Living With MS Episodes

A couple of months ago, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. And while it touches on many different areas, it will be remembered as the most consequential healthcare bill since the Affordable Care Act. From the emails I've received, I know that many of you are wondering how and when this new law will impact what you pay for your prescription medications. The National MS Society's Vice-President of Advocacy, Steffany Stern, and MS activist Judy Wilson, join me in this episode to expl...

It's flu season and that makes it an excellent time to talk about vaccines. People living with MS often have questions about whether a particular vaccine is good for them or whether it might carry with it the risk of a relapse or other negative health consequence. Dr. Lisa Doggett joins me to brief us on all things related to vaccines and MS. Dr. Doggett is a family doctor as well as the Senior Medical Director at HGS AxisPoint Health. She was a 2021-2022 American Academy of Family Physicians V...

Living with MS can make everyday run-of-the-mill tasks like bathing, cooking, and driving more challenging than they have to be. The National MS Society's Associate Vice President of Research, Dr. Kathy Zackowski, joins me with a whole list of simple adjustments and easy modifications that you can make that will make the things you do every day easier. Get ready to take some notes! A lot of you have reached out to me, sharing your thoughts about Selma Blair competing on Dancing with the Stars. ...

Living with MS comes with its own set of sometimes significant challenges. But being in the dark, unaware of the noteworthy and remarkable advances being made in MS research is one challenge that we're learning to overcome. Sharon Roman is a patient-partner and writer for the British Medical Journal Group. Sharon lives with MS and she also writes a blog called Tremlett's MS Research Explained. The blog features plain-English posts detailing the research being done by Professor Helen Tremlett an...

We're celebrating the 5th anniversary of RealTalk MS and we're kicking it off with my exclusive conversation with CNN national correspondent and anchor, John King. John was diagnosed with MS in 2008. However, John didn't disclose his diagnosis until 2021 -- in an unplanned moment on national television. John shares his MS journey from the day he was diagnosed through his unplanned disclosure. And he also shares a message for anyone who is newly diagnosed with MS. Then, we're doing something co...

In addition to its physical symptoms, MS can also affect your emotional well-being. Depression, persistent anxiety, and extreme irritability are common. And, just like the physical symptoms of MS, they require treatment. But people living with MS tend to focus on their physical health and, too often, end up neglecting their mental health. Dr. Dawn Ehde joins me to talk about maintaining and strengthening your emotional well-being when you're living with MS, and she'll introduce you to a new res...

The conversation between a doctor and patient is evolving from a time when that conversation was often limited to the doctor prescribing a particular disease-modifying medication and the patient silently nodding their head in agreement to something much more closely resembling a real conversation. Shared decision-making offers the patient an opportunity to discuss their treatment goals, explain their risk tolerance, and talk about their comfort level with side effects. But not every neurologis...

When you're living with MS, even the most mundane daily tasks can sometimes be challenging. There are days when opening a door, taking things out of a drawer or a cupboard, or picking something up from the floor can all seem out of reach. Those just happen to be some of the many tasks that a service dog can help you with. This week, attorney Trevor Hardy joins me to talk about the impact that his service dog, Tristan, has had on his life. We're also reviewing what you need to know about monkeyp...

Women are roughly 3 times more likely to develop MS compared to men. But when men develop MS, they're more likely to experience a more aggressive disease course. Men are more likely to experience motor problems, loss of coordination and balance, and cognitive difficulties. When they experience a relapse, men are more likely to see their exacerbated symptoms continue, even during times of remission. Given these evidence-based observations, it seems sadly ironic that, as they develop MS symptoms,...

More than half of the people living with MS report significant disruptions in their sleep and difficulty maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Sleep-related problems can lead to additional health issues, not to mention an overall decline in quality of life and well-being. The Director of the Sleep, Health, and Wellness Lab at the University of Kansas Medical Center Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Dr. Katie Siengsukon, returns to the podcast to talk about how sleep ...