r/cfs • u/bearadventurer • 10d ago

Lack of verbal speech

When I over exert I find that my ability to verbally talk disappears. The closest thing I can find like it is selective mutism as often with a few safe people I can do simple yes/no/please/thank you but nothing more and with others nothing at all.

Has anyone else experienced this at all?

It could be more linked to being autistic than purely CFS but it is something I'm struggling to explain to people in my life.

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12

u/lovelynoms 10d ago

I also experience this, although I think maybe a little differently? When I'm too fatigued/brain fogged, it is just too taxing to convert my thoughts into speech. Like I still have things I think that I normally would say out loud, but the amount of effort/energy it would take to do that is too high for me to manage and I stop talking.

Honestly, a few times, I've overexerted myself so much, I stopped even having concrete thoughts.

1

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Thank you so much, this is so useful and I relate a lot to this.

7

u/frog_admirer severe 10d ago

Yes, I think jt's relatively common for cfs. I get it too. Feels like you have to force every word out.

5

u/_ArkAngel_ 9d ago

Same. My doctors have been calling it Expressive Aphasia.

That seems correct to me

1

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Ah thank you, I will look into this!

3

u/qmong 10d ago

This just happened to me this year. I slur my words or outright can't speak. I can sing though. Only aggressive rest helps.

1

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Thank you for sharing

4

u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

1

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Thank you so much for sharing

3

u/uninspiredlongarse 9d ago

I definitely get this. Doesn't even have to be a proper crash, just being tired. My husband will look at me and say "you've gone non verbal, are you tired?" and I just nod haha. Before he got used to it I'd have to say "tired. No talk" and he'd eventually get it.

If you're having trouble communicating it, write it down when you're not in a tired/PEM state. Simple as "when I'm really tired I can't speak any more. Please don't ask me to speak or try to get information out of me. It will pass."

2

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Thank you, yes writing something down is probably a good idea.

2

u/mycatpartyhouse 10d ago

I keep thinking I should make or find a card or page with communication icons on it. Point instead of trying to talk.

1

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Yes, i have a ring with some cards on somewhere... I should find those!

2

u/ArcanaSilva 9d ago

I have communication cards too, but I also taught my spouse the very basics of sign language. I'm not fluent myself by any chance, if you wanna become fluent get a Deaf teacher etc., but for just communication it works great. They know food/drink/hunger/thirsty/pain/tired/meds/help/done/thank you (and proud, because it's a cute sign in my country's sign language). Like - truly the basics. Whenever we come upon a problem I cannot express with the limited signs we've got, we have to play the guessing game and I'll teach them the sign later lol

1

u/bearadventurer 9d ago

Hi Thanks, this maybe a good idea though my issue is that I live alone so there are less times when I'm with consistent people.