Losing your voice

[KuReshtin]

Right now, I'm at work, not being able to do my job properly as I've got a throat infection or something that has made my vocal cords decide to stop working. This is not a really good thing since I work in a help center where answering phones are our main responsibility.

For the past couple of days, if I try speaking louder than a half-whisper, I get into a coughing fit and it feels as if I just make things worse.

On the other hand, I can't afford not to be in at work, so my team leader and manager have been accomodating enough to give me admin work to sort things out where I don't actually have to talk to customers.
Of course, my co-workers, who act like immature twits, think this is really funny, so they come over to my desk and ask me stuff in person instead of using the internal messaging application we have, just so they can hear my weird, raspy half-voice.

Have anyone else had to deal with losing their voice, and how did that affect your daily life?
Were you able to go into work and do stuff, or did you have to take sick leave because of it?
Did your friends/family/co-workers start talking to you in what seemed like purely an excuse to get you talking, even if they knew your voice was shot?

[llamamushroom]

I've lost my voice a couple of times, but thankfully when that happens I can go help out in the kitchen (I work at a bakery - free pastry!). The main effect it has on my life is on the ludicrous amount of singing I do.

As to taking sick leave, I was scared out of doing that for something like that (i.e. when you don't spend every moment in pure agony) when one of the guys in my year 11 drama class was practically ostracised for not coming in for the week leading up to an assessment performance. Also, mum's a doctor, so she used to takes one look, say it probably wouldn't kill me, and send me on my 'merry' way.

[TheThan]

you want to get back at your co-workers? get a small chalk board or those new fangled white erase boards and write out every response you have to give out.

[Thajocoth]

Did you look under the bed?

Seriously though, that sucks. I've never lost my voice, but good luck with yours.

[Megatron46]

I teach Drama so I'm pretty good at not losing my voice, (what with "projecting darling" and all that), but I'd be screwed if I did!

What I tell my students to do if they lose their voice is to eat raisins. The oils in raisins mimic the natural lubrication of your throat and helps to ease some of the strain. If it's an infection, the raisins help but don't actually cure anything!
As for whispering that often puts more of a strain on your throat than talking in a normal voice as you tense your vocal chords more when whispering, but not as much as when you are shouting.

Also, I hate taking time off. I feel really guilty that others will have to cover my work load. However, if you're ill, you're ill and coming into work will only make you more ill and result in taking more time off in the long run.

Hope your throat feels better soon!

[thubby]

gargling salt water is a good way to help it heal faster.

[Vizen]

Last time I lost my voice I got extremely drunk the night before, and had to work the next morning. I spent all morning talking in a raspy baritone voice (Much to the amusement of the checkout girls) until about halfway through the shift I lost it completely. I could barely talk for a few days.

[KuReshtin]

As for whispering that often puts more of a strain on your throat than talking in a normal voice as you tense your vocal chords more when whispering, but not as much as when you are shouting.


I'm not actually trying to whisper, it's just that when I try to talk, it just kind of sounds as if I'm whispering. Actually, one of my colleagues says that I now sound like Leonard Cohen, but in a very low volume.



Also, I hate taking time off. I feel really guilty that others will have to cover my work load. However, if you're ill, you're ill and coming into work will only make you more ill and result in taking more time off in the long run.


Right now, if I'm off sick any more this year, I'm not getting paid for those days I have to be off, and that's how I can't afford to be sick.
That, accompanied by the fact that only a couple of weeks ago, I was in the hospital with a pretty nasty case of cellulitis for a week, and taking sick days only a couple of weeks later isn't good.
And since the only thing really wrong with me at the moment is the throat, I don't see that as a major reason to stay at home, even if it'd be really nice to have a few days away from work (not in a hospital).

[Serpentine]

Also, mum's a doctor, so she used to takes one look, say it probably wouldn't kill me, and send me on my 'merry' way.Ugh, doctor mums :smallyuk: My Dr Mum would only let me off school if I was throwing up or had a fever (though once or twice she let me off when I had a fever the night before).

[KuReshtin]

Ugh, doctor mums :smallyuk: My Dr Mum would only let me off school if I was throwing up or had a fever (though once or twice she let me off when I had a fever the night before).

I kind of had the same deal when I grew up, but I don't have a doctor mum or dad.
As long as I can get through taking a shower and getting ready for work without passing out or close to it, I was always told to suck it up and go to school/work..

[Kobold-Bard]

Last December I worked in a card shop, and an old woman reported me to my manager for being offensively disrespectful because I didn't speak while on the till. I literally couldn't make any vocal noise and I just wanted to punch her evil old face.....but I didn't, because that would have been ageist and I probably would have been fired :smallamused:

I'm really not a violent person, people who take pleasure in making other people's lives miserable just bring out the worst in me.

[Flickerdart]

KuReshtin, this is an excellent time to practice your Death Glare. Whip that sucker out and send them running! :smallamused:

[KuReshtin]

KuReshtin, this is an excellent time to practice your Death Glare. Whip that sucker out and send them running! :smallamused:

Let me tell you that if my Death Glare had been properly perfected by me today, I'd currently have one less co-worker. I bet he was really happy that I didn't have my proper voice, but I still gave him a good telling off for doing stupid crap.