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From educating yourself on MS to managing your finances, this guide provides the resources you need to navigate your new MS diagnosis — straight from the professionals.

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If you’ve recently received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), you may feel overwhelmed, sad, angry, shocked, in disbelief, or even in denial.

At the same time, you may feel relieved to finally make sense of your symptoms. Rest assured that whatever you’re feeling, it’s completely valid, and you won’t have to go through this alone — 2.8 million people worldwide have MS.

“Fear and anxiety after diagnosis can make you want to withdraw or hide,” says clinical psychologist Rosalind Kalb, PhD, vice president of the Professional Resource Center of the National MS Society.

“And while that may be appropriate during those first few days or weeks, it’s reaching out for resources, assistance, and support that will be incredibly valuable, helping you to live a full, meaningful life,” she says.

Healthline recently hosted a roundtable discussion called “The MS Handbook I Wish I’d Had” featuring clinical psychologist Tiffany Taft, PsyD, who specializes in chronic disease, and participants who have MS — David Bexfield, Matthew Cavallo, Fred Joseph, and Lina Light — to learn more about what those who are newly diagnosed need to know.

We spoke with them, as well as other medical professionals, to deliver the critical advice and assurance you need right now.

Taft suggests arming yourself with information about MS. When looking for information, go straight to credible medical websites and MS-focused organizations, such as:

Healthline also offers extensive coverage of MS, including the Insider’s Guide to Multiple Sclerosis.

Types of MS

It’s important to know about the various MS diagnoses you can receive. Although MS affects everyone differently, there are four basic types of MS.

  • Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS): CIS refers to a single episode in which neurological symptoms (like vision problems, numbness, and weakness) last at least 24 hours. It’s usually caused by the loss of myelin (the protective covering of nerve fibers) in the brain, spine, or optic nerve.
  • Relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS): RRMS involves distinct flare-ups of new or increasing neurologic symptoms that may last days, weeks, or months.
  • Secondary progressive MS (SPMS): SPMS involves a gradual worsening of symptoms and increased disability. It usually occurs in midlife (40s to 50s).
  • Primary progressive MS (PPMS): PPMS involves gradual worsening of the disease from the start. Nerve damage causes the main symptoms of PPMS. In turn, this nerve damage causes neurological function to decline more quickly than other types of MS. PPMS is less common than other types of MS.

Whichever type of MS you receive a diagnosis of, your doctor will most likely prescribe a disease-modifying therapy (DMT). For people with CIS, these medications can be used to help delay the onset of MS.

A DMT won’t manage day-to-day symptoms (there are other drugs for that), but it will help reduce the frequency and severity of relapses that damage the central nervous system and worsen symptoms.

The best treatment for you, which you’ll decide together with your healthcare team, will depend on several factors.

According to neurologist Patricia K. Coyle, MD, director of the MS Comprehensive Care Center and professor of neurology at Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute, these include:

  • Health factors: Preexisting conditions (such as diabetes or high blood pressure) and disease outlook will affect treatment choices. “With more active disease, the efficacy of DMTs becomes very important,” Coyle says.
  • Lifestyle factors: You and your doctor will also consider whether the DMT fits with your lifestyle, family plans, and expectations. For example: How is the medication administered? How often? How much monitoring will you need? What are the possible side effects, and what’s the effectiveness?
  • Health insurance: What does your health insurance cover? Many pharmaceutical companies offer assistance programs, too. You may also want to talk with your doctor about possibly taking part in a clinical trial.

The bedrock of your support network is a doctor you trust and feel comfortable with. Some of the best support may come from people who are in the same boat as you.

Online support groups and community pages

Mental health counseling

Do keep an eye out for depression, which is common in MS. If you’re concerned — or simply feel like it would help to talk with a professional — ask your doctor if they can recommend someone who is trained to work with people with chronic conditions.

These are also resources you can use to find someone to talk with:

Helplines

  • MSFriends, the National MS Society’s peer-to-peer connection program
  • MS Navigator, the National MS Society’s team of social workers who can answer questions, send information, and provide emotional support

None of the complementary care methods, such as acupuncture, massage, meditation, or supplements, have been definitively proven to help with MS. However, each may offer certain benefits, and staying healthy and feeling good can also help.

“Prioritize wellness — especially not smoking and [getting] regular exercise, because it will help the brain age better, repair better, and manage disease better,” Coyle says.

Mental health is also an important factor to consider, and focusing on ways to process your emotions may help with feelings of depression and anxiety.

Taft recommends journaling and meditation as ways to help to manage your emotions. You can try using apps such as Calm, Stop Rethink, and Budify.

When — or if — you decide to share your diagnosis with your employer will depend on a few different factors.

If you’ve worked for the company or the same manager for several years and have a good relationship with them, it may make sense to tell them sooner rather than later.

But if you’re relatively new to the job or have a complicated relationship with your manager and don’t have any visible symptoms, it may be best to consider keeping your diagnosis private for now.

When you choose to disclose your MS to your employer can also depend on whether you need accommodations, such as a parking space closer to your building or a flexible work schedule.

It’s important to remember that the Americans with Disabilities Act was put in place to protect those with disabilities from discrimination in several areas, including employment. It covers the rights of employees as well as job seekers.

If at any time you feel like you may be experiencing workplace discrimination related to your MS, you can learn more about filing a discrimination complaint at ADA.gov.

Because MS is unpredictable, it’s important to build as many safety nets as you can, including financial planning.

One helpful resource is the National MS Society’s Financial Education Partners Program. It offers information, resources, and free consultations.

Thinking ahead is positive and proactive, Kalb says: “If you plan for the unpredictable, you’ll feel more secure in how you would handle it, in case it does happen down the road.”

Receiving an MS diagnosis can be a lot to process, and your life will undoubtedly change. “You might lose some things, but you might also gain some things you weren’t expecting,” Taft says.

“Live in the present,” she advises, “recognizing that you can do a lot more with this than you think. You can be flexible, you can be resilient. Don’t sell yourself short on what you can handle.”