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PMR, the brain and words

Posted , 10 users are following.

Elizamc
Elizamc

Does anyone else have trouble finding words or using wrong words?  I have a busy brain and a busy life, hoping its lack of mindfulness or PMR and not a dementia. (Which my mother has.) 

Does PMR negativily affect the brain apart from GCA/strokes/aneurysm?

1 like, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • EileenH
    EileenH Elizamc

    Posted

    It was a problem I had in the early days of PMR, the non-pred managed ones that is. Once I was on pred it did eventually improve, albeit slowly. It happens now and again now - but that is the best part of 9 years on and living in a bi-lingual state where it does tend to be more common anyway. 
    • Elizamc
      Elizamc EileenH

      Posted

      That’s interesting Eileen as l’ve been having the occasional problem with words for a year or so and looking back I think the PMR has been a couple of years coming and I was blaming other things. Sometimes I can’t find the word and other times the wrong word pops out.
    • EileenH
      EileenH Elizamc

      Posted

      What sort of wrong word? wink   A lot of us have found that becoming rather potty-mouthed is diagnostic of PMR or a PMR flare!!!! rolleyes
    • Elizamc
      Elizamc EileenH

      Posted

      Haha! So I have an excuse?!?! 😂😂😂😂😁

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Elizamc

    Posted

    Yes to first question.  Don't know answer to second.

    • Elizamc
      Elizamc Anhaga

      Posted

      Has your ‘word problem’ improved as the illness runs its course Anhaga?
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Elizamc

      Posted

      I found I did very badly at Scrabble for a while, and that seemed to improve as my dose got down to a vanishingly small dose, and I didn't notice too many instances of not finding the right word.   But recently I had to increase the dosage, not a whole lot, but I've noticed problems finding the right word in daily life, and my Scrabble game seems to be shot again....  But, and I think this is a big but, my father all his life, at least the years I knew him from his mid thirties to his death thirty years later, would sometimes say the wrong word.  I have done that too, for a long time.  My father's first language was not English, but one wonders if it was more of a brain wiring thing than an linguistic thing, and I've inherited the same tendency.  It is annoying, because you catch yourself doing it and wonder why.  This is definitely worse since pred.

    • Elizamc
      Elizamc Anhaga

      Posted

      So hard to know and understand what’s happening really? But reassuring that word finding improved with a lower dose. I shall hope for that and put dementia out of my mind. My best wishes too you.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Elizamc

      Posted

      One thing I hold onto is the fact that the best thing we can do for our brain health is exactly what we should do for heart health.  Eat healthily and get adequate cardiovascular exercise!  Whenever I feel lazy and think I will skip my walk or whatever, I think, nope, have to get out.  Have to keep my bones strong.  Have to keep the blood flowing.  Have to make sure my brain stays functional.  
    • Elizamc
      Elizamc Anhaga

      Posted

      Very true. I aim for 10,000 steps a day and mostly get too or exceed it. My Fit watch also reminds me to move every hour so that I get 250steps in an hour. Its been a great motivator!
  • maid_mariane
    maid_mariane Elizamc

    Posted

    No worries, most of us call this brain fog. Lol I use to edit work of PhD students and now I can't spell or finish sentences for loss of word and yet I know it.

    I say my husband and I would be great at charades now. Lol

    mariane

  • joanne89589
    joanne89589 Elizamc

    Posted

    Yes, I do find I'm struggling to find words sometimes. I put it down to old age! Still seem to be translating fairly accurately. No complaints so far. I am better when I keep off the carbs, but that is going to be difficult over Christmas.

    • Elizamc
      Elizamc joanne89589

      Posted

      You find the carbs makes it worse? I am a tad concerned as I’m 62, a bit too young for word problems really and my Mum has Alzheimers.
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