Word retrieval question for everyone

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sjconner

sjconner

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Most of us have some trouble with word retrieval - med and as a result of our wiring. Do you have the word on the tip of your tongue but just can't quite reach or find it? Or do you draw a complete blank ... Have no idea whatsoever what it is called?

I have both. I struggle writing papers for school. Synonyms used to come very easy to me. I have or used to have a really large vocabulary. I also had a conversation about a ladle where I drew a total blank on what it was called. It wasn't on the tip of my tongue. The word vanished totally. As a teacher, totally losing words is very disconcerting ... especially in class.


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I had one experience a couple of months ago where I completely forgot the word "cilantro". I use cilantro a lot in cooking, but the word had completely vanished. It wasn't even on the tip of my tongue. Even after I went to the store and bought it and read the name, it vanished again later that afternoon when I was telling my daughter about the episode. Scary, ain't it? I hope it doesn't happen to you very often, especially in front of students.
 
Do you have the word on the tip of your tongue but just can't quite reach or find it? Or do you draw a complete blank ... Have no idea whatsoever what it is called?
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Constantly! My main way of coping is by saying "Damn! I'm know there's a word for this, think it starts with (whatever letter). It essentially means (explanation)" and then I move past the "word bump" and keep on talking. Often the word will come to me as I continue talking, I believe its because I haven't let it overly stress me out. I know if I try too hard to think of the word I will never remember it. Then when I'm thinking of something completely different the word will pop into my mind.

I do not let myself feel embarrassed or stressed because I know that just makes the situation worse. I continue on in a positive manner and all of my friends and most of my co-workers simply accept that that is part of me.

The really weird thing is that many years ago I read a novel that used the word "chiaroscuro" once - it refers to the interplay between dark and light - and I have not forgotten it or even how to spell it. Yet I never use it. An, my brain is a mysterious chiaroscuro!
 
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I also have to write a lot and my word retrieval is a mess. I've learned to use google to track down the words I'm looking for--much easier than using a bunch of thesauruses but sometimes the word I have is ten steps away from the word I want, so it takes forever. On top of it, my best friend is starting to suffer from the same problem from age, so the both of us end up getting obsessed for days on end when we can't come up with a word (or a name, or a title.) The latest one was trying to come up with the name for that star wars zen character who speaks funny. We eventually found the answer but now I've lost it again. It seems that some words stay with me all the time--I never lose them. Others, like the star wars guy, always disappear no matter how often I remind myself. I always remember 'proselytising' which is not a terribly useful word most of the time, but I always forget the word for when someone speaks down to someone else as though they're a child--and I often need that word.
 
I have many friends and relatives that have the same problem, but they don't have E. I think it's just the times we're living in are so overwhelming with info that we sometimes go on overload.
Just my opinion.
M
 
I have the same problem with drawing a blank and it being on the tip of my tongue. Spelling has become a problem lately too. Just little things I never would have thought of. Who would have ever thought I have a college degree. May be disabled (not because of E)but I do. E is what has caused a lot of my forgetfulness though. I get very frustrated!
 
I've noticed both types seemingly getting worse as I get older :(

I also struggle a lot with synonyms now, but I've become quite good at describing words without being able to say them lol my friends are used to that now :)
 
This happens to me ALL the time. I can describe what I'm trying to say with Synonyms and antonyms but can't think of the actual word.

I hate it when I call someone for customer support and this happens. They may ask where what ever it was that I called about is placed in the house. I told them it was beside the really cold thing in the kitchen (meaning the refrigerator).

Once something got messed up that I was trying to fix when I was on the phone with them. I said "Oh I'm sorry, Baxter just got in my way". They told me it was ok, their kids do the same thing all the time. I told them "No Baxter isn't my kid he's the....umm...furry thing with a tail", couldn't think of the word 'cat'. The person had to of thought I was crazy.

I also use Google a good bit when I'm on the computer to figure out what the word is I'm trying to say. Typing in the description helps a lot.

