LOSING WORDS

[FRENCHIE1985]

Hi,

I don't have MS as I see this is a forum for MS sufferers. But I've been desperately trying to find a forum with people with similar symptoms to myself and this is what came up.
For the past few months, I've been 'losing words', forgetting names of people I've known for years, or favourite actors etc. Today I wrote on my facebook "Good get used to a 3 day week" instead of "Could get used to a 3 day week". I am forever using incorrect, but similar sounding words in place of the words I should be using. I eventually notice my mistake, but it bothers me that I did it without realising. I'm 28 tomorrow and am a mostly healthy woman. This has been happening for a few months now.

[JaneK1975]

Hi Frenchi,

The "losing words" phenomenon you describe is generally referred to by the medical community as "word finding difficulties" The good/could substitution is called a "phonemic paraphasia". These problems could be symptoms of anything from simple lack of sleep to progressive dementia or stroke. Your best bet is to keep communicating with your doctors to let them know that you know something is going on and need to keep pursuing an answer.

You could also try asking your doc to refer you to a speech-language pathologist for testing to rule out aphasia. Speech-language pathologists who work in a medical setting often see a variety of patients who present with word finding difficulties and can sometimes be crucial in helping a neurologist differentially diagnose a neurological disease based upon the unique combination of speech and language symptoms the patient presents with.

Best wishes,
Jane

[Lisaloki]

Oops meant confusion not concussion

[Lisaloki]

Thanks for your kind words frenchie, yes I have good support around me but it is hard where I was always so active, it's scary when you loose the use of your body and you struggle to do the simplest of things. What is more scary is that living in England with NHS you assume that if you get sick to this severity that you would be having medical support and some kind of care plan put into place to help and support you.

All I have done for the past six months is be ignored, refused to be seen by neuro  has I was seen in A&E, wait months for an appointment for neuro eventually,  that was running 2hrs late so was rushed out the door, refused to be seen by psychiatrist, spent endless hours on phone chasing everything up, maybe I'm just unlucky because it certainly feels that way, my only saving grace is my GP who is completely understanding and like myself feels that this is not post traumatic stress has stated by hospital has they had no answers and clearly wanted me out of hospital for the bed, but some kind of neurological disease.

I hope you get your answers and would push your GP for answers and not be fobbed off as I was, I new I was struggling with my memory, concussion and should have pushed this more to get some answers has instead of waiting till I got worse

Best of luck

Lisa

[kwarendorf]

Hi Frenchie -

I would go see a neurologist and get checked out completely. Some of what you describe could be the result of MS, but it could also be the result of the migraines.

Kyle

[FRENCHIE1985]

Oh and forgot to say, I've never been to a neurologist before.

[FRENCHIE1985]

My other symptoms are: sometimes, if I wake up in the night, I get extreme nausea and almost faint, I'm so dizzy I have to crawl to bed, but then when I wake I'm good again. This probably happens 3 times a month so its not foremost in my mind as a worry. I have low blood pressure which I assumed causes this? It has only started happening around 6 years ago and it only happens at night when I wake up. I also suffer from migraines. My migraines are getting less severe as I'm getting older. I used to get numb in my jaw, tongue and sometimes part of my hand and arm. (Alternates between left and right) haven't had the numbness in months though. My balance is not so great. I feel pretty healthy though and I loathe going to the doctor as growing up, I visited them so often for my migraines, and all they would do is sit at their desk and write me a script for meds. So I have been putting it off going. Thank you all for your answers! Lisaloki I hope you find out what it is soon! That sounds terrible. Hope you have a good support system, with 3 children to care for, you will need the help.

[Lisaloki]

I have also been experiencing the same problems has yourself and understand how frustrating this is, you feel like you are going mad.

This has been happening for the past couple of years at least, Dr done memory test blood test and all came back fine.

In march this year things got dramatically worse was admitted to hospital for full body spasms, looked like I was fitting but was not a fit, I have left hand dystonia that comes and goes, suffer severe pain, cannot walk vey far, use a stick and wheelchair, severe pain and right leg nerve pain, have had to stop work,  I did 40 hour week as well as being a mum to 3 and housewife.

Have seen 3 neurologists MRI scan saw nothing, awaiting EEG and referral to specialist body movement neuro.

I myself am constantly scouring theses forums in hope for some answers has Dr seem to have no idea and don't seem to realise how this has affected my life

I hope you get some answers and but from my experience I wouldn't hold your breath has it is a long waiting game

[aspen2]

It could even be part of gluten-sensitivity or celiac disease; both have cog fog as one of the neurological manifestations.  Or vascular.

I struggle with this daily -- it's embarassing (and I'm more embarrassed by this that the obvious physical stuff!!).

I was trying to call a neighbour this week.  Could NOT remember their phone number.  Could NOT remember the last name to look up in the book.  Took me 8 hours to remember the number, and figured out the last name the next day.  Yikes.

Do you have any other symptoms?

[SarahL2491]

I'd definitely see a doctor, it could be cardiac or it might be MS.  In either case, you need to let your doctors know this is happening.

[kwarendorf]

Hi Frenchie -

The word loss you describe is a cognitive symptom that often occurs in people with MS. It's part of what we refer to as Cog Fog :-)

You say you don't have MS. Have you been evaluated by a neurologist?

Kyle