Spelling / forgetting places/ supper grace/ other cognitive (or not so)

[OperaMBA]

Does anyone else have trouble remembering how to spell words.

I have noticed that I get partway through a word and I can't finish it for a bit.

Also, I was going to write that something "ceased", I drew a complete blank on how to spell it.   I had to pop out to Word and use spell check and play around until I figured it out.

Also-------------------------
A couple of months ago, we had a yard sale and I was trying to tell the salvation army guy how to get to our house and I completely couldn't come up with the name of our neighborhood.  Now, we had only been living here a year, but that frightened me.

Also-------------------------
Every night, I stumble through "God is great, God is good..."  I get can't remember if the great or the good comes first.

Also-------------------------
For a while, it seems to have gotten better, I would get partway through the Ric in Richard and get stuck when writing my signature.

These are all been very specific and frightening things for me.

Can we compare experiences, so I can have a sense of where I fall in the general scheme?

Richard

[rebecca59]

I just found this forum...I'm so glad I did!

I have just started suddenly forgetting how to spell words! I have always been an excellent speller....spelling bees in school too/

What is causing this?

I'm going to my doctor for lab work. I am baffled! It is also scary!

[Toby917]

I really think it's the food we are eating.  I have several friends who are going through the samething.  I feel like I am 85 years old and have not seen 60.

[jensequitur]

Welcome to the Foggy Club!

Yes, cognitive problems are very common in MS.  Mild cognitive impairment is present in over 50% of MS patients, and some have more significant problems.

I think the most consistent problems we have are word-finding - whether it's the name of that thing that keeps food cold, or the thing that washes my clothes, we know what it is, we just can't think of the name for it.  

I used to have the hardest time speaking, because I would try to say something and a completely different set of words would come out.  I still replace one word with another, and don't realize it until my hubby looks at me funny.  He's used to it by now, and just asks me if I meant that.  

So I told my neuro about my cognitive problems, but it was difficult to convince him that I was actually having significant difficulty.  After some pushing, I got him to schedule me for a neuro-psych exam.  The exam shows that I have moderate impairment in a few specific areas - attention, memory, symbol recognition, a couple others that I can't remember!  It averages out to mild cognitive impairment overall, with a 30-point IQ drop.  :-(

Currently I'm taking Aricept samples to see if things get better.  I'm on the fourth week, and I feel a lot more normal.  I remember numbers and passwords, I can spot when I've been shortchanged, I can remember things on the grocery list without looking at it every five seconds - all in all, my quality of life is much improved.  I don't know if I've recovered those IQ points, but I feel like I can function better, even when I don't feel very good.

Cognitively I'm worse in the middle of a flare.  So it's possible that you're going through one, or recovering from one, so you'll see some improvement in a couple of weeks.  But if you feel like you've had some significant loss that isn't going away, see your neurologist and ask for a neuro-psych examination to get a baseline.  Even if you don't actually have any impairment now, you'll need to see how you're doing in a few years - better or worse.

[GrannyJo6]

Yep, me too! I used to be a great speller as well and even won county spelling bees in high school! Well, it is the simple words that trip me up! I could probably spell some complicated word just fine, but get stumped on the easy ones! It comes and goes, though and some days are worse than others. We'll all just muddle through together!

[Quixotic1]

me, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I write more fluently than I talk, tho.

I used to be a great speller.  Now - not so much...  :((

[humming4u]

you know i never claimed to be all that smart, and spelling was my worst, but i could alway figure it out in the end, but now it seems there is no end to my constant errors in writing.
sometimes in speaking,i have to stomp my feet, to restart my thoughts i'm trying to share.
some friends encourage me, some humor me, all support me, and the same with hubby and sons.....so things could be worse.
sometimes it worries me how much worse could it get.but worries get me nowhere huh?
it seems that you are so far from alone in this post!
hope your drs visists go well, take care  humming4u

[Wobbly]

it seems like when I want to talk at times I just repeat and letter..like a stutter...or I can find a word..or lose where what I was saying in mid sentence.. when I want to talk to someone and not do any of those thing...I try to hard and it makes it worse...

