Just Diagnosed... All The Unknown

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hello,

I am newly diagnosed with relapsing, remitting MS. This is all new to me, as is the whole what I am entitled to process. Got a couple of questions if someone who knows would be kind enough to answer!! People keep asking me and I have no clue, I have “Googled” but sometimes it’s just better to ask people who are experiencing same issues and probably know better.

  • What benefits is it best to apply for, I plan to return to work once medication etc in place ( I have had to give up my Care work as not able to do now, but will go back to an office job)

  • Does having MS make you exempt from prescription charges?

I am working my way through this website as looks brilliant, and hope to learn a lot

Thanks in advance

2

Every person with MS is vastly different. The consultant diagnosed me with R&R and I’ve just carried on working but taken her advice to chill more and Add vitamin D to my diet which is a life change, cut down on caffeine etc eat healthy. You need to make the DVLA aware and you will get a temp four year licence instead which you send back and renew. I’m on carmamazepine at the moment 3 times per day 900mg total but My MS nurse said take it to match your symptoms. instead of 300mg three times I’ve changed it to 200mg and that seems to work for me. Side effects are different to each person. No idea what the benefits are It depends how the MS is with you. It’s approx £104 per year for prescriptions it’s not exempt, but I’m a full time teacher so just carrying on with life as much as I can like the MS team suggested. I don’t receive any benefits though, my friend does but he can’t walk far so needs a stick or chair. Hope this helps

3

Hi

Diagnosis with MS does tend to give you a whole new leaning curve as you get your head around the diagnosis, learn about the disease, find out about symptoms of relapses, disease modifying drugs and all the other aspects of MS that you now have to face. Have a look at Newly diagnosed | MS Trust

With regard to benefits, if you aren’t working because you’re not well enough to work, you can make a claim for Employment and Support Allowance. If you phone the Jobcentre Plus you could make a claim, or see Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): Overview - GOV.UK for more information.

You don’t qualify for free prescriptions with MS, but this has just been highlighted on the Everyday Living board, as there’s a petition to have it added to the qualifying conditions, see Add Multiple Sclerosis to the Medical Exemption list - Petitions to sign the petition.

Best of luck.

Sue