Tiredness ? causing voice problems

[Alyoop]

Yesterday while trying to walk my big fat labrador, I fell over twice. That is nothing new, I do it all the time, but the ground is boggy so my balance was very bad. Any way my question is.

When my body has reached total exhaustion, I find that my speech gets tired as well, and when I got home I spluttered and choked on water.............. Did other people find that when there bodies were very tired, did that also show in their speech?

It all quickly recovered after I had a short rest. I had had to call my husband to come and pick me up as I had only managed 1/2 my usual walk, when I phoned him I struggled with getting my voive sorted. It has happened before, and he had told my doctor about it. I always said that it was rubbish and not connected in any way, mainly just to make him feel better.

I am choking on food and fluids but mainly when I am tired and only a couple of times a day, so I am not paticularly worried.

Appreciate the voice of experience out there. Thanks Cyber Angels

Aly

 

[joelc]

Yup, that used to happen to me too. It is now a distant memory! LOL

 

[olly]

hi aly.
from the start with pls if i get over fatigued i start to slurr words,people said i sound drunk.
i do have occasional choking problems but have not noticed if its when i'm too tired,i'll keep a check on that one.

 

[abbas child]

Aly, my speech is going, especially when I'm overtired. In my case, it's a neck problem/throat problem, rather than mouth. So, I get a weak voice which becomes hoarse sounding and if I can't stop, nasal. When it's nasal, I can expect to choke if I can't rest before my next meal/ glass of water. In my case, I heard it before anyone else recognized the weakness. Phil knew more than I how frequently I have the choking. I'm aware of swallowing saliva, and don't think it's psychosomatic, but due to having to change the manner of swallowing.

In the first stages of this disease, I mistakenly assigned a cause other than ALS to new symptoms, and had to allow them to grow into obvious ALS symptoms before I would accept the news. Now I'm more able to accept the cause. Truly the best thing for us is not to become overly tired.

Ann...The automated phone calls requiring me to say and spell for a computer have now become a problem... it happened this morning, as I strained to enunciate loudly.

 

[Katie C]

Aly.. remember that your speech and your swallowing controlled by muscles... your tongue, lips, vocal cords, diaphragm.. all can fatigue and will fail to work properly when you are tired. Question.. we were told early on not to let Glen exercise to the point of exhaustion. Not an easy assignment when talking about an athlete, but the reason is that it's hard for the body to rest and heal, especially if any damage has been done. If you feel the dog needs more exercise, perhaps 2 shorter walks would be better for both of you?

 

[Alyoop]

Thank you so much everyone. Its hard attributing exhausteed legs with exhausted muscles everywhere.

Ann you are right, I always have a reason if I choke etc. Maybe to stop Hubby from looking horrified at me. When I choked this morning on my coffee I just said it was my recent lip surgery as it still playing up. Hubby just rang to say I have an appt with the surgeon who did it this afternoon. Should have kept quiet. I have had an anterior approach Cervical fusion 3 years ago, so I always say that is the cause, but I suppose that bis unlikely as it is connected to being tired.

2 short walks is a good idea, but I just can't accept that I have to do that. $ months ago I could do that 3 kn walk with a couple of falls for sure, but always got home. Yesterday was bad for my self esteem , having to be picked up like that after only 1 1/2 km.

My fat lab enjoyed the ride home in the car, he was tired, Always look at the positive things in life I suppose.

Oh my goodness. Here come those tears again.

Thanks aly

 

[Tokahfang]

I think this is a good basic rule: Things that can go wrong for real later in the disease, go wrong when you run out of energy.

My speech pathologist basically said my bulbar progression showed up under fatigue first... so I was aspirating some liquids, but not consistently, and not when tested first thing in the morning. She gave me a stern talking to about avoiding fatigue and just stopping and resting in talking or eating when it got bad, no exceptions. It always feels absurd having to turn down food, food I can swallow, because I already ate a little solid food today, and that means it is mush for the rest of the day lest I fail my calorie intake. How do you explain to an able bodied person that cheating isn't okay, that it means choking on water, being unable to take meds, etc?

I want you to remember that you have nothing to be ashamed of. There is a gorilla of a disease pulling your nervous system to pieces, and having it is no kind of failure. Nay, every day that a MNDer wakes up and get something done is an accomplishment.

 

[Katie C]

Beky is right. Up until 2 days before he died, Glen was perfectly able to handle a McDonald's breakfast bisquit sandwich.. but that was first thing in the morning. And it pretty much wiped out swallowing anything but pudding-textured foods for the rest of the day. Try not to focus on what you used to do, or what you think you should do, and focus on what works the best for you and helps you feel the best.

 

[Al]

I'm just getting into voice issues. My speech pathologist says your vocal cords can tire so try not to talk too much. Hollar to call dogs etc. or try talking above noise in social or work places. My voice starts out hoarse and switches to a soft whisper as the day goes on.

AL.

 

[abbas child]

Al, it's so hard to control this kind of overuse. I've had three phone calls already today, and one was the emotional sort wanting solace... and long. Another was my father, who is lonely. Then, Phil calls from downstairs to ask me a question, and due to being elevated, I can't move quickly to a close area, so I project my voice to answer him. Boy, I hope you and I both get amplifier systems.

Katie, every time you post I am helped. Thank you so much. It gives me hope to read that Glen could eat a bisquit sandwich (of all the tough things; that is a biggie) two days before he died.

Beky, you put it very neatly and well... thank you.

 

[olly]

for a slight slender female i used to have a loud voice,could shout louder than anyone lol.
now it is alot quieter which i suppose means it is weaker........sometimes strangled or nasaly.

 

[John1]

Aly, I find a relationship between fatigue and poor speech. There is a lot more to it as well. Several have mentioned that long or loud talking quickly wears out the voice and it does for me to. That is the most direct relationship I have but general weariness or lack of sleep also brings it on.

Other times it improves or deteriorates for longer cycles (weeks) without apparent cause.

John

 

[sadiemae]

The other day Les was very tired and stressed(we have teenagers!) and he could barely get one word to come out. It didn't help that we saw the VA Neuro the day before, and all she really said was that his voice was getting really bad. Last time he had a swallow eval, she gave him no restrictions of eating by mouth other than common sense. She said some PALS never lose the ability, while others lose it very early on. No way to predict it, and she was very happy that we already had the PEG tube, for just in case.

 

[scouse]

Hi Aly
my speech is slurred and goes really bad when tired and i dont have the breath to say more than a couple of words even though my breathing is no prolblem walking or climbing stairs etc when I am tired (fatigued) better word I also dont feel like eating it really is an effort my Physio say s you have to treat yourself like a duricell battery and make sure you doont over do it and recharge fully
take care
Scouse

 

[Alyoop]

Thank you all for such wonderful advice. It really did upset me. I just could not understand how tired legs meant that my voice was slurry. Now I understand.

People probably don't understand why I just don't ask my husband, cause he has all the knowledge, But I find talking with him difficult as he looks so upset. After reading your encouragement I asked him last night, and he said the same as all of you (of course) you after all are the experts. He had noticed my voice when I phoned, but had'nt wanted to say anything, incase it upset ME.I think failing that walk, the speeech thing etc has meant that maybe I am finally coming to terms with the fact that maybe he is correct. I have this monster think even tho it is presenting in a way that does not fit the usual Criteria. He told me to "listen to my Neurologist". I have heard that so many times on this forum, but obviously thought I was exempt.

Its been a big week for me. I have been in some deep denial I think. Hey I am a nurse, I don't want to be nursed!

A big thank you again. You have no idea how this simple quetion has opened what maybe or maybe not a "can of worms"

Love Aly