A short, shareable page for people with Functional Neurological Disorder — and for the clinicians supporting them. Print it, email it, or open it together in the room.
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a genuine neurological condition. The nervous system has a problem with function — how the brain and body send and process signals — even when standard scans may look normal.
Symptoms are real. They are not “made up”, attention-seeking, or “just anxiety”.
FND can include seizures, weakness, movement symptoms, sensory changes, speech difficulties, cognitive fog and fatigue. Symptoms often fluctuate — a good hour does not mean capacity is unlimited.
Clear explanation, belief, and a practical plan reduce fear and help people engage with care.
Pick a few — you do not need to cover everything in one visit.
Ask for plain English. “Functional” does not mean imaginary.
Agree a safety plan: when to use 999 / 111, and when a familiar pattern can be managed as FND.
Physio, OT, psychology, specialist FND pathways, pacing and education — ask what is local and realistic.
Frequency, duration, triggers, recovery time, medication, and impact on work or care. Structured tools can help.
Functional impact and adjustments matter more than medical jargon alone.
Main symptoms, when they started, what helps, what makes them worse, and how long recovery takes after a flare.
Work, school, driving, self-care, falls risk, sleep, and support needed on bad days — not only “good day” function.
SeizeControl can help build appointment-ready records of episodes, symptoms and patterns.
Calm first path after diagnosis or when supporting someone with FND.
LibraryName the symptoms you want to discuss — clinical titles with lived subtitles.
HubSafety, thresholds, heat, sleep and tracking guides.
CareSearch the public reviewed directory by location.
fndconnect.org.uk/appointment-pack/ — short, free, UK-focused, and designed to sit beside clinical care rather than replace it.