Hi, you have to listen to your own body. I made the decision to leave work in July 07 my symptoms became so much worse.
I told the doctor I could not work anymore. He did not want to fill out any disability paperwork so I got copies of all my tests and went to SSDI.
It is a tough choice.
Have your symptoms worsened from stress at work. Maybe you can cut hours down at first?

It was the toughest decision I had to make, but I stopped working at the end of August 07. I was full-time 40 hrs./wk until mid March and then I kept missing more and more time until the last week I only managed 3 1/2 hrs. The last few months I was so scared that I would push myself just a bit too long and then be unable to drive myself home. I no longer feel comfortable driving the distance to the city I worked (20-25 minutes away) and I haven't driven it since. Only you can tell when enough is enough. Best of luck.

Doctor made that decision for me.......refused to let me return. Not an easy pill to swallow that. I wish you the best, and you will know when. Best Wishes, Steve

I took a year off work when I was first diagnosed, it was a great decision. It was a VERY hard decision (chronic over-achiever). However, when I came back (teacher) I worked out a schedule where I can work every-other day at the school down the road from me. My options are taking the SCHOOL BUS if I can't drive that day, having a ride from my hubby, walking/biking or just driving the 10minutes very slowly... can you move your job closer to home? Work from home?

After relapses, after relapse, My Husband and I decided not working would be the option we chose. I filed for SSDI, then told my doctor that my husband did not want me returning to work. There was not much more said on the subject! He filled out paperwork as SSA sent them to him, and eventually I was approved. Good Luck!

You hit the nail on the head. I've been trying to figure out how to express EXACTLY what you just did with both your driving concerns AND your fatigue. I'm not all that comfortable with driving much either. Lane changes are extemely difficult for me and throw my balance off. I dont drive fast which annoys other drivers around me...and they go around me.

I drive small distances. I drive on the days that I feel comfortable doing so, and short distances at that. I take my time on the road, which really irritates the _____outta the other drivers too.

Wish you well and thanks for your post.

Hugs Ellen

my body decided it for me I still drive a lot n always will be able to I hope,as for doing the heavy lifting or long haul trucking the body says no more so filed for my ss n was just aproved 1 oct
My neuro agreed with me.I wish you luck great ig ole bear huggzzzzzzzzzzz

I swear this was me in April of this year...the job was causing major stress (major no no with MS) and I was driving 70 miles a day (with vertigo...no comment) and tremors so I said to H with the job and went to the doc advised him in no uncertain terms of what I was going to do and let him know tomorrow I will not go back to work and put myself or anyone else in jeopardy and went out for 12 weeks FMLA...worked for me...fighting like H for the disability (no comment) sooo my advise...do the same thing just let the doc know what your intentions are and what is going on and say f it I gotta live my life...whew!!! Sincerely I hope you make a wise decision about the highway....and MS people are the smartest people on the planet so I know you will....LOL!!

also...my doc took one look before I started to say a word and said you are NOT going back to work.

Thanks to everyone for your replies...it really helps. I'm worried right now. My last neuro pretty much said.."Bring me the paperwork, and I'll fill it out today" I just wasn't ready for it though...so I kept going. Now, I've moved to a new Neuro at the Mellen Center in cleveland, and I don't know her that well yet. I've only had a few appts, and they're starting me on tysabri now. I don't know how to bring it up to her, since isn't Tysabri supposed to be this great drug that might help me??? Part of me wants to work, but there's getting to be a bigger part of me that says...this is just too much. I guess I never realized what a big problem stress was. That's my constant problem every single day at work now. Stress Stress Stress. Having problems driving to begin with...and now...we're starting to go into winter with bad weather and snow. I'm dizzy to begin with...much less adding swirling snow to it. Thanks much for all your replies. You're really helped me out a lot!!!!!!!!!

I started trying to get on SS Disability right away. It took 2 years. I had my own company that doesn't make much money, but I don't work much and when I do, I work mostly at home. This disease is a moving target. There are some days I think I can go back to working in a office and then the next day I don't get out of bed. I take Provigil for fatigue. One thing I learned, is that you have to stay on your Dr's butt to get the help you need. They don't live our lives everyday, so they don't see what we struggle with. The most important thing you can do is figure out how to best take care of yourself. I didn't have any trouble with my Drs. to get on disability. Again, we have to make sure the Dr. understands our lives - they see a lot of patients. I stay current with my Drs. so they have good records - you'll need that for SS.

You know right now this is the time for you to stop working.
It is just a horrible decision to make, but what life do you have now.?
I pushed myself so long that i had to brake my day down mentaly by saying to myself. "Just get through one more hour and you can see if I can go on until lunchtime." Then after lunch I would say ,"It is afternoon now, so I should be able to make it to the end of workday as long as i keep my head down and people don't bother me."
However pushing it to the brink was getting dangerous on my drive home. I almost fell asleep at the wheel and then I knew, that was the time for me to quit.
when you resign, make sure you have it in writing that it is for health reasons.
Has your company got any Dis. ins.? check up on it and ask for the application forms.
Once the Neuro. knows how you are not functioning at work, they will sign all the papers for you.

I worked for about 8 years after I was diagnosed and I was working for myself. Then started 'captive employment' for a company. I was "terminated" for no given reason but since California is an "at will" state they didn't need one nor any warnings or anything.

I had never even had a bad performance review before. After this happened I had to face the fact that not only was my balance bad, I did have significant cognitive problems (inability to multi-task, bad short-term memory, easily distracted, etc.).

I decided to go for disability (BTW, if you even suspect you may do so, DON'T collect unemployment). I think you should go for disability if you have any indication you just can't continue as you had.

If you've been working and paying into Social Security, you've been paying for disability insurance, not welfare.

Good-luck if that is what you decide. Even after you go on disability you can still work.

Larry

I decided to stop working last October after being out in April for 12 weeks because of a flare up, then went back to work for 2 weeks, then out again for 8 weeks because of another flare up, then back part time for 3 weeks, then out again because of a flare up. Every time I went back to work, the stress was causing me to flare up. NOT WORTH IT. Thank GOD I took out a long term disability plan. So while collecting LTD benefits, I have applied for SSD. I was diagnosed in 2001 and worked till 2006. However, in the past I always had 2 or 3 jobs, so deciding not to go back to work is the way I went.

I too also feel some days I can go back and some days I can't. I'm scared to leave what I have now and look and get another job with a different company, because what if it doesn't work out or they fire or lay me off or I have a realy bad flarew up? Then where would I be? I'm single, so there is no other income for me.

You will know when it is time for you to stop working, but before you do, make sure you have all your ducks in a row, financially that is.....

Good luck with your decision.

I left when my job began to get
funky about limited duty and light duty personnel. Didn't want the stress and heafaches, of fighting for a time and a job to accommodate me. I would have won but just didn't want the hassle, and can't a job hassle you when you are ill. Then the driving too wasn't fun. So I filed for the disability and took only six weeks and that was in 1997. So here I sit talking to you. GO WHEN IT GETS TO BE A PROBLEM, LIFE IS TOO SHORT AS IT IS TO BE WORRIED ALL OF THE TIME. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!11