[MomWriterStudent]

I'm visiting the doctor in a week or two and wondering if there's a name for what I'm experiencing.

I'll give examples:

My son walks in wearing a dirty shirt. I'll notice his shirt is dirty and say, "Can you please go put on another apple?".

My daughter will ask what's for dinner. I'll be preparing salmon, but I'll say, "I've got tacos in the crockpot".

My kids think this is hilarious and that I'm playing a game, but I'm actually just thinking one thing and saying another. It's very frustrating, actually.

I also have problems thinking of words. Like, I'll say, "Kids, get your shoes on and wait by the..." (trying to think of "door", but it just won't come).

I'm not sure how to describe this to a doctor. I guess the same way that I just described it here?

[St George 2013]

So glad to see this post....I do the same exact thing. It's so weird.

I told my daughter to put the broccoli in the attic ! And my kids (both adults) have to finish my sentences for me because the word just won't come to me. It's like I can see it in my head but it won't come out of my mouth.

And they all laugh too......I'm guessing it's my meds for small fiber neuropathy. Not really sure. And it's very frustrating to me too.

Hope someone can help us out with this

Debi from Georgia

[EsthersDoll]

Just tell your Dr. the symptoms, exactly what you've told us here and s/he will diagnose it. It's probably aphasia... but Dr.'s typically don't like it when you go in and tell them what you have...

Since the auto accident and concussion I sustained I have suffered from aphasia. It's getting better, but it's 3.5+ years since... and I'm taking a lot of hormones that were caused by deficiencies from the concussion... and it still happens! It's frustrating but it's definitely a common symptom of a tbi.

[Mark in Idaho]

These symptoms are common. As mentioned before, just tell the doctor the symptoms without trying to medically define them. I had the whole spectrum of word finding and expressing difficulties early on. Now, I only experience the word finding difficulty infrequently. You are doing it right by laughing about it. It lowers your stress level. For me, stress made this cluster of dysfunctions worse.

The doc may suggest speech therapy but in time, this should become less of a problem. Speech therapy just causes more stress as you focus on the symptom.

[EsthersDoll]

Mark is right, focusing on it, or stressing out about it just makes it worse.

For the record, I was ordered speech therapy for a SLEW of issues and this was a small one in comparison to what else I was dealing with...

[Mokey]

I have that too...including making grammar mistakes, which is not usual for me as I love grammar! But it is getting better....a mild aphasia and word finding difficulties.

speech language pathologists are very important in brain injury rehab...for cognitive issues including those which you have described.
Good for you for laughing!

[poetrymom]

I've had wrong word issues too,and it is better. Sometimes it is just darn funny though and the words we say or even make up can be poetic.

I have found, at times, when I really tried to say something and I was too excited, I couldn't get the words out at all.

It's kind of like being a little kid sometimes and creating new words. Well, it is or was for me.

poetymom

[Lightrail11]

Originally Posted by MomWriterStudent

I'm visiting the doctor in a week or two and wondering if there's a name for what I'm experiencing.

I'm not sure how to describe this to a doctor. I guess the same way that I just described it here?

Sounds like Broca's Aphasia. Symptoms of Broca's Aphasia can run the gamut from a complete inability to speak to problems with fluency, articulation, and word-finding, and is common with TBIs particularly if the left side of the brain is injured. I experienced this early on with my TBI (although my injury was primarily on my right side). I did have speech therapy and that was helpful.

If your doctor is familiar with TBI they will be familiar with this symptom, just describe it to her or him as you have done here.

Best to you as you recover.

[MomWriterStudent]

Thanks for your feedback, guys. I'm cracking up over the broccoli in the attic story. Sounds like something I'd say!

PoetryMom, I have experienced that a few times, too (when I'm too excited). I also have trouble communicating if I become very upset. My ex was here yesterday, and he was really pushing my buttons. I kept trying to communicate that his comments were upsetting me but ended up just standing there with my mouth open. Which just made me more frustrated lol.

I have found that my best days are the days where I am home alone for a few hours. That has only happened a few times over the last 3 months, but each time, I have felt much better.

[RunWriteMomHeal]

Originally Posted by MomWriterStudent

Thanks for your feedback, guys. I'm cracking up over the broccoli in the attic story. Sounds like something I'd say!

PoetryMom, I have experienced that a few times, too (when I'm too excited). I also have trouble communicating if I become very upset. My ex was here yesterday, and he was really pushing my buttons. I kept trying to communicate that his comments were upsetting me but ended up just standing there with my mouth open. Which just made me more frustrated lol.

I have found that my best days are the days where I am home alone for a few hours. That has only happened a few times over the last 3 months, but each time, I have felt much better.

I only had that in the first week or so after my car accident. In fact, it was my first sign of maybe having a concussion (I thought I had PTSD or something, I had no clue I had a concussion since I didn't even hit my head). But I haven't had it since. I remember I couldn't tell my four year old the phrase "upside down" so I tried to rework it and say "not right side up.." Haha. I also said "That's just logistics!" to my husband instead of "Semantics." These were my first clues something was not right in the ol' brain piece. Luckily I haven't had it since. I am a writer and once in a while if I'm feeling very symptomatic I feel like it takes me longer to retrieve the "perfect" word. But not too bad. Good luck to you at the doc.