FND Awareness Day UK | 25th March 2022 | Elisia’s Story

Throughout my childhood I was always classed as a “clumbsy child” when really there was something wrong.

It took me 18 years to find out what causing me to fall down, have chronic pain all over my body and have these episodes of vacancy or convulsions. After being told I was attention seeking and making it all up for all those years, in June 2020 I was finally diagnosed with having FND and it has drastically changed my life.

I have episodes of chronic pain, paralysis and seizures, but I have found certain triggers and certain things to help relieve symptoms. But yet I have still lost jobs due to the lack of understanding of FND, and companies thinking I’m just making it all up to get time off. I have been forced to work whilst having a flare up with threats of loosing my job. I have experienced discrimination and abuse from people when I park in the disabled space but don’t “look disabled”.

I have worked in the healthcare setting for 8 years and have deep determination to become a nurse. I will not let FND define me or stop me from living my dream so that I can teach others what FND really is!

I just wish people would take the time to learn more about FND like they do with other conditions, and that fighters weren’t palmed off by so many “medical professionals” who think they’re just making it up.

Written by Elisia, Leicestershire