Jibberish

[Lulu54]

Because I am newly dx'd and have had few symptoms until recently I thought I would try to regularly post what I observe happening with my body, on the chance it might be of use to some of you. I know, no two of us are ever going to be the same with MS but there will be a lot of similarities.  

So here is my new observation - I have learned a new language but don't know what to call it.  This morning while speaking with my husband about today's plans, my mouth began spewing jibberish.  I can't even tell you what it sounded like.  All I know is I knew what I wanted to say, but total nonsense - not even words - came out of my mouth for about 30 seconds..  We both got the giggles and then full blown laughter over it because it was impossible for either of us to remain composed.  

I imagine if this happens to me repeatedly it will not longer be amusing.  

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Native English speaker,
Lulu

[jensequitur]

Lulu, I'd love to write a Health Page, but I never have time!  I have several ideas for health pages, but they're lurking in the wings until I get a few minutes to rub together.  I also don't have a lot of experience with the topic.  We need more experts in here!

[ShadowsSister]

Did you have any other symptoms/? I am so glad that you see your neuro Thursday, but if you start having head pains or anything like that, don't wait until Thursday to get in touch with him OK???
((((~!~))))

[Lulu54]

OMG Rena,
That's exactly what I said to my hubby Saturday morning, except it meant "after the picnic and the game would you like to go to our friends house to play cards or do you have something else in mind that you want to do to kill this perfectly fine day?"  LOL

[Rena705]

I am seeing the neuro/psych on Thursday...will see if I can get any further information on this problem that I am having difficulty with as well.  Usually I have a problem when I am distracted...like in the grocery store I will mean to say to hubby..."do you want chicken for supper?" and it comes out like odjabodakajywompit...of course he says he knows what I meant but not always!! hehe

[Lulu54]

Did you just say you would like to write a health page about speech problems?  Or is my hearing going too?  Seriously I don't know near enough to write a page but if you would be interested I think that's a great idea.  I checked out the wiki page - next I'll let my neuro try to explain.

My best,
Lulu

[Lulu54]

I'm glad to hear someone else understands what I'm talking about - it was so strange I still don't believe it happened.  - Lulu

[jensequitur]

Hey, Lulu -

We need a Health Page on speech problems!  Some of the speech problems are really because of simple cognitive impairment - word finding and word replacement problems go in this box, I think.  

Your gibberish, however, is something else.  Your brain is mixing up the syllables and trying to spit them out in the wrong order.  It's like dyslexia, except of speech instead of written language.

I'm not really sure which area is responsible for that - either Broca's or Wernicke's.  

Here's the Wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broca's_area

I read this extensively when I was having serious word-finding problems.  I don't think this was the cause of my problem, but it might be involved in yours.

[OperaMBA]

Laura and everyone else,

I am so sorry that you guys are going through this!   I know it must be hard for you mouth to start uttering gibberish.

I only do that during FSU games when things aren't going well!

I will pray for this symptom to subside in each of you.

Richard
OperaMBA

[tkchristiansen]

This happened to me last night.  I was telling my step-son (27 and moved in with us about a year ago to go to school) what his responsibilities were to remain with us and what came out was just a slurry of words that left me indignant and him smirking.  You have to have a sense of humor or it will get you down.  tc

[Lulu54]

Thanks for the laugh and the commiseration.  If it had been one or two words of jibberish it wouldn't have been so bad but they just kept coming.  a 30 second string is quite a long time

My best,
Lulu

[julia111]

Lulu,

I can REALLY relate to what you refer to as "jibberish" . . .

. . . although, I haven't had the occasion to go on for as long as 30 seconds as my "pure" jibberish is usually limited to a string of 2 or 3 words.

Some of my other language difficulties include:

-- Substituting wrong word with a word the sounds the same.
   Spoon for Broom;  Light for Night  

-- Substituting wrong word with a word that is in the same category.
   Hand for Hair;  Parents for Teachers

-- Starting a word with the wrong letter
  
I know everyone has the occassion to do this from time to time, but my family and I have had a lot of laughs over my frequent "slips."  I think the thing that makes it bad is that I don't realize I've said the wrong word.

I also do a lot better when I am typing, and I think someone reported recently that there is a correlation between moving your hands and how it helps bring the words you are searching for.  

It makes sense to me as I have really started to use my hands while I talk - even for simple things like drawing an outline of a square if I'm referring to a box  . . .

Thanks for sharing your info. with us.  It is important ... especially since you are diagnosed.  

For me .... with my Fibromyalgia dx. of 12 years - my language/speech symptoms are "subtle signs" in addition to everything else I've experienced in the past year that something else might be going on.

Best dishes orfa grape night! . . . .

. . . in other words "Best wishes for a great day!"

Julia

[Lulu54]

Friday at work I had a day of calling everything by the wrong name, sometimes I was close but lots of times totally off.  My dear office mate says its just that my brain is racing, but please, when I see a nice shirt and I say I like the shoes, it freaks me out.  I can at least hear that I am wrong. Correcting myself was difficult too.  

Then the jibberish of Saturday was so strange.  I'll be talking with the neuro this week and will mention it  Nothing odd with my language has happened today but I feel like the words are coming out in slow motion. I am having to focus to make the sentence come out.  I seem to not have trouble typing what I'm thinking though.

  Thanks for telling me your experiences,
Lulu  

[Deej70]

I'm not diagnosed with anything. (I feel like I should post that on every reply, lol)

I'm recently doing the "going blank" thing.  I can't even think of the word. Or I'll use a word that doesn't fit at all.  Today I told my husband to buckle up my son in the car and I said "could you use that thing over there and put it on him...y'know...that thing there" I had to point to the seatbelt.  VERY VERY VERY scary to have this happen! This is a big reason I'm seeing my neurologist tomorrow, my mind/language problems.

[JulesL5S1]

I'm still in limbo land (silly doctors) however I have noticed speech problems increasing this year.  That was one of my complaints that got me to see a neurologist.  

I've traveled abroad most of my life and have a smattering of multiple languages so common every day phrases I may blurt out in American English, British English, Arabic, Spanish, Japanese or Korean.  So if my words are jumbled I have a good explanation.

What is really happening and a concern for me is I just go blank.  I can't think or say any word.  Even if I think it my voice doesn't coordinate with my brain to say the word.  Sometimes I can't even think of the word.

Example at my recent MRI I had to pantomine with the tech to ask for the knee rest, the ear plugs, the eye mask and the blanket.  I knew what I needed but I couldn't remember those simple items or say them.  I just totally blanked.

This is totally intermittent though.  Last week at work one day I had two major meetings - one to discuss a software project and one to discuss a regulation issue.  Both technical meetings.  It was a miracle.  For both meetings I was at the top of my game.  I was my old articulate self.  I was able to recall all the necessary facts, figures, key players, etc.  For people that didn't know me (I've been in and out due to all these medical problems since January) they thought I was a new genius.  Everyone else was just relieved that the "old me" was back and kept both projects on target.

So intermittent yes.  But the intermittent stage may least several hours or a day or two.  If it is bad then I will stay home.