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Original poster

Woke up yesterday morning slurring - should I be worried?

299 replies

AgentZigzag · 14/02/2015 11:36

My tongue looks 'off centre', which I presume means it's swollen on one side? My arm on the side it's swollen was killing me as well. I'm also having trouble typing this, even though I'm usually pretty quick normally at touch typing, I keep getting the letters wrong.

I have ongoing problems with my arm which I thought was either because of RSI from working on the computer coupled with holding hands with 5 YO DD because as we walk to school and she'd been maybe pulling on it as she dancing/skipped along.

Yesterday I thought I'd maybe laid on my front when I was in bed and it had trapped a nerve in my neck/shoulder or something, but would this affect my tongue?

I've Googled what it could be and can't find anything, tongue not numb and doesn't hurt, I can eat OK, I can get the words out OK just sound slurred.

I'd be really grateful if anyone's got any ideas about what it could be? Otherwise it'll have to wait until Monday till I can get to the doctors and I'll just keep my fingers crossed that I don't have to talk to anyone before then because I really sound as though I've had at least two bottles of wine!

OP posts:
Pipsqueak11 · 18/02/2015 20:09

hope all well Flowers

PacificDogwood · 18/02/2015 20:37

Here's hoping your appointment was a constructive one, AgentZ.

Sorry to hear about the situation with your H - whether or not your symptoms have any kind of stress related component is really irrelevant as far as the investigations etc goes. All the more serious shit needs to be ruled out, before anybody can say 'oh yes, it was stress'. Yes, stress can do amazingly weird things to the body, but always needs to be a diagnosis of exclusion IYKWIM.
As said above, the vast majority of heart murmurs are incidental and mean nothing to little.
As your scans were normal, you could have a small gap somewhere in the septum of your heart which might allow blood/tiny clots to flow the wrong way and end up in your brain. Something called a 'bubble test' might be suggested.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon Thanks

Original poster
AgentZigzag · 19/02/2015 11:33

I think I must have thought vascular was actually cardiovascular because it had nothing at all to do with my heart! I thought it was going to be another scan, like an ultrasound or something, but he just asked a load of questions and listened to my neck and top of my chest with a stethoscope.

He said he didn't know what was causing it either, but he's sending me to another hospital next week for (some kind of, not sure what) scan on my neck to see if that throws anything up, and even if they can't find anything then at least they'd be treating the other stuff that might have been the cause of it.

He wasn't talking as though I was going to imminently cark it, so all good Smile

(just pressed the random word button on Urban Dictionary as I was looking to see if cark was spelled with a c or a k and it gave me 'family: A bunch of people who hate each other and eat dinner together.' think AIBU might find the eating dinner together part a bit far fetched Wink)

OP posts:
MsVanRein · 19/02/2015 11:40

Really glad things have been followed up quickly by the hospital. Hopefully they are on course to getting some answers.

Regarding the typing and struggling to find the letters - did you have a speech, language and communication assessment at all? Obviously important regarding the slurring but a full assessment looking at communication as a whole might be helpful.

Original poster
AgentZigzag · 19/02/2015 12:45

I did see a lovely speech therapist when I was in hosp MsVan, and she went through quite a few things including a bit of writing. The worst problem was using my tongue for sounds like 'ch' and 'sh', so only minor things really, especially compared to the difficulties people who have had a major stroke have to deal with.

I actually think my speech sounds noticeably better today, the DDs think so too, my tongue's still skew-whiff but it also seems a little easier typing. I really hope it's not just my mind playing tricks on me and we're getting used to how it sounds IYSWIM. Perhaps the tablets are doing something?

OP posts:
magimedi · 19/02/2015 13:04

DH had a small stroke some 9 years ago. There were quite a few words he couldn't say properly, like soddiges for sausages. It improved very quickly & he is fine now.

So hopefully your improvements wil lcary on.

MrsTawdry · 19/02/2015 13:11

Mag is he on medication now? My Mum had a small one and is on something or other for it now.

magimedi · 19/02/2015 13:18

Yes, he takes statins, blood pressure tablets & an asprin a day. He's (fingers crossed) in great health, walks at least 2 miles most days & swims 40 lengths 3 times a week.

FabULouse · 19/02/2015 13:30

This reply has been deleted

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MsVanRein · 19/02/2015 13:53

That's good Agent I thought you would have seen a SALT.

There is some evidence for spontaneous recovery of speech and language difficulties in these kind of situations so it's possible it is improving!

PacificDogwood · 19/02/2015 16:26

Scroll down to 'duplex ultrasound' for carotid artery.

