This is a very difficult question to answer, and I am sure you will get responses from many more able to answer than I am. For myself, I personally bvelieve that my MS has not progressed because I did stop working early. I stopped working because I met with severe discrimination during my Ph.D. studies at the University of Wisconsin, and the work available to me would have been too physically demanding without my Ph.D. You have to decide whether you can find interesting work now, without going back to school.

I too was working in a school and found the onyl thing bothering me was being on my feet so much. Now I work doing relief 2 days per week if needed (or I get the days off if not)
and the other 3 days I am back working for a Barrister/Solicitor which is work similar to what I did prior to education. I love the balance it gives me.

To be honest I don't think MS should stop you from doing it unless it is really impacting severley on you. Maybe look at going part time if it is.
I think that life needs to carry on as usual and as best to our ability. I certainly feel that having a positive attitude helps me not give in to the MS but instead I adjust my life around it as I am affected.

When I was first diagnosed and having my first attack I was studying for a Diploma. I managed by advising my Uni and lecturers and they all rallied around me with support. I graduated with Distinction from my intake and felt proud to achieve this throughout the stress i had been feeling-It is such an individual thing but remember teaching is so valuable. Good luck

I work full-time as a Medication aide at a nursing home. I find that I have more symptoms on the days that I work than on my days off. My days off are wonderful, no numbness or tingling in my hands and feet and I'm not as tired. If I didn't need the insurance, I wouldn't work full-time. The cost of treatment is huge.

talk about stress. LOL, try working for the post office for 23 years, I'm trying for disability right now, Even if I don't get approved, I won't be working much longer.

I know there is no way I could work full time, so after being approved for disability, I went to work part time, within the limits of SSDI. There are days when I still have to call off, but at least I still have a little money coming in and it gets me out of the house and around other people for awhile.

I've asked for part-time (71% which I did for part of the past school year) next year and it was denied. I looked at the ADA Act and probably couldn't utilize it since the remaining 29% of my position could be very difficult to fill in this area of the country/state, thereby making the part-time request an unreasonable accommodation. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find people who have the same degrees that I do for secondary education. I wonder if this is why the district won't give me any other job that I've applied for (even at 100% I feel that these other jobs would be much less stress and much, much less time after hours). Sigh. I feel like I have few choices since I also need the insurance. What to do, what to do. If I just had MS, I might be able to work full time, but compounding the difficulty working are asthma/COPD, clinical depression, and diabetes. If one disease isn't acting up, it seems like another is. I just try to keep them all balanced--LOL--not easy, as most of you know. Why is it that so many of us have multiple diseases? We must be very special people!
I appreciate your suggestions and comments.

Sometimes I feel better when I'm at work then on my days off. I think that might be like taking off a tight girdle tho you know, like I can breathe, acknowledge how bad I really feel. Working is not a choice for me so I try really hard to consentrate on anything but how I feel when I'm there. I even practice putting on my "happy face" Stupid isn't it. I wish I had both experiences to share with you. Try not to worry so much. hugs

Eloise, all I can tell you is that I have been working full-time since 2005, when I had my 2nd attack. I have never had stress bring on an attack (that I know of), but I will tell you one thing: it AGGRAVATES THE SYMPTOMS that are already present.

For example, I work as an accounant at a mortgage company (which is almost 'dead' now). When the financial markets collapsed in August 2006, my hours and stress level shot through the roof. I experienced sleeplessness, had tons of fatigue and my limp was REALLY severe. Since that time, things have calmed down. I am stable. No significant symptoms other than the normal, gradual change.

For my case, it's a matter of being disciplined enough to keep a firm schedule, get plenty of rest, eat a good diet, and keep extreme stress to a minimum. (I think a little bit of stress isn't bad, to tell you the truth. Keeps the blood pumping and stimulates you, you know?)

I do not believe, not for one minute, that it will progress at a faster rate.

Best of luck to you.

I was diagnosed last year April and I had stopped working in March. It was determined that I had MS after tests. I was told to stop working during the flare-up, which I did. I returned to work for one day and the symptoms were back. I applied for SSDI and was denied, told I could work, so I did different (easier jobs) and each ended in hospitalization for nearly a week. I stopped and feeling much better. I don't plan on returning to work for a while, but may have to eventually if my claim isn't approved.

Each time it progresses and doesn't return to the previous level. So, I definitely think that work/stress causes progression.

I was just offered to have my old job back, and was deciding on whether to go back or not. I never considered that going back to work could make the MS worse, just that I couldn't work as good as I used to. Thanks for brining up this point. I wouldn't have thought anything of it. :)

I was diagnosed this year. I was back at work, the day after I got out of the hospital. I do not know if it is making me more tired or not. I am tired by the end of the day, but I am working.

Sad to say, I need the mental stimulation and the money.

I work but only part-time..I have thought about trying ssdi but the process is so long and i need the money..

I also think working keeps me going and gets me out of the house..
I don't know, we'll see..
good luck to you

Does it make my MS worse...I don't think so

Whenever I had flare-ups, I took a few days off work. Now I've had non stop problems since April and I've been off work since mid May. I get state disability and have no fear of losing my job of 13 years. Everyone keeps saying I should stay off work for as long as I can.(which would be about a year) but I feel stupid doing that if I start feeling better. I don't want to go back until I know I'll be ok, because I'm tired of going back feeling fine and then having to go out a few weeks later because of a relapse. A 40 hr. work week is too much for me now.

I JUST STARTED WORKING AGAIN ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, WAS DXD IN 06, I AM NOTICING THE STRESS, AND FATIGUE LIKE NEVER B4, OF COURSE I LIKE BEING OUT AMONG PEOPLE BUT ITS JUST DIFFERENT.