RealTalk MS

Latest Episodes:

Episode 473: The National MS Society -- A CEO Briefing with Dr. Tim Coetzee Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

RealTalk MS is celebrating our ninth anniversary, and we're marking the milestone with a special guest! Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and CEO of the National MS Society, returns to the show for a candid, forward-looking conversation about why today represents one of the most promising moments for advancing MS research and transforming clinical care.

We're taking a hard look at the game-changers on the horizon: what it will take to shorten the diagnostic journey from years down to mere hours, why it's time to retire outdated disease labels in favor of true precision medicine, and the surprising science behind testing GLP-1s for neuroprotection.

From unlocking massive clinical data sets to fighting for research dollars on Capitol Hill, Tim pulls back the curtain on the Society's strategic plan to end MS once and for all. Pop in your earbuds and join us in celebrating nine years of community and conversation!

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Dr. Tim Coetzee briefs us on the National MS Society's strategic priorities and shares his vision of the future of MS care :18

Download the new RealTalk MS app for your iOS and Android smartphone and tablet 1:56

We gave the RealTalk MS website a glow-up! 2:37

Check your congressional representative's grade in the Congressional Healthcare Access Report Card 3:07

Dr. Tim Coetzee discusses the MS Society's strategic priorities and shares his vision of the future of MS care 3:46

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LINKS

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RealTalk MS Episode 473 Guest: Dr. Tim Coetzee

Episode 472: ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Patient Community Day Preview with Brett Drummond and Dr. Jennifer Graves Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

We are less than 40 days away from MSToronto2026—the joint ECTRIMS/ACTRIMS Scientific Congress. While the congress brings together the world's leading MS researchers and clinicians, Patient Community Day —in person and online—is designed specifically for people affected by multiple sclerosis. This week, Dr. Jennifer Graves and Brett Drummond join me to preview what to expect from Patient Community Day 2026.

With less than 50 days until the midterm elections in the United States, the National MS Society is hosting a webinar you can't afford to miss, titled MS Advocacy in Action: What the 2026 Elections Could Mean for Healthcare Policy and Access to Care. We'll tell you how to register (And we'll remind you why you should!).

A 22-country survey of over 17,000 people with MS revealed that the invisible symptoms of MS remain critically unaddressed. We're sharing the details of this landmark survey.

We're sharing early trial results of a precision red blood cell therapy designed to halt myelin attacks without shutting down the immune system.

We'll tell you about the German research team that's repurposing a common, low-cost medication into a skin patch designed to jumpstart natural remyelination.

And we'll share a study showing how simple, short voice recordings can predict long-term cognitive changes and brain volume loss in people living with MS.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: A preview of Patient Community Day 2026 :22

The National MS Society is hosting a webinar you shouldn't miss 1:32

Results of a landmark survey reveal critical unmet needs among people living with MS 5:27

A new approach to preventing MS inflammatory attacks while keeping the rest of the immune system intact 8:27

Could a skin patch successfully promote myelin repair? 11:42

Can analyzing regular speech predict future brain atrophy in people with MS? 14:34

Dr. Jennifer Graves and Brett Drummond give us a preview of Patient Community Day 2026 18:53

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LINKS

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WEBINAR: Advocacy In Action: What the 2026 Elections Could Mean for Healthcare Policy and Access to Care https://nmss.quorum.us/event/37051

STUDY: Impact of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms Survey: Patient-Reported Data on the Prevalence, Burden, and Management of Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in Europe https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261480514

STUDY: Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Peptide-Coupled Red Blood Cells Induces Antigen-Specific T Regulatory Cells https://pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2614908123

STUDY: Automated Speech Analysis Reveals Progressive Linguistic Changes Associated With Subsequent Gray Matter Loss in Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13524585261477213

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RealTalk MS Episode 472 Guest: Brett Drummond and Dr. Jennifer Graves

Episode 471: Navigating an MS Relapse with Dr. F. Gabriela Karolidis Sep 07, 2026

Show notes

Relapses make life with MS unpredictable. Understanding what they are, why they happen, and how best to manage them can make a relapse less scary and easier to navigate. This week, Dr. Gabriela Karolidis, a board-certified neurologist and neuroimmunologist at Thomas Jefferson University, joins us for a deep dive into MS relapses.

The MS International Federation has just updated the Atlas of MS, showing more than 3 million people living with MS worldwide. We're sharing the details behind the new numbers.

We'll also share a study showing how wearable activity trackers add a dimension of real-world data that provides a more complete picture of an individual's mobility throughout the day.

We'll tell you about research on Vitamin D supplements that fails to determine whether they are beneficial for people living with MS.