Good news about your speech Smile

Smile
Boboma · 19/02/2015 20:41

This is not intended to scare you, and I'm sure that there's hundreds of other medical things that could be going on, but can you ask your neurologist/neurosurgeon to check that is is not Moyamoya disease? My daughter has this rare disease and I know from a support forum that I am on that it can go misdiagnosed in adults as eg MS or complex migraine. Just with you mentioning cerebal artery narrowing and TIA symptoms I felt that I has to mention it to you. They can see it on MRA scan with contrast, which you have had? Please, don't go madly googling and scare yourself, just keep it as a question to ask the medics. Googling is bad! The disease is rare, just a possibility I thought. I hope that it isn't but I have been mulling over whether to post this for the past few days and decided that I should. Please don't worry, just ask the Q! Wishing you all the very, very best.

Original poster
AgentZigzag · 19/02/2015 21:20

Thanks for the link Pacific, as it's improved a bit today I hope it'll still show up whatever went on. Everything happened so fast I can't keep up with what they might be doing, and they're always so busy you don't like to ask every little thing.

And thanks for your post Bob, they did actually ask me about headaches, (which I haven't had) and I had an MRI if that's the same as and MRA? It didn't show anything up thankfully. I know what you mean about Googling, it can scare you shitless if you're not careful! But it can be such a brilliant resource, like I want to go and look up how the MRI machine works because it was such a weird experience with all the 'tones' and beats and I was in it for 20 mins so it really got me wondering WTF it was doing (with magnets I think they said).

Hope your DD isn't too floored by the Moyamoya disease, it must be such a worry for you too Flowers

OP posts:
Boboma · 19/02/2015 22:45

An MRA is a magnetic resonance angiogram. Only a mum (!) but it is in the same machine as the MRI but a different measurement. When they use the contrast dye it shows all the cerebal blood vessels. You said you had a CT scan with contrast, so I wasn't sure if it was the same. MRI doesn't show the detail of the blood vessels (so in this case doesn't show up Moyamoya). I'm sure that you have got lots of fantastic consultants thinking through all they need to though. And thanks for taking this the right way. i think that reading up on MR machines is allowed, but googling diseases isn't! Flowers All the best....

shouldigetascooter · 25/02/2015 08:05

Agent how are you keeping now? Hoping things continue to improve for you and you get positive answers for all you've gone through in the last few weeks.

Lloydgeorge · 26/02/2015 16:21

How are you Agent?

Original poster
AgentZigzag · 27/02/2015 21:33

Things are pretty much the same, thanks for asking Smile

Still got a slight slur, still a bit difficult writing/typing, but minor in the grand scheme of things.

Got an appointment for the scan on my neck on Monday, also had a call from the speech therapist people who I thanked for calling but said I didn't want to waste their time as it'd improved since I'd seen them in hospital.

I got a separate prescription today and noticed they've put the three they gave me in hosp on repeat, that'll be another £24 though! Going to have to ask the doctor if I really need all of them if they can't work out what caused it.

OP posts:
IfMaybeBut · 27/02/2015 21:42

Agent. Look into prepayment prescriptions.

Original poster
AgentZigzag · 27/02/2015 21:55

Nice one IfMaybe, thanks. If I have to get them long term that'd definitely be cheaper. I only get two prescriptions every other month so it hasn't been worth it before, but I'd completely forgotten about prepaying for them (they mention it sometimes when I pick the presc up).

Grin
OP posts:
iloveanklebiters · 27/02/2015 21:57

I pay just over a tenner a month for a pre paid prescription by direct debit. You can claim back if you get it set up before you get your next prescription

iloveanklebiters · 27/02/2015 21:59

If having 2 items a month it will be cheaper

TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 28/02/2015 21:07

4 or more items every 3 months is cheaper in fact - pre-payment thing is £29-something (just got one but can't remember exactly) & each item is £8.05 now

TheOneWiththeNicestSmile · 28/02/2015 21:09

& if you apply for it to start on the same day you get your next prescription filled, the pharmacy will give you a form to claim it back - that way you don't waste any days

Strawberrysparkle123 · 17/04/2026 16:46

AgentZigzag · 19/02/2015 12:45

I did see a lovely speech therapist when I was in hosp MsVan, and she went through quite a few things including a bit of writing. The worst problem was using my tongue for sounds like 'ch' and 'sh', so only minor things really, especially compared to the difficulties people who have had a major stroke have to deal with.

I actually think my speech sounds noticeably better today, the DDs think so too, my tongue's still skew-whiff but it also seems a little easier typing. I really hope it's not just my mind playing tricks on me and we're getting used to how it sounds IYSWIM. Perhaps the tablets are doing something?

@AgentZigzag i know this is a super old post and I hope you are ok now, but how long did it take for your deviated tongue to resolve? I am experiencing this currently (as a symptom of another diagnosis, not an urgent change requiring emergency treatment) and am struggling to get support/answers at present. Thanks in advance

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