Aphasia or something else?

[Corriel]

Hi folks, I hope everyone is almost finished with their Christmas shopping. :)

I have been randomly experiencing some cognitive issues over the last 4 weeks but I can't seem to pinpoint what they are or what to call them so bear with me while I try to explain.

1) Using incorrect words that aren't related to what I am trying to say. For instance I was talking about something and my friend said "Who/what is Hershey?". I have no idea why I said Hershey and it didn't have any meaning to me or was even close to what I wanted to say. Unless I had a monster chocolate craving, which may be plausible.

2) Typing incorrectly when I know what I am looking for.  For example, a search for something for "early MS" and typed "early earring" instead. That one seems to happen fairly frequently.

3) Driving a familiar route home and looking around thinking I don't know where I am or where to go next.

4) Being given direction for a task at work and either misunderstanding or not remembering something completely so I am not getting the job done accurately.

I had a neuropsych eval done over a year ago and verbal expression was really strong but my short-term memory and visuospatial were low and I am not sure what I am experiencing is even related.

I think my largest lesion is probably the one causing these issues and it's a 2 cm x 8 mm confluence in my left parietal lobe. There are also quite a few lesions on both sides of the corpus callosum.

Are these difficulties I am having some sort of aphasia or does it sound like something else?

Confused,

Corrie

[jensequitur]

Don't be afraid to tell your boss about your problems. Better to say something now than get in trouble because your performance isn't up to snuff.

[Corriel]

Thanks so much folks!

I have been really tired so I am hoping this cog fog is temporary but it is a little uncomfortable at work. I am frequently required to proofread or create documents to be submitted for legislation and some days it is so difficult to make sure I am not missing something.

I have noticed that my attention is easily diverted though and I am having trouble reading which is my favorite hobby. Sigh.

More adjustments to be made I think.

C.

[davincidanes]

I have similar issues, though not real serious yet.  It is the main reason why I would prefer to message family & friends via typing rather than talk on the phone.  Sometimes the words don't come out right or the train of thought trails off, and it's too hard to try to talk right.  One of my friends asked why don't I call her more often, and it's hard to explain, but I really don't like hearing myself talk.  :(

[4happygnomes]

I totally have this too!  I used to be very articulate and a fast typer...now I'm saying the wrong words all the time, have big pauses in conversation to try to find the right word and have to check and re-check whatever I type for mistakes.  Bums me out and confuses the heck out of my kids!

[supermum_ms]

hmmmmm strange but true, the word 'dishwasher' has become my code word for just about any home appliance. My son has gotten very good at guessing which appliance i actually meant to say but often we're laughing our heads off, at the wacky sentence it's turned into, when i've used the word dishwasher instead lol.

I catch my self 'sometimes' and pause whilst my brain is hunting down the right noun, weirdly still my brain will often keep coming up with 'dishwasher' even though i already know its wrong and i have to start hunting it down again. It's like my inner dialogue has turned me into Dory from Finding Nemo.......dishwasher oops wrong word (just keep swimming, just keep swimming) ooohhhhooo i know dishwasher errr not that word (just keep swimming, just keep swimming) ooohhhhooo i know dishwasher.......etc (*_*)  

Communication issues are generally one of my everyday issues, loosing words is just one part of my communication difficulties. If i'm talking and I can't find a word or the pause is going on way too long, i have to ask "what's the word for"........describe the thingy or define the word i want, someone will say the word i've lost and I then keep going with what i was saying. lol conversations can be really hilarious or totally confusing!

I don't drive much these days, if i'm not driving my son directly to and from school (one year to go whoooohooooo) everyone freaks out with the idea i wont be able to physically drive my self back home again, okay sure it's a very plausible concept lol but i've so far not got my self lost.......though i have been distracted by birds fascinatingly flying off the bridge railing in perfect pair formation - ah double vision can cause strangely wondrous sights doh

Having difficulty doing or learning something new is like building something you got from IKEA with only auditory instructions, it'll never come out right! lol Difficulty knowing how to start or learning something new is related to executive brain function and executive dysfunction is one of the cognitive issues that's been noted in MS.

If you're having trouble following or remembering auditory instructions, then it could be related to Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)., there are many tips and tricks on dealing with it, writing down instructions really helps.....  