We're sharing study results showing that social and socioeconomic factors clearly affect cognitive function among people living with MS.

We're also sharing results from a nationwide study in Denmark that focused on whether high-efficacy DMTs affect progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA).

And we'll tell you about a fall prevention study that you may be eligible to participate in (compensation provided!).

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Navigating a relapse :22

Global MS prevalence surpasses 3 million :57

A study shows that wearable activity trackers help create a more complete picture of an individual's mobility 6:38

Researchers attempt to determine whether Vitamin D supplements help people living with MS 10:14

A study provides evidence that social and socioeconomic factors impact cognitive function in people living with MS 13:58

A nationwide study in Denmark focuses on whether high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies have an impact on progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) 17:20

You may be eligible to participate in a fall prevention study (compensation is provided) 21:11

Dr. F. Gabriela Karolidis takes us on a deep dive into MS relapses 22:58

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Global Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis Surpasses 3 Million: 2024 Update of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261479954

RESOURCE: Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS https://msif.org/atlas

STUDY: Diurnal Step Count Patterns in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261475910

STUDY: Vitamin D Supplementation and Its Effect on Relapse Frequency and MRI Activity in Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.71692

STUDY: Social and Socioeconomic Factors and Cognitive Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221103482600475X

STUDY: Effectiveness of Escalation Versus Early High-Efficacy Therapies on Progression Independent of Relapse Activity In Multiple Sclerosis: A Danish Nationwide Study https://neurologyopen.bmj.com/content/8/2/e001690

PARTICIPATE: University of Illinois Disability, Participation, and Quality of Life Research Laboratory Fall Prevention Study Email: DPQoL-FallPrev@illinois.edu

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

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RealTalk MS Episode 471 Guest: Dr. Gabriela Karolidis

Episode 470: 42 Marathons in 42 Days with Benji Wilkins Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Wise men and women remind us that life is a marathon, and not a sprint. Joining us this week is Benji Wilkins. Benji is a magician in the U.K., and for 42 days this summer, his life was quite literally a marathon. In the process, Benji raised money to help his mom, who lives with MS, and he raised awareness of MS across the U.K. and around the world.

We're also sharing results of a study that focused on gait training using a powered exoskeleton for people living with MS.

We'll tell you how you can participate in the MOMENT-MS study and help researchers develop a smartphone app that takes a novel approach to managing MS-related pain.

And we're reminding you to register for ECTRIMS Patient Community Day. It's your opportunity to participate in the largest MS research conference in the world!

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Running a marathon a day (when you're not a runner) for MS :22

Cleveland Clinic researchers look at gait training using a powered exoskeleton for people with MS 1:02

University of Washington researchers are developing an app to manage MS pain using mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. And you can help them! 6:53

Benji Wilkins describes what it's like to run 42 marathons in 42 days on behalf of his mom, who lives with MS 6:53

Share this episode 29:01

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Feasibility and Outcomes of Gait Training With a Powered Exoskeleton in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40465831

SUPPORT: Marathons For Mum Web: https://marathonsformum.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/benjitwilkins

PARTICIPATE: MOMENT-MS Study Web: https://uwmsrehabwell.org/moment-ms Email: momentms@uw.edu Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6TA5-9dy7s

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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RealTalk MS Episode 470 Guest: Benji Wilkins

Episode 469: Maintaining and Even Improving Cognitive Function If You're Living with MS with Dr. Anna Kratz Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Cognitive changes in MS—fluctuations in processing speed, memory, and executive function—can significantly impact daily life, yet they're often misunderstood or overlooked in routine clinical exams. This week, we are joined by Dr. Anna Kratz, clinical psychologist and Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan, to discuss actionable, evidence-based ways to navigate cognitive challenges.

Dr. Kratz breaks down the latest findings from the CogDetect-MS study, exploring how daily symptom fluctuations, complex medication regimens, and common substances like caffeine and cannabis influence brain fog. She also shares practical compensatory workarounds and introduces a no-cost digital self-management resource, My MSToolKit.

We'll also explain the new framework for describing MS that's been proposed by the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis.

We're sharing study results that reveal why detecting even a single silent lesion on an MRI should trigger an immediate conversation about stepping up to high-efficacy therapy.

