VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Donna · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 7:32 am Post subject: I've Lost My Voice!

Well, I'm starting to find it again, but it's still a little too raspy. Does anyone here have a tried and true get-your-voice-back remedy that they'd be willing to share?

KaraEdwards · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 8:28 am Post subject:

This will sound silly given our profession...but not talking does wonders for me! Seriously, anytime I feel a 'tickle' I shut it down, drink tons of fluids and usually after 24 hours I'm good to go. My ENT swears this doesn't work...but it does...neti pot and gargling with warm salt water helps too. Good luck!!!
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Bruce · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 8:39 am Post subject:

Yep, not talking gives the chords time to rest and heal, and whispering is worse than talking because we use the vocal chords more during a whisper than during normal speech.

Now it's possible after an infection that your throat is covered with slimy stuff, giving you the rasp, and then fluids, and maybe a gargle with something like a bit of honey and Tobasco sauce in water can help clear that, but if your throat's irritated, rest is about it.

B
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Deirdre · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 8:57 am Post subject:

Hot tea.

Jameson's Irish.

Not together, but plenty.

Tried and true.
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Donna · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 9:07 am Post subject:

Thanks, Kara and Bruce. I've been on absolute silence for the last two days hoping to save up enough sound for a session this afternoon. Using the neti pot, gargling w/ salt (tabasco, really? sounds painful), tea w/ lemon and honey. I'm about to use the 'nuclear option' of anesthetic throat spray just to get through this session. Then pay for it with two more days of silence.

Am I nuts, or just crazy?

Donna · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 9:07 am Post subject:

While I was posting my last reply, DB's came through. I loves me some Jameson's, especially before noon!

Moe Egan · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 12:10 pm Post subject:

Throat coat tea....or any tea that has Slippery Elm as an ingredient. Or any tea with honey (to coat the throat) AND lemon (to cut through the phlegm).

Make a tea with cut up ginger root - boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, add cayenne pepper, then sip. Got that recipe from one of our own here and it does work. If you drink enough of it, you'll be able to walk through fire as well.

There's a nasty quick fix involving warm Dr. Pepper - but you will pay for that later.
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Frank F · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 12:40 pm Post subject:

Or, if your throat is full of guck - consider just taking cayenne pepper (dry) - 1 tbs., a little honey, slippery elm - 1 tbs, and a bit of room temperature water (or if so inclined - Whiskey!). You might choose just enough enough water to make sure you swallow it all in one gulp.

Now, down that concoction in one gulp. Make sure no one is nearby - the antics derived will be something to watch and you do not want it on video.

Shortly after you are able to come down from the ceiling and you have canceled the fire department 911 call, you will should be able to talk almost normally.

Oh, I forgot to mention it feels the same going in and coming out.

Good luck and toodles,

F2
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Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

Donna · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject:

Well, I made it through the session, thanks to a genius of a sound designer. He made me sound almost normal!
Now back to silence...
I will file all the remedies away just in case this evar happens again!

Thanks!
Donna

bobbinbeamo · Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 8:47 pm Post subject:

One time not too long ago I had a session scheduled and woke up with no voice. Talk about a freak out! I was fortunately rescheduled. No talking, whatsoevah!!! The condition lasted about 2 days. I was out of business!Scary!
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Chrissy · Guest

Good suggestion, all. I also use Cold Season Tea put out by Yogi. and it doesn't hurt to have an ENT doctor on speed dial. My guy is a singer so he understands the business, and the demands.

Doug de Nance · Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Calgary, Canada

I swear by Fisherman's Friends lozenges. Perhaps I shouldn't admit this, but one of the voice gigs I do regularly is announce monster truck shows live. You can imagine what that does to your throat Smile