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Speech and Hearing Issues
I thought this was caused by stress, but I've been researching this and can't find any correlation between what's going on with me and stress, so now I'm worried about strokes and my brain. The best explanation I've found so far is some kind of aphasia.
In the past year my hearing comprehension has gotten bad. Particularly if there is a lot of white noise. I'm having to ask people to look at me when they talk to me so I can see their mouth move. If it is quiet I can hear a whisper. I know I have some damage to one eardrum, but no real damage to the other so I don't know why it's affecting all my hearing. I also seem to be having a harder time just listening to people. I'd prefer it to be written down.
I had surgery in Dec to remove some ovarian cysts. I got really stressed and depressed and upset at my husband because I was getting no support at home. I figured this caused a lot of stress and was causing my speech issues. Since then I've had bouts where I stutter, have a hard time forming sentences and really have to slow down, once I caught myself saying words that I had no control over, like a dream. I was awake and at my desk and heard the tail end of myself saying something like "...books". The past couple days I've had a hard time coming up with some basic words, particularly when I'm tired.
So far this hasn't affected my job (that they can notice). I don't deal with clients much and work with numbers a lot.
I do get migraines. My Dad is currently trying to figure out what the lesions on his brain are. He's had non-epileptic seizures his whole life. His father died from brain cancer. So obviously I'm worried about my noggin.
I'm 38. I don't smoke cigarettes but do smoke pot (for pain, it's a lot better than pills), take a vicodin only if there is a lot of pain (and usually only half of one), occasional advil or excedrin for migraine, Wellbutrin (for pain induced depression, it's a small dose). I eat fairly healthy, I don't exercise enough. I am extremely stressed (daughter is on the autism spectrum, husband won't work or clean the house but takes care of the kid, no money, I work full time).
There was no immediate change I noticed, so I doubt it's a stroke, but I'm wondering if the two are related. Even if my hearing was just regular hearing loss, what's up with the speech issues? Is this symptomatic of stress or do I need to get my head looked at?
I honestly can't deal with another medical crisis. I'm still dealing with ovarian cysts and will probably have to have surgery again in Dec for them, maybe even lose an ovary :(
In the past year my hearing comprehension has gotten bad. Particularly if there is a lot of white noise. I'm having to ask people to look at me when they talk to me so I can see their mouth move. If it is quiet I can hear a whisper. I know I have some damage to one eardrum, but no real damage to the other so I don't know why it's affecting all my hearing. I also seem to be having a harder time just listening to people. I'd prefer it to be written down.
I had surgery in Dec to remove some ovarian cysts. I got really stressed and depressed and upset at my husband because I was getting no support at home. I figured this caused a lot of stress and was causing my speech issues. Since then I've had bouts where I stutter, have a hard time forming sentences and really have to slow down, once I caught myself saying words that I had no control over, like a dream. I was awake and at my desk and heard the tail end of myself saying something like "...books". The past couple days I've had a hard time coming up with some basic words, particularly when I'm tired.
So far this hasn't affected my job (that they can notice). I don't deal with clients much and work with numbers a lot.
I do get migraines. My Dad is currently trying to figure out what the lesions on his brain are. He's had non-epileptic seizures his whole life. His father died from brain cancer. So obviously I'm worried about my noggin.
I'm 38. I don't smoke cigarettes but do smoke pot (for pain, it's a lot better than pills), take a vicodin only if there is a lot of pain (and usually only half of one), occasional advil or excedrin for migraine, Wellbutrin (for pain induced depression, it's a small dose). I eat fairly healthy, I don't exercise enough. I am extremely stressed (daughter is on the autism spectrum, husband won't work or clean the house but takes care of the kid, no money, I work full time).
There was no immediate change I noticed, so I doubt it's a stroke, but I'm wondering if the two are related. Even if my hearing was just regular hearing loss, what's up with the speech issues? Is this symptomatic of stress or do I need to get my head looked at?
I honestly can't deal with another medical crisis. I'm still dealing with ovarian cysts and will probably have to have surgery again in Dec for them, maybe even lose an ovary :(
Also, I've never once had an ear infection (really, not even as a baby). I did not have language issues as a kid. I wasn't in an accident or hit my head severely. I don't have any weakness in any limbs. This didn't just come on out of the blue, it's been gradually getting worse (speech is only bad when I'm tired and stressed, I think).
I'll have to pay attention if these things bother me more when medicated. I'll be sure to have my husband observe me in both states. I doubt it though. I took an IQ test as a joke a couple years ago, both totally sober and after smoking a little. I scored like a 130 sober and 160 not sober.
I do not need a referral to see a specialist so the audiologist will be the first person I'm going to call. The loss of hearing really isn't the end of the world to me, but not being able to communicate is. Thank you both for your suggestions, and if anybody else has anything to add, please do so.
I do not need a referral to see a specialist so the audiologist will be the first person I'm going to call. The loss of hearing really isn't the end of the world to me, but not being able to communicate is. Thank you both for your suggestions, and if anybody else has anything to add, please do so.
