Speech problems

[Deb12345]

Hello all,
I am getting very worried that my speech is getting worse. Fair enough I haven’t been the best at my language English but since my first tonic-clonic last year I am finding it harder and harder to pronounce words. Simple or hard words, getting me very frustrated with myself. I am getting very frightened and put it down to epilepsy and stress. My memory seems also affected. Has anyone else had speech problems since having epilepsy? So far I have only had 5 tonic-clonics but I think they lasted longer than an average persons seizure(?). Thank you for your time.
Kind Regards
Debbie

[epileric]

My problem isn't in pronouncing words but ever since I stopped taking keppra I forget the easiest, most basic words at least once a day. More if I"m tired.

[Rae1889]

I don't have trouble pronouncing, but i have trouble putting together a sentence if I forget the word I'm looking for. like proper instead of prepare. and then not sure if prepare is a word.. things like that

[Nakamova]

Which med are you on? It could be that it's causing the problem. When I was on Zonisamide my brain would get stuck all the time.

Also it's a good idea to call your doctor to make sure that nothing else is going on.

[dfwtexas]

I am like the others, I have no problem with pronouncing, just remembering words. It's very frustatrating

[triller]

with me it's I know the word I want but can't get it out so I stop and try to think of it sometimes it works sometimes not it does make me feel like I am 4 years old once more good luck and stay well

[valeriedl]

I have problems too thinking what the word is. I can't think of the actual word but I know how to describe the word.

For example I be trying to think of car. I'll I can remember is that it's the thing that's in the garage, you go places in it, you put gas in it...

People think I'm having a sez when I'm doing this (I have before though), but it just drives me crazy that I can't think of the most simple words.

[Brent]

Interesting discussion for me. I am pursuing a PhD in linguistics, so this is right up my area of interest. Thankfully, I don't have speech/language related problems when I'm not actively seizing. That would be rough considering my line of work/study.

I will say this though. I speak several foreign languages and I have notice that as my seizure activity increased, so did the difficulty in finding the right word in any particular language. I have found that I can always come up with the right word, just not always in the right language. Even when speaking my native English, I sometimes will slip in a foreign word when the English word does not come to me, and I am not always aware I have done it.

Also, when I am postictal, sometimes I can't form English sentences, but have no problem with another language (usually French, but sometimes Arabic or Russian). This is particularly weird because I seem to be more adept at the foreign language than I am when I am asymptomatic.

-B

[occb]

Deb -- My partner often can't express what's in his head. The thoughts are there, but he either stutters, or is unable to form the words that are in his brain. At first we wondered if it was a kind of dyslexia (some can affect speech), but he didn't fit the other requirements. I researched a little and discovered this can also be caused by simple partial seizures.

Brent -- If you learned these languages in your adulthood, you use a different part of your brain to process them than if you had learned them as a child. That's why it's often difficult for adults to pick up another language http://www.acfnewsource.org/science/learning_language.html So, if you're having a seizure in your speech centre, you can still speak other languages, because the areas that have acquired those skills are unaffected.

[Deb12345]

Hello again,
Thanks for your replies. Nakamova at the moment I am taking 100mg Lamotrigine (Lamictal). As far as I am aware I don’t seem to have many problems with it other than tiredness, though that could be work related. Been very tired lately and lacking energy, though have only really noticed this since starting full time back to work. During night times I wake up seeing things (like in a dream like state / daze) i.e. building pillars holding up my bedroom ceiling (that would be cool), cats eyes staring at me where my statue should be even though I haven’t got a pet cat, black drifting clouds etc.

Regarding speech: I also have the same problems as above. I always find it hard to find the right word to say or say the wrong word like Rae. Regarding pronouncing the word I can see the word in my mind but can’t say it properly. Whether it’s because sometimes I talk to quickly or think too much who knows but it’s just getting worst. Like triller said “I feel like a 4 year old at times”.

Memory: Yesterday was freaky because my chap was talking to me over the phone and told me that his sister had just qualified for a scholarship which is brilliant news and I was very chuffed for her but it only took me seconds to forget the word scholarship and then I got lost in the conversation because I was trying to remember the word which was frustrating. My Auntie told me that my chap went to her one of the days I wasn’t very well (in hospital) and said to her, I don’t listen to him even though I have tried to explain I have got a crap memory. I do listen very hard but most of the information just drifts away which is so annoying and scary. Since my tonic-clonics last year I forgot important information about my friends and chap, so when I heard the information again it was as though I had never heard it before. My chap wasn’t too pleased and thought I wasn’t interested in his stuff / life. I have glued the information into my head now but worried, if I have another tonic-clonic it will just go away again. Also what scares me is people remember things I have told them which I cannot remember myself. I just look at them blankly and normally say to them, “Did I say that”. They also look at me blankly as though to say, “How can you forget”.

Luckily I see my Neurologist this Tuesday. I would like to chat to him privately about what I have told you guys but know I wouldn’t be able to because my Mom always has to come in and I don’t really want to discuss it in front of her because she thinks I am just being saft. I let my Mom come in because it makes her feel as though she is doing something important for me, even though I am grown up enough to go in on my own. If I turn her away she gets upset / takes it personal. Bless her for caring though. I recon my memory and speech is nothing to worry about but just need reassurance from an expert. My Neurologist did say one of the times I went to see him that the part of the brain where the seizures are taking place does unfortunately affect the memory.

Wow Brent for learning so many languages. Good for you.

