How often do you find yourself searching your brain for a simple word that you just can't remember? Do you have problems writing, or understanding things you read or hear? If so, you're certainly not alone! This kind of language impairment is a symptom of both fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS).
This language problem is the source of a lot of frustration and embarrassment, and has made some of us unable to read very much, or remember what we have read. This symptom alone can make it hard for some to hold down a job. It's medical name is dysphasia, or in severe cases, aphasia. It's a recognized speech disorder, so you can tell people you have it without having to go into the whole explanation of what FMS and ME/CFS do to our cognitive function. I feel like a broken record saying this, but (of course) no one knows why we get this problem. It's usually associated with brain damage or degeneration from diseases. So far, there's no evidence that FMS or ME/CFS cause this type of degeneration.
As a writer with a lot of public speaking experience, dysphasia drives me crazy! The people closest to me have learned to recognize the signs, so they wait for me to get my words together and continue. I hate talking on the phone, especially to people I don't know.
If dysphasia or aphasia is a major problem for you, talk to your doctor about speech therapies that may help. Here's an article (originally written for stroke patients) that talks about various forms of treatment: Aphasia Treatment
What's your experience with dysphasia/aphasia? Has anything helped you? Leave your comments below, or in About.com's Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum (under Newsletter & Blog Topics.)
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Whilst I do have the above problem, (& find it most embarrassing & frustrating), I find another speech difficulty to be even worse.
Does anyone else spout gibberish, when they’re not even trying to communicate anything? It usually happens to me when I am having what I call a ‘jerky attack’ (some kind of seizure, with huge jerking movements coming from my very centre), & seems to be unprovoked. Last night when it was happening I noticed that I was still thinking in English, even though what was coming out of my mouth was anything but… When I was finally able to speak again, (which was only after a VERY long time), my words were very slow & spaced out – as if I’d had a stroke. My Dr has no idea of what is happening, so I would be really relieved to find I wasn’t the only one it was happening to!
(I have had M.E. for 34 years, & this has been happening at sporadic intervals throughout that time.)
I always feel extremely tired afterwards, after all the involuntary jerking. I’ve noticed over the years, that these episodes often end with a huge yawn.
Does this happen to other M.E. patients?
Yes, this happens to me. I have fibromyalgia- and at times my husband says i’m talking like i’m Chinese or something. I have been diagnosed since 2008 and recently started w/jerky, involuntary movements from time to time. I don’t know why this happens but nothing seem to provoke it in my case.
I experience this speech impedimant all the time and I’ve been ill for a decade this coming March. It’s like I forget what it is I’m saying or the point I’m trying to make and/or the specific word to tie it all in. It’s nuts just as trying to explain it above may not make sense.
I as well can’t stand talking on the phone to someone I don’t know and it seems to advance my leakage of energy rapidly almost as much as when sunlight hits my skin. I think it’s simply when you’re talking to someone you don’t know you have to acheive a greater degree of concentration – who knows!
As far as the “jerky attack” the other comment relayed I get those all the time but typically right when I’m about to fall asleep. At times I’ve thrown the remote across the room from the “spasm” – other times I could swear my entire body comes off the bed it’s so intense. And yes it seems to come from right in the trunk of my body.
Despite being ill this long I moved almost 5 years ago to Texas and I’m still finding it difficult finding doctors out here. It’s just sad to be a productive individual person my entire life and now to be looked at like a hypochondriac that is just ageing!
I have experienced this–and it was the lack of being able to articulate, assimilate, and relay information that stopped me midway through a PhD program. While other symptoms had existed for years, this one was, and is, one of the more devastating.
Wow, I am so happy to see this discussed! As someone who has always excelled at anything language-related, this is one of the most frustrating parts of the Fibro for me.
I struggle to find words, substitute the wrong ones, and speak in gibberish. another thing I’ve noticed is that wehn I’m tired or stressed or flaring, my brain will just grab a word, no matter what language it is! I am not fluet in anything other than English, but I know a little bit of about 6 languages. I have to apologise to my friends, family, and SO because I will randomly use other languages for no reason…
Wow our brains are weird!!
