The ever-present tension in my throat is somewhat reduced, and I can only attribute that to the medication. This reduced tension results in generally improved fluency highlighted by fewer, shorter and less intense blocks in my speech.
I've noticed this at work, on the phone with family and friends and in a few other social situations. BUT...... when I am tired or rushed or feeling stressed, this sense of reduced vocal tension disappears and my speech is as disfluent as ever.
Maintaining composure when speaking is the key to speaking more fluently, at least for me. When I cave in to the pressure I'm inevitably feeling (in varying degrees, according the situation and my relative state of being at the moment), my speech suffers.
Achieving and maintaining a measure of composure when speaking is something I need to focus on in order to speak more fluently.
Pagoclone can help me with this. It's not going to "cure" my speech problem. But it can be a useful tool as I work to improve my speech.
And for the record, I've kept up with my doses on schedule and have experienced no side effects.
Next appointment August 18.
