Does anyone else have a problem with being able to talk?
Last night I felt like I had a piercing pain in the center of my brain. I then was unable to talk.
I would open my mouth and I couldn't even make a sound.
This lasted for three hours. I then was able to haltingly and hoarsely say a few words.
I thought I'd sleep it off but this morning I'm not much better.
I've been hoarse before, like laryngitis, but I've never had complete silence for so long before!
If the phone rings, I can't answer!
- Lymelady
Posted by lymeflox (Member # 10543) on :
I know of a few persons that had that symptom as a side effect of an antibiotic, but I have not really heard yet this disorder as caused by lyme.
Posted by canbravelyme (Member # 9785) on :
Yes, Lyme can effect the language centre.
I've been _almost_ there. I got to a point where it became too effortful to talk; after I'd experienced halting and staccato (robotic) speech, my speech would just warble and die off.
It makes me sad thinking back on it now.
It improved with amox., but I should have been put on IM or IV at that point, and this was the beginning of much worse neuro problems to come a few years later (and I became entirely housebound), because the Lyme was addressed improperly.
Make sure you have an excellent LLMD to get you out of the soup! Please go see someone ASAP, and the more experienced the better, because there is zero doubt that something is effecting your brain; you need not suffer with this.
xoxo
Posted by Greatcod (Member # 7002) on :
The more I learn about Lyme, the more terrifying it is. I hope you symptoms subside, Lymelady.
Posted by northstar (Member # 7911) on :
Can you enlist help of neighbor or family to call your LLMD?
Can you go to Emergency Room, or have someone take you?
Might be interpreted as an extreme precaution, but rather safe than sorry.
Northstar
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Couple of quick questions just to be sure and safe.
Obviously you can think the words or you wouldn't be able to write.
Is it vocalizing? Problems with making sounds in your throat?
I ask because vocal cord paralysis or any damage to Vagus can cause this problem.
Just to be safe, I would call my LLMD and see what he/she says.
Any problems with swallowing?
Because if your vocal cords aren't coming together as they should,
Aspiration of food and/or liquids is a major concern.
Write back or PM me and let me know after you call your LLMD.....please?
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :
I fear I have to agree with both Canbrave...from the neuro aspects of this disease which you
don't seem to have....unless you're haveing a problem getting the words that form in your
brain, out of your mouth to speak them....
This could be the result of infectious disease attacking that part of your brain or cns
causeing ataxi or more precisly ataxiaphasia,ataxaphasa.
This could also be what Geneal is thinking. Which really is just another form of ataxia. The
voluntary muscles are not working when you want them to work.
Aside from any hereditary problems that you might want to check on.
try and keep in mind that these diseases attack and cause to malfunction signals from and to our
brain thru our brain stem and cummunicating electrical circuits.
You may also keep an eye open(sorry for the pun) for optical infections in the future, in as
much as some of your infection is affecting the frontal lobe and quite possibly your optic nerves.
Have you ever addressed the neurolyme infections Bb can cause?
zman
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
I hope you are feeling better --
I agree, that you should call your llmd right away (with some help if you cannot speak!).
The sudden onset that you mention -- having a piercing pain and then inability to speak -- makes me worried about what could be going on to cause that symptom.
I do not want to scare you, but if you can go to the Emergency Room with a family member, it would be a good precaution. Please keep us posted.
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
i lost my speech once. it was not pretty.
im having a setback now, and i have to "think" again to form words.
i keep telling myself it will pass, but another picc and some iv or IM might be in order.
for me, its a flare, and will improve.
hopen ur feeling better.
do u use and kind of pain or benzos?
i know some lymies who couldnt walk and xanax enabled them to. im not suggesting u go nuts on xanax, it is very addivtive and hard to get off of, but, sometimes it supresses the sx of lyme long enough to function.
hope u feel better soon
derek
Posted by webmeg (Member # 13647) on :
I agree with everyone here - you should get to a doctor asap. Since you had a distinct onset hopefully that will provide some clues for the doctors.
With all the meds we take side effects can happen. You want to rule out broken blood vessels or a stroke since these things need immediate attention.
Hope you are feeling better.
~webmeg
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
This is Geneal's area of expertise. Please heed her advice.
I agree that it is important to contact your LLMD ASAP.
Please let us know what happens.
Take care!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I noticed for a little while that it felt like I couldn't move the tip of my tongue -- that it was just lazy. And then in a couple weeks, that stopped. So I thought it was just another floating Lyme symptom that comes and goes.
So does difficulty in speaking happen very often and does it go away, like mine did? Such that even lymelady's difficulty could go away too?
[ 28. December 2007, 01:49 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I don't know if this is a help but ...
I have had Lyme for 35 years. All through middle school and high school I would lose my voice for a couple months in the winter. It is odd to me now that no one considered this to be a major problem! Other than my voice, I was not ill.
