Trouble finding the right word

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy Forums

Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.

Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!

K

Krista2882

New
Messages
253
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Hi.
So often when I'm talking, there's a word that I just cannot think of. I know what I want to say, but the word won't come to me. It's so annoying and seems to have become a little more frequent over the past few years. Did anyone start having this problem after they started having seizures?
I'm trying to figure out if it's the seizures or the meds that could be causing it. I'm on Tegretol, Keppra, and Lamictal. My seizures are simple partial and originate from my left frontal lobe.
And I'm 30 so it's not Alzheimer's. lol
 
I"ve had this problem in the last few years. I've had seizures all my life so I don't know if it's part of the seizures, long-term effects of my meds or something totally unrelated like the effects of age.

What I did notice is that I seem to forget specific words so every time I do remember that word (I often remember them when I don't need them) I put it on a list I made. I review the list every so often and just from reading it over I've been able to take a few words off. The hard part is getting in the habit of reading it over every so often.
 
epileric said:
What I did notice is that I seem to forget specific words so every time I do remember that word (I often remember them when I don't need them) I put it on a list I made. I review the list every so often and just from reading it over I've been able to take a few words off. The hard part is getting in the habit of reading it over every so often.
Click to expand...

Ooh, that sounds helpful. I've never noticed if the words I have trouble thinking of are just certain words.
Sometimes it's the stupidest thing- like a word I use all the time. But more often it's a word that I don't use quite so often. I'll start writing them down to see if certain ones give me a problem.
 
I had the "elusive word" problem when I was on Zonisamide, but not when I was on the prior med (Dilantin), and not on the med that I've since switched to (Lamictal). So for me it's definitely a med side effect.
 
I used to often have that problem where I would go to say something but couldn't think of a word. If I was talking to someone who knew me well I would go you know that thing, the thing that does such & such. Usually they would be able to work out what I meant lol. It could have been either from the high dosages of meds I was on, at one stage I was on Tegretol, Keppra & Neurontin or form the partial seizures.

I do voluntary work in an office & at 1 stage I used to have pen & paper nearby in case I was asked to do something lol. My boss was used to my bad memory & if he was going to get me to do something he would ask me to get my pen & paper before he told me what I needed to do lol.

I am only on Tegretol & Keppra now & haven't had a seizure in almost 12 months.
My memory isn't as bad as it used to be but I still have times where I might forget a word but it's not as bad as it used to be.
 
Last edited:
I have problems with word-finding, too. I have a huge vocabulary and people think I don't have problems communicating at all but I do. For me it's like living inside a game show. Instead of that exact word I describe what I want to say. Like, "the road that goes over the river." And the other person says, "bridge!" Sometime people look at me a little strangely or don't have the patience to do this, but it works better than stopping mid-thought and giving up. The down side is when I'm doing this I'm using a bunch of my finite brain power so I have trouble understanding the other person, too.

Something that also helps me is communicating in writing instead of verbally. For some reason in writing I don't seem to have the problem as much. That's a mystery to me. I am so grateful for email!

Of course that is a separate issue from forgetting what I was saying mid-sentence. I haven't found a crutch for that yet.
 
Last edited:
Endless said:
I have problems with word-finding, too. I have a huge vocabulary and people think I don't have problems communicating at all but I do. For me it's like living inside a game show. Instead of that exact word I describe what I want to say. Like, "the road that goes over the river." And the other person says, "bridge!" Sometime people look at me a little strangely or don't have the patience to do this, but it works better than stopping mid-thought and giving up.
Click to expand...

I have alot of problems finding words and I'll do things like this too. I'll say "The thing that you ride when you cut the grass" - The other person will say "the tractor?" It's really bad when I forget my cats names "The big one, not the little one"

I was even on a help line for my phone once and couldn't remember the word phone!

People who know me have learned that's just the way I am and we just get a good laugh abou it. If it's someone else I just tell them that I have trouble thinking of words sometimes and we'll usually get a good laugh about it too.

I don't know if it's from the epilepsy or the meds though. I'm on the same meds as you plus depakote.
 
Oh i'm so glad it's not just me! I've had this on both Epilim and now with my current medication, Lamactil. It's worse around my seizures, especially if i'm stressed. It's quite funny because i'm a very literary person and I talk too much so it's very frustrating for me, but a relief for others i'm sure! I'll also get halfway through a sentence and completely forget what I was talking about. Rather annoying but good for a laugh.
 
Nakamova said:
I had the "elusive word" problem when I was on Zonisamide, but not when I was on the prior med (Dilantin), and not on the med that I've since switched to (Lamictal). So for me it's definitely a med side effect.
Click to expand...

I had issues with memory as well. I can recall one of the things my neurologist asked me to do when I was on Felbatol was to draw an analog clock with the time on it. Do you know I couldn't do it? Talk about something that drove me crazy!! I was like, I know what it is, why can I not do this.

It was the medication that was totally screwing with my memory. It was not only Felbatol either, prior to using it, I was taking a high dose of Lamictal. Both of them needed to be removed from the list as neither worked and only caused problems on collaborative measures with me. I had serious troubles thinking clearly.

The medication I am taking now seems to be working at this time.
 
I have

this problem as well--some days it is far worse than others. The word for the "missing a word" is called aphasia (I believe) and some days I'll look at my partner and say "you know, that thing, over there---see!" And they turn to what I'm pointing at and say "What? The door?" or something similar.

Lmao, I've done that more than a time or two, and I don't know if it's me being an airhead (I'm blond), my meds, or the E. I think it's the meds--it's gotten worse over time since Lamictal was added in. Who knows though. There are other issues that I have that could contribute to it as well. And to me, it's not worth messing with my meds, as I have complete control of my seizures (as of this time at least, *knock on wood*)
 
Thanks, edveryone.
And it looks like Lamictal seems to be the common denominator (besides the seizures, of course. lol).
 
And it looks like Lamictal seems to be the common denominator (besides the seizures, of course. lol).
Click to expand...
Not for me though. I had word problems with the med I was on before Lamictal, but Lamictal has been fine for me so far.
 
oh yeah definitly....it has increased with every new increase in dose of medication too. So I do think it related to medication. I am on Topamax 200mgs 2x daily and keppra 1500mgs daily we will see what happens when they start me on the new med next month if they decide to add it they are thinking are adding a third during my cycle since that is when my danger time is. I have a huge vocab too and i really have a hard time with words now.
 
Haha. I know exactly how you feel? It's not funny but it makes me laugh because I feel so flippin stupid sometimes. And I have also questioned Alzheimer's. We can forget together. Who are you? lol
 
I have this as well, but it's very sporadic. Last Friday morning was particularly bad and was happening a lot more then usual

I very rarely forget my meds, and if I should forget my meds it doesn't seem to happen anymore frequent.

I had a friend here that morning and after forgetting my words so frequently I apologized and told her it happens sometime.

Friday morning was just a bad day, lol.

Since mines so sporadic it makes me wonder if it's meds at all.. Hmmm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom