slurred speech and facial droop

[mary2010]

Does anyone else have both slurred speech and  facial droop of one half of  their face?

I have had MS since 1999 and this last exacerbation caused both symptoms and I want to know who else out there has had these symptoms, because its totally new to me...

[supermum_ms]

Are we talking about bells palsey (sp)? It seems there is much debate for the cause, its common though, again viral infections could be linked and damage to maylen (sp), it dosent specifically mean MS its just one possibility. Found a good explanation on facial droop, see link.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/bells/detail_bells.htm

On a lighter note, a quick face lift is a tight pony tail LOL

Cheers..........JJ

[mary2010]

Hi jensequitur,

Hope you dont mind me asking but I was wondering, since it happened two years ago, did it disappear completely since then or does it come and go? Did the doctors give you anything that helped?

Mary

[jensequitur]

No option for indicating when my facial droop and slurring happened...  It was two years ago, and I was having a lot of facial symptoms - numbness, weakness, etc.

Since the nerve that keeps your muscles toned in your face also helps to operate the muscles of the mouth, it makes sense to have both these symptoms at once.

[Adnvwsti]

For me, slurred speech and facial droop were noticed by my orthopaedic surgeon (of all people) last summer.  He sent me for a blood test panel that would rule out myasthenia gravis because he said his sister-in-law has MG and my eyes and face seemed to be drooping in the same way as his sister-in-law.  He said that he knew my primary care physician was looking into the possibility of MS, so if nothing else, testing for MG might help the diagnosis along by eliminating one more disease.  And actually he was right.  The blood tests indicated my facial and eye droop weren't related to myasthenia gravis, so another one bit the dust on the way to a positive MS diagnosis.  So yes!  In a big way, the facial and eye droop, however slight, and the slurred speech, however slight, were one more indicator to my doctors that I should be diagnosed with MS.  The neuro backed that decision in late summer after studying my brain MRI and my lumbar tap results, and then diagnosing me with ONI in both eyes, left worse than right.  Good luck with your MS symptoms.  I hope that you have fewer and fewer and live strong and positive-thinking, Mary.  jo  

[mary2010]

thanks everyone for your input :)

I hope the next flare doesn't bring back these symptoms, the slurred speech is particularly embarrassing especially since I am supposed to go back to work very soon and I have some very insensitive coworkers......

Supermum you are funny and seem very positive.

Mary

[doublevision1]

No slurred speech, but very mild ptosis only noticeable when I am very tired, affecting my left eye.  I've had that since birth and is not due to MS.

[supermum_ms]

Prior to 09 i'd never stuttered or slurred my speach, not even a little bit, never even been drunk enough to do it lol. I have, prior to 09 had issues with missing words but i'd always put it down to being too fatiqued never thought it meant anything, well that was until i couldn't communicate with my 09 episode.

hmmm, never had face droop, though i imagine if my face can do anything like my butt has, my ears will be touching when ever i put my hair up in a pony tail. ROFL

Cheers.....JJ

[ErinZoe23]

i always have slurred speech coming up here and there. But on my last attack I had very bad slurred speach and facial droop (not extreme tho) just i guess normal facial droop lol watever that would be!  It went away in about a month tho

[Erin0313]

My speech gets slurred when I am tired or when I am having a flare.

The doctors answer was that since it isn't constant to use it as a sign to go to bed and sleep or rest.

Erin :)

[LATW]

Very slight on one side.  Speech therapist said I have trouble pronouncing some words but did not mention slurred speech.  

LA dx'd 2008