DR and others,
Here’s a forum post that has a lot more information on the cognitive problems we have and covers some of the things you’ve mentioned:
Cognitive Deficits
I have FM and the aphasia that goes with it. I can leave my keys on the bed but I can’t find the word “bed” so I say “it’s on that thing we sleep on upstairs” or “it’s on that square thing in the middle of the living room we put stuff on”. Ask me the same question ten minutes later and I have no problem finding “bed” or “coffee table”.
I found a work around that may help others. If I see a picture of the object in my mind, the word just pops into my head. So if hubby says “where are your keys” and I’ve lost the word, I bring a clear image of our bed into my minds’ eye. Then the word for bed just pops into my head. It’s as if the word for bed is a computer file and for some reason I temporarily cannot access it from the directory I’m in which is the oral representation of the object. So I go to another directory-the visual representation of the object-and I can find my way from the picture back to the word. Describing the bed doesn’t help, I have to be able to look at the visualization of the object in my head. This works almost all of the time. When I lose a word, I pause for just a few seconds and then I’m able to continue talking. It works best for nouns, of course. When it comes to descriptive words, which can’t always be pictured in your mind clearly, it works less well. If I’m watching TV and I want to say to hubby “wasn’t that last scene nauseatingly anvilicious?” and I can’t find the word “anvilicious” I can’t bring up a picture of it. So hubby guesses the word and it ends up being a guessing game.
I’m a writer and I lose words all the time. MSWord’s thesaurus is my best friend. I search for adjectives with close meanings and then click through the thesaurus until I find the lost word. My thesaurus is my mind’s lost and found department.
I had CFS & Fibro for 15 years before getting better. I don’t have true brain fog anymore & I use my brains in writing and for my blog & podcast a lot each day. Pure tiredness does not throw me into an episode of mis-speaking a name, but stress often does. And a combination of tiredness & stress… watch out! Then at odd times, it shows up like a new pimple. But all in all, this symptom is pretty much gone & that’s good. Now, once again, I’m talking and writing for a living. I hope this personal account helps and encourages someone.
I actually forgot my child’s birth date at the drug store when picking up a prescription. I know they thought I was nuts!
Thanks for a great article! I have a really hard time speaking in an organized fashion. And I find that when I get frustrated or anxious or depressed (which is pretty often lately) its even worse. I especiallly run into trouble when I go to the Doctor! I either can’t remember it or can’t say it so they will understand. I find that I can write much better than I can speak about something. So when I go to the doctor, I always have notes that are very detailed and sometimes I just write them like a letter and ask if I can just read it to them. So far, no one seems to mind either!
I have the same symptoms that you have mentioned. Nice to know I’m not the only one! I think I’m much better at communicating through writing than speaking, too.
I do better at writing as well. I, too, have written in a letter form all my symptoms and just read it or given it to the dr.
I was surprised to read JC’s comment because I, too, was derailed from a PhD program because I could no longer think, assimilate, or write. I’ve had Fibro for about 5 years and it has steadily robbed me of the life I had…
Hi My name is Lulu and I had an accident two years ago I felt from a ladder and I damage my neck and had a surgery last year a fusion in c4 and c5 as a result I got fibromyalgia but I can’t even do anything in my house because if i clean my house i will get pain all over my body that i had to be on bed for two days ,,,What can I do? its this going to be worse.?
Its this going to be worse than I am? I m taking cymbalta and lyrica and a muscle relaxer and a slipping pilss? what can I do? also Im doing pool therapy ,,,,please let me know how are you take care of this pain?
I keep thinking this is linked to sleep and fatigue. I just found it so interesting when a very attentive sleep doctor quietly assured me that I would re-gain some of my cognitive function when I was on sleep meds. He told me it would take a few months of improved sleep.
