FndNope
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10
When the Presentation Becomes the Disease
Dropsy was once treated as a disease until medicine discovered that it was merely a shared presentation of many underlying conditions. This article asks whether IBS and FND may represent similar umbrella categories that future medical advances will eventually divide into more precise diagnoses.
The Falsification Problem: FND Resolved After CSF Leak Repair
A patient diagnosed with FND recovered completely after surgical repair of a CSF leak. Why did the diagnosis remain? This article explores what the case reveals about comorbidity, diagnostic reasoning, and the falsification problem in FND.
ALS or FND? The Troubling Case of Tanea "Rebel" Brooks
Tanea "Rebel" Brooks has faced a devastating battle with lymphoma and a terminal ALS diagnosis. This piece explores her difficult medical journey and raises the question I’ve been wondering about: Could Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) be playing a role in misdiagnosis or diagnostic confusion?
The Medical Journey of Megan Dixon: FND and Severe Disability
Megan Dixon became severely disabled following childhood illness, with progressive loss of mobility and speech leading to prolonged hospitalisation. She was later reportedly diagnosed with FND and underwent extended rehabilitation after years of severe impairment.
Case Study: FND After Spine Surgery
A critical look at a case of postoperative paralysis labelled as FND, questioning whether pre-existing neurological instability and predictive processing may better explain the presentation than a purely functional diagnosis.
Is FND a diagnosis of exclusion? A Monte Carlo simulation
This post explores how DSM-5 criteria for FND expand diagnoses compared with DSM-4 Conversion Disorder, using a simulation to show the impact of positive signs, comorbidities, and Dr Allen Frances’ concerns about diagnostic inflation.
Is Conversion Disorder the same as Functional Neurological Disorder?
It is commonly understood that FND historically evolved from Conversion Disorder (CD), which in turn emerged from Hysteria.
Differential Diagnosis: Vitamin B12
B12 enables myelin production and nerve signalling; without it, nerves become damaged, causing neurological symptoms. As Dr J Stone acknowledges, testing for vitamin B12 levels should really be a routine part of a neurological investigation, something even a trainee should be aware of.
Medical dashboard version 1.0
I developed and uploaded the first version of my wife's medical dashboard over the weekend, which highlights her medical history, such as blood tests, MRIS, etc.
The Dark Truth Behind the 4% Misdiagnosis Rate in Functional Neurological Disorder
When presented with a misdiagnosis rate for FND of just around 4%, it sounds impressive - who wouldn’t be tempted to jump on the bandwagon? Surely this means doctors have the disorder all figured out, backed by mountains of rock-solid, empirically proven evidence. Right? A disorder that is believed to live on the fringes of neurology and psychiatry - what could possibly go wrong?
Comments
23Functional neurological disorder (FND) provides a significant diagnostic challenge because of its phenotypic heterogeneity https://t.co/SnIFREidii pic.twitter.com/zccm1f8e7J
— FndNope (@FndNope) March 15, 2026
Discussions started
6Researchers say medicine doesnt work for FND but thats pure conjecture when no one fully knows what causes these symptoms or how the brain is glitching. We cant keep denying people treatments that might help just because of an unproven hypothesis. If it works for someone its usually just treating their claimed comorbidities like pain mood or sleep not the core FND itself. Stop gatekeeping based on theories. Personal results matter more than the current official line.
Whenever I read an FND advocacy page, I like to go back in time using the Internet Archive to see how the narrative has evolved. Comparing older versions with current ones often reveals not just changes in wording, but shifts in priorities and values.
- Original page: http://web.archive.org/web/20160904034822/https://www.fndaction.org.uk/diagnosis/
- Current page: https://www.fndaction.org.uk/diagnosis/
The 2016 page had soul. It was written by patients, for patients. It openly acknowledged the harm people experienced: being made to feel their symptoms were "their fault," being dismissed, left without support, and let down by inconsistent care. It felt urgent, validating, and unapologetically activist.
The current page feels sanitized and clinician focused. It reads as though it was edited by neurologists concerned about sounding too speculative or unscientific. The raw expression of patient suffering is gone. The frustration with poor care is gone. In its place are lengthy discussions of diagnostic pitfalls, positive signs, research priorities, and carefully worded disclaimers. It is all very proper, but it also feels cold and defensive.
Rather than centering the needs of people living with FND, the page seems more concerned with protecting the reputation of the diagnosis. The charity appears to have exchanged genuine patient advocacy for mainstream medical respectability, and in doing so, lost much of its original purpose and emotional impact.
The end result is a page that may be more technically accurate, but is significantly less human. It serves clinicians and the diagnosis better than it serves the patients who are suffering.
Hey everyone
This site is very new and evolving quickly.
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Reply under this post with your ideas!
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Hey everyone
This site is very new and evolving quickly.
If you spot any bugs (broken links, formatting issues, mobile glitches, comment problems, etc.),
please reply under this post.
Include:
- Device + browser
- What happened
- Screenshot if possible
Thanks for helping improve it!
This is the place to share the craziest "my FND did this" claims you’ve seen, hair loss, sudden allergies, psychic powers, eyes changing color, poltergeist activity, speaking unknown languages, etc.
Drop the most ridiculous ones below!
When we initially investigated FND, we were surprised to find almost no official skepticism.
Dr. David Tuller, through his “Trial By Error” series on virology.ws (https://virology.ws/tag/fnd/)He has challenged inflated prevalence claims, the reliability of diagnostic signs, and aspects of FND’s psychological framing.
Are there any other skeptical sources out there?