And we'll tell you about 2 advanced MRI markers that can predict future cognitive decline — even in the absence of any relapses or new lesions on MRI.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Maintaining and improving cognitive function :22

The International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis calls for updating the way MS is described 1:12

A study provides evidence for switching your DMT when there's even a single silent lesion on your MRI 6:53

Scientists identify two MRI markers that can predict future cognitive decline in early relapsing-remitting MS 10:53

Dr. Anna Kratz discusses maintaining and improving cognitive function 15:33

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

PAPER: Towards a Biologically Informed Description of Multiple Sclerosis Disease Course -- A Roadmap for Transition https://rdcu.be/fxBw1

STUDY: Treatment Escalation After Clinically Silent MRI Lesions in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis https://academic.oup.com/brain/advance-article/doi/10.1093/brain/awag252/8741305

STUDY: Paramagnetic Rim Lesions and Choroid Plexus Volume at Diagnosis Are Associated With Cognitive Progression Independent of Relapse and MRI Activity in Early Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.70448

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RealTalk MS Episode 469 Guest: Dr. Anna Kratz

Episode 468: You've Been Given a 15% Chance of Living and Your Spouse Gets Diagnosed with MS with Kathleen Silva Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Imagine your spouse or significant other has been diagnosed with MS...shortly after you were diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer, and given just a 15% chance of survival. All of a sudden, the roles of patient and care partner are up for grabs -- and they change with almost daily frequency.

That's exactly the scenario my guest, Kathleen Silva, faced. Kathleen is joining me to discuss how she and her husband, Rick, survived and thrived amid that frightening chaos. (Spoiler alert -- no one died!)

We'll also tell you about an investigational drug that's the first to promise neuroprotection during an MS relapse.

We're sharing study results that show people with MS who meet the medical criteria aren't jumping on the GLP-1 bandwagon.

We'll provide compelling evidence for anyone with MS to quit smoking.

And we're breaking down the results of a study that analyzed mortality rates in cases where MS was listed as the underlying cause of death.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: When the roles of patient and care partner get turned upside down and inside out :22

The FDA green lights clinical trials for an investigational drug that promises neuroprotection during an MS relapse 1:08

People living with MS who meet the medical criteria aren't jumping on the GLP-1 bandwagon 5:43

Study results provide startling evidence for quitting smoking if you're living with MS 8:34

In spite of highly effective DMTs, mortality rates for deaths in which MS is listed as the underlying cause are increasing 14:05

Kathleen Silva takes us through the harrowing time in her life when her husband, Rick, was diagnosed with MS shortly after she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer and given just a 15% chance of surviving 19:23

Share this episode 35:12

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Use of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide Among People with Multiple Sclerosis https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261442033

STUDY: Impact of Tobacco and Alcohol Consumption on Disease Progression and MRI In People With Multiple Sclerosis: Results of the Prospective Cohort Study NationMS https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17562864261464304

STUDY: Racial and Ethnic Trends and Comorbidity Patterns in Multiple Sclerosis Mortality https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000148

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

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RealTalk MS Episode 468 Guest: Kathleen Silva

Episode 467: Making Shared Decision-Making Work with Dr. Aliza Ben-Zacharia and Linda Lachman Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

If you Google the term "shared decision making", you'll find it defined as a collaborative process where patients and clinicians work together to select tests, treatments, and care plans based on clinical evidence and the patient's personal values and goals.

But shared decision-making isn't an automatic happy pill. It takes work, it takes discipline, and it takes a clear understanding of both the patient's and the clinician's roles. This week, Dr. Aliza Ben-Zacharia and Linda Lachman join me to share how shared decision-making has worked for them over the course of their longtime doctor-patient relationship, and how it can work for you.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're taking a deep dive into shared decision-making :22

Dr. Aliza Ben-Zacharia and Linda Lachman discuss how they have made shared decision-making work, and what to do if it isn't working for you and your neurologist 2:39

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 467 Guests: Dr. Aliza Ben-Zacharia and Linda Lachman

Episode 466: Everything You Ought to Know About Diet and MS with Dr. Tyler Titcomb Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

We get more listener emails about diet and MS than almost any other topic. If you're curious about how some of the well-known diets for MS actually stack up, or you're interested in understanding the connection between diet and MS-related fatigue, or you want to know what the biggest obstacle to staying on a new diet is (and this may surprise you), then this is the episode for you.

We're devoting this week's entire episode to my conversation with Dr. Tyler Titcomb, an assistant professor in the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, and a registered dietitian with a PhD in Nutritional Sciences in the Department of Neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: We're taking a deep dive into diet and MS :22

Dr. Tyler Titcomb breaks down what you need to know about how diet influences multiple sclerosis and why it plays such a key role. :54

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

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RealTalk MS Episode 466 Guest: Dr. Tyler Titcomb

Episode 465: On Being an MS Specialist In A Country That Believed MS Was Non-Existent with Dr. Avinash Chandra Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

During his fellowship in the United States, Dr. Avinash Chandra trained to become an MS specialist at a world-class MS center. Then he returned home to Nepal and discovered that MS was largely considered non-existent. But Dr. Chandra knew it wasn't.

