LymeNet Flash: slurred speech

This is topic slurred speech in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by betsy (Member # 7105) on :

For those of you who have had slurred speech, do you attribute this symptom to lyme or in combination with a co-infection???? Does anyone have a "got my speech back" story? I am beginning to think I may talk like this forever. Very frustrating! Thanks so much. Betsy

Posted by cheryl d (Member # 8041) on :

I don't have the slurred speech symptom, but I know that must be frustrating! I hope so much for you that it will get better soon!
Cheryl

Posted by YorktownNL (Member # 7657) on :

Slurrrrrred speech was a big symptom for me last summer. I figured out before abx (between all the quacking duck visits) that if I took enough ibuprophen I could control it.

I can remember as the advil wore off, the slurring kicked in and it was scary. I thought surely I'll be unemployed if this continues.

The advil success suggested to me it was inflamation induced (meningitis/encephalitis?). I occasionally notice it now, 11 months in to abx for lyme. My first three months of treatment with high dose doxy got the slurring (and the inflamation?) under control. A good sign I have lyme despite seronegtivity.

I figure the doxy saved my job, maybe my life. Went as high as 500 mg/day.

I have symptoms I have not been able to lick, the biggies today (which all seem to be cranial nerve inflamation related) seem to be: TMJ, ear pain/tinitis, and crickety stiff neck. Ibuprophen helps these symptoms too, but I'm skeptical now about lyme treatment.

I've been wondering about coinfections now that my second herx cycle is starting despite 7 weeks IV Rocephin.

Hope this helps!!

Posted by betsy (Member # 7105) on :

Thanks Cheryl for your kind words! And Yorktown...this is a real coincidense. I live in Va Beach but got my tick bite while visiting my mother in Gloucester Point! All those deer in Yorktown!!! I have never tried the advil but will. My alternative doctor definitely thinks it is due to imflammation. Thanks for responding! Betsy

Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :

not sure if co's effect speech but wouldn't be surprised.

I had the slurred speech and studdering really bad from my last relapse 3 years ago. 6 months IV and 2 years on orals completely cleared it up.

It cleared up before my radical babs treatment.

Hope this helps and you can also get your speech cleared up too.

Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :

Betsy,

I definitely had slurred speech when I was at my most sick last summer...and when I wasn't slurring words, I was panting or stuttering.

In addition, I had a lot of trouble thinking clearly, and my writing was completely impaired. I would drop words from sentences and not realize it; I'd write words that were completely wrong and nonsensical. Since I'm a writer by profession, all this was pretty upsetting to me.

I've been on Ceftin for Lyme for about a year and rifampin for Bartonella. At some point over the past year, those particular symptoms began to disappear.

The only thing remaining is some trouble with sequential thought processing, but even that has significantly improved.

Unfortunately, because I'm being treated for both Lyme and Bart, I can't tell you which treatment alleviated these things.

I hope this starts to improve for you, though. Keep us posted on your progres, Betsy.

Andie

Posted by Takedownthemoon (Member # 9008) on :

Hey Betsy! I was infected in Hampton Roads as well. I didnt have slurred speech actually until I began treatment, although in most other parameters I feel about 90% better..

Hope this gets better for you, I know how frustrating it can be! No longer in VB, sure miss the weather around Naaaafik. [Wink]

Take care

Posted by ksparks (Member # 8098) on :

Hey Betsy,
I have has slurred speech for over a year now. My LLMD's hypothesis is that it is from bart affecting the limbic system (in the brain). So far no antibiotics have helped me but seizure meds lyrica and lamictal have helped a bit.

By the way- I grew up in Va Beach- lived near pembroke area. I was infected in NC though- where I live now.

Good luck- This is a hard one to deal with. I don't answer the phone unless I know who it is. I get asked a lot where i am from because i often sound like i have an italian accent. Sometimes I just studder and can't get any words out at all.

best,
kristen

Posted by betsy (Member # 7105) on :

Thanks so much for your responses..all very helpful AND encouraging!

Andie and Dana, I am so glad for you that this annoying symptom cleared up with time and treatment. I will persist and keep listening to my old voice on my cell phone message for HOPE! Hope you continue to do well!

And Kristen and Moon, your old homestead just gets more crowded every year....this weekend being a particularly busy one here at the oceanfront! There is only one LLMD in this whole area! We supposedly don't have the ticks!

Thanks to all! Betsy

Posted by am36 (Member # 9409) on :

hi

do you have other muscle weakness?

Slurred speech can be from muscle weakness (I get this). Sounds like I'm drunk. Common feature in some neuromuscular disorders, which lyme can imitate.

Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :

ALL spirochetes ferment sugar. This produces ethanol (among other harmful things). Ethanol is really toxic to our brains, pancreas and liver.

Think of "drunks"...slurred speech, right?

Okay...increase your vitamin E. Get the best kind/form of this.

This will HELP to detoxify ethanol.

ALL of the antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes are critical when faced with this disease.

Posted by coach (Member # 7539) on :

I have slurred speech too. It has lated about 1 1/2 years. I am on oral abx. I did 8 weeks of IV Rocephin and had no sucess to get rid of slurred speech. I am Zithromax and Cedax. The LLMD just changed zith to ketek.

Posted by Jen902 (Member # 8822) on :

Big problem for me. Is getting better on abx lyme treatment, but as important, or maybe of greater help for me, is glutathione IV's. They have been a life saver. Jen902

Posted by coach (Member # 7539) on :

up

Posted by betsy (Member # 7105) on :

Marnie, Makes sense. Will try Vit E...thanks. I was first diagnosed with ALS but did not get alot of muscle weakness just aches and pains, slurred speech and no balance. I am just now starting glut IVs so hoping that will help! Thanks Jen, Coach and AM36 for responding! Betsy

Posted by johnnyb (Member # 7645) on :

Marnie, that is very interesting. Any studies on approximately how much ethanol is produced? I would assume it is too variable to be specific, but it would be interesting if a comparison was available to estimate the "how many drinks" equivalent effect the bacteria cause.

Might explain why I can't handle hardly any alcohol these days.

Betsy, I still stammer over words sometimes, but yes, I think I am improving in this area.
I was on Bicillin IM for 2 months, and that made a big difference in my neuro symptoms. It DID seem to make my heart palpitations considerably worse, so I stopped it after that and have been doing frequent Mg dosing and other herbals to help these days.
My body really didn't tolerate any antibiotics very well, esp long term.

Posted by Lymester (Member # 5848) on :

Slurred speech began late summer of '04. Thought I had babs. Pain and numbness in arms. Also felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. suffocating feeling.

I had it on and off until I started abx in Nov 04. Was thankfully one of the symptoms that removed itself quickly as it is extremely embarassing in the work place. [bonk]

The dyslexia/transposing of words within sentences still occurred as well as on paper. My memory STUNK! I used GinkGold as is used on alzheimers patients. Memory got better after a year of abx, but still can't seem to track down the first cup of coffee in the morning.

Good luck