Travelled to run a workshop and voice completely gone

[HorrorFan81]

I've travelled to Europe for a week long conference and today is my big day of running a workshop. My throat started getting sore on day one, today I've woken up and voice has completely gone. I can kind of whisper/croak. No idea how I'm going to get through the day. Will try find some hot water and honey, is there anything else that could help??

Typical! So sorry to hear this. All I can suggest is paracetamol and a mike maybe?

You'll just have to explain and apologise at the start nothing else you can do really

Oh, and if you can get hold of one , sometimes they're in aldi for 20 quid, a nebuliser is really good for keeping your vocal cords lubricated so you could having a session using that before you start well you could use it as much as you want really just use saline in it obviously or sterile water you don't need anything else.

|Have you got a colleague there with you who can do some of the talking? Maybe get someone out there to shadow you and help.

Thanks- good shout about the nebuliser. No aldi nearby but will check a pharmacy if one is open in time. About to meet a colleague for breakfast so will hopefully get them to cover most of the stuff. Annoyingly most of the benefit I get from these workshops is all the conversations and connections I make between the actual agenda items and won't really be able to do any of that 😕

It. Might just be nerves? Perhaps it will improve as the day goes on. If not you can learn a lot from listening. I'm doing the same today and have woken with diarrhea, it's just the nerves and I will be fine when I arrive in about four hours but I hope my train seat is near the loo. Best wishes

Try to get dissolvable paracetamol if you can, you mix 2 with pint of water. I do find if drunk over around 30 mins and you try to 'hold it' in mouth/gargle/swallow slow etc it gives some improvement, but that could just be me!

Good luck! Sod's Law isn't it this!

I've got the same bug. Sore throat, hardly amy voice. Honey and lemon. Lots of hot drinks. See if there is a chemist that sells a local anesthetic type lozenge. Hum a bit and see if you can warm it up. You will have less voice the day after probably but you should be able to get through today. Unfortunately the best treatment is not speaking and resting your voice.

The throat things are called vocalzone, here. They don't taste great but they do help.

Definitely not nerves - I do these kinds of things alot and genuinely enjoy them. I'm an extroverted extrovert 🤣

Thanks will try and grab some

Thanks. I've cancelled all my after workshop plans so I can head back to room once the main event is done and plan on not speaking til I get home tomorrow.

Could it be an allergy? It it worth trying a non-drowsy antihistamine?

Have taken one the last few nights but not helped 😕

I had the same issue just before an important interview and posted here. The vocal zone lozenges are good. Do not whisper that puts strain on your vocal cords and makes it worse. Take ibuprofen- can't remember why but it's better than paracetamol for this.

Put a talking app on your phone so if worst happens you can still communicate.

Thanks good plan!

Ok I have taken paracetamol (attempted to gargle but my throat wouldn't let me!) and ibuprofen. Had hot water with honey. Voice is coming in and out which is slightly better than earlier. Closest pharmacy opening soon so heading there for lozenges. Colleague prepped to take over if needed. Thanks all. What annoying timing!

I can't find my previous thread, but posters also recommended buying Robitussin - a cough mixture.
No talking at the chemists and stop testing your voice now, keep it all for the day.

Why do you have to hide in your room? Can’t you go and listen to other presentations?

Im attending my full workshop which ends at 3pm. Not going to the next one which im not running which ends at 6

Thanks for the advice all. Survived the day and managed to keep things moving with limited talking. Don't need to speak for 24 hours now so planning a nice quiet evening ☺️