I was just wondering if anyone else with Chiari has had a TIA or any problems with speech where you find it hard to remember words?
I ended up pushing for & finding my own Chiari specialist after experiencing some "funny turns" 2 years ago. I was told it was stress & migraine. I have now been reffered to a vascular neurologist as I still have trouble finding words on occasion.
I was told the slurred speech was probably pressure on my brain stem. Since my decompression surgery this has gone, which is great, but now I have a referral as it is now thought the word finding ( experienced on occasion) is not my Chiari, which I think is right, but just wondered if anyone else has experienced this?
Thanks in anticipation......
It's due to the Chiari. I have it too- I'll be talking and I'll start stumbling over words. Takes me three tries to say the right word.
Hi heleybell,
After 7 years, I'm also experiencing the same problem as u plus memory lose. This is after decompression I was referred to speach therapy but still having problems. Does it happen that you are having a conversation and you forget the next word or what you were gong to say?
Hi heleybell,
After 7 years, I'm also experiencing the same problem as u plus memory lose. This is after decompression I was referred to speach therapy but still having problems. Does it happen that you are having a conversation and you forget the next word or what you were gong to say?
Thank you for your response......
My trouble is sometimes I can't find the right word at all. People say it is on the tip of your tongue, but for me, it is not even close to the tip of my tongue. I have to describe what it is and hope someone will help me find the word. A bit like playing charades!
some days I am fine, some days I find I have difficulty with words constantly.
I am glad other people have commented on this because I thought it was just human error.
I had chairi type 2 7 years ago and the last few I can't string sentences in my head and I lose my words. I believe in scizopherina terms they call it a word salad. Really fustrating as someone will ask me a question or I need ask a person a question and it comes out wrong. Even though know in my head what I want to say. So put it down to chairi but never had it confirmed.
I also mumble and have slurred speech. I had it before chairi diagnosis but it's slightly worse now.
Glad I have seen this though as I thought it was me. And nothing to do with chairi.
I have found though its rewording things in your head before before you say them I.e I want to say I am going to take the dog for a walk but change it to "am taking dog for a walk". Using slang helps alot and it gets the message across. 
Jon
It's due to brain damage from your cerebellum getting squished or from it pressing on the brain scan. Don't let doctors say it's not. They like to blame Chiari symptoms on all sorts of other disorders.
Probably due to brain damage. When your brain gets squished or pressed on, you can expect some damage. It's logical.
Also I have had it when I forget what I am going to say and memory goes. Tgars why I hardly argue or disagree with people when needed as I forget what my point is all the time.
It's hard that is because it could be human error and it could be due to chairi. For me anyway. Again not confirmed though. All I know is head hurts and has a fuzzy feeling when I can't speak properly to get my point across.
Jon
Aphasia: trouble finding the right words to use when speaking. Stroke patients have this alot. Conquer chiari . org has some good info and links.
Jon thank you for sharing your experience with me. Mine all started after my so-called funny turn. I then went on to have 3 more in days. This was 2 years ago. I had the slurred speech which my NS said was pressure against my brain stem, but the word finding difficulty they think is vascular.
I have had my op, but yes, like you, I also at times forget what I want to say or what I am talking about & also muddle my words. It is a strange fuzzy feeling!
I shall try more ' slang' -thank you
Thank you Hope255.....I do forget what I am talking about & my memory worries me more now than ever, but good & bad days.....it is finding the word that annoys me the most.
For example, I want to say "television" but cannot remember the word whilst talking, so I say "the thing you watch? " I get very frustrated! I am a mum of 3 and only 37 years old.....
Did you have speech problems and/or a TIA before your decompression op?
Thank you Linleel, conquer Chiari is a great site, as is The Ann Conroy trust.....did you ever experience this or have had a Tia?
Tia: Transcient Ischemic Attack? Nope. I've had aphasia- trouble saying what I want to say. Also have trouble walking sometimes.
I have a syrinx but have experienced the same thing on three occasions. At my last neurology appointment, my consultant referred me back to my GP back to my local hospital for further tests because he said it was not his responsibility. The GPS thought it could be potential TIA but the local hospital thought it was migraine even though I had no headache or experience like it before. Speech problems were similarely impaired and I was told to leave before I could walk and talk. Very odd. Am waiting to see what happens. Good luck!
Seems like alot of doctors don't want to take any responsibllity for anything. I've had referral from a Neurosurgeon to Neurologist and then I'm going to see another different Neurosurgeon. Whenever your brain (cerebellum) or brain stem gets compressed or squished, it cause brain damage potentially. I don't know why doctors won't admit it. It's basic anatomy. Try squishing a melon through a small tube and see what happens. It's very frustrating!!
Hi Viola, thanks for your response.
when I had my funny turn, I had blurred vision, weakness and mild drooping of the right side of my face with tingling too. NO headache. Ringing in the ears, felt like something really bad was going on. I then tried speaking & all my words were slurred.( I was pre op at this time.) lasted less than 10 minutes, did you experience anything similar too?
That same week I went on to struggle to swallow on several occasions, as if my brain could not send the signals to do it. I also started having jaw pain!
This was what made me think my Chiari was to blame and not stress and migraine like the neurologist said! I went on to get my own refferal to a Chiari specialist, enough was enough!
I went on to have occasional slurred speech for weeks after but since my op ( May last year) that has gone. I have found the word finding a real annoyance since my op. I see a vascular neurologist at the Walton centre next month.
I don't see how it can be vascular. Sounds like Chiari. Good luck!
I meant to ask you, sorry, have you had your op yet?