Does anyone else forget words, or get... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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Does anyone else forget words, or get words muddled up?

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For example, I was talking to my family about a particular flavour of cordial that I liked, Lime and Pineapple, but I said "Lime and Piano flavour" and couldn't work out what I'd said wrong. Things like that happen to me often, and people think it's hilarious, because they don't understand that it's actually a problem, they just think I'm joking. I'm just wondering if it's a "just me" thing, or if it happens to a lot of fibro sufferers?

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29 Replies
arrrrrgggggghhhhhh profile image
arrrrrgggggghhhhhh

Fibro fog as its called is a major part of the make up of fibromyalgia. a lot of ppl get this including me. u are not alone.

munchkin62 profile image
munchkin62

ohh yes and i know what you mean about people finding it funny they just dont seem to realise how much these things leave us scared ,embarresed,and so on this can be such a frighting illness for some people especially if youve not had it long it feels like every day yet another part of us is affected or we worry that is it fibro or something else i hope your feeling better i know fibro dosent get better but knowing that there are people feeling exactly the same as you can be sort of a releif no one on here will laugh at you xx

I do this all the time so your not on your own. My nan always said ''If you can make at least one person laugh a day, your doing a good thing''. I make people laugh a lot by getting words mixed up so at least some one is happy lol x

jacksie profile image
jacksie

yes i slur a lot too,i tend not to speak so much when i'm worst,i find i'm worst on the phone,that's truly embarrassing,i have to say errr,ooh sorry i'll ring you back,that happens regularly.sometimes i'll say, oh my memory is terrible just lately and they'll say back ,.oh mine is too.don't worry about it, let them laugh it's all good fun, you have to join in or it will get you down,laugh with them.I used to be very opinionative,not any more, lose my words half way through.,forget what the subject was or can't find words to say,hopeless yours jacksiex PS,i amend my mistakes in my text before sending it out and theirs a lot.x

NWG23 profile image
NWG23 in reply tojacksie

Hey I've been doing this since I started a family (then I put it down to pregnancy) but Its got worse over the years. I'm really bad at getting my kids names wrong in that I will be talking about them or to them and call them their brothers name,sometimes even the dogs! I find it really hard to keep up with the detail of conversations that I'm having like over coffee. If someone tells me about a situation in their lives and mentions names I can't keep track of who said what to who, its awful.I prefer to email people because then I have a record of what I said and what they said back. Phone calls can be difficult too,I end up sitting with a pen and write down the details of the chat we are having like if talking about holidays I write down their destination(s) dates they go, come back and who they will be seeing or staying with cos I know it will just be a complete blur once I've put the phone down. Do you know the feeling when someone says do you remember I told you about.......... ??? and you nod your head and say yes,vaguely when really you mean no, it's awful. I sometimes worry that I'm well on the way to senality already! If I have to go see a consultant at the hospital or anyone like a lawyer there's no way I'd go alone cos it would all go in one ear and out the other, so my poor long suffering hubby has to always go with me. Actually I think some of this could be dyslexia too (not that i'm diagnosed with that) but because It's the same when I read a book, I can't keep up with who is who and end up reading the page over and over. Thanks to the Harry Potter films I at least have some grasp of the stories but couldn't begin to tell you the plots even though I've read the books (except the last 2) Sometimes when I've read a book my hubby reads it after me cos that's the only way I can discuss it by being prompted by him. Actually writing this down makes me realise I have quite a problem here but I shouldn't be so hard on myself really cos it's obviously the fibro fog! (and maybe dyslexia?

Anyone else think they might be dyslexic too btw? NWG x

bumblebee57 profile image
bumblebee57 in reply toNWG23

Hi. yes im dyslexic (or "exdyslic" as i call it!!) too, so it is a bit confusing as to which to blame, that or the Fibro. I think we must have been cloned coz I do all the above except calling people by the wrong name, I just cant think of it at all, lol. I take SOOO long to write/ type anything coz i have to keep going over it, checking ive done it right. I know its dyslexia when I read absolute rubbish that isnt really rubbish. i read a word/ phrase from here and a word/ phrase from there, brain mixes it up and it makes gobbledegook till i read it very s l o w l y to make sense of it. I read your comment as "I take a lawyer with me...." not what you actually wrote !! This week, Fibro fog has kicked in again as ive not had a clue what day it is, all week. Very frustrating, isnt it??!! And the government expect me to do a job? By the end of the first day, not only will i have forgotten what to do, I'll have forgotten WHY IM EVEN THERE!!!!! I have to keep a good sense of humour about it or id worry myself stupid that ive got Altzheimers or something. i laugh at myself more than people laugh at me. i often say,"what did i just say?" coz i forgot, or "did i just tell you *********, no its not that at all, its ********" !! I do get some funny looks, but i quite like being "mad" !! xx

