FND Awareness Day UK – 25th March 2020 | Sarah’s Story

My story begins in 2018, where I blacked out at a fireworks display! We had no idea why I did, and after that I had constant headaches and feeling dizzy. It wasn’t until January 2019, when I started passing out around 30 times a day, the final straw was when I passed out behind the steering wheel, (luckily the collision into the pavement woke me) and I swerved out of it so avoid a crash. I had all kinds of tests done, nothing was found. 1 week later I had seizure after seizure after seizure… that was when I was admitted to the hospital, I was under a neurologist which diagnosed me with Non Epileptic Attack Disorder. After being discharged, something still didn’t feel right, so I went to see a private neurologist and he diagnosed me with Functional Neurological Disorder.

As time went on, my partner became my full time carer, as I was passing out randomly all day; i was having several episodes during the day; struggling to speak and to walk. I could no longer leave the house by myself, drive, cook, bathe; he had to do it all for me. I had gone months without leaving the house; up until my partner had a car crash, and I then had to look after him, this pushed me to go out the house by myself to get shopping from the corner shop.

I started to see a psychologist, and since working with her; I can now go for walks with my dog by myself, can cook, shower (not bath- I still pass out with these); and only last week I got my disability car, and have started driving again. I have gone from passing out 30 times a day, and having 2 seizures a day, and multiple episodes to passing out ( at a push) once a week, having a seizure; once every couple of months, and having less episodes- my speech is still affected constantly.

Since having my FND I have been featured in 2 magazines; take a break and pick me up, and have also been featured on the Daily Star online!

This is a reminder to everyone who suffers with FND and NEAD, that you can do this! Listen to your body, and know your limits and work around them! You have got this!

By Sarah, Preston

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