well. It's called Throat Coat. I used it when I started developing laryngitis while performing in a play, and I was able to keep my voice. In fact, I found out about it from another actor - apparently it's quite popular among people who depend on their voices for a living.
This happened to me last year and my kids thought it was hilarious! Dr said (and websites confirmed) whispering is WORSE than talking. You must completely rest your voice for several days. Nearly impossible with 3 kids! I clapped to get their attention, pointed at options, wrote notes to the older ones. It was HARD! But you must do it.
I coach a soccer team, about the time my voice would get better I would scream at a game and lose it again. This went on for weeks. Complete rest is the only cure.