Well, I don’t think my sleep improved enough that it’s back to “normal” but I am doing better, thankfully. I don’t know if he was referring to memory difficulties (tho memory could play a role in ‘recalling’ the right words) or to other cognitive functions. He said that sleep apnea patients often have cognitive problems as well, before they start getting treatment.
I still have to chuckle a bit when I recall telling mom not to call my aunt because she was out vacuuming the lawn. Or, when I walked into a room at work and stood there, looking puzzled — walked out hoping that my co-worker hadn’t realized something was wrong. I looked at her and said… “Brain…” (long pause) “Dead.” (pause and a smile lights up my face), “BRAIN DEAD!” I was happy to recall the right word… but after I realized what that must have looked like, I started laughing. My co-worker teases me sometimes, but it’s ok. I do sometimes get upset when something like this happens, like I’ve let myself down somehow — but it’s not my fault. It’s just the illness.
I am so relieved to read here that others share this speech/brain fog issue……………I have this almost daily with things I shouldnt forget also…and it is embarrassing to say the least……some people have acted way outta line at times in the past with this and I allowed myself to feel really stupid and humiliated. The worst being is I love the english language and words and their meanings….& always loved to write when younger…..but sometimes I simply cannot for the life of me remember my phone number, or my SS number, or other stuff I know all too well MOST of the time….and when I feel panicky from forgetting….it makes it all that much worse.
What I try ( ‘try’ being the operative word here) to do today is laugh at myself also rather then apologizing for my ‘Lucy moment’…..or……say something like,” Its my first day with my new brain….or even still……” WHO’S babysitting me today!!?” ( I just wanted to see if you were paying attention is another winner….) And ,after making light of the whole thing…if I dont feel better, I just try to shrug it off cuz having all these rotten symptoms everyday, all day, is ENOUGH of a burden….I certainly dont need to add to it.
Hope I have helped someone out there with my humorous way of handling such a delicate problem for us all…..
I hate phone calls with people that I don’t know. I get flustered and can’t get out a coherent answer. With friends and relative it’s not as bad, but I prefer instant messenging or email. I hate long conversations on the phone. I get fatigued and confused and words don’t come out right.
I have SPMS + FMS. Great combination.
Peace & Serenity,
Maris in Israel
I have this all this time also. It helps to have a great sense of humor and a husband who understands. I can usually get the first letter…so we have a “game” and just sound out some words or make up a new word for it…takes the stress out of searching for the right word.
I have FM probably since childhood — although it took until 2006 (55 y.o.) for a diagnosis! I have always found words quite unrelated to what I am saying finding their way into my sentences; also forgetting simple words and totally mixing up information/forgetting stuff.
My sons used to call me “Mrs. Malapropism”!
I have never been a book reader even though I read everything else in sight. I think it is because I have a comprehension problem which has to do with my inability to retain information that I am reading over a period of time. So if I have to take a comprehensive test — I do miserably. Or if I have to transfer information from one document to another — cut and paste has become a life saver.
In school I was always labeled an “under achiever”. I think it was because the FM caused me to have a learning disability.
The speech stuff does improve with better sleep and less stress – my brain is much clearer. When I say a wrong word I don’t let it throw me but work to change my sentence if I can, and somehow my brain has done a better job accommodating.
My kids patiently correct me when I make obvious mistakes — I apologize, thank them for the correction. Do I feel stupid — yes; but beating myself up for it won’t help anything. I do get frustrated if I get into a “tangle” with someone about my memory of an event vs. their’s knowing that sometimes I am right! My credibility is not good.
I am lucky to have supportive husband, friends in addition to my sons.
When I was working — I wrote everything — EVERYTHING — down. And when I filed my EEO disability discrimination grievance/lawsuit it made management furious! So they fired me (retaliation). It is a good thing I have all of those notes!
It is so, so helpful to read that other’s have the same kinds of struggles. Thank you for sharing.
Just saw this..Excellent!
