RealTalk MS

If you've watched the critically acclaimed series, House of Cards , on Netflix, or the OCD detective series, Monk , on the USA Network, you've already listened to some of five-time Emmy award-winning composer Jeff Beal's work.  This week, Jeff joins me to discuss his journey as an artist and as someone living with MS. We're also sharing all the details about the free event taking place at the Broa...

Since 2001, clinicians have relied on the McDonald Diagnostic Criteria as the gold standard for diagnosing someone with multiple sclerosis. As science continues to add to our understanding of MS, the McDonald Criteria have been updated in 2005, 2010, 2017, and most recently in 2024.   This latest iteration of the McDonald criteria will be published in September, and today, Dr. Andrew Solomon is gi...

Living with MS is expensive. Very expensive. It's estimated that the average cost of living with MS is over $88,000 per year. How, in the midst of financial stress and uncertainty, can you formulate a financial plan that takes MS into account?   Paula Cole lives with MS, and she also lives with a lot of financial planning savvy. Paula joins the podcast to share tips and strategies for establishing...

Living with MS has always meant living with uncertainty. Left unchecked, that uncertainty can lead to anxiety, which can make your MS symptoms feel worse.    This week, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Andrea Arzt, joins me to share tips and strategies for finding peace in the midst of uncertainty. You'll also meet the CEO of the MS International Federation, Dr. Lydia Makaroff. And you'll hear how...

We're witnessing the early stages of a paradigm shift, as artificial intelligence is beginning to impact virtually every aspect of healthcare, from research to patient care. And there's much, much more to come.    This week, Dr. Brad Willingham, the Director of MS Research at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, joins me to discuss how AI will impact MS patient care. We'll also share the encouraging result...

More people over the age of 50 are being diagnosed with MS than ever before. When you consider the other health conditions that often develop as we age, and you add the fact that our immune system changes with age, there's a lot to think about when it comes to diagnosing and treating late-onset MS.   This week, Dr. Jacqueline Nicholas, the System Chief of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis at...

Back in Episode #401, we reported promising results from a Phase 2 clinical trial for vidofludimus calcium and its impact on progressive MS. This therapy is being developed by Immunic Therapeutics, and this week, Jason Tardio, Immunic's President and Chief Operating Officer, joins me to share some of the specifics of that clinical trial.    Jason will also shed light on why Immunic believes that v...

Over the past few months, we've shared news about an algorithm that can accurately predict whether someone living with MS will experience worsening symptoms or a relapse in the weeks ahead. You've heard about a three-quarter-of-a-million-dollar investment by the International Progressive MS Alliance to support the development of an AI-based tool that will predict future disability as well as how s...

Last week, I was in Philadelphia, attending the Digital Tools Workshop hosted by the International Progressive MS Alliance. Welcome to Part One of our coverage!   As we look around us, it's hard to imagine a single aspect of our lives that hasn't been impacted by the constant and rapid evolution of technology. Just consider the capabilities of the device you're using to listen to this podcast. Thi...

Have you experienced those familiar feelings of frustration when the people closest to you don't seem to get your MS? Do you find yourself explaining and re-explaining things to well-meaning friends, co-workers, and even family members?   Kris Inman's wife, Mariah, was diagnosed with MS in 2020, and, since then, Kris has been Mariah's care partner and an active member of the MS community. This wee...

Getting a good night's sleep is something that benefits everyone. And if you're someone who's living with MS, it's perhaps even more important. But research suggests that more than half the people living with MS experience poor sleep.    Dr. Katie Siengsukon, the Director of the Sleep, Health, and Wellness Lab at the University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilita...

Welcome to Part Two of our coverage of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers annual meeting!   In this week's episode, Dr. John DeLuca shares research that has identified an effective behavioral treatment for MS-related fatigue.   Dr. Brian Sandroff discusses how MS rehabilitation has evolved and then answers some of your questions about exercise and MS.   And Kristine Werner Ozug, a member...

