Woman paralyzed after ‘work stress’ triggers neurological condition

By Emma Dunn via SWNS

A woman was left unable to walk and talk after "work stress" triggered a rare neurological condition which causes up to 25 seizures a day.

Emily Newman, 25, was in the "best shape" of her life before she suddenly had a seizure and was rushed to hospital.

She had lots of scans and tests but doctors couldn't confirm what was wrong.

After Emily experienced bouts of paralysis and couldn't move her legs for up to eight days at a time, she sought a private doctor for a diagnosis.

She was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) – a condition that causes problems with the brain sending and receiving information.

Doctors believe her sudden symptoms were brought on by "work stress".

Emily now struggles with slurred speech, tic attacks such as hitting herself repeatedly for hours and has to use a walking stick or wheelchair to get around.

Emily, who works in finance, from Gatwick, Sussex, said: "It's such as dire condition.

"It's not what I expected my life to be at all.

"I'm going through grieving different parts - the life I thought I was going to live, the life I'm currently living and before."

Emily decided to get healthier in 2023 and felt in the "best shape" after marrying her husband, James Newman, 28, a firefighter.

She said: "I had decided I was going to get in better shape for myself and my wedding.

"I was running three times a week. I was working out every day."

But in November 2023 she had a seizure "without realizing".

Emily also struggles with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) - where the heart rate increases after getting up - and had put her "fainting" episodes down to that.

She said: "I was convulsing. I thought to myself 'it's that.'"

But when she arrived home later that day she had another three seizures and called an ambulance.

Doctors thought it could be MS so Emily was tested to rule that out but they were baffled when that didn't reveal what was wrong.

She said: "The week after I had a seizure lasting six to eight hours.

"I got bouts of paralysis.

"I was paralyzed in my legs for eight days.

"I thought 'I can't live my life like this'."

Emily decided to go and see a private doctor who told her she had FND in December 2023.

She said: "He said there is a 33 percent chance it will get better, 33 percent chance it will get worse and 33 percent chance it will stay the same.

"He asked if I had been through anything traumatic but I said nothing particularly.

"He asked 'were you under a lot of work stress?'

"I said 'yes.'"

Emily doesn't have the funds to pay for any treatments but FND currently has no cure.

Day-to-day she now struggles with speech, walking and tics.

She said: "My speech is delayed and slurred. Sometimes I can't communicate at all.

"If my speech goes it comes back in three to six hours.

"I have tics as well.

"I have tic attacks. The other day I was progressively hitting myself for two hours.

"It was really painful."

Emily said her symptoms leave her family "terrified" and she now has 10 seizures on average a week.

She said: "Last week I had 25 in one afternoon."

But Emily is trying to stay as positive as she can.

She said: "I'm trying to do everything I can in different ways.

"You try and take every day as it comes.

"I still want to be me and be who I am."