Hi Connor,
Sorry about the diagnosis. It’s a really difficult time - so much to take on board at once. And it’s natural that your mind will race to all the implications this might have for your job, your life, your plans… many of us will relate to that.
Like you, I love running and hill walking. It’s over a year since I got diagnosed (after a long wait) and I’m still able to do both, just as much as I ever did. I go on walking holidays, climb mountains. Obviously I worry that it may not last, but for many people MS does not immediately switch these things off. Indeed, there are identical twins (Nielsen sisters) who both have MS and have been competing in the (non-Para) Olympics!
As a regular rail user, I’m very grateful to people in your role who have seen me safely on my way to work so many times. Unfortunately, I’m not an expert in it though. Can you think through the things you need to be able to do reliably? Can you do those things at present?
You have probably seen a long list of symptoms associated with MS. The good news is, we don’t all get all of them. Some are lucky enough only to get one or two. And since your MS is relapsing, even if you do have a relapse that stops you working, you may recover again. Some jobs have an official list of illnesses that automatically rule you out - I don’t know if that exists for dispatchers.
But the more sensible approach would to be to look at you as an individual and say, is your MS affecting your ability to do your job, or not? For example, is your vision affected? Presumably not if you can still drive. Only a proportion of people with MS have vision problems, and they may be temporary. Some people with MS have no symptoms most of the time. Some people are stable and virtually symptom-free for decades, some go downhill faster.
I’m on ofatumumab, it’s been great so far. A highly-effective drug like that can stop relapses for most people. I’d be surprised if it showed up on a workplace drugs test, I don’t know.
As a general point, I’d suggest that if your MS has an impact on your job, your employer has a duty to make “reasonable adjustments”. I can see that if there were no way for you to do the job safely, that might not work. But that should be the first consideration, and if at some point you can’t continue in your role, they might help you with redeployment. Your boss may have no idea (or an out-dated idea) of what MS is. Perhaps it’s better, if you do opt to tell them, to say: “I thought I should let you know I have been diagnosed with MS. My ability to do x, y, z is unaffected. Of course, I will report any change”. If they’re uncertain, refer them to your neuro.
If you get stuck with this, the MS Society helpline might be able to say more about the employment law aspects.
But I’d avoid jumping to conclusions about MS ending your physical activities or job.
