FND or something else?

[David_H]

Hi all. Looking for some answers really so any advice welcome. So , I'm walking around a nature reserve one morning quite early I guess, when I suddenly feel like I'm going to stumble and pass out. This event is very fleeting and I neither fall to the ground or pass out. I recover instantly and carry on walking with no further episodes or odd symptoms. Looking up my symptoms using friendly Google FND was the closest I could get to. I'm not on any meds or diagnosed with any major issues. Low blood pressure or dehydration?? Similar happened once before some months back. I'm 72. Thanks

[LilyMarshell]

Hi there!There's soooo many things this could be, and it's unlikely to be FND. Contrary to popular belief, FND is actually quite rare.

I wouldn't immediately jump into thinking it's FND as it sounds more natural exertion based.

Exertion can cause issues with blood pressure, oxygen saturation, dehydration, and using up calories. All of these can cause the same experience you described.

Since it's happened a couple times, I'd recommend reporting it to your doctor for them to investigate.

Hope this helps.

[David_H in reply to LilyMarshell]

Thanks a lot Lily for taking time to reply. I did see GP who tested blood pressure, balance,etc. She agreed it could be a combination of things and did use the words drop attack. Thinking about it it was a slight weakness in one leg followed by start of a stumble and think I'd collapse before the feeling passed. This episode was no more than a couple of seconds and I felt back to normal straight away. Do you think it's worth consulting a Neurologist?

[LilyMarshell in reply to David_H]

Drop attack is actually used for a few conditions - it's the idea that there's a weakness or a buckle that happens before you hit the ground. If you felt weakness but didn't hit the ground, I'm more inclined to say it was probably dehydration or maybe a low blood pressure.We typically don't get warnings before the drops, and the likelihood of experiencing only two, and without falls, is something I've never seen in myself or other FND folk.

You could try a neurologist but I'm afraid it would probably be a wasted trip.

A cardiologist might be a better option - to check for blood pressure changes that could cause fainting. 😊

[David_H in reply to LilyMarshell]

Thanks Lily. That sounds reassuring. Was rather scary at the time and stays on your mind of course. Take good care and thanks again..

[Lady4]

Hi David. Usually with FND "drop attacks" there is no warning, its like your legs just as swiped from beneath you, this is why they say injury is less likely because you don't have time to stop yourself falling. My son used to drop, be out for a while (2 - 5 mins) and have absolutely no clue how he fell to the floor. Injury was due to what his head landed on.

[David_H in reply to Lady4]

Thanks for your reply. Bit of a mystery at the moment

[Lady4 in reply to David_H]

Best not to try self diagnose. FND is diagnosed with specific "rule in" tests and if you ask anyone here, onve you get the label its hard to get rid of off your notes, even if they have got it wrong.

But I guess its human nature to research.

[David_H in reply to Lady4]

Yeah. Google's wonderful isn't it!! I guess the GP mentioned 'drop attack' and that's associated with FND and symptoms fitting I add 2 and 2........... like you do!

[Lady4 in reply to David_H]

My son had a whole load of symptoms starting with CRPS and thigh spasms. I can't quite recall what his "rule in" symptom test was, as he has been through a myriad of symptoms but I tried the "Hoover" test and that was positive.

"Specific tests can sometimes be done to positively rule in FND. For example, providers can differentiate between organic and functional weakness in functional limb weakness cases by testing for Hoover’s sign and hip abductor sign. Positive Hoover’s and hip abductor signs reliably show internal inconsistency between voluntary and autonomic movements, which are present in functional movement disorders (Bennett et al., 2021). Likewise, in episodes resembling epileptic seizures, providers can differentiate between epilepsy and functional seizures by the length of seizures, asynchronous movements, body or head movements, closed eyes, and memory of event."

[David_H in reply to Lady4]

Sounds like it's a complicated subject. Once you've got correct diagnosis at least you're on the right path

[Lady4 in reply to David_H]

Thats where the NHS fail, sadly no funding, very few referral paths, kinda a postcode lottery. It also has over 200 symptoms and quite a few mis diagnoses for actual and other illnesses.

[Lady4]

Dehydration can cause dizziness, which can make you faint.

[Sparklingsunshine]

Could be low, folate, B12. These often decline as we get older, or low blood pressure. Its far more likely to be something common like that, or low blood sugar than FND.

[David_H in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Thanks a lot for taking time to reply