Does anyone here deal with receptive aphasia?

[maxthecat43]

I had a really scary episode this evening.  

I have been having a lot of trouble with speech lately, but at least I kmow what it is.  Tonight, at our religious meeting- I suddenly couldn't understand anything (I just learned this is called receptive aphasia).  And of course, I wasn't able to communicate either.

This problem, hearing speech-but with zero comprehension, has only happened twice before this evening.  Is there any treatment?

[maxthecat43]

Hello!  I got my EEG results back today.  I don't have epilepsy, but my neuro still thinks it was a seizure.  For right now, I'm just supposed to keep up with taking my gabapentin.  It was originally meant to be an anti-seizure medication.  We are going to "wait and see" what happens now.

I've done more research on my own though.  I think it may have been an atypical migraine (aphasic migraine).  I don't remember a headache, but I guess you don't always have a recognizable headache with this type of migraine.  The same symptoms do occur in ms, but with flares, they usually last until the flare is over- like Shelly was talking about.  My episodes are very transient.  


Thanks for all the support!  You guys are awesome!!
(((Hugs,)))
Tammy

[Guitar_grrrl]

Tammy, I'm so glad you brought this up!  Last December and January I had similar episodes of what I'll call "bad auditory processing".  When people talked to me, it sounded like a bad cell phone call - all garbled and mixed up.  It also sometimes sounded like listening to single side-band (for those of you in the HAM radio world).  I told my neuro about this, and he said it's probably a flare, and to keep him posted.  It was bothersome, but I didn't want to do the steroid route, and eventually it went away (like so many other minor flares I've had over the past 25+ years).

You're not alone!

I'm also curious about your EEG results.  Thinking of you!
Hugs,
Lisa

[maxthecat43]

I'll let you guys know what happened when I get home tomorrow.  (Hopefully they will tell me, and not make me wait till my next appt.)

[sllowe]

Good luck with the testing :)  and I look forward to hearing about how you make out because it's something I dealt with for quite awhile too.

[jensequitur]

Clonus activity is usually associated with seizures.  Perhaps the causes are similar.  When I have clonus, my legs will jerk until all the muscles are contracted in the leg, and it stays that way for a second or two.  It's almost as if it has to get all that out so the leg can move normally - rather like shaking off the dust.  I can't do anything to prevent it from happening.  I try to relax the legs and move them very slowly, but it doesn't help.

I used to get clonus of the torso, which looked rather like a seizure.  The back would contract just like my legs do, and then it would relax again.

Aphasia is really scary too.  I've had the normal MS kind, where you can't talk because none of the words you want are in your head.  I've also had the total lack of comprehension when somebody's speaking to me, but I'm not sure if this is just a total failure to pay attention, or if it's me zoning out.  Perhaps both.

At any rate, it's frightening ,but not life-threatening.  Let us know how the EEG goes!

[maxthecat43]

Thanks JJ,

I will let you know what happens.  

Hugs to you!