Living Well with Multiple Sclerosis

Disease Modifying Therapies with Neurologist Dr. Aaron Boster | S6E22

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re thrilled to welcome back Dr Aaron Boster as our guest! Dr Boster is a board-certified Neurologist specialising in Multiple Sclerosis. He is a frequent guest on Living Well with MS and in this episode he’s here to talk about Medication, one of the pillars of the Overcoming MS Program. Specifically, Aaron goes into detail on a wide range of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS, as well as discussing when people should start taking DMT’s, and what they should consider before they do so. There’s lots of useful information in this episode about many different DMT options – we hope you find it useful in making the right decisions for you. Let us know what you think!
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.
Topics and Timestamps:
01:21 What are the medication choices for people with MS and how have they improved?
02:39  When should I start a DMT?
04:30  What should I consider when choosing a drug?
07:08  Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)
11:14  Cladribine (Mavenclad)
15:05  Fingolimod (Gilenya)
17:13  Mitoxantrone (Novantrone)
18:39  Natalizumab (Tysabri)
21:42  Ofatumumab (Kesimpta)
25:01  Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus)
28:58  Ozanimod (Zeposia)
30:35  Rituximab (Rituxan, MabThera, and Truxima)
32:34  Siponimod (Mayzent)
34:59  Avonex/ Betaferon/ Refib/ Extavia
37:49  Glatiramer Acetate (Copaxone)
40:07  Dimethyl Fumarate (Tecfidera)
42:38  Diroximel Fumarate (Vumerity)
43:46  Plegridy
44:45  Ponesimod (ponvory)
45:41  Teriflunomide (Aubagio)
50:14  Low-dose Naltrexone
52:07  BTK inhibitors
 
Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.
More info and links:
Dr Boster was on six previous Living Well with MS episodes:
S1E11: Making the Right Medication Choices
S2E17: Lifestyle Choices and Their Impact on MS
S3E43: Let’s Talk About Sex (and MS)
S5E5 Webinar highlights from Ask Aaron with Dr. Aaron Boster
S5E36 Webinar Highlights: Ask a Neurologist with Dr Aaron Boster
S6E19 Webinar Highlights: Ask a Neurologist with Dr Aaron Boster
Check out Dr Boster’s popular YouTube channel covering all aspects of MS
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out: 
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us: 
If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

Webinar Highlights: Reducing stress through meditation and mindfulness with Dr Phil Startin | S6E21

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re sharing the highlights from our webinar with the incredible Dr Phil Startin! Phil is an Overcoming MS facilitator who lives with progressive MS. He’s an expert in meditation and mindfulness and teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction courses for people with MS. Phil gave us some brilliant information and really useful tips on how to meditate – it’s a fascinating listen whether you are a regular meditator or are just getting started with your practice. Let us know what you think!
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.
 
Topics and Timestamps:
01:22 Phil’s background in meditation and mindfulness
03:33 The fight or flight response
04:49 How stress dysregulates our immune system
08:47 Meditation is clinically proven to help people cope with stress
10:41 Mini meditations to try throughout the day
13:49 Guided meditation
20:06 A definition of mindfulness
23:50 The benefits of awareness, including increased resilience
28:02 Mental health tips for your daily routine
 
Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.
More info and links:
Phil Startin has been on two other Living Well with MS episodes:
S5E19 Webinar highlights: Progressive MS with Phil Startin and Helen Rees Leahy
S5E14 Webinar highlights: Mindfulness and Meditation with Phil Startin
Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Dr Walter Cannon’s fight or flight response
Meditation expert Ian Gawler
Listen to meditation expert Craig Hassed
S5E13 Meditation tips with Professor Craig Hassed
S1E7 Building a daily meditation practice with Dr Craig Hassed
Shannon Harvey’s film My Year of Living Mindfully or listen to her podcast episode
Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out: 
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us: 
If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

Meditation with Overcoming MS facilitator Yvette Sargood | S6E20

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re thrilled to welcome Yvette Sargood as our guest! Yvette is an Overcoming MS facilitator and a meditation teacher who lives with MS and follows the Overcoming MS program. In this fascinating episode, Yvette talks to Geoff about meditation and mindfulness, as well as her personal journey with the MS Program, including disclosing her diagnosis to her employer and how she overcame her chocolate cravings! There’s lots of useful information and tips in this episode (including a discussion on chocolate replacements!) We hope you enjoy it – let us know what you think!
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.
 
