Anyone else do this?

[Jenaw35]

Idk what to call it.
I sometimes can't understand what someone is saying to me. Their speech is clear the volume is loud enough. I can hear them speaking to me but can't understand the words. Sometimes I ask them to repeat it sometimes more than once.
But I still don't get what they are saying. To be honest it makes me feel dumb. I just pretend I understand and make a gesture guessing to make the correct one.
It's really strange it just happens randomly.
Sometimes that happens then a minute later someone else talks to me or sometimes the same person . And then I can understand them.

Just wondering if this happens to anybody else?
Sometimes I think I'm going crazy.Lol
Thanks
Julie

[Boudreaux]

I think so.

I say that because I don't remember conversations or sometimes details of conversations. I might remember talking to a person but haven't the faintest idea what we talked about. It's crazy, I have a problem processing things when there is to much background noise, or if the person is talking to fast or to loud.

[kittysmith]

Yes

My hearing is more muffled than it used to be. I have to used a higher volume and have to rewind things I'm watching because I can't hear them.

[oceanpride]

Yes it happens to me all the time. Something in what their saying triggers a thought and while I ponder on that I don’t listen to what their saying. It’s embarrassing. I always think as I smile and nod that it couldn’t have been that important or I’d have listened more closely LOL.

[msgijo]

Yes me too. I joke that I have to 'catch the echoes' when I finally do understand what is being said, but the truth is that it takes a while for my brain to 'translate' the noise I hear into meaningful words. My husband knows to pause between his sentences and give me a minute to 'catch up', but my daughter hasn't caught on yet - and she talks fast and quickly . I am forever asking her to slow down and say it again.

[Boudreaux]

Yes it happens to me all the time. Something in what their saying triggers a thought and while I ponder on that I don’t listen to what their saying. It’s embarrassing. I always think as I smile and nod that it couldn’t have been that important or I’d have listened more closely LOL.

I do this all the time. I catch a detail and I go down a path about it and stop paying attention. Thinking about it, it may be something that is secondary to the MS or I might just have ADD or something. Either way, it happens.

[Jenaw35]

I was going to say I'm glad I am not the only one but I don't wish anybody this challenge.

It's not my worst symptom. I'm assuming its related because I also occasionally have problems with specific word retrieval (during flares and sometimes if I overheatted or fatigued). I can describe the item I'm trying to say but just can't get the word.

When my kids were little they thought it was a game I played with them.from time to time .
Can you go get the grocery bags from the thing in the driveway that I drive ?
Lol

Just wondering if others could relate. It can be difficult trying to explain some symptoms. If I try I'm afraid they will think I'm nuts or have brain damage. Although I guess technically I do . (Lesions on the brain).

Thanks for responding and letting me know I'm not alone.
Julie

[trevvian]

Yes, this happens to me!

Otosclerosis (a kind of hearing loss) runs in my family, so when I started having trouble years ago, I had my hearing tested. The audiologist told me my hearing was fine, and she thought it was all in my head, i.e. a cognitive problem. She wanted to get me into a clinical test at the U Medical Center, but I didn't have time, and just dropped the matter.

Four years later, I was diagnosed with MS. All in my head, for sure! My neuropsychologist said this is consistent with MS damage.

What helps me at work is to take notes. Sometimes I have to read the meeting minutes before I even understand exactly what discussion we just had. But everyone else just thinks I'm productive and helpful to send the minutes out. They have no clue I'm not actually processing, just typing.

Social life is a lot harder. I cannot carry on a conversation in a crowded restaurant for love nor money. With all the din, I'm like 3 minutes behind before I get the point someone is making. I prefer hanging out with my friends from a support group, because the culture is to share one at a time without interrupting. That is easier.

So no, you're not alone. Yes, it could be MS. And other people probably don't notice as much as we do ourselves!

[ladybug162]

My hearing is more muffled than it used to be. I have to used a higher volume and have to rewind things I'm watching because I can't hear them.

I thought I was the only one who did this! I’m always rewinding because I didn’t hear what was said. Guess I could always turn the subtitles on, but having to read what’s on the screen just feels like too much work and half the time they don’t stay on long enough for me to read....either that or I’m just a slow reader. I just can’t win. 😩