Lindy,

Do you mean that you know the words you want, but can't articulate them fast enough- they're kind of lost or stuck somewhere in your head sort of feeling? Or is it a fluency in your speech itself? I tend to experience the former.

I feel your pain! I think it is an executive function malfunction we're experiencing... I suspect that conversing does not flow like it used to for us because our brains are working over time compensate and it takes longer for us to find words. I have read that the word being 'on the tip of our tongues' but not making it out is fairly common in PD- we know the word(s) we want but they just don't pop into our heads and out of our mouths like they used to do. We have a loss of fluency to add to the list of what is taken away from us.

I don't know there's much to improve it other than taking gingko to try and slow it down a bit. This is a form of mild cognitive impairment that I guess we're stuck with...I hope someone else has found success with some sort of brain gym exercises - it's really a memory recall issue, so I'm thinking that if we can find some things to help with that?

One thing...you end up speaking in platitudes. I found that if I try to do that it ends up in hilarity as I always mix my metaphors. I try to avoid common sayings or adages but when they do slip out, we all end up with a chuckle.

Laughing to keep from crying,

Laura

Sometimes it feels like I am thinking of and trying to initiate more than one thought at a time, causing a jam up as they all try to come out vocally at the same time. Like when we festinate and are reduced to a shuffle walk.

I had a lunch with teachers last week and never did gain alertness that day. probably due in part to just the stress of getting ready and getting there. Socializing is fun but truly exhausting.

we continue to have good days and bad days; some foggy, some in the clear. but lindy i'm sure you would agree - it's pervasive, invasive, and evasive.

paula

a husband who is decidedly hard of hearing and a neurologist who makes no allowances for "nonmotor" symptoms! I simply move closer to the former and further from the latter!

Seriously, I have had to give up a church function because words wouldn't come. I can still sing, but following the words in the hymnal is difficult. I practice more than I used to and still get mixed up. I photocopy the appointed hymns and other music in as large an image as I can fit on the page, and that helps.

It's so sad. Most people don't mind if I just ask them to bear with me. I did summon the courage to volunteer to lead a group book discussion, starting Wednesday evening--wish me luck...

Jaye

What I am hearing from you all is that this is something that does impact your life, it certainly does mine!

From all over I am also hearing messages that say we have to keep devising strategies just to be 'normal'. This is a big part of the problem for me, and I suppose a reason for why I like writing. It can be done in my time, and if I get it write the communcation is good. Then my PD friend/collaborator/partner in lifestyle can do the same and the communication grows. But I can't use this device in normal life, You cannot pass notes around, and besides unless I'm at a screen my writing is too awful to read.....

So this impact of communication must be a major one. And implies major personal losses over time......... and it changes not only our perception of ourselves, but other peoples perceptions about us. But intellectually on the inside we are mostly the same people......

I had a change of meds not that long ago that gave me back my smile. People said to me, It's astonishing, I always thought you were really p----d off about something, but now I can see you weren't. Or You seemed really sorry for yourself, and I don't get it about people who do the 'poor me' thing.

I wish there was a med that would do this speech stuff too, because I feel like I am falling back into other people's assumptions.

Tomorrow I shall go get some ginko .........

Thanks
Lindy

...and have some coffee:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/11...ntia/3370.html

Jaye

I have trouble finding words to explain simple things..Sometimes my mind goes hopelessly blank, which is why I will not put myself in a position to do any public speaking, ever again

When I was a PAN Rep, I was invited to a press conference with Congressman Jim Langevin..The anticipation of it made me sick for 5 days..And a reporter asked me a simple question at that conference and I drew a blank

I'll stick to writing..I dont stutter when I write

Oh, if only I could write!!! That is what makes this disease so hard to cope with, with effective meds, many of us appear 'normal' to others and I begin to feel that way myself, then I go to write out something...I work in a position too where I need to be able to communicate this way. For me, it's not really micrographia; my writing has always been on the small side, but it's as if I can't fully formulate letters when printing...the letters all sort of collide with one another and look like hash marks in the end. My handwriting is no better, that all mashes together too. Anyone find any exercises for this? I found two things:

1) I read that people with PD regain some fluidity in their writing when they close their eyes- this holds true for me but is not practical for the real world. I suspect it's one of those external 'triggers' that work for us. Lindy, have you tried it when talking?

2) I have fluidity and ease - my writing looks normal when I write on the white board while teaching. Maybe we should all carry around mini white boards and dry erase markers? lol.

Laura

I think when you write on the board while teaching, you are using your whole arm and not just your fingers. Therefore, you have more success. My handwriting varies in its clarity. Oddly enough, when my Sinemet kicks in, my handwriting gets worse. My hand jerks unexpectedly causing all kinds of unexpected results.

Back to speaking: I have developed a head bob when I speak to someone, and it makes me look quite earnest. Either earnest or very agreeable!

Ann

Writing and talking together! No Laura, I haven't........ and I have both the problems in your communication breakdown post. Something that might help with writing is doing copybook exercises. I read somewhere that overlearning can help with things like this, the process of doing it over mindfully creates a different path........

However, as a painter and artist it seems like something else kicks in and, as Ann says, the movement is from the shoulder, and apart from tiring easily, I can get things to look the way they should. In contrast writing is only legible when tiny, and then it is not visible - another case of impractibility! A fat pen helps with writing and I suspect some of the dyslexia writing aids, lilke rubber grips for pens, triangular large size pens and pencils may help with legibility and size.

As problematic for me is a kind of PD dyslexia, where I am sequencing letters wrongly, it comes and goes, but is particularly bad when writing down messages or phone numbers, multitasking again...... when I am off this affects my typing too, the sequences are wrong and I have to re-do a lot of words, though my keyboard skills are good, off and on, except for speed,

Oh, the joys of PD......

Lindy

I promised myself that I wouldn't get online his morning, because I have a doctor's appointment and need all of my energy. This in itself tells you that stressors use up our energy. Paula reminded me of this when talking about using all she had to get ready for a social time with teacher friends. Well, I just spent a solid 2 hours getting ready! (this includes a shower and hair-drying). After I finish replying, I will be zapped.

But I want those reading (who won't or cannot take the time to look it up) to understand about executive funcion. This terminology seems to be cropping up quite frequently.

By: National Center for Learning Disabilities (2005)
"Executive Function" is a term used to describe a set of mental processes that helps us connect past experience with present action. We use executive function when we perform such activities as planning, organizing, strategizing and paying attention to and remembering details.

They also show weakness with "working memory" (or "seeing in your mind's eye"), which is an important tool in guiding one's actions."

And, of course, we use executive function when we communicate. Loss of or problems with executive function is one of the first signs of Alzheimers (or dementia). But most of you have only discussed the mental aspect of communication problems. How many of you have difficulty with the "physical" aspect of speaking?

When I talk with people, they can guess pretty accurately how I am feeling (off, on, or inbetween), especially over the telephone, where they cannot see my bobbling head or "dancng" as my grandson calls it. But there are times (getting more frequent) when I slur my words or run them all up together with little or no intonation. That's when both the speaker and the receiver get frustrated!

I was referred to a speech pathologist (also to help with swallowing), but then the inclement weather set in, so I haven't been yet. But dog-gone-it! Public speaking has been my forte, and I'm just not ready to give it up.

I sometimes think that we should keep those speaking engagements to let the public see how we struggle, but there's the risk that you won't be able to get your point across. (sigh)

What to do . . . what to do? BTW there can be absolutely NO head bobbling or dancing until you get up to speak; then it's like someone flips a switch and puts every r eflex in hyper-overdrive!

Peg