When you’re first diagnosed with MS, one of the most pressing questions — often unspoken — is: Will I be able to keep working? For many of us, the answer shifts over time. Symptoms flare, fatigue deepens, and careers that once defined us begin to slip out of reach. It’s no wonder that people with MS leave jobs far more often than the general population.
But here’s what rarely gets said: when people with MS leave, they’re not giving up. The desire to contribute, to create, to be useful — that doesn’t vanish with your job title. It simply asks to be redirected. Whether through part-time roles, adaptive careers, volunteering, or simply showing up for your own goals in new ways, our ambition endures — even as our working life evolves.
In this post, I’ll explore why people with MS leave their jobs more frequently, the systems that try to prevent that outcome, and the new paths that emerge when leaving becomes unavoidable — or empowering.
When MS Affects Your Career: The Hard Truths
It’s a painful but well-documented reality: people with MS leave their jobs at significantly higher rates than others. In fact, many people with MS leave within just a few years of diagnosis. According to the National MS Society, up to 70% of people with MS leave the workforce within ten years. The reasons are as complex as the disease itself — but one thread runs through them all: unpredictability.
Why do people with MS leave work? Chronic fatigue. Brain fog. Muscle weakness. Unreliable energy. Add in the stress of pretending to be “well enough” in a workplace that rewards stamina and speed, and it’s no surprise that so many people with MS leave jobs prematurely.
I know this first-hand. My vision deteriorated, and as a field service engineer, that meant my time on the road had to end. Like so many people with MS, I left work — not for lack of will, but because MS made the decision for me.
An article from WebMD puts it bluntly:
MS symptoms like fatigue, vision problems, or muscle weakness can make it difficult to do certain tasks. Sometimes, your employer may not be able to accommodate your needs, and you may decide that continuing to work is no longer feasible.
If you find yourself in a similar position, it’s vital to know that help is available. Understanding your eligibility for financial and workplace support is a first step in regaining a sense of direction. For more information on the options open to you, see:
👉 Disability Benefits for MS: What You’re Entitled To
Job Retention Vocational Rehabilitation Intervention: A Lifeline for Many
While some people with MS leave work entirely, others are able to stay employed longer — not because their condition is milder, but because the right support was available at the right time. This is where a job retention vocational rehabilitation intervention can be transformative.
Vocational rehabilitation (VR) is more than just job training. It’s a tailored, person-centred system designed to help people with MS stay in or return to work. A proper retention vocational rehabilitation intervention might include workplace assessments, assistive technology, reduced hours, modified tasks, or even complete retraining for a new role that better fits your abilities. It’s about flexibility, dignity, and the belief that with the right adjustments, many of us can still make meaningful contributions.
At the heart of VR lies what’s often called the person-based approach — a strategy that puts individual needs and goals front and centre. This method recognises that MS affects everyone differently. For some, cognitive issues may be the main hurdle. For others, mobility or fatigue. A one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t work — which is why a well-designed vocational rehabilitation intervention for people with MS must be as adaptable as the condition itself.
Yet not everyone has access to such support — and when it’s missing, the consequences are devastating. As reported in The Big Issue:
People with multiple sclerosis face a vicious cycle of worsening health, loss of income, and the erosion of independence when employment support is lacking.
👉 Read the full article here.
Rehabilitation intervention for people with MS shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be the standard — helping people retain not just their jobs, but their confidence, identity, and independence.
Multiple Sclerosis Following the Person-Based Approach
When it comes to working with MS, there is no universal path — and that’s exactly why the person-based approach is so vital. This model doesn’t start with a list of standard solutions; it starts with you. Your symptoms, your career goals, your energy limits. It acknowledges that multiple sclerosis, by its very nature, defies predictability — so the support system must be just as flexible.
Multiple sclerosis following the personbased approach takes into account not just medical facts, but lived experience. For example, someone in a physically demanding job may benefit most from retraining or hybrid work. Another may need assistive tech and extended deadlines to continue in a cognitively challenging role. It’s not about lowering expectations — it’s about adjusting the environment to make success possible.
