How, and to whom, should you disclose your MS at your job? And if you decide to disclose, is that information confidential? What does reasonable accommodation mean? If you need a day or two to bounce back after an infusion, is that part of your PTO? And what do you do when you no longer have days off available? If you're living with MS and you're employed, you absolutely need to know and understand your rights in the workplace. 

MS Navigator Christina Forster joins me to answer these questions and more as she shines a bright light on your rights in the workplace.

I'll also remind you why I consider the MS Navigator program to be the gold standard when it comes to customized, one-on-one problem solving and support for anyone affected by MS. (And did I mention there's no charge???)

I hear your questions, so we're taking a moment to review what the RealTalk MS show notes are all about, and where to find them.

We're sharing study results that show a wheat-free diet may reduce MS severity (and it's not about the gluten!)

We'll tell you about a call by experts to adopt a new framework for describing Parkinson's Disease (and we'll explain why that's relevant to the MS community)

Scientists have identified 4 variant genes that place an individual taking some common MS disease-modifying therapies at higher risk of contracting PML. There's a test for that, and we'll tell you how to have that genetic testing done at no cost.

We're talking about research that uncovered new details about how cells in the central nervous system communicate with the cells that produce myelin. And we'll tell you why zebrafish are the key to this research.

And we're sharing a change in strategy for treating MS contained in the updated guidelines published by the Spanish Society of Neurology 

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

This Week: Successfully navigating the health insurance maze  :22

Why the MS Navigators are the gold standard when it comes to support for people affected by MS  :56

Everything you need to know about the RealTalk MS show notes  2:12

STUDY: A wheat-free diet may reduce MS severity  5:28

Experts call for a new framework for describing Parkinson's Disease  8:31

A test to determine who is at high risk for contracting PML is available...at no cost  11:36

STUDY: Researchers identify specific proteins and signals involved in myelin formation in zebrafish  14:08

The Spanish Society of Neurology has updated its guidelines for treating MS  15:42

MS Navigator Christina Forster discusses your rights in the workplace   19:35

Share this episode  30:37

Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  30:57

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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

Contact an MS Navigator Phone: 1-800-344-4867 Web via chat: https://nationalmssociety.org Email: [email protected]

STUDY: Attenuation of Immune Activation in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis on a Wheat-Reduced Diet: A Pilot Crossover Study  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17562864231170928

Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Genetic Risk Variants for Pharmacovigilance of Immunosuppressive Therapies https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371965313_OPEN_ACCESS_EDITED_BY_Progressive_multifocal_leukoencephalopathy_genetic_risk_variants_for_pharmacovigilance_of_immunosuppressive_therapies

No Cost PML Risk Genetic Test https://pmlrisktest.org

STUDY: Synaptic Input and Ca2+ Activity in Zebrafish Oligdodendrocyte Precursor Cells Contribute to Myelin Sheath Formation https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01553-8

Consensus Statement of the Spanish Society of Neurology on the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and Holistic Patient Management in 2023 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2173580824000191

Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms

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RealTalk MS Episode 335 Guest: Christina Forster

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