RealTalk MS

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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RealTalk MS Episode 197 Guests: Dr. Michelle Cameron

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Episode 196: Diagnosing and Misdiagnosing MS with Dr. Andrew Solomon May 31, 2021

Show notes

The challenge of living with MS often begins with the challenge of getting a timely and accurate diagnosis. There are no symptoms, physical findings, or laboratory tests that can, by themselves, determine if someone has MS, and the most common symptoms of MS can often resemble symptoms of other conditions. All of these variables can sometimes lead to patients getting the wrong diagnosis.

Dr. Andrew Solomon, Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences and Division Chief of Multiple Sclerosis at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, is joining me to discuss diagnosing and misdiagnosing MS.

We'll also fill you in on the details of the upcoming European MS Platform Annual Conference (it's free to register!).

We'll tell you about a cannabis-based treatment that's been shown to improve spasticity without causing weakness in people with MS.

We'll share the results of a study that looked at how a COVID-19 infection affects MS.

You'll hear about newly published research that may have isolated the gene that causes male immune cells to drive more severe MS.

And we'll give you the rundown of this month's Can Do MS programs.

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

European MS Platform Annual Conference 1:38

Cannabis extract improves spasticity without causing weakness 2:44

How COVID-19 may affect MS 4:43

A word about our show notes 6:49

Study shows male immune cells drive more severe MS 8:18

This month's Can Do MS programs 11:38

Dr. Andrew Solomon discusses diagnosing MS and misdiagnosing MS 13:13

Share this episode 25:54

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

European MS Platform Annual Conference

STUDY: COVID-19 is Associated with New Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis That are Prevented by Disease-Modifying Therapies

STUDY: Male Sex Chromosomal Complement Exacerbates the Pathogenicity of Th17 Cells in a Chronic Model of Central Nervous System Autoimmunity

Can Do MS Program Information and Registration

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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

RealTalk MS Episode 196 Guests: Dr. Andrew Solomon

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Episode 195: Dr. Nancy Sicotte Shares an Update About Vaccines and DMTs, Variants, Masks, and More May 24, 2021

Show notes

As the United States begins to move past the pandemic and toward something much closer to life as we once knew it, I've received a lot of questions from members of the RealTalk MS listener community who are concerned about how their disease-modifying therapy may affect the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, whether the authorized vaccines will protect them from variants, and whether they should continue wearing a mask, despite encouraging recommendations from the CDC.

As Chair of the National MS Society's National Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Nancy Sicotte also leads the MS Society's COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group. And Dr. Sicotte is joining me once again to answer your questions and resolve some of the confusion around these important topics.

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

World MS Day is May 30th :25

Dr. Sicotte answers your questions about Vaccines and DMTs, Variants, Masks, and More 3:03

Share this episode 24:04

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

FDA Advisory on Antibody Tests

World MS Day

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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

RealTalk MS Episode 195 Guests: Dr. Nancy Sicotte

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Episode 194: Innovation in MS Rehabilitation with Pierluigi Montovani May 17, 2021

Show notes

When Pierluigi Montovani saw what was available to help his father rehabilitate his MS-related foot drop, he was motivated to invent something better. Pierluigi recruited a couple of friends and their efforts led to a breakthrough solution for foot drop that was declared the winner of the Lyfebulb and Bristol Myers Squibb Addressing Unmet Needs in MS: Innovation Challenge.

Pierluigi joins me as my guest this week to discuss EvoWalk, his award-winning example of innovation in MS rehabilitation.

We'll also share some very unsettling realities about MS treatment that have been revealed in the latest addition to the MS International Federation's Atlas of MS.

We're checking in with an exercise coach and one of the participants in the STEP for MS trial. You'll hear about this participant's remarkable progress and we'll tell you how you can still participate in this study.

We'll tell you about a new Yale University study that's designed to determine whether Ocrevus can prevent the onset of MS in people diagnosed with radiologically isolated syndrome.

