I’ve had Ms for a year now. I was diagnosed at 16. Im 17 now, turning 18 soon. Im at 6th form and it’s been so hard. I honestly don’t think school is for me. I can’t focus, keep in any information or recall what I think I’ve learned. my emotions are all over the place and I have no idea what im doing anymore. life has been hard and im still grieving my old life. I’m almost an adult and I’m so scared. I can’t predict how my life will turn out but it’s a struggle thinking about it even when I dont want to.
I don’t have any friends either. Only my boyfriend who my family don’t approve of. I feel so alone. I’ve done things I never thought i’d do like smoking THC + drinking. I feel so lost. I’m not some what I’m doing.
thank you for reading, I just needed to get alittle bit of what I think about off my chest.
Hello cxstain,
Firstly I want to say how very sorry I am that you’ve been diagnosed with this horrible condition at such a young age, never nice to be told you’ve got MS, but at 16yrs it must be very scary and people on here with totally understand how you feel and will listen, maybe give advice, ideas as to what’s worked for them, so you’ve totally come to the right place. Sadly you’ve just got to take this one day at a time, hopefully you’ve got a good team behind you, neuro, ms nurse, gp and if you have these people will look after you.
I think a lot on here will relate to the “parents not approving of boyfriend/girlfriend thing” its par for the course growing up, as is trying things you wouldn’t normally do, its all about learning, experimenting, so don’t beat yourself up. I’m glad you’ve got it off your chest, good luck to you, take good care and chin up, you’ll be stronger than you think.
Jean
Hi, I’m so pleased you have found this forum to get things off your chest 
what an age to find out you have ms. Most of us on here can say we’ve all had disapproving boyfriends/girlfriends, smoked/got drunk all the normal stuff you do and still grow up to do as an adult.
I really do feel for you, I am 48 and I struggle with the unknown so a young woman like yourself it must be really hard. Just know that we are all here for you, to ask questions, to get things off your chest or to let us know how you’re doing. Take care, Angie
Hi Cx. Absolutely everyone with MS deserves some support and help and we all need to cry out from time to time. So please do feel free to set out and share your fears and worries. Being told you have MS is hard for anyone and must be so hard for young people.
I’m sort of at the other end of my life to you. Diagnosed 17 years ago and going to be 70 early next summer. When I was diagnosed I thought that’s it, my life is over , I’m going to be pensioned off and yes, everything felt dark and gloomy without hope.
I suppose that was my mind preparing for the worst - a quite natural reaction! M
Little did I know that 17 years later I’m not doing too bad - struggle to walk more than 15 mins or so and I do get tired from time to time but otherwise OK. In those 17 years ( and I don’t know what your thing is) I’ve watched polar bears, walrus and whales and the midnight sun in the Arctic , watched dolphins, whales and basking sharks in the Hebrides, been in the tomb of Eagles in Orkney, sat in a Shetland Stone Age Broch during the night as storm petrels returned to their nests and more besides. Plus - got married and have enjoyed years of a happy marriage.
I’m not at all surprised that you are finding life so very difficult. Life at 16-18 is challenging enough without MS.
So CX , be kind to yourself , give yourself a break, accept and understand that it’s perfectly normal to feel sad and a bit lost, and be kind to yourself, love yourself.
And please, please don’t despair!
Prepare for the worst but hope for the best ! As you say, you can’t think what your life will be like but none of us know what is round the corner and, as I’ve found out , life with MS can be a bit of a struggle but good things do happen!
Can I ask, is your college giving you much support ? Is there a named person who you can talk to about your MS and how it is affecting you?
Hi,
You certainly should be getting some support from somewhere. An MS diagnosis is a lot to take in, the more so at 16.
I wanted to offer one bit of comfort. Research in MS is making really fast progress.
What this means it that you can’t assume your life will follow the same pattern as that of people with MS who were diagnosed many years ago, when there were fewer treatments.
I’ve seen MS researchers saying that MS may soon become a manageable disease - not curable - but something for which you take ongoing treatment and get on with your life. Just as people have conditions like asthma, but you wouldn’t really know about it
Of course we can’t be sure, but I’d be hopeful that you will be able to benefit from this progress.
So… perhaps you should resist the temptation to read up on what MS has been like, because what MS means is changing all the time. If you follow medical advice, with the latest treatments, you might have a very different future.
You should absolutely have some help, for example from school. Can you get a referral to a counsellor who would help you think through all of this? It might take some time to arrange, but at least you would know help was coming.
Your problems with focus might be down to the shock and stress of wht you’ve been going through. I’ve had times like that, too. It might be easier if you can say to yourself, I’ve got health problems, but I’m doing everything I can medically to put things right. And now I’m going to live my life.
Hello,
I was initially dx multiple sclerosis at 19. I had just started Uni and I thought I would have to drop out after freshers year. I didn’t though but I had to do an extra year to catch up.
I can even remember the subtle MS symptoms of pins and needles, floaters, optic neuritis pain all throughout primary, secondary and 6th form.
My only experience with THC was when I had it intravenously for a MS relapse once.
I only started drinking once I started working life tbh, you’ve more disposable income tbf.
What’s in store later in life, can be puzzling, at whatever age imho.
You can’t go much wrong with doing things that make you happiest, within reason.
I wish you all the best with life’s choices,
JP
Oh sweetheart…I do feel sad for you. You are so young to have this cruel MonSter dumped on you.
We are here for you.
Take care and God bless .
boudsx