Anyways, sorry for the long essay. I always type in word first to make sure everything makes sense and spelling etc is ok, otherwise it would be all over the place. Lol
Enjoy the weekend. Yippee it's Friday!!!!
Best Wishes
Debbie

[Nakamova]

Hi Debbie --

Since 100mg is a relatively low dose of the Lamictal, I'm thinking that the speech problems are more likely to be seizure-related rather than med-related. As occb says above, it might be simple partial or absence seizures at work. I think it's worth talking about with your neurologist even your mom will be there too.

[C0urt]

i transpose words, or will put words in the wrong place when I am tired.
and I cant put words with concepts sometimes.

[Brent]

If you learned these languages in your adulthood, you use a different part of your brain to process them than if you had learned them as a child.

That is partly true. Psycholinguistic evidence suggests that Broca's and Wernicke's areas (areas commonly associated with productive and receptive aphasia when damaged) are actively engaged when producing languages acquired both primarily (at a young age) or secondarily (generally after about age 10). Of course, there are also a number of other areas that are engaged regardless of the language (auditory and motor centers for example).

When comparing primary language with secondary language, the contrast mainly lies with two issues. First, primary language is stored in such a way as to be more integrated with the memory or concept of the object discussed. This makes it difficult to isolate a primary "language center". Also, secondary language is typically (but not always) produced by a very different process.

Typically, when we are talking about speech production, the person thinks of the subject (perhaps a dog), which comes almost inseparably with the word "dog" (assuming English is the native language). Then, the front of the brain is engaged to translate "dog" to "chien" (for example). Then, the temporal lobe is engaged again for the actual speech production.

As a secondary language becomes more "ingrained", this translation process becomes more streamlined, and eventually goes away.

That's why it's often difficult for adults to pick up another language.

It has more to do with the way neurons and neural pathways are formed. By about age 10, we're pretty much done forming neurons, and neural pathways are much slower to form.

We have found that teaching and learning methodology actually has more to do with how/where language is stored, comprehended, and produced than the age at which it is acquired. The problem is that it is very difficult to acquire a second language as an adult the same way we acquired our first language as a child. The circumstances and motivations are just entirely different. However, there is some evidence suggesting that when we replicate that methodology as much as possible, this results in similar development of neural pathways. (The problem is, however, that it doesn't seem to help us learn secondary languages any better. It just uses different parts of the brain.)

So, if you're having a seizure in your speech centre, you can still speak other languages, because the areas that have acquired those skills are unaffected.

There is no such part of the brain as a "speech center" as such. The temporal lobe (particularly in the left hemisphere) is strongly and broadly engaged, but so is the visual cortex (in the occipital lobe), and parts of the frontal lobe (not to mention the motor and sensory cortices).

My seizures start in the left temporal lobe, apparently mostly or only on the left side. Less severe seizures, then, naturally involve auditory and speech disturbances. Since the production of secondary language involves most of the same areas as those involved in the production of primary language plus some additional areas throughout the cerebral cortex (to process vocabulary, syntax, etc.), we would expect that any disturbance that blocked primary language would also block secondary language.

So, it appears that some of the areas of the temporal lobe involved in speech are sometimes unaffected (allowing speech to occur), yet area(s) of the brain responsible for deciding which language I will use are misfiring. This is perhaps not surprising since Wernicke's area seems to be strongly effected as I have no ability to comprehend speech most of the time during a seizure. When I begin to speak, it seems like my brain, not understanding the words coming out of my mouth, quickly switches to another language - a language which apparently makes more sense.

It's a complicated affair. This is actually becoming one of my primary areas of interest/study. Interesting thing, the brain.

-B

[rong]

I was having a host of problems that included, speech, memory, coordination and foot numbness. After months of dealing with these issues I call my doctor and he ordered blood work. It turned out that my dilantin level was at a toxic level. I had lost weight and changed my eating habits which may be the cause.

Since my meds have been adjusted the speech, coordination and most of the memory problems are much better. The foot numbness (neuropathy) is still there.

good luck

Ron G.

[stilldancing_98]

Mine was when I was having myoclonics during the day. My son does it to.

[skillefer]

My speech issues were due to my medication being too high.

[RanMan]

Deb 12345,
I've had that problem for 29 years now.
I can hear what's going on around me but can't respond.
I used to think it was from my meds but over the years I've heard from so many ppl on all kinds of different meds with the same prob.
My neurologist. calls this a "speech arrest".

It's effected my job (couldn't make the quick decisions or answer clients)
I have to concetrate on forming every word and setence,

I didn't realize that we took our speech and communication skills for granted.

Randy

[Deb12345]

Thank you all again.

[brain]

Deb 12345,
I've had that problem for 29 years now.
I can hear what's going on around me but can't respond.
I used to think it was from my meds but over the years I've heard from so many ppl on all kinds of different meds with the same prob.
My neurologist. calls this a "speech arrest".

It's effected my job (couldn't make the quick decisions or answer clients)
I have to concetrate on forming every word and setence,

I didn't realize that we took our speech and communication skills for granted.

Randy

You are correct - it is called "Speech Arrest" and
it can happen just before, during, or after a seizure.

One of my main problems having to deal with is
communication, trying to talk once coming out
of the seizure is totally crazy. It's all in my head
but trying to get my mouth and vocal chords
to get rolling is quite a feat indeed.

But slowly but surely, the speech returns, typically
what people remark as "mumbling" then while I am
struggling trying to get the words out, and ends
up like "baby talk" at least I am accomplishing
somewhere.... but the recovery depends on how
severe the seizure was - sometimes 5-10 minutes
to as long as an hour.

Luckily, I know sign language and finger-spelling
so this helps a lot when I can't speak, I can use
that if anyone understands it.

However out of fairness, I've always had speech
problems and had speech therapy all in my life
just about and it's neurological related.