RealTalk MS

Planning for your financial future is good advice for everyone. But when you're living with MS, financial planning is an important part of the game plan for living your best life. Joining me to talk about the things you'll want to keep in mind as you develop your personal financial roadmap is Dick Bell, a professional financial advisor who has worked with more than 600 clients who are living with...

Living with MS is expensive. And if you're curious about how expensive living with MS is, why it's so expensive, and what can be done about it, then you're going to be interested in the results of a study that was commissioned by the National MS Society. Joining me to talk about what this study revealed and what it means to individuals and families affected by MS are Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive...

Mask mandates have mostly ended, and bars, restaurants, public buildings, and other businesses no longer require proof of vaccination. It looks like the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Except for the fact that we're seeing cases of the latest COVID subvariant continue to rise in cities across the country and around the world. So, how do we navigate this post-pandemic world? And if you happen to be immu...

I spent last week attending the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting and in this week's episode of RealTalk MS, I'm sharing an overview of what I saw and what I heard. Each year at the AAN meeting, the American Academy of Neurology and the National MS Society award the John Dystel Prize for MS Research. Joining me on today's podcast is this year's recipient of the Dystel Prize, Profe...

Research has shown that hypnosis is an effective treatment for managing chronic pain, including pain associated with MS.  My guest, Dr. Mark Jensen, is a Professor and Vice-Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington. Dr. Jensen has devoted his career to developing effective treatments for pain and is an expert on hypnotic interventions. We're also talking ab...

A decade ago, the International Progressive MS Alliance didn't exist. Today, it can be credited with changing the global conversation about progressive MS research, elevating the progressive MS research agenda and moving the work forward. A few weeks ago, the Alliance announced the details of an ambitious strategic plan that will guide their work over the next 3 years.  Joining me to talk about th...

The Pathways to Cures initiative is focused on stopping MS progression, restoring lost function, and ending MS forever. This bold initiative has already been endorsed by more than 20 MS research and patient organizations around the world. And now, the publication of the Pathways to Cures Research Roadmap has brought us to a pivotal moment in the history of MS research. Joining me in this episode o...

It's MS Awareness Week and my guest is Marti Hines. Marti is a successful event producer, entrepreneur, film producer, and director. She was diagnosed with MS in 2018, and Marti has been very transparent in sharing the highs and lows of her MS journey on her social channels.  Like so many people living with MS, Marti has an amazing energy and a seemingly endless supply of resilience. You're going...

If you're living with MS, there's a good chance that, at some point, you're going to deal with depression, cognitive issues, or both of these common MS symptoms. We're taking a deep dive into how these symptoms can impact your everyday life at home and at work with the author of Mind, Mood, and Memory: The Neurobehavioral Consequences of Multiple Sclerosis , Dr. Anthony Feinstein. We're also highl...

I've always believed that the things people affected by MS want most -- things like access to quality healthcare, affordable prescription medications, and funding for MS research -- are all functions of public policy. The people who decide whether we get those things are our elected officials at both the state and federal level. That's why advocacy is a priority. The National MS Society's Public P...

Many of our local, state, and national leaders seem to be declaring that the pandemic has ended and it's back to business as usual. But if you're living with MS, how comfortable are you with the idea of being out in a world where everyone isn't fully vaccinated, and mask mandates have been cancelled? Dr. Meghan Beier and Emily Reilly join me to discuss how to manage your fear and anxiety, build re...

With hospital rates starting to decline and mask mandates being lifted in several states there seems to be a general sense that we're seeing COVID-19 becoming an endemic virus.  And we have to wonder what that means for people living with MS. Dr. Nancy Sicotte joins me to talk about the preventative treatments for COVID-19 that are available today for people who are living with MS, the importance...

Research shows that about 50% of the people living with MS will develop another chronic health condition, or comorbidity , in their lifetime. Whether it's high blood pressure, diabetes, or something else, living with comorbid conditions adds extra challenges to living with MS. Joining me to discuss how comorbidities affect people living with MS and what you can do to avoid developing some of those...

Now that Harvard researchers have presented compelling evidence that MS is triggered by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), what does it mean in terms of ending MS in the world? What does it mean for people already living with MS? And how will this announcement impact MS research? Joining me to unpack the details and implications of this research breakthrough is the Executive Vice-President of Research...

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS. It just gets in the way of fully engaging in life, making fatigue one of the most bothersome symptoms of MS. And because MS fatigue is one of the main causes of early withdrawal from the workforce, fatigue is an MS symptom that can impose a hefty financial penalty on a household. Joining me to talk about managing and even reducing MS fatigue is Dr....

This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by EMD Serono and  MS in the 21st Century . In this special episode of RealTalk MS, we're talking with Pieter van Galen and Amanda Montague about that sometimes-challenging conversation with your healthcare provider about MS progression. We're also highlighting My MS Roadmap , a free tool designed to make conversations with your healthcare provider...

Last week, a research team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health presented compelling evidence that the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) triggers multiple sclerosis. So, we're taking a deep dive into the role of EBV and MS. We'll review the breakthrough results of this research and we'll re-share our conversation with one of the researchers in this game-changing study. We'll review the status o...

This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by EMD Serono and  MS in the 21st Century . Cognitive impairment affects more than 50% of the people living with MS. In this special episode of RealTalk MS, we're talking with Dr. Sarah Morrow and Paola Kruger about how people living with MS can work together with their healthcare providers to develop a constructive dialogue about cognition and MS. ...

For some people, getting a headache means experiencing mild discomfort. For others, it can mean debilitating pain, compromised vision, and other serious effects. You don't have to be living with MS to experience a headache. But research has shown that people living with MS are more likely to experience headaches than people who don't have MS. And there's some evidence to suggest that headaches may...

We're four days into 2022 and, for a lot of us, that means that we're four days into a new diet, four days into a new exercise regimen, or four days into some other life-changing behavior. Making healthy lifestyle changes is good for everyone and there's plenty of evidence that shows these kinds of behavioral changes can be especially beneficial if you're living with MS. But too often, we see the...

Today, we're re-visiting my favorite conversation of the entire year and it seems that you and I agree! You've made it this year's most downloaded and listened-to episode. In this episode, Dr. Bruce Bebo, the Executive Vice-President of Research at the National MS Society, briefs us about some of the most interesting and important research shared at ECTRIMS 2021, the largest MS research conference...

I've always believed that the holiday season is an ideal time for reflection. For looking back and looking ahead. And in that spirit, today we're re-visiting two of the most important conversations that we've had this year on RealTalk MS. When you consider the nearly one million people living with MS in the United States, you might conclude that MS doesn't discriminate – it impacts people of all a...

The 2021 holiday season is underway, and the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines means that this year, many of us are getting caught up in cooking, eating, drinking, shopping, and connecting face-to-face with family and friends. For some of us, it also means having that important but sometimes-awkward conversation about vaccine status. For too many people, ' tis the season....to feel stressed ....

If you're living with MS, you know by now that quitting smoking, getting exercise, and making smart food choices have all been shown to improve your physical health and your quality of life. There's one more tool that, when necessary, can be a game-changer.  Joining me to talk about how assistive technology can help people living with MS maintain their independence and improve their quality of lif...

Tamara Kaye Sellman is a poet, short story writer, journalist, and essayist. So, when she was diagnosed with MS in 2013, Tamara did what she does best -- she began writing about it. That writing turned into Intention Tremor , a book of poetry and prose written over the five years following Tamara's diagnosis. In this special episode, we'll talk with Tamara about how she chose to artistically inter...