I guess alot of us have these problems...

take care
wobbly'
LL

[Sunnytoday]

Richard,
Sounds just like me... so much so it was a bit frightening, your post describes me to a "t'... so you are not alone....
~Sunnytoday~

[Momzilla]

Hi!

When I am having trouble with whatever it is I have (no Dx yet, dagnabbit!), there are many words which look SO strange to me.  Like "before."  These words look foreign to me written on a page, and sometimes I get lost in thought trying to think of the meanings of everyday common words.  I feel like such an idiot!

And sometimes I say aloud, "I feel like such an idiot!" which my children take as an invitation.......

Hang tough, Richard!

Zilla*

[Lulu54]

You're not seeing a urologist, are you?  Then its definitely not the wizzer :-)

My big cognitive thing is when I am typing I sometimes have entirely different words come out of my fingertips.  They aren't even freudian slips of my subconscious- and they are spelled correctly.  Maybe next time my brain is misfiring like that I will send you one of my messages and see if you understand  The crazy thing is the wrong words are always spelled correctly.  It is the darnedest thing - I don't know who I am channeling through my fingertips.  

Keep us posted on your trip to see the wizard!
Lulu

[OperaMBA]

Thanks for sharing your story with me.

I will pray for you!

I am off to see the wizard!   Or is it wizzer in this guy's case????

Richard
OperaMBA

[doni54]

As you know, I'm undx, but have all the problems you are having.  I love this forum, but sometimes I can't participate cause I can't put my feelings into words.

Always typing the wrong word.  This is from someone who could type 100 wpm with 0 errors. Keep transposing letters, never used to do this.  I keep a dictionary beside the computer, but sometimes it is so bad that I can't even spell enough of the word to look it up, very frustrating.

I've had one of those weekends where I can't talk, words won't come out.  Really unnerves my family.  I guess I could talk more, but sometimes it just isn't worth the struggle.  This happens mostly if I'm tired or stressed.

I guess this cog issue and the eyes issue are two of my scariest ones.  I miss my quick mind and creative spirit.  I don't like it when I can't see well enough to come on here or to read (my favorite thing, after the forum).

So, Richard, you are not alone, there are many of us on here who are going through the same thing.  That is what is so great about this forum, no one has to be alone.

Take care and good luck at your appt!!

Hugs
doni

[emschick]

I have difficulty also on spelling. I used to spell anything with no problems. Now I feel stupid at times because I cannot even spell simple words...

I have problems finishing thoughts and thinking of words that should be easy to spit out. Ex. When I was speaking with attorney just the other day I had problems telling him my illnesses cause I couldn't thing of Chronic fatigue. How easy is that?

I feel your pain brother! will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

Hope you feel better soon. Brain fog *****

[Rena705]

Hey guy...I have some cognitive difficulties and just underwent Neuro/Psych testing to see what may be the exact problem.  I have trouble with speaking...i.e. slurring, stuttering, word retrieval.  Also have a serious problem with knowing what I want to say...but it comes out as total jibberish...not even close to the english language.  For example, I would mean to say, "We got a lot of the wood burned today" but it might come out like "hebba jusshy ambo blblblop."  REALLY SCARY!!  

I also have some problems with smelling odors that no one else smells or I smell things in unreasonable places...like smelling cooking Chinese food while in the shower in the basement and home alone...or smelling ammonia in my shampoo that is so strong it takes my breath away but the next time I use it, it smells normal!

I went to the neuro/psych consult mainly because of my speech problem...my gp thinks it might be due to the CIS I had in 1993 when I was diagnosed but it only showed up in 2007...she is a little clueless my gp...

Anyway, I am sure you are going to get lots of responses about this but you should really keep a diary of these things...when something new happens, write it down.  It's invaluable information for a neurologist appointment!

Lots of Hugs,
Rena