My name is Zsanett and I’m from Hungary.

In 2024, I was ill for quite a long time; first I was on sick leave because of my back problems, and then I started feeling dizzy.

It really scared me, because at first I thought I had a brain tumour.

I saw many doctors, visiting neurology departments several times, at ENT, cardiology, ophthalmology, and I had a head CT scan, but nowhere did they take my problem seriously—that’s how I felt, really—and I became increasingly despondent, and the dizziness was making my daily life difficult too.

It wasn’t until eight months later that the truth came out, after I’d visited an ENT specialist for the third time because I wasn’t going to let the matter rest; I wanted to know what was causing my dizziness.The doctor I saw asked me if I expected her to tell me the cause of my dizziness. I replied that I did. She examined me thoroughly and finally found the cause.

She said that a protrusion from one of the vertebrae in my cervical spine was pressing on my neck muscles, which was causing my dizziness. She prescribed physiotherapy and, thank God, my dizziness went away after the treatments. My workplace did not tolerate my long-term sick leave, and I even received hurtful comments from my manager about it.

As a punishment, they wanted to transfer me to a different role and send me for a company medical examination during my leave, which is against the law; I refused to agree to this, and they then threatened me, saying there would be consequences.After that, I resigned with immediate effect, giving my reasons, because that was the last straw.

I had worked conscientiously at that workplace for 19 years and it wasn’t an easy decision to ‘jump into the unknown’, but given how they treated me because of my illness – for which nobody is to blame – I did it. They didn’t even pay me my severance pay. In April, my father had a stroke, which took a heavy toll on me emotionally, and I helped my mother look after him until the end of July.Thank God, he has now recovered quite well. Here in Hungary, the jobseeker’s allowance only lasts for three months; after that, there is nothing.I have a degree; I used to be a teacher, and one employer told me during a phone call not to even submit my CV because they would have to pay me more.

I have already spent all my savings, so I would like to ask those who have been moved by my story to please help me get back on my feet.

Thank you very much for your support.