Woman left unable to walk after 'work stress' triggered rare neurological disorder

Emily Newman, 25, who was in the "best shape" of her life before she suddenly had a seizure and was rushed to hospital. She is now unable to walk or talk

A 25-year-old woman was left unable to walk or talk after "work stress", led to a rare neurological disorder that caused her to suffer up to 25 seizures daily. Emily Newman, from Gatwick, Sussex, who is employed in finance, was previously in the "best shape" of her life when she unexpectedly had a seizure and was taken to hospital urgently.

Despite numerous scans and tests, medical professionals could not determine the exact issue. Following experiences of paralysis that left her unable to move her legs for periods extending up to eight days, Emily sought help from a private physician and received a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder (FND)—a condition that disrupts the communication between the brain and the body.

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Doctors suggest that the severe symptoms were triggered by "work stress". Now, Emily copes with slurred speech, suffers tic attacks, including hitting herself for extended hours, and relies on a walking stick or wheelchair for mobility.

Reflecting on her plight, Emily shared: "It's such as dire condition." She added, "It's not what I expected my life to be at all."

Emily expressed the emotional toll it has taken: "I'm going through grieving different parts - the life I thought I was going to live, the life I'm currently living and before."

2023 began with Emily deciding to improve her health and fitness, especially following her marriage to James Newman, 28, a firefighter. She explained: "I had decided I was going to get in better shape for myself and my wedding."

Proudly, she said: "I was running three times a week. I was working out every day." However, her routine came to a sudden halt in November 2023 when she experienced a seizure without any prior awareness.

Emily also battles with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) - a condition where the heart rate increases upon standing up - and initially attributed her "fainting" episodes to this. She recalled: "I was convulsing. I thought to myself, It's that."

However, after experiencing three more seizures upon returning home that day, she called an ambulance. Doctors initially suspected MS, but tests failed to confirm this diagnosis, leaving them puzzled. Emily shared: "The week after I had a seizure lasting six to eight hours."

"I got bouts of paralysis. I was paralysed in my legs for eight days."

"I thought 'I can't live my life like this'. In December 2023, Emily sought help from a private doctor who diagnosed her with FND.

She recounted: "He said there is a 33 per cent chance it will get better, 33 per cent chance it will get worse and 33 per cent 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'."

Currently, Emily lacks the funds for treatments and FND has no known cure. Her daily life is now marked by struggles with speech, walking, and tics. She described: "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, who experiences an average of 10 seizures a week, admitted that her symptoms leave her family "terrified". She revealed: "Last week I had 25 in one afternoon."

Despite the challenges, Emily is striving to maintain a positive outlook.

She expressed: "I'm trying to do everything I can in different ways," and "You try and take every day as it comes."

She added: "I still want to be me and be who I am."