What goes first Speech or Eating

[GlenBrittle]

Just a poll

I am losing my speech quite rapidly now. Had to tell the homecare worker where to go and how to get there with my ipod.

I can still eat.

 

[BarryG]

Glen, for me it was concurrent. My first symptom was my slurred and then hoarse speech but I was still able to eat with no problems for about six months. After that both went downhill at about the same rate to now where I am almost completely unintelligible and am unable to eat anything.

On the up side my limb involvement is still not bad, still wobbly walking and can still tell em where to go with my hands. :twisted::twisted:

 

[Erica]

Glen,
I was told that speech is first, but I have more swallowing issues then speech.
It would be interesting to hear from other PALS.
Erica

 

[DgtofTNfan]

For my Dad it was the swallow capability noticed by the occassional coughing. Then he became hoarse. He had both those problems a year before he was officially diagnosed. He would have a couple of hoarse days and then a week of good days. It was odd how it came and went in the early stages.

Make sure you program that iPod with some witty zingers as only you can share!

 

[joelc]

For me it was Eating, speech was fine. After my trache I got my eating back, now my speaking is suffering and so is Eating, with eating being better than speaking. This has been what has been happening over a 3 year period.

 

[handinhand]

I had speech problems first. About 8 months with slirred speech before the shallowing problem started. Now a year sense diagnosed and I can hardly talk [pretty hard to understand] I am limited to what i can eat and the choice is dwindeling down weekly..

 

[Zaphoon]

I have no problems eating, occasional problems projecting my voice and no problem using my hands to gesture in either pleasant or ill-mannered ways.

 

[bythesea]

This question is one that has preoccupied my thoughts also but I was afraid to post thinking not many would respond. I would rather lose my swallowing first but I think the biomechanics must be interwined.

As my lower half is crapping out it would be reassuring to know what's next.
If anthing about ALS is reassuring.

Watching all those destressed people in Haiti I keep wondering what it must be like to already be physically compromised, old or physically dependent there and have this disaster. God or Flying Monkeys will punish those who have criticized helping them

 

[DebbieR]

For Dad - the first thing we noticed was a slight slurring of speech - more noticeable after a long day. It was probably three or four months later that he started to have a bit of trouble eating spicy foods. I think that he continued to lose both speech and eating at a similar rate.

 

[Madison1943]

Amen to that. Being stuck indoors most of the time, I've been watching CNN like a TV addict the past few days. Sent !00 bucks to the American Red Cross. The rescue scenes just about made me forget I even had ALS! They should let everyone of those people who want to leave the country honorary citizenship in the US. They've suffered more than any people I've ever heard of. Their whole existence has been misery, starting with slavery in sugar plantations. Enough!Sorry for the ramble.

Carol

 

[rose]

Voice, (not speech) first, followed by problems with liquids & then problems with food. I have mild speech problems now, but they are overshadowed by voice (which is practically gone). My swallow is worse than speech.

 

[hopingforcure]

You know I thought the same about the poor people in Haiti. What happen's if you are already ill, and then you have this happen. Sounds silly, but my first thought was, what about any of these people who were already ill? My gosh what a gut wrenching thought. How cruel..

 

[cris]

GlenBrittle...For my hubby it was the eating. He now has a feeding tube. Speech is only a little slurred and usually only when he's tired.

 

[thelma313]

Glen, for Angelo it was the swallowing that he complained about first. That started back in 2007. He said he felt like something was stuck in his throat all the time. Eventually his speech started to slur and that went on for months before he was diagnosed in August 2008.

 

[hopeful warrior]

Glen, I have a very difficult time thinking you had trouble telling anybody where to go. hmm. My hubby is having problems swallowing. His voice is losing it's depth but he has no difficulty speaking.