In my own journey, leaving the workforce wasn’t part of the plan. I had always intended to take early retirement at a time of my choosing — ideally with a bit of sailing, travel, and side projects. But like so many others, I hadn’t factored MS into the equation. When my symptoms made traditional work unsustainable, I realised I needed a new kind of plan — not one dictated by deadlines, but by capacity. And oddly enough, it gave me the time and space to explore things I’d put off for years — like writing, blogging, and sharing what I’ve learned.
Flexible pathways like remote work, phased retirement, or even passion projects with income potential aren’t just fallback options — they’re real, viable ways to continue working with MS on your own terms. For inspiration and practical tips, read:
👉 Remote Work with MS: Finding Balance Without Burning Out.
Redefining Ambition: Leaving Work Is Not Giving Up
For many of us, MS and forced early retirement are tightly intertwined — not because we lack talent or determination, but because traditional workplaces often aren’t designed with chronic illness in mind. When the structure collapses, it’s easy to feel as if you’ve been pushed off course. But here’s the truth I’ve come to embrace: when people with MS leave, they don’t abandon ambition — they simply refocus it.
Since MS forced my early retirement, I’ve arguably been more active than I ever was in conventional employment. I’ve worked harder, put in longer hours, and pushed myself in new ways — but always on my own terms. When you’re doing what you choose, what energises you, what feels purposeful — it’s never really like work. It’s more like momentum with meaning.
I’ve seen the same spirit in others, too. People with MS leave, retrain, start side hustles, or volunteer in ways that let them give back without burning out. Some take up writing. Others begin consulting or mentoring. Many simply allow themselves to rest and then discover a new direction that had always been waiting in the wings. Ambition doesn’t retire — it evolves.
And there are more options than you might think. From part-time, remote-friendly roles to creative pursuits that generate income, the landscape is shifting. You’ll find examples here:
👉 Jobs for People with Multiple Sclerosis: 10 Remote-Friendly Roles.
For those of us living with MS, the measure of ambition is not how long we can endure a traditional job — but how boldly we reshape life to keep growing, contributing, and feeling useful in ways that suit our reality.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do people with MS leave work?
There’s no single timeline. Some people with MS leave early in the disease course, others remain employed for decades. For many, the decision comes when symptoms escalate or the work environment lacks flexibility. I personally left when driving became unsafe — but many people with MS leave for entirely different reasons, often beyond their control.
Why do people with MS leave their jobs?
Most often, people with MS leave due to increasing fatigue, cognitive challenges, mobility issues, or inaccessible workplaces. It’s not about lack of ambition — it’s about navigating a health condition that doesn’t follow a predictable path.
What happens when people with MS leave employment?
For many, it opens a door to new forms of work — freelancing, consulting, writing, investing, caregiving, or passion-led projects. While people with MS leave jobs, they often find new ways to thrive, contribute, and build fulfilling lives.
Are people with MS able to work?
Yes — many people with MS continue working, especially with the right support and flexibility. I did for many years. But when symptoms like fatigue and visual impairment intensified, I had to step away from traditional employment. That didn’t mean I stopped working altogether — I simply redirected my energy into projects I could manage from home.
Conclusion: Ambition Isn’t a Paycheck — It’s a Pulse
The story is all too familiar: people with MS leave their jobs not because they want to, but because the structure, the pace, or the physical demands of conventional work become incompatible with their health. And yet, leaving the workplace doesn’t mean abandoning identity, purpose, or ambition. If anything, for many of us, that’s when we discover what we truly want to do — and how best to do it.
Whether it’s leaving work due to MS, adapting to new rhythms, or embracing MS and forced early retirement, the key is to remember this: ambition isn’t tied to a job title. It’s tied to who you are, and how you continue showing up for your life.
From vocational rehabilitation intervention for people seeking to stay in the workforce, to flexible, remote-friendly roles for those of us who need new pathways, there’s no shortage of options. And the very act of building a new path — especially when others can’t see the terrain — is a powerful act of ambition in itself.
For more insight into how others are adapting, retraining, and thriving outside of traditional roles, don’t miss:
- 👉 Jobs for People with Multiple Sclerosis
- 👉 Remote Work with MS
- 👉 Disability Benefits for MS
- 👉 Work Finance and MS
Yes, people with MS leave jobs — but no, we don’t stop wanting to matter. We don’t stop dreaming, building, or hoping. When MS affects your career, it’s not the end of ambition. It’s just a different beginning.