Cheers.........JJ    

[HVAC]

I have had MS since childhood. However I was not diagnosed until I was in my forties. I have had the same issues all my life. I could not follow directions on a test or on homework. I could not read until my second year of college.

I learned everything by hearing it. I built a large vocabulary because I could not think of words. I was put into special classes. I had teachers speak slowly to me so I could understand. I was six years old when I told a teacher to basically shove it because I did not like being treated like I was stupid. Spelling was really hard. It was before computers so I had real trouble in graduate school.

Later they did my I.Q. and were shocked at my score. Then they decided I must be lazy or belligerant.

My parents punished me greatly for my forgetfulness. I was forever forgetting my homework or getting tests signed. I tried very hard but nothing helped. Even at my mother's death she thought I was a real screw up. I wish my parents had known I had MS. May be it was better because no one gave me consideration and I had to be like everyone else. I had trouble with jobs. I even stopped going out in public except for work.

I learned to make jokes about it. I have learned the harder I try not to mess up the worse it gets. I have learned to relax about it. I would never be hard on anyone else for having these problems but I judged myself harshly.

Really who gets hurt if I can't think of a word or can't spell something? It is not life or death. I still have friends. Real friends understand. Most people really don't notice it the way I do.

None of us is perfect. You have to give yourself a break. I just say to myself life is good. I am the way I am supposed to be.

Alex

[jensequitur]

Yup, just make sure to get plenty of rest and do things slowly. My cognitive problems took a couple of years to heal.

[Corriel]

Thanks Laura! I am taking some time off at Christmas but I may look into taking a bit more.  :)

The last time I had cognitive issues was almost 2 years ago when I was in the diagnostic process and it lasted about 4 months I think. I had different symptoms then though. These latest ones are all new and shiny. Just in time for the holidays I guess....

C.

[Maracamama]

Interestingly, my biggest lesion (although not nearly as big as yours) is in my left parietal lobe and I experienced the same, or similar issues.  At my worst even a simple trip to the grocery store for 2 items could take over an hour since I would get confused and just wander.  

I still have problems with words and sometimes confuse numbers for letters and vice versa but not nearly as bad as it used to be.  Most people who know me have learned to fill in the blank when my choice of words don't make since.

The worst part of my mind troubles lasted many months but hopefully you start thinking clear again sooner.

Hopefully the Christmas break will help (assuming you get time off).

Laura

[Corriel]

Thanks for the responses ladies.

I have been looking into perimenopause but I do not have any other symptoms so who knows?

My frontal lobe lesion has shrunk substantially so the parietal lesion may be the base of things.

Hopefully this goes away soon or I will have to ask for another neuropsych eval.

Thanks again for replying!

Corrie

[jensequitur]

I had a lot of problems with aphasia/dysphasia right after diagnosis. I would mix up words in the same category - 'fridge' instead of 'microwave.' I would also say 'telegraph' instead of 'hotel.' I had the hardest time typing, as all the homonyms would come out. 'Wood' instead of 'would,' for example. Sometimes it was so bad that I couldn't even come up with the sentence I wanted, so I would just not talk.

What's really scary is that I wouldn't hear that I said the wrong word. Hubby would say something: "Did you mean to say " I also picked up a bit of dyslexia - everything I typed had the letters out of order.

Broca's area used to be blamed for aphasia problems, and it's certainly part of the problem. Now that they have better imaging techniques, they've looked at the lab specimens that Broca used for his research and found lesions in other parts of the brain. I know that I have lesions all over, some in the parietal lobe, some in the frontal lobe, and some in the corpus callosum.

Language mix-ups are a very common part of MS, and it's one of the most difficult to deal with - at least if your legs are weak you can sit down.

[tschock]

Have you looked into perimenopause?
I do weird stuff like that quite often too.
My brain has been on vacation without me for some time now.
During pregnancy they call it "babybrain".
For us over 40 they call it "crazy cat lady syndrome"...totally unfair.
It could just be your hormones...and from what I've seen, you're of the right age group to be going through peri...
Then again, I also have ADHD...which would explain things too.
Not sure what you've all been tested for. Sorry.