Topics and Timestamps:
01:18 Yvette’s MS and Overcoming MS journey
07:05 The progress made on DMTs and discrimination since the 1990s
09:01 The benefits to starting the Overcoming MS program even long after diagnosis
11:26 The decision to start a disease modifying therapy
14:59 Her difficulties in adopting the Overcoming MS program
16:27 Overcoming her chocolate cravings and chocolate replacements
18:51 Maintaining a healthy weight on the Overcoming MS program
20:23 The benefits of following the Overcoming MS program
22:54 Disclosing a multiple sclerosis diagnosis to your employer
26:01 Becoming an Overcoming MS facilitator
27:46 What is mindfulness and why is it important for people with MS?
32:53 Misconceptions about meditation and stress reduction
35:42 Tips for people new to the Overcoming MS program
 
Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.
More info and links:
Download the Headspace app for meditation
Learn more about Disease Modifying Therapies for MS
Listen to a podcast featuring OMSer chef
Read Yvette’s article on executives and disability
Learn more about mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn
Join a mindfulness course with Yvette through MS-UK
Become an Overcoming MS volunteer
To take part in the next Pathway to Overcoming MS course email events@overcomingms.org
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out: 
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
Support us: 
If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

Webinar Highlights: Your opportunity to speak to a Neurologist about Living Well with MS with Dr Aaron Boster | S6E19

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re sharing the highlights from our ‘Ask Aaron’ webinar, recorded in front of a global audience, with the incredible Dr Aaron Boster. Dr Boster is a board-certified neurologist who specialises in MS, and we’re delighted to have him answering a huge range of questions from our community! From medications to MRI’s and pregnancy to cold showers, Dr Boster gave us so many brilliantly informative answers - we hope you find this episode really useful. Let us know what you think!  
 
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.  
 
Topics and Timestamps: 
 
01:49 Defining benign MS 
05:05 How to get the most out of your time with your neurologist 
09:32 The DMTs that help with brain atrophy 
09:46 MRI’s as a way to show the rate of brain atrophy 
18:20 Aubagio for secondary progressive MS 
22:11 The future of Ocrevus dosing guidelines and becoming pregnant on ocrelizumab 
26:31 Treating MS-relating dystonia 
28:37 Treatments for MS-related bladder dysfunction  
35:15 Low-dose Naltrexone for MS 
39:00 The benefits of cold showers  
39:38 Immune reconstitution therapies  
43:22 Managing MS with diet and exercise  
To join us live for the next webinar or watch the original presentation head to our website overcomingms.org 
 
More info and links:  
Dr Boster was on five previous Living Well with MS episodes:
S1E11: Making the Right Medication Choices   
S2E17: Lifestyle Choices and Their Impact on MS  
S3E43: Let’s Talk About Sex (and MS) 
S5E5 Webinar highlights from Ask Aaron with Dr. Aaron Boster 
S5E36 Webinar Highlights: Ask a Neurologist with Dr Aaron Boster 
Check out Dr Boster’s popular YouTube channel covering all aspects of MS 
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page  
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub  
Visit the Overcoming MS website  
Follow us on social media: 
Facebook 
Instagram 
YouTube 
Pinterest 
Don’t miss out:  
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. 
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. 
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. 
Support us:  
If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS. 