Last week in Phoenix, Arizona, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) held its annual meeting, and we had a chance to talk with some of the top MS experts in the world. Welcome to Part One of our coverage!   First, you'll hear Dr. Kathy Zackowski, the National MS Society's Associate Vice-President of Research, share her overview of the sessions and presentations that especially stood...

Every five minutes, someone somewhere in the world is diagnosed with MS. But getting that diagnosis can be challenging. And the evidence is clear that early intervention makes a difference. The sooner someone can begin a disease-modifying therapy, the better their outcome is going to be. World MS Day is May 30th, and this year, World MS Day is focused on eliminating the obstacles that get in the w...

Last week, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis convened a meeting in Dublin, Ireland, to dive deeper into what a new framework for describing MS might look like.   There's still a tremendous amount of work to be done here. But, considering that whatever language is eventually adopted will affect every person living wit...

If you're living with MS, you might experience days when it feels like you're losing your sense of who you are, as your sense of self gets redefined by your symptoms. Reasserting your personal style can be a powerful way to rediscover joy in who you are while reclaiming your identity.    Jeri Zink Denz lives with MS and works in the luxury fashion industry. She's always been passionate about fashi...

Most people living with MS don't see their neurologist often. For many, it might be only once or twice a year. A lot of important things take place during that appointment. Symptoms are assessed. Decisions about disease-modifying therapies are made or, sometimes, changed. Questions get asked and, hopefully, answered.   Dr. Barbara Giesser returns to the podcast, this time, to review the things tha...

Welcome to the 400th episode of RealTalk MS! Over the past nearly eight years, it's been my absolute honor to bring you insights from leading experts, researchers, advocates, and, perhaps most importantly, from people living with MS themselves. And we have no intention of stopping here! We're excited to continue bringing you the information and conversations that matter most to the MS community.  ...

Research shows that spirituality can benefit mental health and improve overall well-being. And it can play a meaningful role in helping people cope with life's challenges, like living with MS. This week, Dr. Mana Ali Carter, a rehabilitation psychologist at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington D.C., joins me to discuss the positive effects that spirituality can have on the mind a...

Last week, at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, Dr. Amit Bar-Or received the John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research for his multiple achievements that have advanced our knowledge of neuroimmunology, precision medicine, and biomarkers in MS. We talked with Dr. Bar-Or about how some of the latest discoveries in MS research would impact patient care.   Tolebrutinib, an inve...

For many people, it can be difficult to talk about the feelings of loss that can accompany MS. For some, it's the loss of the way they imagined their life would turn out. For others, it's the more specific loss of function. Perhaps the loss of their mobility. Or a decline in their cognitive skills. It's painful to imagine any of these scenarios, let alone experience them in real life.    The human...

Managing MS means staying focused not only on your MS but also on your overall health. That includes getting routine health screenings to stay ahead of potential complications. Recent research has shown that, compared to healthy people, people with MS are more likely to develop some cancers.    Clinician-scientist Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie joins me to discuss which cancers pose a greater risk to someone...

When you look at a list of the typical symptoms associated with perimenopause, you'd think you were looking at a list of MS symptoms. And, for women living with MS, that's where the confusion begins. With an estimated 30% of the current MS population now in peri- or post-menopause, researchers are beginning to focus on how menopause and MS interact and the best ways to treat symptoms.   Dr. Riley...

Next week, a couple of hundred MS activists will gather in Washington, D.C. for the National MS Society's Public Policy Conference. As we're seeing devastating cuts in funding for MS research, layoffs in every major governmental agency that impacts our healthcare, including the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, CDC, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and even...

Just a couple of weeks ago, 1,800 scientists, clinicians, postdoctoral fellows, and medical residents gathered in West Palm Beach, Florida, for the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis annual meeting, better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. Kristine Werner Ozug lives with MS and, full disclosure, she's a member of the RealTalk MS team. After the ACTRIMS Forum, Kristine sh...