Past Episodes

You've just had your appointment with your neurologist or MS Specialist and you're on your way home, feeling like you weren't heard. Maybe there wasn't sufficient time. Or it might feel like your opinion simply isn't valued. Your frustration could even be the result of language issues and cultural barriers that make communication difficult. Whatever the reason, it doesn't have to be this way. Dr. Luis Manrique-Trujillo joins me this week to share tips and strategies that will improve the qualit...

If you remember your Economics 101 class, the introduction of generic and biosimilar drugs should cause prices to drop. Yet, when it comes to MS disease-modifying therapies that isn't always the case. MS Navigator Robin LaRue joins me this week to discuss how to manage the sometimes crazy costs of MS prescription medications. We're also sharing results from a study that show there is absolutely no association between consuming dairy and gluten products and MS disease activity. We'll tell you ...

This is the week that a lot of us make resolutions for the coming year. And I'm hoping that after you hear my conversation with Dr. Claire Riley, many of you will resolve to become donors to the National Multiple Sclerosis Brain Bank. Resolving to donate brain and tissue to the National MS Brain Bank is a new year's resolution that goes far beyond the standard eat better and exercise more promises that so many of us make to ourselves every year. It's deeply meaningful, profoundly personal, and,...

This week, I'm revisiting the proposal from the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS that recommended adopting a new framework that leverages what scientists are continuing to learn about MS and redefines how we talk about MS, how we research MS, how we diagnose MS, and how we treat MS. This proposed framework holds the promise of taking MS care to the next level. This new framework was first proposed in a paper published in November 2022, and last January, I spoke with the...

The holiday season provides me with an opportunity to indulge in what's become a RealTalk MS tradition. I reserve the last two episodes of the year to revisit the most compelling,and important conversations that I've had over the past year. This week, I'm revisiting the conversations I had at the Pathways To Cures Global Summit that took place in New York last May. The National MS Society brought together the best and brightest minds in MS research, the CEOs of major MS Societies, representativ...

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, we're exploring what the invisible symptoms of MS are, and how to best empower people living with MS to talk about them with their healthcare team. Professor Klaus Schmierer is a Professor of Neurology at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary's Unive...

Cognitive dysfunction is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis, affecting more than half of the people living with MS. While cognitive issues like changes in memory, difficulty maintaining attention, slower information processing speed and executive function may not be among the most disabling symptoms of MS, they may be among the most disconcerting symptoms. Whether it's your short-term memory, the ability to find your way to a familiar destination that you've gone to hundreds of times, or yo...

A growing number of people living with MS are turning to cannabis for symptom management. But which MS symptoms have responded to being treated with cannabis? Where should someone buy medical cannabis? And is using medical cannabis even legal? Dr. Michelle Cameron returns to the podcast to discuss the risks and benefits of using cannabis for symptom management. Dr. Cameron is a neurologist and physical therapist, as well as a professor in the Department of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science U...

Chris Holland had a successful career working as a paralegal when he was diagnosed with MS in 2004. And, while everyone reacts differently to being diagnosed with MS, no one could have predicted what happened next, as Chris lost everything battling demons he never imagined he would ever face. But it would be a mistake betting against Chris Holland's resilience. Bouncing back, Chris decided to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a chef. Today, Chris is a three-time Food Network Chopped champio...

According to the CDC, 36 million falls are reported each year, resulting in 3 million adults being transported to the Emergency Room and 32,000 adults dying from their falls. Studies have shown that, in any six-month period, more than 50% of the people living with MS fall at least once, and 30% fall multiple times. As falls at home are common, occupational therapist Tracy Carrasco joins me to share tips and strategies for making your home safe and accessible. We're also sharing a research roun...