I had significant voice problems from misplacement of the breathing tube and from vagus nerve complications - vagus is the 10th cranial nerve. I have improved, but am not yet normal. I could not speak much at all, or swallow on the right side for many months. Nerve healing takes 12 to 18 months from surgery. Large tumors like mine can involve the lower cranial nerves - my tumor had to be dissected from nerves # 9, 10, and 11. If your lower nerves, # 9 and 10, were not involved, then most likely your voice problem is from intubation which usually clears up on its own. If throat nerves were involved, it will take much longer to resolve.
I never had speech therapy as my surgeon believed I would eventually recover my nerve function over time, and an independent ENT advised me the same. I have slowly recovered my abilities to speak and swallow in a significant way and have 9 more months to recover before I reach the 18 month point. Right now I am improved enough to believe that I will recover throat function completely. I wasn't so sure 5 or 6 months ago when things were worse than today.
I lost taste before surgery and it is still not present. I cracked a tooth and had novocaine at the dentist on Monday. He asked several minutes after administering it, it I was numb yet. I told him my tongue is always numb as well as my lip and chin on the right side from the AN surgery. I never felt any of the novocaine effects nor did I experience any of the pins and needles as it wore off. My teeth feel pain, but not my gums or tongue or inside of my cheek. Hope this helps some and good luck