And although the oral disease-modifying therapy Ozanimod (Zeposia) has already been approved to treat relapsing-remitting MS in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, we'll update you on the decision not to approve it for use in England and Wales.

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

Atlas of MS, Part 2 Reveals Some Unsettling Truths 2:19

Zeposia fails to win approval by NICE 6:10

The Step for MS Study with Brendon Truax and Bo Roberts 8:15

Yale study will test whether Ocrevus can prevent MS in patients diagnosed with RIS 14:23

Pierluigi Montovani discusses his father's inspiration in developing EvoWalk for rehabilitating MS foot drop 16:49

Share this episode 27:44

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Introducing EvoWalk

Atlas of MS

STUDY: Prevention of Clinical Multiple Sclerosis in Individuals with Radiologically Isolated Disease

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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

RealTalk MS Episode 194 Guests: Brendon Truax, Bo Roberts, and Pierluigi Montovani

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Episode 193: Managing the Emotional Fallout of the Pandemic with Dr. Gayle Lewis May 10, 2021

Show notes

The COVID-19 pandemic has created what experts are calling a mental health crisis of unparalleled proportion. Many people affected by MS have had to add pandemic-related stresses and anxieties to the already existing anxieties that come from living with a chronic illness. And that's a lot to carry around every day.

Joining me to talk about managing your mood and quieting some of the noise in your head is psychologist, psychoanalyst, Certified Multiple Sclerosis Specialist, and MS Partner in Care, Dr. Gayle Lewis.

We're also talking about the initial findings of the COVER-MS study, which is looking at how the COVID-19 vaccines are affecting people living with MS.

We're inviting all MS care partners to participate in a short survey designed to measure their awareness of patient-focused drug development as well as their interest in adding their unique perspective to this work.

We'll tell you about OCTOPUS, a revolutionary progressive MS clinical trial that is designed to be a game-changer when it comes to MS clinical trials.

And we'll share the details and tell you where and how to register for this month's CAN-DO MS programs.

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

Initial findings of the COVER-MS study 1:43

Announcing the Care Partners in Patient-Focused Drug Development Survey 4:28

Introducing OCTOPUS, a revolutionary progressive MS clinical trial 5:57

CAN-DO MS May Programs 8:13

Dr. Gayle Lewis discusses emerging from the trauma of the pandemic 10:00

Share this episode 36:55

Have a minute? Leave a rating & review for the podcast 37:19

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Dr. Gayle Lewis MS Teletherapy

STUDY: COVER-MS Initial Findings: Side Effects

Participate in the COVER-MS study

Patient-Focused Drug Development for Care Partners Survey

CAN-DO MS Programs

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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

RealTalk MS Episode 193 Guests: Dr. Gayle Lewis

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

RealTalk MS Bonus: MS in the 21st Century with Dr. Mitzi Joi Williams and Carolyn Kaufman May 06, 2021

Show notes

This special episode of RealTalk MS is sponsored by EMD Serono and MS in the 21st Century.

In today's episode, we're talking about empowering people living with MS to become full partners in their MS treatment and the importance of good communication between patients and their doctors.

We're also introducing MS in the 21st Century, a resource that has just recently been made available to the MS community in the United States.

My guests are Dr. Mitzi Joi Williams and Carolyn Kaufman. Dr. Williams is a board-certified neurologist and multiple sclerosis expert based in Atlanta, Georgia, with a special interest in shared decision-making and improving standards of care for underserved communities.

Carolyn Kaufman is a holistic health coach based in Miami, Florida, and Carolyn has been living with MS since she was 20 years old.

To learn more about MS in the 21st Century, please visit www.msinthe21stcentury.com.

Episode 192: Next-Generation MS Therapies with Dr. Michael Kornberg May 03, 2021

Show notes

In today's special episode of RealTalk MS, Dr. Michael Kornberg is going to give us a glimpse into emerging research and the future of MS treatments. So, if you'd like to peer into the not-too-distant future for a preview of the new MS therapies that will be available to you, this is the conversation you're looking for.

