Difficulty swallowing and singing

[giftofsleep]

Diagnosed with sleep apnea this summer (2016). Chronic insomnia was the previous diagnosis. For a couple of years before, I had had difficulty swallowing pills (especially in the morning) and my singing voice was deteriorating. Saw an ENT who wasn't too concerned. Did anyone else have either these conditions before being diagnosed with apnea? I am still having both of these "symptoms?" occurring.

Thank you.

[klv329]

Maybe acid reflux is affecting the vocal cords? I've had that happen before and had to get the acid reflux under control to be able to consistently speak for an hour or more at a time.

[nativedancer]

your swallowing and vocal problems may not relate to the apnea at all. at times i have difficulty swallowing my daily pills (11) at once, but i have occasional gerd flare-ups, which i control with anti-acids and/or the purple pill. my voice has deteriorated as well, but in my case both age and insufficient lung support, owing to copd, contribute to the problem. sometimes the voice will fail in the middle of a normal conversation, reducing me to a whisper or a wheezing attempt to continue. i do use a portable oxygen bottle, which is very helpful. we each have our individual problems, however, and i don't mean to suggest that my situation is a mirror of yours. sometimes, though, it's helpful just to have some folks around who care.

welcome to the forum, and good luck with your therapy. and on a positive note, i have learned that sleep apnea can cause problems that take some time to conquer, and may not at first even seem related.

[OpalRose]

Diagnosed with sleep apnea this summer (2016). Chronic insomnia was the previous diagnosis. For a couple of years before, I had had difficulty swallowing pills (especially in the morning) and my singing voice was deteriorating. Saw an ENT who wasn't too concerned. Did anyone else have either these conditions before being diagnosed with apnea? I am still having both of these "symptoms?" occurring.

Thank you.

Hi giftofsleep,
You state you had difficulty swallowing pills and your voice was deteriorating a couple years "prior" to using Cpap.

It's hard to say if Cpap use aggravates your condition, but Cpap is to help you with apnea, it's not likely to cure a previous condition that may or may not be related to sleep apnea.

It might be a good idea to get a second opinion or see a different ENT.

[warmbear]

Hi GiftOfSleep;

If I was in your situation, I would be getting a second opinion from a different ENT, and asking him to perform a bronchoscopy, to visually check inside your throat and voicebox (larynx). This difficulty swallowing and vocal changes may well simply be caused by drying out of your mucous membranes at night (related to mouthbreathing at night, for example), or it may indicate a more serious underlying condition, which he would have to visualize and assess.

Diagnosed with sleep apnea this summer (2016). Chronic insomnia was the previous diagnosis. For a couple of years before, I had had difficulty swallowing pills (especially in the morning) and my singing voice was deteriorating. Saw an ENT who wasn't too concerned. Did anyone else have either these conditions before being diagnosed with apnea? I am still having both of these "symptoms?" occurring.

Thank you.

[srlevine1]

Diagnosed with sleep apnea this summer (2016). Chronic insomnia was the previous diagnosis. For a couple of years before, I had had difficulty swallowing pills (especially in the morning) and my singing voice was deteriorating. Saw an ENT who wasn't too concerned. Did anyone else have either these conditions before being diagnosed with apnea? I am still having both of these "symptoms?" occurring.

Thank you.

Have you been evaluated for thyroid issues -- both of which can affect swallowing and your singing voice? Any issues with gastric reflux which can also produce swallowing issues and impairment of your voice? -- Best of luck in finding an acceptable answer.

[cate1898]

Hi giftofsleep and welcome to the forum!

Hope you find answers to your problem soon and also that CPAP therapy is successful. Keep at it and don't give up; there are longterm health benefits to treating your sleep apnea!!