RealTalk MS

• Episode 430: Navigating Winter Weather When You're Living with MS with Dr. James Stark

  Almost everyone with MS is aware of their sensitivity to heat. But cold weather presents a whole different set of challenges that we don't always think about. This week, I'm talking with Dr. James Stark about safely navigating cold-weather conditions when you're living with MS.  Dr. Stark is the Senior Attending Neurologist and Associate Medical Director at the International Multiple Sclerosis Management Practice. And he's sharing tips for staying safe and healthy when the temperature starts to drop. The FDA has just approved a new generic DMT, and the first biosimilar for MS is hitting the market. We'll tell you about these new disease-modifying therapy options, and we'll bring you up to speed on what biosimilars are all about. I ran into Dr. Robert Fox at ECTRIMS, the world's largest MS research conference. And, in a brief conversation, Dr. Fox provided a great overview of the MS research landscape. You won't want to miss this conversation!  If you missed the International Progressive MS Alliance's global webcast, Hidden Potential: How Existing Drugs Could Transform MS Treatment, you can still catch the video replay. We're sharing all the details.  We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: There's a lot to still be thankful for  :22 Your opportunity to support the organization that supports you  2:03 What you need to know about the new generic and biosimilar disease-modifying therapies  9:24 The Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Robert Fox shares an overview of the MS research landscape  10:29 Catch the International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast video replay  22:41 Dr. James Stark shares tips for navigating winter weather when you're living with MS  23:27 Share this episode  35:14 Next week's episode  35:35 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/430 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com DONATE to the National MS Society https://nationalmssociety.org/donate SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy WATCH: International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast Replay https://youtube.com/watch?v=hWK-iVMiQ_I LISTEN: RealTalk MS EP. 315: Understanding Generic and Biosimilar Drugs for MS with Dr. Jiwon Oh https://realtalkms.com/315 VISIT: Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs https://costplusdrugs.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 Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 430 Guests: Dr. Robert Fox, Dr. James Stark Privacy Policy

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• Special Episode: Participating in MS Research with Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed

  Welcome to a RealTalk MS special series on MS clinical trials. This special series is made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi. In today's episode, you'll meet two participants from the TEAMS Study, a research study at the University of Illinois Chicago's UI Health, in conjunction with the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Public Health. TEAAMS is an acronym for Targeted Exercise for African-Americans with Multiple Sclerosis. And the study's research team analyzed the effects of a remotely delivered, racially tailored exercise training program among African Americans with MS living in low-income areas of the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This is a part of the country that doesn't have many primary care or MS clinics that provide full exercise and rehabilitation services for patients with MS. The TEAMMS study consists of two 16-week exercise programs, completed 3 days per week at home. One exercise program combines aerobic and resistance training, while the other focuses on stretching and flexibility. Study participants were randomly assigned to one of the two programs, and all of the materials to complete each program, like yoga mats, resistance bands, and training manuals, were provided. And every study participant receives a $90 gift card in compensation for completing the program. The study's research team hypothesizes that completing the TEAAMS program would improve walking, reduce symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain, and enhance quality of life. This special episode of RealTalk MS is made possible by a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit SanofiStudies.com SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/ct3 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! Privacy Policy

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• Episode 429: Caring for Your Partner with MS While Holding Down a Full-Time Job with Diana Grazio

  Being a caregiver for a loved one with MS isn't an easy job. And, while it may consume hours of your time, often, it's not your only job. Many caregivers are the only family members bringing in an income. So, in addition to their caregiving responsibilities, they may also be facing the responsibilities that go along with holding down a full-time job.  This week, Diana Grazio joins me to discuss how she balances her roles and responsibilities as her partner's caregiver while holding down a full-time job.  You have online opportunities tomorrow! Participate in the National MS Society's Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit, or catch the International Progressive MS Alliance's global webcast, How Existing Drugs Could Transform MS Treatment. We have all the info for you to register for either or both!   If you purchase your health insurance through the ACA Healthcare Marketplace, you've probably already been notified that your premiums will skyrocket in 2026. MS Activist, Sarah Quezada, shares how those premium increases will affect her family. Roche has announced the outcomes of Phase 3 clinical trials for Fenebrutinib and Relapsing MS, and Primary Progressive MS. It's positive news, and we have the details! Could nanoparticles penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the central nervous system?  University of Illinois researchers say yes! We're sharing the details. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: It's National Family Caregiver Month  :22 The MS Care Partner Connection  :34 The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit TOMORROW!  2:20 The International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast is TOMORROW!  2:51 Sarah Quezada shares how astronomical increases in ACA health insurance premiums will affect her family  3:46 Roche announces outcomes for Phase 3 clinical trials for Fenebrutinib and Relapsing MS, and Primary Progressive MS  11:59 Could nanoparticles penetrate the blood-brain barrier and deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the central nervous system?  13:43 Diana Grazio discusses how she manages her role as a caregiver while holding down a full-time job  16:07 Share this episode  29:10 Next week's episode  29:30 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/429 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/hispanic-latinx-ms-experience REGISTER: International Progressive MS Alliance Global Webcast https://msif.org/news/2025/11/03/alliance-webcast VISIT: The MS Care Partner Connection https://mscarepartnerconnection.com STUDY: Nanoparticle-Boosted Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Therapy for Immune Reprogramming in Multiple Sclerosis https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ady4135 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 Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 429 Guests: Sarah Quezada, Diana Grazio Privacy Policy

