Speech Disorders [Megathread]

Hi everyone... lately, I’ve been dealing with this strange thing where—well, during a conversation—I just suddenly lose my voice. It’s quite jarring because I’m fully aware of what I want to say, but it’s as if the words simply won't come out of my mouth. It only lasts for a few seconds before everything feels normal again, but still... has anyone else gone through something similar? Or perhaps someone here might have a bit more insight into what this could be? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

George Carter34 said:Hey everyone... lately, I've been running into this weird issue where my voice just completely cuts out mid-sentence. It’s incredibly frustrating because I’m fully aware of what I’m trying to say—I can hear the words in my head—but physically, they just won't come out. It usually only lasts for a few seconds before things go back to normal, but it's unsettling. Has anyone else dealt with something similar, or does anyone have any insight into what might be causing this? Please help!

Personally, I think that sounds like a pretty significant issue—honestly, if I were in your shoes, I’d definitely make an appointment with a doctor right away.🤷

George Carter34 said:Hey there... lately I’ve been having this thing where my voice just cuts out right in the middle of a conversation. I’m fully aware of what’s happening, but I just find myself physically unable to say what I want to say. It only lasts for a few seconds before things go back to normal, but it’s happening more often. Has anyone else dealt with this or does anyone know what might be going on? Please help.

You should probably be a bit more specific about how this feels—is it more like stuttering? Are you making sounds like "mmm," almost like when you're taking an exam and you freeze up, or do you know exactly what the words are but they just won't come out? If it's the latter, my advice is to head straight to a doctor. You might be dealing with an issue in the speech center of your brain. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Sam Collins4 said:Could you elaborate a bit more—is it more like stuttering? Like, do you find yourself making sounds like "umm," almost like when you're taking an exam and just freeze up, or is it that you know exactly what you want to say but the words just won't come out...? If it's the latter, honestly—see a doctor. It might be something involving the speech center in your brain... good luck, and please let us know how it goes.

Well, I'm not quite sure what there is to say—I suppose I'm just sharing this in case anyone else deals with something similar and needs to know they should see a physician immediately (though, heaven forbid, anyone actually has to deal with this kind of thing). I've already had an MRI done, and now we're just waiting on the biopsy results. The scan did pick up something on the left hemisphere of my brain, so the doctors are currently saying it looks like a benign tumor. However, because it's located right at the top of the brain, they aren't entirely certain if surgery will be an option or not... so, well, what can you even say about that...

I’m having some trouble with my speech.... It doesn't happen much during casual conversation, but whenever I try to read aloud or speak in front of people, it’s like I choke up... an involuntary swallowing reflex...
Does anyone know how to make this stop? This has been going on for several years now...

I’ve been struggling with my speech for several years now, both when speaking publicly and just in everyday life...
Basically, while I'm talking, it feels like I’m choking—like an involuntary swallowing sensation....
And the more nervous I get, the more frequently it happens, making it impossible to finish a simple sentence...
Can anyone tell me how to make this stop???

Need some advice here 🙂

Dealing with a 65-year-old guy with rheumatoid arthritis. He’s currently on Cortisone and Aspirin.
Two days ago, his speech started acting up. He feels like he's slurring his words, and honestly, to us, it just sounds like mumbling.
He went to the ER over at Oakland, and here’s the breakdown:

Patient shows no signs of acute neurological deficit. Neurological status is normal; no focal neurological deficits noted. Brain MSCT showed no signs of acute pathomorphological substrate. Recommend starting antihypertensive therapy (BP was 165/95).

They suggested a carotid and vertebral artery CDFI, plus a TCD VB of the spleen—that's all done and came back clean. They also did a lipid panel.

The issue is, his speech still isn't back to normal. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Any ideas on what other tests we should look into or where to focus? His primary doctor hasn't given us any direction.

Just a side note: the guy lost a close family member right before this started. Could this just be extreme stress?

feralwolf said:I am looking for some advice. 🙂

We are dealing with a 65-year-old man suffering from rheumatoid arthritis—he is currently taking Cortisone and Aspirin.
Two days ago, he began experiencing speech difficulties; he feels like his articulation has slowed down, while those of us listening hear a sort of slurring.
He went to the emergency room in Oakland, where the conclusion was:

Patient shows no signs of acute neurological deficit. Neurological status is normal, with no evident focal neurological deficits. An MSNBC brain scan showed no signs of an acute pathomorphological substrate. Recommend starting antihypertensive therapy (blood pressure was 165/95).

It was recommended to perform a carotid and vertebral artery Doppler ultrasound, as well as a TCD VB spleen study—these have been completed with normal results—along with a lipid panel.

The issue is that his speech isn't returning to normal, so I am wondering if anyone here has had similar experiences or advice on what further tests we should pursue or which direction to take. His primary care physician hasn't provided any referrals.

I should mention that right before this started, he suffered the loss of a close family member. Is it possible this is simply a reaction to stress?

It seems unlikely that this is merely stress.
I would suggest an MRI of the brain—it is a far superior diagnostic tool compared to an MSCT.

I'm still kicking, thanks.

The MRI results just came back, and yeah, turns out he had multiple strokes.
A few months ago, he had some kind of hemorrhage in his eye—doctors said that was basically a mini-stroke too.
Back then, none of the doctors bothered to suggest any follow-up testing.

Honestly, the most infuriating part? When they were at the ER, the doctors kept insisting to the family that he was speaking totally fine and had zero speech issues. I mean, seriously? Shouldn't the family actually be listened to when they know exactly how the person normally sounds?