I was admitted to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth on 4 December 2021 with my fourth ‘full blown’ FND attack. By this I mean that all four limbs were paralysed and my speech was slurred - for all intents and purposes, symptoms of a catastrophic stroke!

Slowly, I started getting more automatic movement back in my upper body through lots of repetition and, as I spent a little more time on my legs, edging around my bed, walking a few more steps with a frame, walking to the toilet and shower with a frame, having a shower with assistance and then showering solo.

We then began to think about discharge but my wife and I were determined that I wasn’t going home without the promise that ongoing rehab was in place because we didn’t want me left with nothing because we knew (from experience of my first FND breakdown) this could happen.

I had already done some research about the possibility of private, specialist physios and came across Plymouth Neurophysio. To cut a long story short, I started working with the Plymouth Neurophysio at the end of January 2022. I was immediately impressed/comforted not only that the Physios working with Plymouth Neurophysio were knowledgeable about FND but that they had many years experience of working with clients with FND. This was important to me because I felt I needed this understanding of what the Physio was working with and my own frustrations about this condition.

I was really impressed at how quickly my physio got to understand how FND was affecting me and exactly what I could and couldn’t do. I was ‘shuffle walking’, unable to use stairs or walk any distance, I didn’t have much core strength and my upper limbs lacked the ability to initiate movement much of the time. I didn’t really understand that I needed core strength in order to stabilise my ‘mid section’ to aid my walking. This gave me even more understanding of my condition and more importantly, what would be involved in my rehab.

Working with Becky is fantastic treating ME, the holistic me, which has been brilliant. Becky quickly built a relationship which meant I felt confident in what she was doing which in turn, has meant I have improved by leaps and bounds and my confidence has also improved.

I firmly believe that in order for physiotherapy and rehab to work effectively, not only must the Physiotherapist know their subject and the condition to be treated but the client/patient has to be involved in their own treatment and if there are exercises to be done at home, the client/patient does them and strange to say, but the client/patient has to want to improve/get better/want the rehab to work for them. This is why Becky was brilliant at building the relationship with me and to use a number of techniques including Yoga, conditioning, strength, balance, stretching, posture.

Becky introduced me to Mike, Rehabilitation Assistant and Personal Trainer on the Plymouth Neurophysio team, who has been working with me to focus on strength and conditioning. This was all about building specific strength around the areas I needed to aid my walking.

Whilst it has been quite a long journey, I now (August 2022) walk unaided, feel so much stronger both physically and psychologically, have started going to the gym and swimming. Becky and Mike continue to be brilliant.  I cannot imagine where I would have been if I hadn’t found the Plymouth Neurophysio Team and been able to engage with them.

I would definitely recommend anyone, if possible, to engage with Plymouth Neurophysios without any hesitation.