'Doctors didn't know how I functioned with brain condition'

A woman who was diagnosed with a brain condition at 29 said she was told by doctors they had "no idea" how she had functioned for so long.

Michaela Ingram-Fuller said her life would have been "completely different" if she had been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, commonly referred to as "water on the brain".

Ingram-Fuller, now 37, says having a four-month-old daughter has made her more conscious about raising awareness of the condition, which can affect one in 770 babies in the UK.

She said: "I really don't want my daughter to have this but if she does then I'm so aware of the importance of picking it up early."

Ingram-Fuller added: "When the scan was taken doctors said they had no idea how I was functioning.

Hydrocephalus is caused by an excessive build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, which then causes pressure to build in the head which can cause lifelong damage.

Ingram-Fuller said the condition had caused symptoms including temper flare-ups, "searing" headache and depression at 19.

She said: "I missed out on quite a lot of time when my emotional intelligence should have been developing - I had only felt anger or nothing for 10 years."

In January 2018, she said she was rushed to hospital after her then partner, now husband, found her on the floor of their bathroom, where she had forgotten who he was.

Doctors later found that she had a significant build-up of fluid on the brain.

Hydrocephalus is usually diagnosed in infancy through head circumference measurements.

Ingram-Fuller and charity Harry's Hydrocephalus Awareness Trust (Harry's Hat) are campaigning for more routine measurements to help diagnose the condition and raise awareness.

Caroline Coates, chief executive of Harry's Hat, said: "Michaela's story is a powerful reminder of why early identification of hydrocephalus is so vital.

"No one should have to wait decades for a diagnosis, especially when simple, routine checks - like measuring a baby's head - can provide crucial early clues."

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