Mixing up words
 

I didn't want to take over another thread but someone mentioned mixing up words. I think my best was when I was going to get in the shower and told my daughter, "I'm going to get in the driveway."

Ya just havta laugh.

Did the neighbors mind seeing you shower in the driveway? LOL

For a few weeks I was saying what I was looking at instead of what I was thinking. So I would say something like, "How's the window?" Instead of, "How's the weather," because I happen to be looking at the window at the time. Crazy stuff!

I find I will substitute a word that has the same starting letter or even syllable. The visual suggestion , window for weather, has also been an issue. MY wife has gotten very good at understanding my wix ups.

I also will just pause to try to get a word to go from my brain to my lips. It is like my brain knows the word but my lips can't form the sounds. That is my most common problem. Add to that my caution to not blurt out the wrong word when I realize my brain is struggling.

Reading roadside advertisement signs can be hilarious. Lots of interesting combinations come up.

Today has been a bad head ache day all day. I haven't had a day this bad in quite some time.

Hope everybody is having a better day.

Yep same thing. No exact sample.

Donna:grouphug:

Yes, I do this, sometimes it makes me laugh, sometimes it's embarassing (especially at work!).

Another good one tonight...

I went out with boyfriend tonight. We went in his truck. Pulling into the parking lot when he brought me home I said, "I wonder whose car that is at my place?" Major duh moment .... It was mine!

I had asked my boyfriend to close the napkins instead of curtains.

On our way to a kid doctor appt in the car I said, "When you finish brushing your shoes, tie your hair, then brush your backpack" It took me about 30 seconds to figure out what I had said, I even confused myself! I meant to say, "When you finish tying your shoes, brush your hair." My kids were laughing, I had to join in with them. My frequent verbal mix-ups are a family joke now.

I'm a Speech-Language Pathologist who works primarily with adults with concussion and brain injury. I have had many referrals for people with "problems mixing up words."

In my experience- I have to say it's mostly an attention issue. Chances are that you went to say one thing, like milk but in the split second before you said milk you thought about cheese and then said "cheese."

The main way to help this is to slow down when you talk and speak very deliberatly.

If this is happening more than 10 times a day it might be an issue- but for most people with PCS it happens less frequently and you just have to laugh it off or say, "You know what I mean."
Jena

I mix up words every day all day EXCEPT first thing in the morning when my brain is really rested.

jena,

As a speech pathologist, I am surprised you do not have a better understanding of the word finding struggles we have. Mine are definitely not an attention issue. I can struggle to find simple words or complicated words.

My neurologist suggested it is a gating problem deep inside the brain. The information flow does not make it down the correct maze of circuits.

Sometimes. like I said before, I can think the word but struggle to get it to my lips. It is like my lips do not know how to form the word. I can put together a very complex thought but not be able to find a single word to express that thought. It is like someone has shot holes in my vocabulary library. When I go to 'pull' the word from the library, it is not on the shelf

I will frequently use a word that starts with the same letter or even first few letters. For example, discover might come out as disconnect. This limitation causes me to speak in very simple terms.

The diffuse axonal injuries common to concussion are quite different than the focal injuries of a stroke or penetrating injury. The inconsistency of function can be simply humorous to outright devastating.

I have a repeated issue when I am under stress due to physical effort. Instead of a grunt or groan as I exert force, I will say 'ouch.' It is an involuntary response to the physical strain. When I actually hurt myself, I rarely say ouch. Go figure.

I don't believe mine is an attention issue either. I already talk slow because I'm trying to find the right words. My neuropsychologist said my mixing up words is part of my tbi/pcs.

I also don't like when people make it out that real problems aren't anything other than mental issues or, in this case, attention issues.

Jena,
I was looking in here for my husband, who is still suffering from pcs nearly 18 months after we were all in a really bad car accident. But I have a question for me, not pcs, but I don't see another forum that applies. due to shoulder/clavicle/etc injury in the accident, I now have vascular thoracic outlet syndrome which is also causing subclavian steal syndrome and vertebral-basilar insufficiency (recently diagnosed by ophthalmologist as my right eye is "not working" right). most of the other symptoms listed for the sss and vbi fit frighteningly well. But one thing I don't see, but wonder about, is that I'm losing words. I'm talking, and I know there's a right word for what I want to express, but I have no idea what it is or how to get there. In the past, a trial of topomax (different problem re fibromyalgia) had me dropping words, I'd get right up to what I wanted to say, then whisk! the word was gone, I'd know what I wanted to say, often I could see the first letter of the word in my head, but that word was blocked, but I could push past or find an alternate. This new thing is different. I know what I mean, but I cannot get to it, not just the word is gone, the whole set of words I might use is gone. Much later on, an hour, several hours, the idea and the specific words for it might come back, usually triggered by something someone else says. Do you know anything about this kind of problem? Is it related to the sss or vbi, or is it just I am so exhausted from lack of decent sleep from all that has and is going on injury, complications, & painwise?