Managing Fibrofog – The Cognitive Dysfunction of Fibromyalgia
by Dr. Mark J Pellegrino, MD*
March 16, 2009
http://tinyurl.com/c9og8l
I am SO glad to have read this, I cried! This has been the most frustrating thing for me. My intelligence has always been my best (ACK! attribute?). I’ve always dumbed down the large vocabulary I use before I speak, but now I can’t do that because I can’t find the word in my head TO dumb down.
I forget words all the time. I too, need to “see” a picture in my mind to help me remember the word. But I can often get the first letters, too.
But my word substitution is just the oddest thing! I will sometimes use a synonym, and that’s great; nobody knows but me. But once I used “tomato” in place of “strawberry”. I try to use humor, and that was a good one. But one time I told it, the strawberries became watermelons. A month later, I was looking for strawberries at the store, and wondered out loud, “Now where are the cherries?” Well, at least I consistently choose red food! Aren’t our brains odd?
I have problems sometimes understanding words, speaking and reading a completely different word than what is actually printed on the page. My most perplexing problem is something altogether different. It seems to happen every year in the change of season either from Spring to Summer or Summer to Fall. I get something like Bels Palsy on the right side of my face and my tongue spasms and won’t make the proper shapes for words. I sound like a stroke victim. The first time it happened was a couple of years ago and it lasted until August. This past Summer it was a lot shorter but it still happened. During stressful times it seems to start in a mild form but never develops fully. Anybody else have this problem? Is there any information about this?
Thanks for your post!!!About 3 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with Bells Palsy on the right side of my face…it was slight. I had a small droop of the mouth and also an ear infection. At the time of the “attack”, I also had swelling on my palm under my thumb. It turned purple and hurt. Both the mouth and hand got better within about 20 minutes. They did the standard treatment for Bells Palsy. What is alarming to me is the speech problem. I am still having some excess saliva. I will switch words like Monday for money…or coax or coach…or gonna for going…or dames for days. I could say more, I just can’t remember them all. It has happened every day since the onset. My dr. ordered a ct scan of the brain and blood work. I have been wanting to sleep more on some days. Will this go away? I will post when I get the test results.
This is a real eureka moment for me. I regularly lose words half way through speaking and resort to describing the item like Maureen_in_Mukilteo. I regularly forget how to spell simple words drawing a complete blank and I regularly replace words with the wrong word like dn527 said.
I think the most major thing I have noticed is that I really have to think about what I’m about to say, almost practising it in my head before hand to be sure it makes sense and even ties into the conversation. The number of times I’ve added something to a conversation and then in hind sight realized it didn’t actually make any sense…very embarrassing.
Thanks for this article…so nice to know I’m not alone!
Ugh. Jane, I’m always saying the wrong thing in a conversation! It is crazy embarassing, and then ppl start avoiding/feeling sorry for you.
I need a T-shirt to explain that having a conversation with me is like talking to someone on a cell phone when they go into a tunnel and then come out the other end. (what did she just say? … ;/).
I to loose words or say the wrong ones.At first I thought it was just me. It’s a good thing my husband, daughter and best friend know me so well or they wouldn’t have a clue what I’m talking ablut/
I will start to tell them something any by the time the description is finished I have forgotten what I was talking about in the first place. I just laugh and say I forot what I was talking about.
I put strange words where they dodn’t belong and go into this long spirel of trying to tell them what I am looking for, or thinking or trying to tell them.
I also mix up letters when typing and put things in the wrong place.
It’s really strange but , I am a licensed wildlife rehabber and when I am dealing one of my animals or my pets I can do what heeds to be done while the words coming out of my mouth make no sense. The only time it relly bothers me is with some one who has brought be a wild baby and they look at me like I’m nuts and should I leave this animal with this nut. Luckily I have a gret reputation with people and it has spread by word of mouth. I just look at them and I have no idea what I just said but really do know what I’m doing. and laugh. If I have a lot buns I just put it up to stress
But I have noticed that stress really makes a difference and I’m stressed all the time so I just laugh a lot let it go. I just kind of stop and reconoiter9 Like they do in the army when they are under attack). I’m not sure I used the right word or spelled it correctly.