I also loose the word a good bit of times. I hate it because almost half the time a few hours later I'll remember it, and it was the stupidest easiest word in the world too!
 
I just insert the words, "THE THING". People can usually figure it out. Or, sometimes I'll say, "You know the cute thing with all the fur that goes "meow"." Or, more cryptically, "The thing that goes on the thing with all the things." The last one doesn't work, but it keeps people listening to me.

Other parts of speech are harder.
 
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Matthew74 said:
"The thing that goes on the thing with all the things." The last one doesn't work, but it keeps people listening to me.
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:roflmao: Thanks for the info. I won't try that last one, then.
 
Penny said:
I have the same problem with drawing a blank and it being on the tip of my tongue. Spelling has become a problem lately too. Just little things I never would have thought of. Who would have ever thought I have a college degree. May be disabled (not because of E)but I do. E is what has caused a lot of my forgetfulness though. I get very frustrated!
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Maybe I shouldn't blame it all on E. After all, I had the stroke, that caused the lesion, that caused E. So a combo between the stroke and E.
 
When I was on Zonegran I had word retrieval problems. For example, I couldn't remember "post office", and all i could come up with was "mail house". But the problem went away when I switched meds.
 
It's nice to read that others are going through the same thing. I have particular difficulty with people's names, not as much with objects. I was so worried I went to have a neuropsycholgy assessment of my memory but the results showed that I was average for a 40 something year old anyway. That was reassuring! We have to be careful not to put everything down to epilepsy. However I think if he'd tested me a few years ago my memory would have been a lot better then. Since I had that test I haven't been as anxious about it and that has helped.

My spelling has deteriorated though. I used to be a spelling champion at school and it is just one of those things that has always come easy to me, so I can relate to what you are saying sjconner. I never would have had to think twice about how to spell a word and now there are a lot I am getting confused over.

Does anyone use the brain training apps? The neuropsych more or less said they were a waste of time but I'm not sure I agree.
 
I don't know anything about brain training apps but I've always assumed they worked for ordinary brains that simply needed exercise to improve. So I've assumed that they couldn't work where brain damage has been responsible. Kind of like expecting ordinary exercise to make a broken bone better. I use the Cambridge brain sciences tests to monitor how well my concentration is fairing. For the moment, I fall in the lower 6% in most areas, and the lower 8 in the rest, so I should imagine I'm not giving epilepsy too much blame. They do help when I think my concentration has taken a dive--I have found sometimes I have that impression but then my Cambridge tests come out the same.
 
juzzyk said:
It's nice to read that others are going through the same thing. I have particular difficulty with people's names, not as much with objects.

My spelling has deteriorated though.
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Could never spell in general so I don't know if it's gotten any worse? All I know is 'spell check' is the greatest thing in the world!


I have a ton of trouble remembering names. I can describe what the person looked like and how they acted but can't remember their name.

Even when I meet someone in the store I know how I know them - went to school with them, worked with them and even family. But for the life of me can't figure out what their name is.

I've finally just started saying "I'm sorry but what's your name?" It was embarrassing at first but I've gotten over it.

I always say people should have to wear name tags!
 
A friend of mine gave him his name trick, although I don't think I'm skanky enough to use it.

"I'm sorry, your name is?"
"Bob"
"No, I remembered your first name. It's your surname I can't remember."

""I'm sorry, your name is?"
"Mr Smith."
"Oh, no, I remember that. It's your first name I can't remember." :D
 
I'm think I'm beginning to understand why they call it Dopamax. Tonight was one of my worst nights of "you know that thing", "oh crap what's his name"... I was freaking forgetting everything. My word retrieval has been crap lately... I hope it's just temporary. I don't remember it being bad on Lamictal, but who knows, my memory of those days is kind of fuzzy any way.
 
This happens to me all the time live on the air during my own show. I'm used to it. :roflmao:
 
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