In this week's episode, Dr. Chandra discusses his experience creating a framework for MS care in Nepal that hadn't existed before. He also explains the necessary trade-offs in providing costly medical treatment in a country where the average family of four lives on an income of $500 a month.

It's been well-established that males living with MS tend to experience faster and more severe disease progression than females. We're sharing results of a study that shows clear differences in healthcare use by sex up to a decade before the onset of MS.

We'll tell you about a newly published review of 30 years of data measuring the efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT).

And we're sharing the registration details for ECTRIMS Community Patient Day (it's a free live and online event you won't want to miss!)

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: MS care in a country that considered MS non-existent :22

A study analyzed sex differences in healthcare usage between males and females with MS up to a decade before the first MS symptom develops 1:45

30 years of accumulated data show significant benefits of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in treating relapsing forms of MS 6:17

It's time to support the National MS Society's $119.6 million active investment in MS research 9:32

Dr. Avniash Chandra discusses MS care in Nepal 12:43

Share this episode 35:40

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And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group!

LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Sex Differences in Healthcare Use Before the First Multiple Sclerosis-Related Demyelinating Event https://www.msard-journal.com/article/S2211-0348(26)00396-2/fulltext

PLAIN ENGLISH SUMMARY: Sex Differences in Healthcare Use Before the First Multiple Sclerosis-Related Demyelinating Event https://tremlettsmsresearchexplained.wordpress.com/2026/07/22/sex-differences-in-healthcare-use-before-the-first-multiple-sclerosis-related-demyelinating-event-explained

LISTEN: Dr. Helen Tremlett Discusses the MS Prodrome https://realtalkms.com/321

STUDY: Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Sclerosis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41482159

SUPPORT: National MS Society Research https://nationalmssociety.org/research

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 465 Guest: Dr. Avinash Chandra

Episode 464: Sharing Her MS Journey Graphically with Liat Shalom Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

If you've spent any time at all living with or caring for someone with multiple sclerosis, you know that medical textbooks and information-filled websites can give us facts, figures, and symptoms, but they rarely capture the sometimes messy, sometimes overwhelming, and sometimes darkly funny reality of what it actually feels like to get a diagnosis of MS and realize your life has suddenly shifted under your feet.

Our guest, Liat Shalom, was diagnosed with MS in 2021, at the age of 30. Instead of letting that diagnosis define her, Liat picked up her pen and created Unravelled—a groundbreaking graphic memoir that refuses to sugar-coat the MS experience.

For about five years, we've known that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) triggers MS. We'll explain what biologists just discovered about how EBV triggers MS, and what that could mean for future treatments.

We're sharing evidence from an important study that shows a simple blood test is as accurate as MRI in determining whether someone is experiencing a relapse or a pseudo-relapse.

We're sharing details of a study showing that virtual reality (VR) therapy is effective in treating MS-related brain fog.

And if you're a woman between the ages of 45 and 60 and you're experiencing perimenopause, we'll share an easy way for you to participate in MS research without leaving home.

We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??!

This Week: Unravalled, Liat Shalom's darkly humorous graphic novel about her MS journey :22

Scientists discover how the Epstein-Barr virus triggers MS 1:53

A simple blood test can determine whether someone is experiencing a relapse or a pseudo-relapse 4:08

It's time to support the National MS Society's $119.6 million active investment in MS research 6:58

Virtual reality therapy can improve MS-related brain fog 9:16

An opportunity to participate in MS research for women between 45-60 who are experiencing perimenopause 11:41

Liat Shalom discusses her journey to an MS diagnosis that led her to create Unravalled, a darkly humorous graphic memoir 13:11

Share this episode 30:32

Next week 30:52

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Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/464

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Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283

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LINKS

If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes at www.RealTalkMS.com

Unravelled: The Story of an MS Warrior by Liat Shalom https://unraveledgraphicnovel.com

STUDY: CD4+ T-Cells Reactive to Epstein-Barr Virus Late Lytic Antigens are Enriched in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adz6566

STUDY: Utility of Multi-Analyte Protein Assay to Distinguish Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Relapse from Pseudoexacerbation https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40120-026-00984-2

STUDY: Effectiveness of Immersive and Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions on Cognitive Function in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/12/4534

PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH: Perimenopause and Multiple Sclerosis https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/ms-study-alert-perimenopause-survey

SUPPORT: National MS Society Research https://nationalmssociety.org/research

JOIN: The RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

REVIEW: Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review

Follow RealTalk MS on X, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com.

RealTalk MS Episode 464 Guest: Liat Shalom

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