A busy working mother who attributed her migraines to burnout was ultimately left unable to walk or speak after being diagnosed with a neurological disorder.
Initial Symptoms Dismissed as Stress
Sarah Lewis, 46, from Solihull, West Midlands, began experiencing severe headaches, difficulty swallowing, and heart palpitations. Doctors initially told her she was likely suffering from anxiety or stress. The mother of two also blamed her high-pressure job as an assistant management accountant, along with studying for accountancy exams and managing family life.
Her migraines grew more frequent. The day after her son's 8th birthday, she found she couldn't walk in a straight line—'like being drunk'—and had trouble speaking.
Hospital Visits and Misdiagnosis
She was rushed to Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital on suspicion of a stroke or brain tumor. After a week of tests, she was again told she was fine and 'probably overdoing it' at work. Months later, she received a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder (FND), a condition where the brain's 'software' malfunctions, disrupting signals between the brain and body.
Sarah now relies on a wheelchair and her mother as a carer. Despite this, she has built a successful cake business, Cakey Blinders, with her 11-year-old son Henry.
Sarah's Account
'It was a case of my body intervening and saying 'right I think you need to stop now' when I just thought I was tired and overworked,' she said. 'I put myself under so much pressure, feeling like I had got to do everything and I was just taking on too much.'
Her symptoms began with swallowing issues, then fatigue, palpitations, and daily migraines. After her son's birthday, her vision and speech deteriorated. 'It looked as if I was drunk, I could barely walk properly,' she recalled.
Despite CT scans, blood tests, and lumbar punctures, doctors found no abnormalities. She was diagnosed with FND in September 2023. The condition causes involuntary physical symptoms like loss of motor control, speech problems, and cognitive issues.
Living with FND
'It's like a computer where my hardware is all fine but the software isn't,' Sarah explained. 'It happens a lot with people with ADHD, where people work to burnout. I basically worked until I broke.' She was never assessed for ADHD but believes many women her age have it to some extent.
Her prognosis remains uncertain. 'The doctor said to my husband 'don't treat her as if she's disabled'. But all of a sudden I was in a wheelchair and I can't really do anything on my own,' she said.
Finding Purpose
Sarah launched Cakey Blinders, which has become a family effort. 'Baking was something I had a passion for. It became a therapy for me,' she said. Her mother helps with oven tasks due to tremors and memory issues; her husband handles logistics; and her children contribute ideas.
'In a way it has brought us closer together. Now I finally feel like I have a purpose and a passion, and my family come first before a job or money,' she added. 'Sometimes, the most hardest lessons in life can be the most important ones.'
