'It's like I've got BUGS under my skin': MMA fighter who has 1,000 muscle-contractions a day suffers 'constant agony' due to rare condition that doctors wrote off as 'just in his head'
- Chris Fantetti, 26, has 1,000 fasciculations causing movement under skin a day
- Former MMA fighter was diagnosed by doctor in Spain and said he's in 'agony'
- Mr Fantetti, from Kent, claims that doctors in the UK told him it was 'in his head'
A mixed martial arts fighter who has a condition which makes it look like he has bugs crawling under his skin has said he's in constant agony.
Chris Fantetti, 26, has 1,000 fasciculations a day and says that the erratic muscle jerks have meant he struggles to wash and dress himself.
The former fighter, from Gillingham, Kent, was diagnosed with a neurological condition called chiari malformation by a private doctor in Spain in January.
As well as this, he was also diagnosed with filum disease and neuro-cranio-vertebral syndrome but claims he was told by doctors in the UK that it was 'just in his head.'
Chris Fantetti, 26, who has 1,000 fasciculations a day says he's in constant agony because of his condition and can no longer compete in mixed martial arts competitions
Mr Fantetti claims that before this he spent five months in pain and visited his GP at Woodlands Family Practice at least 20 times and his local hospital at least 10.
Former railway worker Mr Fantetti, who has lost two stone in muscle since he became ill, said: 'It's totally changed my life, it's really depressing.
'I have about 1000 fasciculations a day and it genuinely looks like I've got bugs crawling under my skin when it's at its worst.
'I'm in constant agony and I can't see any end in sight.'
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Mr Fantetti first began to experience back pain in July last year but believes his condition may have first showed initial symptoms as early as January 2018.
At the same time he also began to experience the fasciculations, which a doctor has since found is caused by chiari malformations, abnormalities in the brain that impair balance and muscle control.
He claims despite more than 20 visits to his GP surgery he was diagnosed with asthma and told the condition was psychological.
Mr Fantetti said he also made at least fifteen visits to A&E at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham after experiencing pain but claims he was told he had anxiety.
Mr Fantetti's girlfriend Heidi Oldfield, 23, pictured together, now has to help him clean himself and get dressed as he has limited muscle control
The 26-year-old was eventually diagnosed after six months when he visited a private doctor in Barcelona.
He has since also begun to suffer from a curved spine which seriously impairs his mobility and has stopped him from competing in mixed martial arts competitions.
Mr Fantetti said: 'I was in constant agony, everyday my arms would change temperature and I had severe pain across my body.
'I had shooting pains and my body would start tremouring and shaking. I went to my GP at least twenty times and went to the hospital at least fifteen times.
'At first the GPs kept saying it was asthma, so they gave me asthma pumps and steroids. Then they both said it was all in my head.
'It wasn't nice, I felt like people thought I was going crazy, I almost felt like I was going crazy in myself.'
Mr Fantetti's girlfriend of five years Heidi Oldfield, 23, said despite the challenges her partner's condition has brought, she loves him all the same.
But she now has to help her boyfriend clean himself and get dressed as he has limited muscle control.
The former railway worker, pictured fighting, said having to give up MMA is 'heartbreaking'
The transport recruiter said: 'It's been quite a bad transformation, we used to go on holiday all the time and be so active.
'Now, we can hardly leave the house. He used to go to the gym all the time, he was a real hunk, but now he can't get out of bed or shower without help.
'It can be hard, but at the end of the day I love him.'
Mr Fantetti, who is raising £24,000 on GoFundMe to fund his ongoing and future care, added: 'It stops me from sleeping.
'I don't really like going out of the house now so my relationship with friends has suffered as a result.
'Heidi has to do most the things for me like cleaning myself and getting dressed as I have limited muscle control, it's really, really hard.
'It takes me ages to walk places and I'm dependent on everyone around me. I won't be able to continue what I used to do including MMA, it's really heartbreaking.'
Harvey McEnroe, Chief Operating Officer at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Medway Maritime Hospital, said: 'We are sorry to hear about Mr Fantetti's concerns; we have been in contact with him and we are happy to meet with him to discuss these concerns or any other aspects of his care.'
Chris is raising money for his care on GoFundMe.
