Living With MS Episodes

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 Bove, a neurologist and founding director of the Sex and Gender-Enriched (SAGE) Neurology Program at ...

It's MS Awareness Week, and the National MS Society is asking everyone in the MS community to tell MS exactly what they think of it. We're kicking off MS Awareness Week by introducing you to two difference-makers in the MS community who have each found their own way of talking back to MS. Case Jernigan is an experimental animator, narrative gamemaker, and educator. His short animated documentary, Noggin, is currently making the rounds of the film festival circuit, raising awareness of how Case ...

MS can limit your ability to get around and do the things you like to do. And when that happens, the right mobility device can be a game-changer when it comes to staying safe, staying active, and improving your quality of life. This week, Dr. Evan Cohen joins me to discuss how to know when it's time to consider a mobility device, and how to choose the right mobility device for you. We're also presenting findings from two separate studies that shed significant light on how the gut microbiome int...

More than half of the people living with MS live with pain. And, too often, the distraction and discomfort of MS-related pain can stop you from fully engaging in every aspect of your life. Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman joins me to discuss treatment options for managing MS pain. Dr. Weinstock-Guttman is a neurologist and professor of neurology at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo, where she also serves as the Director of the Jacobs Multiple Scleros...

Living your best life with MS means learning to overcome the stigma of having a disability, successfully navigating social relationships, and learning how to ask for and accept help. Joining me to share their perspectives and their experiences in overcoming some of these social obstacles are Denise Schnieders, who was diagnosed with MS just about a year ago, and Fox Rigney, who's been living with MS since 2012. We're also applauding a forward-thinking caregiver leave benefit that's just been a...

When we talk about myelin damage, most of us typically think of the brain. After all, that myelin is located in your central nervous system. But the inflammation that causes myelin damage may be triggered by activity that's taking place well south of your central nervous system, in your gut microbiome, the colony of trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that live in your intestines. Dr. Ashutosh Mangalam joins me to help us understand what this gut-brain connection is all about, how that con...

The TEAAMS study examines the effects of a remotely delivered, racially-tailored exercise training program among African-Americans with MS, who are living in low-income areas of the Southeastern United States, which is a part of the country that doesn't have many primary care or MS clinics that provide full exercise and rehabilitation services for patients with MS. Ashli, who lives with MS and has completed the TEAAMS program, and Victoria, a behavioral coach who has worked with several study p...

MS symptoms can worsen, and relapses can occur. And when that happens, how do you know whether you require immediate medical care? When is it time to go to the hospital? Dr. Kalina Sanders joins me to talk about when it's time to seek immediate medical care for MS. Dr. Sanders is a board-certified neurologist who specializes in multiple sclerosis and spasticity management at Baptist Health in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. We're also talking about MS care in the United Arab Emirates with Profess...

This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by EMD Serono and is only intended for a U.S. audience. EMD Serono is the healthcare business of Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in the United States and Canada. In this special episode of RealTalk MS, Dr. Mary Rensel and Amanda Montague join me to explore HCP (Healthcare Provider) burnout and patient empowerment; and we'll be taking a close look at how patients and their healthcare providers can work together to support one another. Dr. Mary R...

The new year brings with it several significant benefits for many people affected by MS. We're reviewing how the nearly 400,000 people with MS who rely on Medicare for their health insurance will save thousands of dollars, how people with MS who currently have medical debt will see a big improvement on their credit report, and how people who fly with their mobility device will see major improvements in how the airlines treat them. We're also talking with Craig Bianco about his experience as a m...