Dr. Kornberg is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and, in addition to his clinical work, Dr. Kornberg's lab is focused on identifying novel therapeutic strategies to prevent neurodegeneration and promote remyelination in MS.

During our conversation, we'll try to cover all the therapeutic bases, from predicting MS progression to a whole new class of drugs to treat MS. From stem cell therapy to remyelination.

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

Congrats to the winner of the $100 Amazon gift card! :51

Dr. Michael Kornberg discusses emerging MS research and next-generation MS therapies 2:25

Share this episode 36:20

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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

RealTalk MS Episode 192 Guests: Dr. Michael Kornberg

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Episode 191: COVID-19 Vaccines and MS -- What You Need to Know Before You Go with Dr. Dorlan Kimbrough Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

With 200 million Americans having already received their COVID-19 vaccination, public health officials are warning that vaccine hesitancy is a growing challenge to our nation's ability to fully bounce back from the pandemic and resume something resembling the life we once knew.

If what you're seeing and hearing about the COVID vaccines on social media or from well-meaning friends and family is making you nervous, my guest, Dr. Dorlan Kimbrough, is joining me to set the record straight.

Dr. Kimbrough is a member of the National MS Society's COVID Vaccine Guidance Task Force and we're talking about vaccine side effects among people living with MS, vaccine interactions with MS disease-modifying therapies, and other information that you should know before you go for your vaccination.

We're also talking about new progressive MS research that's about to be funded by the International Progressive MS Alliance.

We're sharing the good news about a DMT that's just been approved for people living with relapsing-remitting MS in England and Wales.

And we'll share some of the research that was discussed last week at the American Academy of Neurology 2021 Annual Meeting.

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

International Progressive MS Alliance reviews research award applications 2:50

Kesimpta approved for RRMS in England and Wales 3:38

News from the AAN 2021 Annual Meeting 4:32

Dr. Dorlan Kimbrough discusses what you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines and MS 10:36

Share this episode 30:02

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

STUDY: Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Levels are Prognostic of Disability Worsening: A Biosignature that Helps Differentiating Active from Non-Active SPMS

STUDY: Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis by Race and Ethnicity (NARCRMS Registry)

National MS Society COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS

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

RealTalk MS Episode 191 Guests: Dr. Dorlan Kimbrough

Tags: MS, MultipleSclerosis, COVID19, COVIDVaccine, MSResearch, MSSociety, RealTalkMS

Episode 190: MS Rehab in the Real World with Sally McAllister and Dr. Carol-Ann Nelson Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

Their website says that Destination Rehab takes an "innovative, out-of-the-box approach to physical therapy." This week, my guests are Sally McAllister and the founder of Destination Rehab, Dr. Carol-Ann Nelson. Sally is 70 years old and living with primary progressive MS. We're talking about how Sally's work with Dr. Nelson produced life-changing results.

We're also talking about the first study that specifically measures the safety of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID vaccine for people living with MS.

We'll share the results of another study that suggests that some MS disease-modifying therapies affect Black people differently.

We'll tell you about this year's recipient of the Dystel Prize for MS research.

And we'll give you the details about the MS Society of Canada's upcoming MS CONNECT virtual conference.

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

Study provides evidence of how the COVID-19 vaccine affects people living with MS 1:35

Study shows that Black people may react differently to a popular MS disease-modifying therapy 4:29

Dystel Prize for MS research goes to Harvard professor 7:48

MS Society of Canada presents MS CONNECT virtual conference next week 9:08

Sally McAllister and Dr. Carol-Ann Nelson talk about how real-world rehab changed Sally's life 10:33

Share this episode 31:26

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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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com

Destination Rehab

STUDY: COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: What We Heave Learnt by February 2021

2021 MS CONNECT