Beachcomber gave you some great advice (and she knows about this stuff, which I don't really).
That said, I noticed that a former co-worker of mine who was suffering from a lot of depression and stress (but mainly depression, I think) had difficulties speaking and hearing possibly similar to what you describe. She even got hearing aids, even though she said they kept telling her that her hearing was normal.
And I noticed that she usually speaks with difficulty, seeming to struggle to get words and sentences out fluently and naturally.
Depression and stress by their very nature affect your brain chemistry (as I'm sure you know) and definitely affect your concentration and focus. I wonder if it's possible that this interference with ability to concentrate and process information is (part of?) the cause of your speech and hearing problems?
I am BY NO MEANS an expert in this area--it's just a thought. I have had chronic dizziness for a long time and I know that until I found the right medication I had a LOT of trouble concentrating and even being able to speak intelligently when the dizziness was at its worst.
In any case, as Beachcomber said, you need to have hearing/auditory processing/speech problems checked out--that is the first step. But please don't worry too much about this necessarily being another major medical problem--it may be, but it may NOT.
Good luck in getting your depression and stress under control. Sounds like you have a very hard row to hoe--I hope things get better for you soon. Take care!
Nancy
That said, I noticed that a former co-worker of mine who was suffering from a lot of depression and stress (but mainly depression, I think) had difficulties speaking and hearing possibly similar to what you describe. She even got hearing aids, even though she said they kept telling her that her hearing was normal.
And I noticed that she usually speaks with difficulty, seeming to struggle to get words and sentences out fluently and naturally.
Depression and stress by their very nature affect your brain chemistry (as I'm sure you know) and definitely affect your concentration and focus. I wonder if it's possible that this interference with ability to concentrate and process information is (part of?) the cause of your speech and hearing problems?
I am BY NO MEANS an expert in this area--it's just a thought. I have had chronic dizziness for a long time and I know that until I found the right medication I had a LOT of trouble concentrating and even being able to speak intelligently when the dizziness was at its worst.
In any case, as Beachcomber said, you need to have hearing/auditory processing/speech problems checked out--that is the first step. But please don't worry too much about this necessarily being another major medical problem--it may be, but it may NOT.
Good luck in getting your depression and stress under control. Sounds like you have a very hard row to hoe--I hope things get better for you soon. Take care!
Nancy
Wow, you have me worried! And it sounds like you really do not need one more thing on your plate. What it rains, it pours!
When you described your difficulty hearing in noisy settings, auditory processing came to mind. But then...
When you described your difficulty with language, you are right, it does sound like aphasia.
And the stuttering and having difficulty getting words out... It sets off my radar. I am concerned about you. Without having seen you myself, it is hard to say whether it is something serious or not.
If it is something serious, catching it early is going to be the best thing.
I am assuming that this is not something that only happens when you smoke pot or take a vicodin. And I am assuming that it did not begin when you started taking Wellbutrin. If this problem did begin at the same time as these medications, you should speak to your doctor about that. If not...
My plan would be:
1. See an audiologist. You need to have your hearing checked in order to have language testing--the tests are not valid unless hearing is normal. Also, the audiologist can evaluate you for auditory processing problems. That would be for the problems hearing in noise and understanding what people say (needing to lipread). Could be language or could be auditory skills. Google auditory processing disorder and see if it sounds like what you are experiencing.
2. See a speech-language pathologist. Get all that language stuff checked out. The stuttering, the word-finding problems, and the time you spoke without being in control of it. Possibly the problems understanding people. Whether the cause is stress or something else, the SLP can steer you in the right direction.
Your local hospital should have audiologists and speech-language pathologists.
Please keep us posted on what happens. And feel free to vent here when you need it.
When you described your difficulty hearing in noisy settings, auditory processing came to mind. But then...
When you described your difficulty with language, you are right, it does sound like aphasia.
And the stuttering and having difficulty getting words out... It sets off my radar. I am concerned about you. Without having seen you myself, it is hard to say whether it is something serious or not.
If it is something serious, catching it early is going to be the best thing.
I am assuming that this is not something that only happens when you smoke pot or take a vicodin. And I am assuming that it did not begin when you started taking Wellbutrin. If this problem did begin at the same time as these medications, you should speak to your doctor about that. If not...
My plan would be:
1. See an audiologist. You need to have your hearing checked in order to have language testing--the tests are not valid unless hearing is normal. Also, the audiologist can evaluate you for auditory processing problems. That would be for the problems hearing in noise and understanding what people say (needing to lipread). Could be language or could be auditory skills. Google auditory processing disorder and see if it sounds like what you are experiencing.
2. See a speech-language pathologist. Get all that language stuff checked out. The stuttering, the word-finding problems, and the time you spoke without being in control of it. Possibly the problems understanding people. Whether the cause is stress or something else, the SLP can steer you in the right direction.
Your local hospital should have audiologists and speech-language pathologists.
Please keep us posted on what happens. And feel free to vent here when you need it.
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