I have burned up so many pots because I was trying to boil water and yesterday I had started to put water in the kitchen sink, the washer was going and so was the dishwasher ( the electric co must have loved me that day) /////When for some reason I looked over at the sink and I had soap suds rising high and the sink had run over and the counters were full of water .
I’m amazed that so many of us have this affliction. It gets frustrating at times, but I have a family with a sense of humor. When they see me struggling with a word, they say…..”Sounds like?” and then we do a charades type game until I get the word or someone guesses it. It is very annoying during a job interview!!!
I also have the same problems. the phone calls, the word loss. I get through half a conversation and have no idea what im talking about so I just run with it as much as i can. sometimes i feel like i run out of words and i just stop talking mid sentence and pretend it never happened.
I had to pass on a message to my mum that her pharmacist had called, i could recall the conversation, Picture the actual chemist, but when my mum asked what the message was all i could get out was ‘pills’ thats it.
English is my husbands second language so i use the excuse that i’ve been picking up his bad english.
Anyway, i try to make the best of it and have a laugh when i can!!!
i find it so hard for me to remember as i used to be. this happen long time ago and i taught it is the pain that cause the problem. sometimes i can’t even say drawer i will just say the thing that my underware are. i was really frrustrated but i sad it might be the drugs that i’m using.
It was hard for mr to even remember what i read for my exams and did not know whats my problem.
I read your article from a link from a newsletter I get. I have a twin sister who has FM & CFS (She got me in the twin study in Seattle WA & I found I can relate to the “syndrome symptoms”, I do have hashimoto’s & what I call an intolerance to stress-causes “aggravation of syndrome symptoms”). Anyway I have been experiencing various “cognitive querks” as I call them including the dysphasia which you wrote about. What helps me cope is I look for these same “cognitive querks” in others. I usually don’t have to look to hard. This helps me feel that I’m not alone, getting azhiemers or dementia. As long as everyone else is experiencing the same problems I feel better eventhough my doctor had dictated in his notes I have minimal brain dysfunction. As long as everyone else has it I can then cope with humor & feeling everyone else is in the same boat. I know there are some out there who may not be experiencing these symptoms but I’m seeing many more who do. As long as there are others out there who experience the same thing then I don’t stand out like a sore thumb. Call it “brain fog, fibro fog, brain fart, oldtimers, memory lapse, failed working memory, working memory not working, minimal brain dysfunction, ADD, processing disorder” or whatever term someone may call it, I truely think a lot (or at least most of the people I’m around) has it. Is it environmental or something in our food or the demands in society today? I’m convienced it’s a factor. Humor is a good coping skill. Pets make good companions. They don’t care if we call a piano a phone or a phone a piano. They accept us as we are & love us unconditionally.
30 years of F.M. As a pre teen my vocab. was good english. Thru these F.M. years I have had to talk like a yob.just to have a conversation as resourcing words and constucting sentences was impossabile.Yob is australian for probably yokel?in America.Now that I have a Buprenorphine 5mg patch on ever day, use high dose of Gabapentin I have days when my long forgot self emerges and I talk and talk and all those long forgotton words come forth and I feel joyous. The Gabappentin taken before going to sleep brings that deep sleep so missed for all those years and I rise from my bed without effort or tears. A lovely dialouge in the movie Phoebe in Wonderland ,goes something like this. ” We think we have no hope and we move on then realise we DID.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry while reading this article and associated comments. Fibro-dysphagia is a new term to me, despite my twenty-six years in the nursing profession. I’ve always associated dysphagia with stroke patients or brain injured patients…
I am, however, all too familiar with the symptoms. Recently my occupational health doctor performed a ‘memory test’ to ascertain whether this memory thing is a problem or just a nuisance. Needless to say I passed with flying colours and felt like screaming because it gave no indication of the frustration or distress that it causes me.
I’ve known for the past seven or so years about fibro-fog and cognitive impairment. I’ve suffered with them both. It’s almost a relief to read this article, because now I know that I’m not imaging loosing my extensive and fluent vocabulary.
