Hello dear, After going through your history, I believe you have some genuine concern and I will try to help you out of this situation. Our vocal cords are delicate structures and any minor trauma lead to their dysfunction. You have under gone surgery along with radiotherapy for some condition, and both are considered as major trauma to your vocal cords. Radiation also brings some permanent stiffness to the cords which is irreversible and that forces you to make more effort to speak. Now your vocal cords are very sensitive to other minor traumas like prolong talk or talking loudly. So please take some basic precautions to make your life pleasurable. 1. Avoid speaking loudly. 2. While conversing, try to give pause or take some sips of water in between. 3. While addressing a group, try to talk at the middle so that you have to effort less to make everybody hear you. Ask questions to the group in between to give yourself rest. I hope I could solve your query. Please do not hesitate to clarify more doubts for the same situation. Thank you for the way you are in my life. Dr Ipsit Panda