Speech Disorder / Word swapping?

Hi everyone,
I frequently experience speech/language/word swapping issues.
For example, I’ll mean to say ‘now’ but out of my mouth comes ‘mow,’ or combine two words and say a non meaningful word. For example I want to say “weather is good today” I say “weather is goday” though I know exactly what it is in my head.
It feels like a glitch between my brain and my mouth.
Anyone else experiencing similar problem?
And if you had surgery, is the problem is gone?
Thank you!

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I didn’t have that, but I think IJV compression can have some cognitive effects…I couldn’t find any mentions in older discussions about muddling words, but there have been a couple of research papers which talk about cognition which you might find helpful to read:
IJV compression symptoms - research paper - General / Research Papers - Living with Eagle
Cerebral Venous-Associated Brain Damage May Lead to Anxiety and Depression - General / Research Papers - Living with Eagle
And maybe this discussion will be helpful:
Coping mechanisms for jugular compression - General - Living with Eagle
I certainly had brain fog with VES, that gets mentioned alot, this improved with the surgery :hugs:

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Yes I have that, I think it’s down to muscle tightness/fatigue. I kind of combine my words a bit but I know what I’m saying. I did worry about it at first and started trying to correct myself, but then went through a period of sort of thinking that it will just have to do and people listening will just have to decipher what I’m saying (I’ve had symptoms for nearly 5 years now). Now I find that I stammer sometimes and I might say words twice in a sentence, I’m not sure if it’s a real stammer or if my brain is pre-empting that I’m going to make a mess of the word so instantly says it again, but it does feel a bit uncontrollable which is worrying.

I haven’t had any surgery yet because I’m waiting on an eye appointment because all of my symptoms seem to come on when I wear glasses and then get better when I wear contact lenses. I have long styloids but no IJV compression and I’m not 100% sure that the styloids are really causing the issue. I have my eye appointment at the end of June so I’m going to wait until then before making any decisions on surgery.

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That’s interesting your symptoms altering depending on glasses or contact lenses! I hope your eye appointment goes well :hugs:

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Here’s another paper on a series of patients with cognitive impairment caused by IJV compression, who were improved by decompression surgery on the C1 transverse process:

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Good afternoon. I have those things too.

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Thank you for the link @callove! The more research information the better, as far as we’re concerned! How are you feeling these days?

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Thanks for posting this, & you saved me a job by posting it already in the research papers category, I was going to do that! :grinning_face:

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Hi @emre I experience some similar symptoms , the word finding issues , combination words, word elongation “like stretching it out” but it feels like I kinda tense up in the neck area , while trying to get it out , during stress almost increases the frequency of it happening ,

Seems like the more neck use I do the more frequent the symptoms , after working is worse , mornings are better for sure

After this has been going on for so long I have sort of develop maybe a form of terrets syndrome? Were as I struggle to get the word out add in a couple of “-uck” in the mix

Lol

I also have at times will have episodes of disprosody , were the words come out with heavy emotional overtones that are uncontrollable by me , but perceived by others as anger or harshness in my response. The voice will rise and fall to me asking a question “which an inquisitive tone” as well

Very strange and keeps most of conversation with others outside the family to a minimum

My family and I can mostly laugh at these episodes now, but it took a while for them to understand it’s not intentional ,

After my first styloidectomy (in sept 2023) the speech improved so fast and fluently that I thought it was all gone for good

However all stated back up about 6-8 ish months progressively again

I now await a revision with c1shave and hope to get that side flowing again

I did notice improvements after starting up on plavix again but still struggle with these episodes lol

Do you have episodes and have normal speech like it comes and goes or is it 24/7 ?

Wishing you the best

:call_me_hand::heart:

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I’m sorry that your symptoms have returned & that you’re having to look into a revision surgery @mekanX , who are you going to see? Very strange symptoms, a shame that you have to avoid conversations away from close family & friends :cry:

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Ya still looking for a soulution,

I have been seeing dr Hui and now the ent working with his team, forget his name at the moment

Dr Hui is recommending new right side styloidectomy w c1 shave

However the new ent disagrees and suggest we do a revision of the left with c1 shave

I have been in there waiting list since mid 2024

Agin on the waiting list for surgery this month , but I did not make the cut again lol

Fustration as they say they will only call to let me know I am in the schedual and not call if I don’t make the cut,

Kinda in limbo as the imaging is quite obvious there is still major compression in the left Styloid stump ( about 1cm left ) and the c1, the c1 on the right has a large space between the styloid

:hugs:

Oh, that’s difficult , praying that the right decision is made , and not too long to wait :folded_hands:

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@mekanX - Agreed it’s frustrating to be strung along like that especially after waiting so long. Did the new ENT give a good reason for wanting to leave the right alone & for doing the left instead?

