RealTalk MS

Multiple sclerosis affects men and women differently. Women are 3 times more likely to get MS, but men often develop more significant disabilities from MS. This week's guest, Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, is a trailblazer in not only exploring the differences between the sexes in MS, but in identifying what seems to be a safe and effective treatment for MS. So why aren't pharmaceutical companies lining up to bring this treatment to market? It's all in this week's podcast.

Whether it's research, news, or even pending legislation, there's a lot happening around the world that's going to impact families living with MS. In this week's podcast, we'll round up some of that news and bring you up to speed on some of the things that you ought to know about. We're talking about how the pending income tax legislation can be financially devastating to families living with MS - and we'll explain what you can do about it right now. We'll look at a new clinical trial testing a cannabis-based medicine designed to treat MS symptoms. We'll talk about the construction of what's being billed as, "the world's leading treatment and research center for multiple sclerosis." We'll give you one more very good reason why people diagnosed with MS should not be smoking. And we'll break down how, when, and by how much, multiple sclerosis impacts a woman's pregnancy. We've got the news, views, interviews & breakthroughs that are important to you. So...are you ready for RealTalk MS?

We're talking about how the pending income tax legislation can be financially devastating to families living with MS - and we'll explain what you can do about it right now. We'll look at a new clinical trial testing a cannabis-based medicine designed to treat MS symptoms. We'll give you one more very good reason why people diagnosed with MS should not be smoking. And we'll break down how, when, and by how much, multiple sclerosis impacts a woman's pregnancy.

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and we're talking all about caregiving. Being a caregiver for a family member with MS or any chronic illness can be one of the greatest blessings that a person may receive. It can also be one of the most stress-producing, anxiety-creating, and even life-threatening undertakings that a person may endure. No one ever applies to be a caregiver, and the job doesn't come with an instruction manual. So we're going to be discussing:

• The real costs -- both financial and emotional -- of caregiving
• The 3 characteristics that all great caregivers have
• How to spot the signs of caregiver burnout and depression

We'll even share some specific strategies designed to empower caregivers to provide outstanding care to their loved ones while still maintaining a sense of balance in their own lives. We're also talking about the current income tax legislation being considered in Congress. We'll take a close look at the tax bill that's been passed by the House of Representatives, and the version of the bill still under consideration in the Senate, because each version of this legislation carries risks that can be financially devastating to families living with MS. We've got the news, views, interviews & breakthroughs that are important to you. So...are you ready for RealTalk MS?

Being a caregiver for a family member with MS or any chronic illness can be one of the greatest blessings that a person may receive. It can also be one of the most stress-producing, anxiety-creating, and even life-threatening undertakings that a person may endure. No one ever applies to be a caregiver, and the job doesn't come with an instruction manual. So we're talking about what it means to be an awesome caregiver.

Experts estimate that about 50% of the people living with MS are impacted by depression. And left untreated, depression can darken your entire outlook on the world. It has a way of making everything less. We're going to explore MS and depression with my guest, Dr. Amy Sullivan, Director of Behavioral Medicine at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at the Cleveland Clinic. We're also talking about a study that may offer some good news about what seems to be a highly effective drug therapy for the 10,000 children who have been diagnosed with MS. We'll look at a nationwide study that indicates that women who are diagnosed with MS are reluctant to talk with their doctors about how MS might affect their work lives, their family planning choices, and even their personal relationships. And we'll look at the pending European Union approval of Ocrevus as a treatment for both Relapsing Remitting and Primary Progresive MS. We've got the latest news, views, interviews & breakthroughs that are important to you. So...are you ready for RealTalk MS?

Experts estimate that about 50% of the people living with MS are impacted by depression. And left untreated, depression can darken your entire outlook on the world. We're going to explore MS and depression with my guest, Dr. Amy Sullivan, Director of Behavioral Medicine at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at the Cleveland Clinic.

We've got the latest news, views, interviews & breakthroughs that are important to you. So...are you ready for RealTalk MS?

This week's guests are Doctors Lee Hartswell and Katherine Heller, the co-primary investigators of the MS MOSAIC study from Duke University. Everyone listening to our podcast is eligible to participate in this study -- even if you don't have MS. And all of the data collection will be done through your smartphone, so you won't even have to leave home! More than just a study that will help us learn a lot about day-to-day living with MS, the MS MOSAIC study is a perfect example of how we're going to interact with our medical teams in the very near future. We're also talking about the link between adolescent concussion and multiple sclerosis. We'll be looking at a new study that shows a connection between diet and exercise and MS pain. And we'll give you a heads-up on a free online event for caregivers. We've got the news, views, interviews & breakthroughs that are important to you. So...are you ready for RealTalk MS?

This week's guests are Doctors Lee Hartswell and Katherine Heller, the co-principal investigators of the MS MOSAIC study from Duke University. More than just a study that will help us learn a lot about day-to-day living with MS, the MS MOSAIC study is a perfect example of how we're going to interact with our medical teams in the very near future.

We'll also talk about the link between concussion and MS, the connection between diet and MS pain, and a great online resource for caregivers.

Last week, more than 9,000 MS research scientists, physicians, and pharmaceutical industry experts attended ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS, the largest annual international MS research conference in the world. And we're devoting this week's podcast episode to talking about what they were talking about! Welcome to the RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Round-Up! You'll find out about how the "official" number of people with MS in the United States is now more than double what it was before last week. We'll talk about some of the sobering socio-economic effects of MS on women. We'll look at new data from studies on treating Progressive MS, and we'll discuss some of the cutting-edge research study results that were announced while we try to identify some of the most promising new information that was released at ECTRIMS. We've got the news, views, interviews & breakthroughs that are important to you. So...are you ready for RealTalk MS?