I am posting this message as Martyn (41) is booked in to have his voice box removed a week today (15th may), he has been having the most awful nightmares about the op and is getting himself so worked up. He tells me that he cant get the picture of waking up and not being able to breath though his mouth, out of his mind. I am comforting him as best I can, can anyone tell me if they experienced these thought when going through the same procedure....

Juliee
Hi I have not had my voice box removed but I had to have trachie fitted and I was terrified, but as I had it explained to me once you come round from the anesetic and you realise that you are breathing fine, the fear fades quickly. I can assure you that the breathing feels perfectly normal in a very short time and the nurses will be used to helping to alivate short term worries

Julie

I am sorry I realise this is after the event but today is the first time I read of your concern. I had similar concerns so Martyn is ot alone but my fears were allayed when the consultant told me breathing is automatic wherever we draw the air from, like the heart it just works and there is no "need" to "learn" to breathe again.

I wish I had seen this post last week. I trust that Martyn has come through the operation successfully and you are all coping with the results and finding your own way to communicate, a cuddle is worth a thousand words!! DWR