phlebo123 profile image
phlebo123

Yes this is definitely a "fibro" thing. I Get words around the wrong way and sometimes can't remember the names of everyday objects. I just end up laughing at myself to hide my embarrassment!! Like newaysgirl (above) I often call the kids by the wrong name -- really embarassing when I call my son by one of my daughters names or quite often calling them by the dog's name also!!! (I actually seem to remember dog's names better than their owners names) I also cannot remember the plots in books and films ... makes me quite sad that I spend money going to the cinema and then several days later cannot even remember the name of the film I went to see!! (makes it seem pointless in sitting down to watch a film at all really -- because after a couple of hours I just end up with stiff back, joints, hips and little memory of the film itself!) Also have a habit of "putting" things in the wrong places (reading glasses in the microwave and newspaper in the fridge -- to name but a few!) At first I thought I was going MAD or getting Dementia -- but now I realise it is all part of the "fibrofog". PS like you ukwahine I have been living in Scotland for 14 years and really love it here (would have been better if I could have left the fibro in England though :)) xx

AFineLass profile image
AFineLass

Hi Everyone, I'm knew here and taking in all the info that is available on the site. It's comforting to feel I am not alone anymore with this debilitating condition FM. I was thinking I was suffering from early dementia, but reading the comments I realise it's all part of FM. I am newly diagnosed but have felt unwell for sometime, it's easy to get very despondent and just close down in myself, in finding this wonderful site lets me see I am not the only one dealing with all the other things that come with FM.

Ozzygirl64 profile image
Ozzygirl64

Yes lol, all the time, the last gaff I made was telling my mother in law that my daughter was going to neurology for the problems with her waterworks. But there are minor gaffs all the time. Another problem I have is I will often type or write a word and it is all jumbled up, but all the right letters are there. God bless Fibro fog xxxxx

sandra57 profile image
sandra57

i went the doctors thinking i had dementia , my family think im so funny because i have my own vocabulary this brain fog has a lot to answer for lol , i got in the back seat of the car instead of the front seat lol i keep getting everything back to front so it helps to just laugh at yourself your normal lol x

charlii profile image
charlii

I suffer with all the above too. I constantly forget my childrens names and mix them up with the pets! I put 2lb of rump steak in the dishwasher and switched it on> i forget conversations and plots of films and i often forget even seeing the films....we all find it funny most of the time but i cant remember so much of my childrens big moments so hubby is buying me a small handheld camcorder so i can record everyday things as well as special times. I feel sad when i think of the things i should remember and thats when i feel down and angry with this wretched illness! x

Before being diagnosed with Fibro, I put my atrocious memory and occasional brain blow outs on having three children. I had read somewhere and foolishly believed that with every child you have it affects your braincells. I put it down to this and never gave it a second thought. Then came Fibro! I am so bad these days that I can actually forget what I am talking about mid-sentence! It completely goes and doesn't come back - so frustrating!

My long term memory seems fine, short term is absolute rubbish, I can't remember 5 minutes ago sometimes! I forget the simplest words, then remember the more difficult words, there is no sense to it at all! This is a common problem with Fibro, another one of the joys we have to endure I am afraid.

For more info, please click on the link - Cognitive Dysfunction -

chronicfatigue.about.com/b/...

trustingtiddles profile image
trustingtiddles in reply to

so glad to hear there is someone else who forgets mid sentence, like you long term memory is fine but short term is seriously bad.

well thank you all so much for your replies, i appreciate all of you sharing your moments of madness with me! haha!

as for forgetting the childrens' names - I too have three kids, and although i do often get their names mixed up, so does my husband, and so do they. i figure it's just a result of all of us being busy people and our mouths moving faster than our minds at times. except the kids are worse than me, i think, for that - they call me their friends' names, or worse, granny! at least i only mix them up with each other...and occasionally my eldest gets called by my sister's name, haha!

phlebo123 - what a shame that loving where we live isn't enough to rid us of our ailments!!

I also put things in odd places, but usually catch myself doing so just in time, or i realise just after. although, secretly, some times i just don't remember doing things, so i blame it on my husband, haha, bless him, he takes the blame for a lot!

actually even more scary than all of this is when i find myself sort of "zoning out" for want of a better description. it's like i go into a sort of semi-trance, can't really control what i'm doing, go on auto pilot, and then when i "come to" i find i've been doing something really wierd, and can't for the life of me fathom why i would be doing that. eg, i once was playing a card game with a friend and on my turn i started to lift all the cards up to look at them, and felt so embarressed when i realised what i had been doing. but i honestly had no control, and also had no idea what the cards were, even though i'd just looked at them.

fibro profile image
fibro

I'm another one, my husband has got used to it now, but if you are with others they just think I'm away with the fairies lol xxx

jules123fun profile image
jules123fun

I suffer from it terrible. They do not know at work that I suffer from fibro (in my last job I told them and then got made redundant shortly after, so have been too worried to say anything in this job).