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Hi @Isaiah_40_31 yes he did

As far as the latest imaging the end of the styloid is right at the c1 lateral mass with little space for the squished vein, the right side has so much space from the c1 that he recommend not to do a c1 shave on the right if we proceed on the right styloidectomy,

Thing is I have agreed to do the right if that’s what the teams suggestion is, logically the left seams to be that major cause of compression

I wish I was part of the discussion for the board meeting

I will need to put together a follow up post elsewhere to not clutter this discussion :folded_hands:

Thanks for this

As far as the speech I read a lot that the word swapping or word finding , or conjunctive nonsense words are a typical symptom in traumatic brain injury "TBI " that is reported

I am unclear if it has a come and go type feature though

I have wondered if the limited flow or poor venous drainage can create this condition but have not found any direct correlation

I was also reported to have a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and early on we just figured this symptom for me was more related to that,

The fact that it comes and goes and gets more intense, or better and smoother more pointed to the potential of venous insufficiency related effect ,

It has been the most nonexistent symptom after I started up on plavix , then would progressively come back to more episodes and frequency over time

I did some Nero testing about a week after I started on plavix and got really great scores lol , the brain fog was at a minimum I could think and process so much more speach was most fluently low fatigue , amazing

But those great effects don’t seam to last

I have also have a idea that a functional mri test , I believe this would help to pinpoint areas of backed up flow more specifically to help justify the operations (increased flow) that are recommended , maybe help to validate the need

In regards to the vascular varient, I also have thought that there are at least two areas of injury or areas that have effect on the brain from the compressed veins

1 the pressure build up and poor drain lead to compression on delicate areas like the optic nerve that lead to papiledema and potential blindness, or the complexity’s of the ear and the tinnitus effects that engorged veins can have as well

2 the backed up flow and toxins that are not being cleared out or lack of oxygen supply to the very areas that we feel symptoms to , maybe the areas of the brain that deal with the depression or anxiety are plugged up ? And we may have symptoms there , maybe the area for speech is more backed up or lacking oxygen that we see symptoms in that area

It seams the symptom are similar between the patient population but not exact, nor are our anatomy the exact way as the book shows our between one another

This all is go fascinating , and I am so humbled at our doctors that treat and work to understand this better so we can have better life

Dr Hui explained that we are on the right track to healing , the plavix is diagnostic in that with increased flow I have less symptoms and that tells him we need better flow and one of the reasons I went ahead with the first op, the way he explained this made the most sense (although plavix is very Theraputic for me)

First op went so well with reduction of symptoms and notably better speech and less head aches and less eye pain, so excited And felt like I have my life back

So many good things from the first op and so happy I did it

But just not enough cut off the styloid and dr Hepworth did not offer a C1 shave at the time as well

Thanks so much for the follow up you guys are all the best

Big hugs

:call_me_hand::heart::folded_hands:

Thanks @Jules :folded_hands: I am pray for guidance as well , my day may come soon :folded_hands:

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@mekanX It does sound as if it is more to do with vascular issues rather than a TBI if the plavix helps- apparently TBI symptoms can come & go & fluctuate too though…
@TheDude posted this research paper as well which might be interesting:
AGHAYEV (2026) - Review: Jugular Vein Compresion and Dementia - Emerging Evidence - General / Research Papers - Living with Eagle

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Ok great I will look lo to that

:hugs:

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@mekanX - You have extended plausible theories as to why IJV compression affects the brain as it does. We’re becoming more aware of the chain of events vascular outflow obstruction causes and how that impacts its victims which is helpful.

It’s difficult that you’ve gotten separate opinions from Dr. Hui & the new ENT. I wonder if there has been conversation between them regarding your case? Do you have a follow-up with Dr. Hui before you have to make a decision about your surgery so you can discuss the difference of opinion with him?

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I’ll do update hear Waiting in hope or vain?

and help to keep this thread related to the speach topic

:call_me_hand:

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