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• Episode 428: The Effects of Smoking, Consuming Alcohol, and Consuming Caffeine on Your MS with Dr. Barbara Giesser

  As researchers continue to learn about MS, it becomes clear that you can change the trajectory of your MS journey and improve your quality of life by making smart lifestyle choices. Quitting smoking and watching your alcohol and caffeine consumption are smart choices for everyone, and they can pay especially big dividends if you're living with MS. This week, Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine can impact your MS. We're also sharing the details about the Black MS Experience Summit taking place on November 12th, and the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit taking place on November 19th. We'll tell you about a study that revealed what may be a novel way of stimulating remyelination. You'll meet Dr. Arman Eshaghi and hear about how artificial intelligence may impact your future MRI exam. We'll share study results that show that carbohydrate consumption may increase the risk of an individual developing MS. And we'll tell you about a study that looked at the connection between starting a disease-modifying therapy early and quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: What you need to know about how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact your MS  :22 The Black MS Experience Summit is TOMORROW!  1:32 The National MS Society is hosting the Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit on Nov 19th  2:33 Study results indicate the path to myelin repair may require subtraction, not addition  3:04 Dr. Arman Eshaghi discusses how AI may change how MRI scans are interpreted  5:12 Study results show a connection between carbohydrate intake and MS risk  15:10 Study results show how starting a DMT early impacts quality of life related to cognitive function and fatigue among people with MS  17:55 Dr. Barbara Giesser discusses how smoking, consuming alcohol, and consuming caffeine impact people living with MS  21:38 Share this episode  31:07 Next week's episode  31:27 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/428 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025 STUDY: Gt2fi-Encoded Transcription Factor Tfii-i Regulates Myelin Via Sox10 and Mbp Regulatory Elements https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63500-4 STUDY: Association Between Dietary Carbohydrate Intake and Multiple Sclerosis Risk: A Large-Scale Cohort Study https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1654538/full STUDY: Self-Reported Quality of Life Related to Cognitive Function and Fatigue in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211034825005516 REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/black-ms-experience REGISTER: The Hispanic LatinX MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/hispanic-latinx-ms-experience 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 Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 428 Guests: Dr. Arman Eshaghi, Dr. Barbara Giesser Privacy Policy

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• Episode 427: Science-Based Vaccine Guidance for People Living with MS with Dr. Lisa Doggett

  When you're living with a chronic condition like MS, you want to be sure you're doing everything you can to preserve and promote good health. And, right now, you may be feeling confused about whether you should be getting vaccinated, and which vaccines are safe. It's understandable. Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusing information about vaccines and vaccinations floating around out there.  This week, Dr. Lisa Doggett helps us get past all the unnecessary noise and hysteria and reviews the science-based vaccine recommendations for people living with MS.  We're also talking about the historic meeting that took place last week between the FDA and people affected by MS. We're sharing dramatic results from the largest study of its kind that measured the true impact of MS on quality of life. And we're giving you all the details about the National MS Society's upcoming Black MS Experience Summit. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: Reliable, science-based vaccine guidance for people living with MS  :22 An historic meeting between the FDA and the MS community   1:17 The largest study of its kind shows the true impact of MS on quality of life  3:13 The National MS Society is hosting the Black MS Experience Summit on Nov 12th  4:40 Dr. Lisa Doggett covers everything you need to know about vaccines and MS   6:22 Share this episode  26:10 Next week's episode  26:30 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/427 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: [email protected] Phone: (310) 526-2283 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 in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com PARTICIPATE: Take the Shaping Tomorrow Together Online Survey https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Perspectives-on-MS SIGN UP: Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy WATCH: The RealTalk MS ECTRIMS Extra Conversations video playlist on YouTube https://realtalkms.com/ectrims2025 STUDY: EQ-5D-5L In Multiple Sclerosis: Estimated Utility Values, Minimal (Clinically) Important Changes, and Direct and Indirect Influences Over Time https://valueinhealthjournal.com/article/S1098-3015(25)02486-6/fulltext REGISTER: The Black MS Experience Summit https://nationalmssociety.org/resources/get-support/education-programs-and-library/black-ms-experience 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 Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 427 Guests: Dr. Lisa Doggett Privacy Policy

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