I sure they think I am totally stupid sometimes as I have times where words just disappear from me. I remember in one conversation I could not for the life of me think of what a pen was called and had to say one of those writing things. Everyone just looked at me. I am sure they think I am either stupid or drunk. It's so hard to keep up with everything. I try to write as much as I can down and always have lists. Lists of what I have done and lists of what I still have to do, it's the only way I can cope. Got to meet with my manager in the morning, they are claiming they changed a process which we had a meeting about in march but I can not remember what it was that I agreed to, if I did. As a result they are now furious that I have not done it. I hope my words do not leave me tomorrow I need to get through the meeting without sounding like an idiot :( wish me luck!

eeek, Jules, good luck for your meeting!! I hope you can stay calm and perhaps explaining that you have a condition that affects your memory might help? Tell them you need gentle reminders every now and then, and that you won't take offence at being prompted, as long as it's done with respect and kindness.

michphil profile image
michphil

Hi I also forget words I was talking to my husband this morning at the breakfast table . I wanted the jam was sat looking at it straight but could I think of the name of it Noway I was pointing at it trying to think . In the end I ended up just saying pass us that jar will you please .It was only when I bit into my toast I remembered what it was called.

It crazy I know but we have to get used to the silly things we do when we have this silly thing it drives me mad sometimes xxx

ladymoth profile image
ladymoth

Ii frequently get my worms muggled up!

I recently moved house and it took me several weeks to remember my flat number - I still forget it sometimes, but now I have it engraved on my keys. I tried to get into the flat next door, which was very embarrassing.

I have three children ... I think ... sometimes it feels like more, and I have sort of absorbed some of their friends as my own. My daughter just tells everyone I have 'arthritis of the brain'. It really does feel as though my thoughts have stiffened up, so she's probably right! xxxx

oobs profile image
oobs

Isn't it comforting to know we are not the only ones:). I'm particulary bad with brain fog when I'm tired, can't for the life of me put a sentance together and I stutter - never had a stuttered before I got fibro. I have an upbeat personality so I laugh it off and I think everybody at work or who don't know me so well think I'm a right ditz!!! But in most situations I prefer to let them think that instaed of them going quiet when I tell them I have fibro. Big problem at the moment is I have been put on a course through work which is four hours a week for the next year and at the end we have to pass on our knowledge to about 50 people. I don't think the standing up in front of people will bother me too much,but what if I start to stutter in front of the crowd of can't get my words out:( I've already planned that I will take the week before off work in hopes my mind will be kinda Sharpe! Anyone have any other ideas on precautions etc I can do so I donKt end up looking completly stupid :). Hope this makes sense oobs xxx

justlilme profile image
justlilme

i do this too along with general memory loss and confusion xx

Angeldancea812 profile image
Angeldancea812

I have this problem too. I'm glad I got help with the ATOS form as even while I was being helped I kept losing the words I needed. I can describe the word I'm looking for usually but not reach the right word itself.

oh yes! I can often describe the word i'm meaning, it's a wee game we play: i describe the word and my husband tries to guess the word i mean.

louisemay profile image
louisemay

Yes - I get this and it's not my age/dementia yet either ...well I don't think so! I sometimes sort of stutter to get the words out too, which is so frustrating. I have real sympathy for those who struggle with this because I think it can seem to others that we're 'not all there' :-) It really is just the fibro brain being a bit slow to crank up. I try not to take it too seriously in myself - and the odd four letter word spluttered out makes me feel better :-))

Hang in there...

L

lynnecw profile image
lynnecw

Last night I asked my son if he wanted corrugated chips. When he asked me what I meant I had to go to the freezer and look on the packet of crinkle cut chips to check what I meant as although I could picture them I hadn't a clue what they were called.

in reply tolynnecw

I think they should be called corrugated - lol! It describes them perfectly. xx

in reply tolynnecw

I've used that term before, it really does describe them perfectly!

I used to get this really badly. It's not so bad at the moment, but does get worse the more tired I get. I have been taking vit B12 which is supposed to help the brain. My main problem is my job. I'm a teacher of English as a foreign language. Sometimes I wonder just how much 'rubbish' I'm teaching my students. So, if you hear a non-native speaker using odd words or expressions for things - it's probably my fault! Also, sometimes they ask me questions about stuff that I know the answer to, but I can't figure out how to explain it. Ah well - they probably just put it down to my age, or consider they are 'lucky' enough to be being taught by a true English eccentric!

xx

aarghh! I can imagine how frustrating that would be KazF!! i take a vit along with my vit d and iron, no idea if it helps but i figure the magnesium and vit c in the multivit will help the absorption of the other supplements. i guess it all helps.

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