A WOMAN with money worries was left unable to walk or talk after the stress triggered a rare neurological condition.
Danni Cooper had been feeling anxious about her finances for months before she lost the use of her legs and was rushed to hospital.
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Her ordeal began when she arrived home from work feeling dizzy in April 2024, but put her symptoms down to hunger.
However, the fit and healthy 21-year-old found herself struggling to walk to the kitchen and called her sister Mollie Harris, 26, a chef.
They went straight to A&E, where Danni claims her symptoms were dismissed as a “migraine” made worse by “being on her period”.
The following morning, the former support worker woke up having lost the ability to speak or move.
Fearing a stroke, she went to a hospital in Wakefield, but all her scans came back clear.
After spending a month on a ward, Danni was finally diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) – a condition that causes problems with the brain sending and receiving information.
Doctors who treated her believe financial stress triggered by the cost of living crisis were to blame for her ”out-of-the-blue” symptoms.
Danni said she had been struggling to afford food because of how much it was costing her in petrol to get to work.
She was also on “an average wage”, which left her very little left to cover household bills.
All of this was “often playing on her mind”, causing Danni “a lot of anxiety and a slump of depression”.
Her speech returned after nearly a week, but she still struggles to walk and needs a wheelchair for long distances.
Danni, who can no longer work due to her condition, said: “I had been worrying for a long time about money.
“I was having to choose between food or petrol in order to get to work – the cost of living crisis hit me hard.
“I fell into a deep depression at one point, crying every day and it most likely triggered the condition.
“FND is like when a computer has too many tabs open, and it crashes.
“My brain basically shut down and stop communicating with my body. My life changed overnight.”
My legs felt like jelly as I walked to the kitchen, and I was slurring
Danni Cooper
Danni had suffered from migraines since she was young – experiencing two or three a month.
While at her previous job as a support worker in April 2024, she thought she was coming down with one.
After arriving home, she felt “shaky and dizzy” but put it down to not eating much that day.
She said: “I lay on my bed and the room was spinning.
“I called my sister who told me to make a sandwich and she’d be right over.
“But my legs felt like jelly as I walked to the kitchen, and I was slurring when she arrived.”
SYMPTOMS DISMISSED
After phoning 111, sister Mollie took Danni to A&E.
On being examined, Danni claims the doctor put her issues down to having a “migraine”.
She said: “My sister was having to prop me up because I couldn’t walk.
“They said my period was making the migraine worse, and I was sent home with strong ibuprofen.”
The following morning, Danni woke up completely unable to walk or talk.
Her boyfriend, Oliver Spink, 22, spent the night, and called an ambulance the next day.
It was really terrifying because no one knew what was wrong
Danni Cooper
Once again, she was told by medics over the phone that “it could be a migraine”.
Oliver took her back to A&E, where she waited for 14 hours to see a stroke nurse and was admitted overnight for tests.
She said: “Oliver had to help me shower because I couldn’t use my arms.
“I lost my speech for a week, and I was having to type on my phone.
“It was really terrifying because no one knew what was wrong.”
After performing an MRI, CT scan, and electroencephalogram (EEG) – a test that measures electrical activity in the brain – doctor ruled out a stroke and the neurological condition multiple sclerosis.
Danni spent a month at Pinderfields Hospital, until a doctor finally diagnosed her with FND.
The symptoms can vary from person to person, but can include limb weakness, seizures, tremors, facial spasms and issues with speech and swallowing.
What is functional neurological disorder?
FUNCTIONAL neurological disorder is a “brain network disorder,” according to UK charity FND Action.
The brain is unable to send and receive messages correctly, affecting all parts of the body.
Some symptoms, particularly if not treated, can result in substantial disability.
Treatment includes “retraining” the brain with specialised physiotherapy, distraction techniques and psychotherapy.
But some 70 per cent of sufferers have the same or worse symptoms ten years later.
The exact causes of FND are unknown. Symptoms can appear suddenly after a stressful event or with emotional or physical trauma, including a head injury, migraine, surgical procedure or vaccination.
It can occur as a result of several factors working together, for example, the brain shutting down after perceiving a threat or trying to avoid pain as well as a genetic vulnerability to the condition.
It is estimated that up to 120,000 people in the UK have FND, and there are a further 10,000 new cases per year, according to The Brain Charity. But most people have never heard of it.
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“Doctors think it was most likely triggered by stress,” Danni said.
“I was stressing over money a lot and had previously had depression.
“It was good to have a diagnosis, but it’s a life-long condition.
“I have times when I’m better, but it can flare-up and will always be there.”
Danni regained her speech and ability to walk, but still uses a stick or wheelchair to get about.
She continues to experience tremors and has had to move house to a more accessible building.
Danni said: “I’m slowly building up my strength so I can gain some independence and hopefully, start driving again.
“Not all disabilities are visible, and I get funny looks for using a blue badge sometimes.
“A lot of doctors still don’t know what FND is.
“It’s a lesser-known condition but I hope I can raise awareness.”
What energy bill help is available?
THERE’S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
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