This was more a lanryngitis type thing rather than a neuro type thing. It was worse at various times of the day. Drinking tea with honey and lemon would help (I left it by the phone if I was home alone or I couldn't answer).
This would last a couple months every winter, then at some point I just stopped having this .... but then I'd get different Lyme symptoms.
Oh, I remember this happening in college once, too! I had an oral final exam in Spanish and could not speak AT ALL! That was interesting, LOL.
Let us know what you find out. I am curious as to what your LLMD will say about it.
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
Hi guys, thanks for all your thoughts and concern.
I still have a dull but piercing headache in that same spot, deep in my brain.
I have been very tired and lethargic today but I did not even think of calling my LLMD about it until I read your responses.
I have had the paralyzed vocal chords problem many times but not so much the complete inability to talk, and never for so long.
I will call my LLMD tomorrow and ask her what she thinks. She told me to call her anytime even though she's currently on vacation.
My voice is almost back to normal as I type this, but I'm watching for a recurrence as the pain continues. I don't think I'm out of the woods.
Geneal, no problems with swallowing but I have had diaphragm spasms so severely that I can't breathe well. Those have also disappeared as I type this.
zman, I do have many neurological problems from Lyme. I will keep an eye on my eyes. They have been blurring up on me lately. I will tell my LLMD this tomorrow, too.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - what would I do without you, my fellow Lyme disease sufferers? Only you can truly understand and HELP with great advice!
Will update tomorrow. - Lymelady (Julie)
PS - I'm no longer on antibiotics because I can't tolerate them. I'm only doing alternative therapy.
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
Lyme Lady:
how scary this must be for you! please let us know what your llmd says.
hugs- dilly
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
The Vagus nerver or Cranial X is located in the medulla oblongata.
Or in the brain stem of the brain. Swallowing center is located there.
I have to admit when you said diagphragmatic spasms I thought babesia.
I had horrible spasms of my diaphragm with babs.
Keep us posted okay?
Glad you don't have any problems swallowing.
Hugs and kisses,
Geneal
Posted by LymeCFIDSMCS (Member # 13573) on :
I have something similar to this, but for me it generally clears after a few hours. It's distinctly neurological for me, and it often starts with seizure-like symptoms where a limb or my hand will tremble for awhile and then I lose my ability to speak and cannot move.
I am thinking words, but what comes out of my mouth -- if anything -- is just slight sounds and gibberish. It has been very alarming for people who have witnessed it. I cannot speak actual words for a long time.
I sometimes feel (in my brain) as if I'm shouting, or trying to yell so the person can hear me, and only the slightest sound if anything will come out. It's very scary, like being locked in.
Posted by Limping Lily (Member # 5099) on :
sounds like what i had 51 years ago- stiff neck, excruciating non-stop headache, body pain, sore throat, trouble swallowing, and couldn't even whisper! doc thought i had polio. it wasn't. mor recently, in 2002 i had bad neuro lyme where i had trouble again with talking- words came out dyslexic, slurred, stuttering, when i could get them out. just recently, i'm stuttering again during a 'flare' or reinfection. hope things resolve quickly for you, but see a doc asap!
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
Hello, I still have the piercing headache but can once again talk.
I don't feel much worse than usual so I didn't call my LLMD - yet.
Will keep you updated if things change.
Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :
WOW, OH WOW, OH WOW!
Could this be true? We've actually inadvertantly run accross something that can get women to stop talking???
Well now.....THAT IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING!
lolololol!
zman
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
zman, I'm speechless, and you're next! lololol. Unfortunately, it won't keep us from typing.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
julie, thx for updating us on you and talking.
tony, i've missed your sense of humor on the board! Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :
Thanks BettyG....me too!
zman
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Tony, kissing us or buying us expensive gifts usually renders us speechless, too ... or something as simple as emptying the dishwasher or doing a load of laundry!
Posted by lymeladyinNY (Member # 10235) on :
Talked my hubby to death today - about money. I want to spend it, and he wants to hold on to it!
Posted by flintykindofwoman (Member # 13615) on :
I have never had such a lengthy period of time being unable to speak. However, there have been times when it felt like speaking would take too much energy to even squeak out one word. Mostly, I have encountered what I call lazy talk. I usually just cannot think of the right words to say, and my speech becomes slurred. I became very frustrated when people would ask me to repeat myself because they either didn't understand what I meant or my words where so slurred together they were not understandable. It was soooo frustrating because it took all my energy to get it out the first time. Mostly, I would then just simply say, "nevermind". Very frustrating.
The times when I was not able to speak at all, I usually felt just brain dead. I don't think it was the actual function of my voice not working. People would speak to me and get angry because I was not responding to them. I would just stare at them because I couldn't respond.
But, as we all know, anything is possible with Lyme and its co-infections. Posted by on :
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Talked my hubby to death today - about money. I want to spend it, and he wants to hold on to it!
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