Now I know the reason for talking gibberish occasionally and thank God for my kids having a sense of humour and understanding. Although, like you I thank God each day for my diagnosis, I am still suffering the trauma’s of its implications on my life style and quality of life.
After four years I am probably going to return to work in a busy operating department. This is the only way that I can prove to myself, my employers and the department of social welfare that I am genuinely suffering with an illness. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but I will at least be able to tell people about Fibro-dysphagia and hope for some understanding.
Thank you for lifting my spirits on a dark day involving a fibro-flare, lack of motivation and fatigue…
I am interested in knowing if it is mainly nouns that are evasive. I’ll say,for example, ‘I need a…”then blank. Is this a common experience?
From Adrienne: It does seem like most of us primarily have trouble with nouns, which is called nominal aphasia. ~Adrienne
Classic example yesterday – i told my boyfriend that I wished I drank coffee ‘’so I could drink from a proper teacup on a proper…oh you know..that thing….that thing you put teacups on…..’
I could see the item perfectly visually in my head, but couldn’t get the word saucer, not till he told me. I have an Oxford degree in English, and I couldn’t put a word to a picture at pre school level!
What is going on with us.
Wow. I’m still trying to figure out if I have CFS or FM. Neurotherapist says CFIDS, not sure if that covers it all. One daughter has had FM very badly since childhood, so I tend to minimize my own symptoms. But this language thing, I didn’t realize it was so connected. I’ll mean to say one word and something else pops out (”I put the letter in the suitcase”, instead of “mailbox”). I will lose the word momentarily and use a description instead (”Look in the thing that you put food in to keep it cold” i.e. refridgerator). Or I stop midsentence because I can’t think of the word. And yes, it’s usually a noun. And I thought everyone mixed up their kids names all the time (I can be thinking the right one and the other pops out). I can’t remember how long it’s been going on (what memory?), but over 30 years. My family and I usually think it’s just funny and quirky, but I don’t do a lot of public speaking either. It hasn’t really interferred with my quality of life, but I suspect my symptoms may be milder than many. I don’t think I get the gibberish thing. Usually just missing or substituting a single word here and there. Probably happens about once or twice a day. Although given my memory it could be worse than I’m remembering!
Oh how wonderful it feels to be among friends!!!!I have resorted to using the phrase “Pay no attention to the woman behind the curtain!” That’s how I feel most days, like I’m in OZ! LOL. I am grateful for a husband who has a really bizarre sense of humor….he keeps me laughing and makes me feel funny not ill because of this !@#%&*”"?! illness( choose whatever word fits for you!). I, like so many of you, hate to talk on the phone to an unknown. Since I have run the budget for us for over 32 yrs., talking on the phone has always been part of the deal. Not anymore, I cannot handle it and my husband has graciously taken over that aspect of household business.(I am so very grateful, because I don’t think I can deal with stunned silence over the phone from someone I’m trying to do business with after I have told them that I would like to change my birth date to a different day when I meant due date!!! ) I have learned to laugh at and with myself, beats crying and releases those wonderful little “endorfinks” that enhance the mood! But I have to agree with so many of you who feel like their lives have turned upside down and they have! I am recognized as disabled by the government( how nice!) so I am on SSD but I would much rather be at work, crazy as it sounds, than where I am now! I see so many out there with far worse trials than I have, I try to count my blessings( they are many) but there are days…..:”(
OMG Love this page! I too used to dumb down words as a teen cos my local friends thought I was being too ‘posh’ but even then I got easily confused (always put it down to being quite hyper). Then started having children and put it down to pregnancy when it got worse. Now they bring their friends round and I call them ALL by completely different names and spout complete rubbish (surprised their friends come back they all smile politely-leaving me paranoid what they say when I remove myself from the situation). Been scrolling through all symptoms of FMS as had depression from age 14 (treated from age 25) complete with all types of random pains (drives hubby up the wall) and now at a point where the pains are not to bad (my back even straightened up during pragnancy) depression is only big problem during those PMT times (though I sometimes get them AFTER!!) and my mood swings are less often or drawn out than they were (at the moment). As good as all this sounds my brain couldn’t remember my sister-in-laws name when I introduced her to a person I’d only met the day before! And the last month my entire family have been enjoying my constant gibberish! (Glad they find it funny) My sleep hasn’t been as restful either and my neck had a weird fit in the night and woke me and hubby up at 3.30 due to my whining in my sleep! Son is also doing better as his year7 maths than me (I did electronic engineering and had thought my maths was pretty good!)
