Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
Hi Micheal, feel free to mail the words to the song.
I feel tired all the time, I put that down to the fact my body feels like its going through a mangle very time I open my mouth. I also cannot breath when I am speaking everything goes into spasm and I therefore am not taking in enough oxygen.
Most SDers seem to be shallow breathers, have you noticed this about yourself.
I do big inhales throughout the day and slowly release.
I also do my over all excercises last thing at night. Working from my toes up to my face muscles, tensing the muscles in pairs and very slowly relaxing them. One of the better points that speech therapy offered, all else failed. Look forward to the song. Kind regards to you
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
i do not have spontaneous response. it's like i have to think to tell my brain to say the word, and then sometimes i can't even think of the correct word to say. i'm glad to know that i am not alone. don't you just get SOOOO Tired of being Tired?
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
Oh yeah, I get brain-fog while trying to talk sometimes. For split seconds at a time, my brain tries to find alternate ways to phrase a sentence if I know I have tough words to say (as an AB SDer, I have trouble with certain consonants). Yes, it gets tiring...not only the brainwork but the physical strain you go through to get out the words. You sorta get used to it, though. Like anything, it takes time. You start to learn compensating techniques. And learn what makes your voice better or worse. Nothing like the school of Experience, eh?
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
Micheal,
I took Buspar several years ago for a couple of months. It made my voice much much worse. I know this doesn't have anything to do with brain fog and everyone reacts differently to different drugs, but just want to pass this on.
Cindy (AD/SD-Northeast Kansas)
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
...and here I thought I was just getting Alzheimers along with my AB/SD! Gosh, how comforting this BB is -- I am starting to feel like I should catalog the now-almost-daily stupid attacks that are just brain shutdown. Maybe someday it will sound funny to someone (and, if I can get some perspective, it probably will make me laugh at myself too, which is healthy). Thanks to those of you who have shared this. The physical exhaustion and mental fuzziness do seem to go together.
We learn new ways to cope, and on we go.
All my best to all of you!
Linda
Annapolis MD (AB/SD)
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
Hi Linda, yes I think my brain went into total shut down about two years ago. Its quite difficult to explain but as an example,prior to SD if I was with a group of people chatting I was always bursting to tell a tale. I have had quite an eventful life and had a knack of turning any disaster into a funny story.
For the first year with SD my mind still reacted in the same way, I had a past and the stories were still there to tell, although be it difficult to deliver the goods.
Now I can sit in a group and nothing comes into my head at all its one big void. I do not consciously sit there thinking I would like to say this and that but it would be difficult. I genuinely do not have any thoughts come into my head at all. There is no stimulus.
Said this was complicated but can anyone else relate to this. Its almost like having no past.
--modified by krissie at Wed, Mar 20, 2002, 03:55:04 --modified by krissie at Wed, Mar 20, 2002, 03:56:31 --modified by krissie at Wed, Mar 20, 2002, 06:44:32 --modified by krissie at Wed, Mar 20, 2002, 06:45:02
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
Hi Krissie,Can I relate to this - yes - not half! I too was always the one to tell the tale, relate the story and get a laugh. Then SD came along and thud!! distinct lack of material in my head. Now I dread a car journey in a one to one situation. Tommorow I have to go to a business dinner with a colleague from work and two customers and the thought of sitting round a dinner table fpr hours on end and haveing to chat, think of things to say, not to mention the actual talking bit, which will be an ordeal in itself. I know I will come home utterley exhausted and no doubt have achieved nothing. Boy can I relate? Why will this thing not go away? David
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
David, one thing I do find is that I function better when writing. I suppose it is because my brain is not being distracted by this awful speech thing .....
I write all the time, every doctor, consultant and speech therapist I have seen over the last 40 months has my etchings (pages of them). I know that way they will get all the information they need and it avoids the brain fog.
All they need to do then is go over the points I have made.
Get writing.
I also find it helps just putting everything down in writing generally thats in your head other wise it just starts to spin. This is a very all consuming condition.
I find that travelling in a moving vehicle is (as well as the phone) my worst voice area. There is so much to compete with noise wise that you automatically try to raise the volume of your voice....which in turn creates an instant spasm.
Feel free to mail me if you have anything else you want to discuss.
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
At the Symposium, a question about fatigue was asked from the audience ("is fatigue a big factor" or something like that.) I felt that the doctors discounted it - said that it was more likely in patients with recent onset. Frankly, I thought to myself at the time - I don't think they realize how prevalent fatigue is with SDers!I have recently had some "spontaneous recovery" of my voice; for the last 2 months it has been much better (for no apparent reason.) I'm certainly not complaining! But it has really made me realize the difference of "having SD" to "not having SD" (even though I still have problems - I still have SD.) Ya' know what - I have more energy, I can think clearer and I don't need as much sleep. I loved the way that Krissie described the change in cognition (although I am far from loving the result.) It really is like losing a part of yourself - even your thoughts are taken! I experienced my "brain fog" like she described. (And now I've noticed that I'm having a hard time shutting up! Just like the old days. :-) ) I think that this is what is so difficult about this "non-fatal" disorder. Yes, it is better than many other problems - but there are losses due to the disorder that really are pretty profound and that are so difficult for people to understand. I found that my thoughts were very muddled - it was difficult to concentrate. Also sometimes I could think of what I wanted to say - and then I'd just sit stupidly and not say anything - the words never made it out in time. I felt tired a lot and was very bothered by how much I was sleeping (until I just said - to heck with it I'll sleep 9 hours if I want to.) My thoughts and you are welcome to them. :-) I wish you well, Robin (AB/So. Calif.)
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
When I was working, and the SD really creeped up on me, I was suffered from the exhaustion and brain fog (doesn't happen as much now that I don't work), but on occassion. But when I do have moments now that Im home and if I go out with friends or have friends over or have had an unusually high talking day (Im been in amount not volume) I can barely function the next day. Lately I get migraines AGAIN. Last week I had a two day one (which I think was weather related also) but last and today, I have one that is finally going away after 24 hrs. I was out all day yesterday with girl friends I had not seen from work. It was fun, but I (maybe we) sure spend a price for it. Does anyone else go through this? I tread listening to my doctor when it comes time renew my Fiorinal for my migraines. Jean
AB/sd
Virginia
Re: Brain fog and tiredness?
Hi Jean, I find that if I over do it voice wise I pay the price with headaches. Mine last for at least three days. The first one ever that I had I thought I was having a brain haemorrhage and did not dare to go to sleep incase I did not wake up....that bad. I have sort of got used to them now although they still frighten me to death.
Using the wrong muscles all the time to project voice is bound to cause increased pressure in the neck and head muscles thus the head haddocks.
Did you get my last e-mail?
--modified by krissie at Tue, Mar 26, 2002, 03:01:10
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