New & really needed this

[itsjustELI]

Hi! Gosh, this is weird. Never thought I'd be on a forum like this. I'm Eli, going to be 18 in a couple weeks, and I was fairly recently diagnosed with MS (late March).

I've been perusing the forum for a while but my favourite group of threads has got to be the teens & young adults with MS ones. It makes me feel a part of something and definitely not alone in all of this. I don't know anyone in my everyday life who is living with this, so it gets hard sometimes. I almost NEEDED something like this forum so I can let off steam and talk about my own experiences, too.

My diagnosis was a quick one. I guess I'm lucky. From what I read in some threads, things are not as easy for some of you. I was diagnosed quickly, swiftly started treatment (weekly Avonex for me!), and I've got a great support group in my parents, my boyfriend (who hasn't run away in all of this!! ) and some good friends. There's been ups and downs, but they've been there for me in what they could do.

Still, its always felt like they didn't quite understand. Which is why I find myself here, I guess.

I start university in September and I'm literally terrified. I've struggled in my last year of high school work-wise, when I've never had a problem before. (That should've been my first warning sign before my optic neuritis!) But university is a fend-for-yourself kind of world and I'm not sure how I'll be able to cope with it. I'm not sure if there's anyone else who's just recently started or is starting university and has some advice, warnings, or just even if you feel the same way... ?

[vleopatra]

You can do it!

Hi Eli,
I've been where you've been. Was dx in high school and ended up missing the last 2 years. I just graduated university ( with first class honours ) and I want you to know that it's going to be okay and you can do it! University is a fend-for-yourself kinda place but it also means you have more freedom to make school work the way you need it to. My first bit of advice would be to find out if there is a disability resource center on campus. My school had one and I was connected to an advisor who helped me make a plan for my studies. I was given accommodations so that if I had any flare-ups/ got sick it was registered with the school, and it would be less of a hassle to work it out with profs. They can also help you gain access to other resources, such as note takers, extra time writing exams, recorded lectures, etc. etc. depending on the kinds of symptoms you experience. Depending on the nature of your condition, and how comfortable you feel disclosing, it doesn't hurt to meet with your profs privately at the beginning of term and let them know what's up. The letters I received from the disability resource center helped me initiate this convo, but they aren't necessary. From my 4 years at university, I received overwhelming support and understanding from profs in all faculties... I maybe only had one the entire time who made it difficult for me to arrange things around a flare up. Also, if you think or are worried of potential health issues, it's better to have a convo with them and discuss it early before you need assistance, than later down the road when you might be sick and things are more stressful/deadlines are looming.

Other advice would include take care of yourself! Try to eat healthy and work out regularly if you can. One major component of taking care of yourself is listening to your body. Take a lot of rests/breaks as you need them to conserve your energy. It was hard for me at first to let myself rest when I wanted to go-go-go and learning to allow myself to take breaks when I needed them (and maybe others didn't) was a big lesson I had to learn.

Lastly, keep your friends close and make lots of new ones!! The best part about uni is signing up for clubs and meeting new people and really getting to explore all the different interests you didn't know you had yet. Find what you're passionate about and make it a part of your life. There are often clubs on different campuses even that can offer you peer-to-peer support as an individual with a medical condition going to school... and if there isn't, you could even start one up!!!

All the best and good luck with your studies!

[changge6]

hey there,
i was dxed about 5 days before my first year of college. i had to learn how to use copaxone from a woman who came to my school's healthcenter and figure it out on my own from there but managing it at university didn't turn out to be as hard as i thought.
there are huge support systems in place at most schools if you look for them. my health center actually reached out to me to put me in touch with another recently dxed with ms chick on campus, so feel free to ask if there's anything like that available to you (it can be easier to talk to someone who understands, you know?)
good luckx