I am putting in a call to my neurologist today. But it takes forever to get an appointment with her. And mostly, my finding the answers myself before I go in to any of my many, mostly clueless doctors, works best.

winic1,

You problem sounds like it is likely manifesting as cerebral ischemia. This lack of good blood flow can cause many symptoms similar to PCS. Many with PCS have inflammation in the upper cervical vertebra than can occlude the vertebral arteries. This blocked or reduced blood flow would cause the same symptoms regardless of where the blockage or restriction is.

The word finding problems you are having will likely continue until you can increase the blood flow. Have you been examined by a vascular specialist?

I am concerned that your reduced blood flow will cumulatively slowly damage your brain. Speech rehab will likely be unsuccessful until the blood flow is corrected.

I hope you can find a doctor who will aggressively work to return your blood flow to your brain. Besides the word finding problems, I would suspect you also have nightmares or other stressful dreams. The many symptoms of poor cerebral blood flow can be very frustrating and elusive.

btw, I have believed I have had a cerebral basilar ischemia since 2001. I have been hard pressed to find a doctor who will look into this possibility. I get inflammation in the upper left area of the neck near the left occipital condyle. When this happens, that side of my head tingles and I will have stressful dreams and even central sleep apnea.

My best to you.

I don't dream at all. Maybe once every few months. I don't sleep worth a damn either, takes too many pillows propping too many parts of me, fall asleep, move, pillows shift, wake up again. But as sleep-deprived as I've ever been in the past (including two nine-month total insomnia pregnancies) I've never had this problem before.

Got message back from my neurologist's office, she's away for another week, I am supposed to call back then. But I'm going with hubby to his this Friday morning. Will get some info out of him while we're there for hubby, this guy is great.

I do a great amount of sleeping in a reclining chair. I get some of my best sleep that way. I need support under my left arm so the weight of my arm does not pull down on my shoulder.

I have also learned that I need the 'just right' combination of sheets and pajamas. Quality cotton is all I can sleep in. Synthetics do not have the same consistent feel. As you try to sleep, pay attention to all of the different sensations. Then, slowly work to remove or negate those sensations, either with fabrics or support or such.

I need minimal air space under the sheets/blankets. As a result, I have heavy afghans on top of me. My wife has only a simple sheet and blanket but I have tons on me. I also need my bed preheated to a normal sleep temp. We have electric mattress pads. i start it at 2 a hour before bed. then, turn it to 1 as I get in bed. No sensation of a cool bed. I get in my good position and will often wake up in the same position.

I would love an adjustable bed (medical style) but my wife does not want one. We have a semi-firm mattress with a pillow top plus a thick pillow top style mattress pad. The pillow tops make it so the bed seems to cradle the sleeper without having a saggy bed. And, we did not spend a fortune on our mattress set (High $400's)

It took some time to find the right combination but it was well worth it. The simple concept of resolving ALL of the sensations so the brain can relax made the difference. I used to wear velour gloves because my hands had some Carpal Tunnel symptoms. The soft gloves removed the tingling sensation.

The basic problem is due to the brain not being able to ignore the odd stimulations/sensations. So, they have to be addressed individually with other means. My gabapentin (Neurontin) helps my brain resolve the minor sensations that I cannot resolve otherwise.

btw, I have learned to use foam ear plugs recently because my wife has needed a humidifier on during the night. They usually fall out by the time I wake up but resolve the sounds so I can get too sleep.

I am not trying to say this is an easy task. I was paranoid to try to sleep for some time because of the problems I would experience. Now, I know how to prevent them in most cases.

My best to you.

A water pillow made a HUGE difference for me when it comes to sleep. It took a few nights to fill it the right amount for personal comfort. I don't sleep anywhere without it.
http://www.chiroflow.com/en/index.html

My husband got the concussion, which just won't let go, even now almost 18 months later (they even just sent him for a sleep study, he finds out the results next week), and a smashed wrist that's had surgery 3 times and will never be the same. I got multiple broken bones in my trunk, back injury, knees, surgery to finally fix non-healing bone in shoulder, subsequent scar tissue causing circulation problems to my arm, some breathing issues, and now messing with blood pressure, pulse rate, and now up into my head. So, to sleep, I have to satisfy head, neck, shoulder, arm from shoulder to hand, back, hips, knees, avoid certain reclining angles where I just sort of don't breathe...have been using recliner, couch, bed with wedges, 5-7 pillows of various types, shapes, sizes...what I need is a giant foam packing pillow with the shape of me cut out of it, just pack me up for the night like I was getting shipped somewhere.

winic1,

Sorry to hear you suffered such a broad level of trauma to your body. I can't imagine what you are going through.

I would not discount the possibility that you suffered a concussion, too. You don't have to hit your head to suffer a concussion. The body jolts can easily jar your brain. With your condition, the doctors were likely focusing on your other trauma with your head being a distant second or even tenth issue. As long as your pupils were equal, they would not often get concerned about your brain.