i have only been diagnosed for 18 mths, but i think ive had fms for years.a lot of my pain was fobbed off as “growing pains” when i was young . then as i got older it was “just doing too much” or” young mums tend to get pain and fatigue”. well now im in my late 30’s i find my speech and mind is jumbled.i feel like i have dementia sometimes. im still finding out so much, but to know this speech thing is a fms thing is a relief…
I’ve only recently been diagnosed with FM but it is so strange all these symptons that are related to this. It seems that I’m reading my life story reading everyone else’s comments regarding not being able to remember what they’ve read and forgetting words and what the conversation was about. I really thought I was going mad. I feel better that I’m not on my own, but it is still horrible and very hard to make anyone else understand what we’re going through. It can be very depressing and I feel a lot of pressure trying to act “normal”, but I try to keep my sense of humour. Good luck to you all out there.
I was diagnosed with Fibro, myofacial pain syndrome and chronic fatigue 10 years ago, I didn’t think anything of it, didn’t research it, just kept working and pushing myself through it. I would sleep 20 minutes of a half hour lunch, fall asleep standing up looking at the computer and have so much pain. I was also diagnosed with Lupus 2 years ago and it is in remission now.
Now I am in a beyond stressful time of my life with my job, my ex, my house etc and my symptoms are out of control. I look at the computer at work and can’t figure how to turn it on, or what my job is, or what my co-workers names are….so I’m taking a break from work temporarialy to get better.
I also have the parthesia (sp?) the numbness, tingling in hands, feet, arms….ugh!
It’s good to know that I’m not alone.
OMG it’s SO awesome to come across you folks! I’ve been suffering from “slippery brain” for years lol. I was Dxd with FM 6 years ago.
I was talking to my 11 YO son yesterday and told him to put his clothes in the dishwasher and turn it on. The look on his face was utter amazement. When I asked him why he was just standing there he shrugged and started toward the kitchen with his clothes LOL! His response was “well, dad said to do whatever you told me to” !! I had a quick discussion with DH lol!
My 8 yo is so used to it that he actually knows what I’m trying to say the moment I have difficulty talking. He tells his friends “don’t mind her, she’s just old” OMG! I’m ONLY 42!!
I have recently realized that all these fatigue, memory and speaking issues I’ve been experiencing for decades are fibromyalgia and my symptoms were getting worse. I sell technical devices in a showroom setting. I have been forgetting what I’m saying in the middle of sentences, just losing words and frequently drawing a blank when asked a question. These delays are for several seconds or more. I also cannot spell correctly or do even simple math. Every customer I help gets a survey to “grade me” on my interaction! I thought I would lose my job when I found a remedy through my diet. Here it is, I eat NO sugar or sweetener of any kind, not even artificial, eat NO fruit of any kind (except a little lemon juice) and eat almost NO carbs. Basically I eat meats of all kinds, eggs, certain cheeses, lots of green veggies and small amounts of nuts. I feel I have about a 90% improvement in cognitive and speech skills.This diet also gives me a hundred fold more energy! I could tell a difference in 3-4 days.
must look at this and get big save , just clicks away
Speech dysphasia could be a symptom of CAPD. Central auditory processing Disorder.
Thank you all for your comments. I have exactly the same symptoms and thought i was losing it. Finally got diagnosed last December. I gave up my 25 year career three weeks ago because I couldn’t talk in technical terms any longer and my sense of humor had taken me as far as I could go. The memory issue has caused me much pain and problems too. I am now looking for what will come in my new life.