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Avatar universal

Stuttering???

Hello to you all, I have recently been diagnosed with RRMS and am waiting to start on Copaxone.  In the mean time, I have noticed that I've started to stutter, not all the time, mainly when I am tired.  I had an episode last night and my husband thought I was playing but I broke down in tears and was horrified.  Needless to say he felt extremely bad when he realized that it wasn't on purpose and that I couldn't help it.  Is this common in MS?  Is this something that I should mention to my Neuro?  Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
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Avatar universal
Yes I do it too . Stuttering stammering slurring
Helpful - 0
1196859 tn?1266134938
My mother, who has MS, slurs like she's had one too many to drink.  I tend to stutter, or lose words.  My typing even stutters.  I'm a grammar/spelling nazi so I check everything ten times before I send it but even so sometimes my typing comes out almost nonsensical.  

My best friend, who is worse than I am at being a grammar/spelling nazi, used to pick on me when I mistyped.  He doesn't anymore but he isn't sure if he should even mention when I use the wrong word or typo particularly bad.  I've told him to tell me anyway because I want to know how often if happens, in case I don't realize, so that I can keep track of symptoms to tell my neuro.  I left him a voice mail the other day and I thought that I sounded silly but rational and he called me because he had no idea what I was trying to say.  It's really frustrating when you sound normal to yourself and weird to others.

I've started playing more word games online than I used to in order to try and force my brain to retain my vocabulary.
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
I spent several months with the same problem - calling things by the wrong word, not being able to come up with the name of something.  I've just kept at it - forcing my brain to  think of the word, or if I can't, then getting somebody else to help me, and then repeating it to myself.  You can definitely relearn!
Helpful - 0
987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
I first stuttered last year, never in my life had i ever had difficulty communicating, i'm a talker lol. I also lost all my nouns, very weird to not be able to name anything or anyone. it was alarming and confusing to just suddenly start walking like a drunk string puppet, not knowing what something i've known for ever was called and on top of that stuttering and slurring the words i did find.

One thing i've always known and that is stuttering gets worse under duress, it needs to be interupted to stop it, do nothing and the record will keep skipping and the more distressed you feel the worse it will be.

The key is knowing its happening, which doesn't always occur, sometime the brain doesn't recognise its stuck and needs a kickstart. Remaining calm, stop talking, take a calming breath, say the word in your head and then start talking again. The more you do it the easier it becomes. I believe in brain plastisity, the brains ability to rewire neuro pathways, if it can it will but it needs help, it takes repetition, determination and even tricks.

Speach therapy helps, check out cured articulation, heaps online and books on how to do it at the library. Sing, Sing and Sing! I know i sound like a dieing bagpipe and would never ever sing in company but i was singing loud and proud everytime i drove, or was alone, practise practise practise.

I had also lost my nouns so i also played naming games, i noticed i didn't seem to have a problem thinking the right word but it didn't roll off my tongue right, the word would disapear or stutter when i tried to say it. The more i did it the easier it was to control, understand the when and how it occured and to think how i was going to over come this.

I strongly believe in staying calm, acceptance of this moment and focusing on what works for you in order to garnish change, no matter how small those changes might be. I did ask the neuro what caused acquired stuttering (cause it sure wasn't developmental) and loss of nouns, and all i got was they still didn't have a comprehensive understanding of what part of the brain affected language, he had no idea why. Left brain controls language, numeracy, writing, speach, reading, and even coordination, I think thats right but it seems they still dont have it pinned down to what is controlled by where on the left.

Cheers........JJ

PS. I'm not dx  

  
Helpful - 0
293157 tn?1285873439
Hi, yes this happens to me alot of the time...not always, but if I'm trying to get something out... it will either be I start to stutter, or can't find the word I'm looking for.  

and when I start to repeat, or stutter... I have to stop and start over slower... just like Jen.

take care and let your Neuro know...write it down in your timeline
wobbly
dx
Helpful - 0
335728 tn?1331414412
Hi there...I don't believe we have met but my name is Rena and I have SPMS.  I too have a problem with my speech and have even been questioned as to whether I am inebriated or not!  In the beginning it is very frustrating but soon you will learn to laugh at it most of the time as I have.  My husband says he can read my mind because sometimes the stutter just won't stop and I can't get what I want to say out so he (for the most part) finishes my sentences for me.

I know this is frustrating but please mention it to your neuro and hopefully this probles will be limited to when you are tired...as is now the case with myself.  Good Luck!

Lots of Hugs,
Rena

Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
Thanks J- that was a very interesting link.  I am going to a SLP on Friday to do a speech evaluation.  I feel like I have a stutter or obvious break in my speech pattern.  

I also find the harder I push myself to get it right, the worse it becomes :-)

Lulu
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you to you all!!!  I'm glad that I'm not alone...Is there a specific part of the brain where the lesion(s) might be that would affect speech?  Just wondering if one of the lesions previously identified on my MRI is in this area...Thanks again
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
This may help - we're suffering from what is known as neurogenic stuttering.  (reading the article...)  It goes along with aphasia and dysarthria...  Palilia and anomia too!  I've had all of those, including palilalia - the repeating of a word or phrase over and over again.

http://www.stutteringhelp.org/DeskLeftDefault.aspx?TabID=81
Helpful - 0
338416 tn?1420045702
Yeah, I'll start stuttering and can't stop.  I have to stop myself and say it very slowly.  Sometimes it feels like my brain is just stuck.
Helpful - 0
1080243 tn?1262975363
To raekay:

This only happens to me whem I am over tired and if I feel stressed.
I know its upsetting but try not to worry about it and hope the episodes are few and far between.


take care tarter
Helpful - 0
1028079 tn?1267065621
I do that sometimes. Mostly when I am tired too. I just hope it doesnt get worse. I can barely find the right words to say anyway and to stutter the wrong words is even worse!
Yes, mention to your Neuro. IMO
Helpful - 0
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