It is not uncommon for concussions to be missed entirely due to the other pressing injuries from an auto collision. Insurance companies will use this situation to discount the later PCS complaints. One concussion specialist has even lectured about the need to get "possible concussion" entered into the medical record just because there is evidence of strong impact forces to the body. This sets up a situation where later complaints can be better explained after the other physical injuries have healed.

He spoke of the need to have the appropriate IDC-9 (International Diagnostic Code) of usually 850.9 (Concussion unspecified: A violent jar or shock, or the condition which results from such an injury.) entered into the medical record.

Your husband likely has an IDC-9 or IDC-10 code of 850 in his medical record.

I can fully understand the need for a custom foam packing form so you can be packaged to be sent off to sleep. My wife calls it my cocoon. She can tell when it is working because I get this contented and "dead to the world" look on my face. If I am not sleeping right, I will often have a grimace on my face.

Right now, it is 4:00 AM. I forgot to take my gabapentin last night and just got up after struggling to get to sleep for the past so many hours. Now, I need to wait a hour or so for my body to settle down.

I just though of a favorite thing I do when I have access to a pool. I like to hold my breath and sink under the water and just float under the water. It feels like being weightless. It sounds like you need something like that to sleep. Sort of a suspended existence while you get some rest.

My best to you.

Hey, at least we're all alive. My not-quite 8 year old daughter was in the car, too. Tightly strapped in the extra fancy, hard to find and very expensive booster seat I hunted down for her because she's very petite and slender. All she got was a broken arm way up high just below the shoulder, and a scrape on her cheek, probably from the headrest/guard of her booster seat. We got hit head on by an oncoming minivan who lost control (we were in a station wagon), then slammed sideways into the guardrail, then the van spun off and slammed the side of the car 1/2" behind the door where my daughter was sitting and then spun off another 30 or so feet down the road. My son, recently turned 12, was not in the car, oh so thankfully, he would have been behind me, no longer in a booster, no airbags, he would probably be dead.

Anyone who is not keeping their kids, any kid below the recommended 57" and 80 pounds, in a booster seat of some kind, GO GET ONE NOW!!! And use it properly. Every time. Just because the law doesn't require it to this size, doesn't mean your kid is safe. And do not, ever, put a kid who has not reached adult size, in the front seat. I'm a tall, 5'8" woman, tightly and properly seat-belted, and look what happened to me. Five miles from home on a quick pick-up from dance lessons trip. Through absolutely no fault of our own.

(Done with the soapbox now. But please, please take your child's safety seriously!)

The other night I was joking around with my girlfriend about my mental prowess and said, "I have a bear-trap mind!" Even as I said it, something didn't seem right about that expression, and a minute later, I said, "steel-trap! I have a steel-trap mind!"

Love this thread!
 

I usually say something similar to what I mean. For example, I might say, "Can you bring me my feet?" instead of "Can you bring me my shoes?" :rolleyes:

They're amusing little moments to lighten the day. :p

And, I disagree that slowing down will make a difference. If I am asked to repeat myself, it still comes out the same. If I try to figure out what I said that's wrong, I usually can't until someone points it out.

along with mixing up words and parts of words, I'm still getting the blanks on things, and I feel this kind of confusion in my head, because at the time I don't know what it is that I know I want to talk about, if that makes any sense. The other day I wanted to say something about something that involved the front walkway (which is brick, runs alonjg the front of the house after you go down the three steps of our wooden porch), and I ended up vaguely waving my hand in the direction of the front window and saying something like "...out .... out...... there..... the wood.... the steps, wood .... that... there, out..." and I knew there was something out there I needed to name, but I had no idea, like I couldn't even picture the thing. I'm just lost. Fortunately it isn't happening this bad very much, but it is so freaky when it does.

Finally had a doppler ultrasound of carotids/vertebrals last week, don't know results yet, but they did it with me laying flat and my bad arm down at my side, still. The only time I ever lay flat, for the last 20 months, is to be tested in some way or other. So who knows if there was anything to see.

I can not seem to be able to feel fun or funny about this. I am sick of feeling like an idiot.

JoeT,

I saw no humor in it for a long time. It was just a reminder of how bad I was.

Please don't allow yourself to be frustrated over the fact that you don't see it as amusing! That's ok!

And... you're NOT an idiot!! Your brain is just a little under the weather.

The folks on this forum know and understand!! :hug:

Hope everyone is feeling better...
I mix up words a lot, but U think I always have...
window and mirror for instance...
Now it's words like oil and onion, they both begin with "O" so makes sense to me...
I laugh a lot, my kids laugh at me in a good-natured way...

What's in the dish washer?
 

Last night I put some clothes in the tumble drier and then my husband (who has pcs) asked me "what have you got in the dish washer?"