UK Radiographer's Life-Altering Experience with Rare Migraine and Neurological Disorder
Yusra Saad Khan, a dedicated mother of two daughters and a full-time radiographer based in the United Kingdom, has navigated a challenging health journey that began unexpectedly. Originally from Pakistan, she relocated to the UK in 2018, bringing with her seven years of clinical practice and a history of intermittent migraines. Her story took a dramatic turn on November 25, 2025, illustrating how a routine day can swiftly transform into a medical crisis.
The Day Everything Changed: From Headache to Paralysis
That morning started ordinarily for Yusra, with a half-day of study followed by her clinical shift. As she completed her academic work, a sharp headache emerged, which she initially dismissed as a typical migraine. She took paracetamol and continued with her duties, but the situation escalated rapidly during her drive home. While on a busy dual carriageway, the pain intensified, and within moments, she experienced alarming symptoms.
Her left side weakened and went numb, making it impossible to grip the steering wheel with her left hand. Facial drooping and slurred speech set in, accompanied by a racing heart filled with fear. Recognizing the severity, she used her car's voice feature to call her husband, who immediately instructed her to stop the vehicle despite the hazardous traffic. He tracked her location via an app and rushed to her aid.
Simultaneously, Yusra dialled emergency services, her speech fragmented and unclear. The responders acted promptly, dispatching police to secure the road and an ambulance to transport her to the hospital. By the time she reached the Accident and Emergency department, her condition had deteriorated significantly—she could barely speak, and her left side was completely paralysed, with all signs pointing toward a stroke.
Diagnosis: Uncovering Hemiplegic Migraine and Functional Neurological Disorder
After urgent assessments, scans, and consultations with multiple specialists, doctors ruled out a stroke. Instead, they diagnosed Yusra with a rare condition known as hemiplegic migraine. This type of migraine can closely mimic stroke symptoms, including paralysis, facial drooping, and speech loss, often leading to initial misdiagnosis.
However, the diagnosis did not end there. The severity of the migraine had also triggered Functional Neurological Disorder, a complex condition that disrupts how the brain communicates with the body. Yusra was admitted to the stroke ward for eleven days, during which she faced immense challenges. She could not move or feel her left side, struggled with speech and swallowing, and required a modified diet, becoming dependent on others for basic tasks.
For someone who had always been independent—managing a demanding healthcare career, raising children, driving, socialising, and caring for others—this sudden loss of control was devastating. A neurologist later explained FND in simple terms: "It's a software problem, not a hardware problem." This analogy highlighted that there was no structural damage to her brain, but the communication pathways had malfunctioned, often due to the brain becoming overwhelmed and shutting down normal functions.
Understanding Functional Neurological Disorder and the Path to Recovery
Functional Neurological Disorder is a disabling condition that can alter lives within seconds, yet it is crucial to note that it is 100% reversible. Recovery depends on several factors, including symptom severity, the type and consistency of rehabilitation, and individual resilience. FND remains widely misunderstood and has only gained formal recognition in neurology in recent years.
It serves as an umbrella condition that can cause a range of symptoms, such as:
- Paralysis and speech difficulties
- Functional seizures and tremors
- Vision problems and memory issues
- Brain fog and extreme fatigue
Weeks after her hospital discharge, Yusra began experiencing functional seizures, another recognised complication of FND, underscoring the disorder's complexity.
Rehabilitation: A Cornerstone of Healing Amid Challenges
Rehabilitation became the foundation of Yusra's recovery journey. In the hospital, a multidisciplinary team—including neuro-physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists—played a vital role in helping her regain basic functions. This support continued after discharge, with guidance from a neurologist and an FND specialist.
Despite this, access to NHS rehabilitation services for FND in the UK remains limited, characterised by long waiting lists. Like many patients, Yusra had to seek private treatment to obtain timely care, highlighting systemic gaps in healthcare provision for rare neurological conditions.
Recovery timelines vary widely: for some, progress takes weeks; for others, it extends to months or years. Greater awareness, understanding, and improved access to timely rehabilitation are urgently needed to support patients effectively.
Progress and Hope: Yusra's Ongoing Recovery Journey
Nearly two months after the incident, Yusra's recovery is slow but tangible. She has regained sensation on her left side and can now move her fingers and toes—abilities she once feared were lost forever. While she still uses a rollator walker indoors and cannot venture outside independently, and her speech remains slow with occasional stutters, these improvements offer hope.
Motion sickness continues to limit her travel, but each small step forward reinforces the possibility of full recovery. Yusra emphasizes that one migraine altered her life forever, but with timely medical care, dedicated rehabilitation, love, and unwavering support, recovery remains achievable. Awareness, she notes, is where that recovery truly begins.
Yusra Saad Khan, a radiographer associated with the NHS, now creates social media content to raise health awareness, sharing her experience to educate others about rare conditions like hemiplegic migraine and Functional Neurological Disorder.