The latest research in exercise for MS with Dr Robert Motl | S6E18

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re thrilled to welcome Dr Robert Motl as our guest! Dr Motl is a professor of kinesiology, nutrition and rehabilitation sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He’s a top researcher in the field of exercise and physical activity for people living with MS and, in this fascinating episode, he talks to Overcoming MS facilitator Veronique Gauthier-Simmons about how much exercise is recommended for people with MS, the differences between lifestyle physical activity and structured exercise, and he explains how exercise works within the brain to slow MS progression. We learnt so much from Dr Motl, and hope it helps you kick start a new phase in your relationship with physical activity. Let us know what you think!
 
Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways.
 
Topics and Timestamps:
02:09 Overview of Dr Motl’s research lab and team
03:21 Dr Motl’s interest in multiple sclerosis
05:57 Key findings over the years of the benefits of exercise for people with MS
09:32 Lifestyle physical activity vs. structured exercise for people with MS
15:03 How much exercise is recommended for people with MS?
17:39 Exercise as a disease modifying behavior
20:28 What part of the disease progression does exercise help?
22:12 Exercise’s effects on the brain
25:50 Who benefits the most from exercise?
28:42 Social prescribing of exercise for people with MS
31:16 Exercise’s effects on mood for people with MS
34:54 How to participate in future studies
36:16 The benefits of a holistic approach to MS management
 
Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.
More info and links:
Learn more about Veronique Gauthier-Simmons
Learn more about Dr Motl’s Exercise Neurology Reseach Laboratory
New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page
Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub
Visit the Overcoming MS website
Follow us on social media:
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Pinterest
Don’t miss out: 
Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review.
Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.
Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.
 
If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Webinar Highlights: Resilience following Overcoming MS with Dr Rachael Hunter | S6E17

Welcome to Living Well with MS, the podcast that empowers you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today we’re sharing the highlights from our webinar on ‘Resilience following Overcoming MS’ with the fantastic Dr Rachael Hunter. Rachael is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer in clinical and health psychology at Swansea University. She's an OMSer herself and wrote the chapter on resilience in the Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis Handbook. She gave us so much interesting information and many helpful tips - we hope you find this really useful in bringing resilience into your own life. Let us know what you think!   Watch this episode on YouTube here and keep reading for the key episode takeaways.     Topics and Timestamps:   00:59 Dr Hunter’s professional background and an overview of the Overcoming MS Program  04:30 What happens to the body physiologically during a stress response  06:55 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the fundamentals of wellness  09:37 Managing emotional wellbeing and scheduling “worry time”   14:30 Managing anxiety through self-compassion and mindfulness  17:24 The benefits of positive relationships with others    Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis?  Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips.     More info and links:   Dr Rachael Hunter was featured on S4E67: ‘Building Resilience with Dr Rachael Hunter’  Follow Dr Hunter on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter  New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page   Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub   Visit the Overcoming MS website    Follow us on social media:  Facebook  Instagram  YouTube  Pinterest  Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.  Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.   If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Nutritional Therapy with Bristol Ambassador Jenna Cox | S6E16

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Jenna Cox as our guest! Jenna is a nutritional therapist who lives with MS and is an Ambassador for the Bristol, UK Circle. In this episode, she talks about dairy alternatives, calcium and bone density on a plant-based diet and probiotics for the gut microbiome.     Topics and Timestamps:  00:58 Jenna’s MS diagnosis  05:12 Adopting the Overcoming MS Program  09:19 Jenna’s work as a nutritional therapist  12:22 Diary-free swaps for milk, cheese and other products  15:16 Calcium and bone density on the Overcoming MS diet  21:30 Nutrition for PMS and PMDD   27:15 Probiotics and the gut microbiome for people with MS  33:31 The link between MS and cardiovascular issues, especially for women    More info and links: New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page    Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub   Learn more about Jenna’s work at www.jennacox.co.uk  Follow Jenna on Instagram @jennacoxnutrition  Check out the Overcoming MS diet recommendations  Check out the Menopause and MS roundtable hosted by Dr Jonny White  Visit the Overcoming MS website   Follow us on social media:   Facebook  Instagram  YouTube  Pinterest    Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.  Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and vibrant life with MS.  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Webinar Highlights: Overcoming MS with ‘talkhealth’ and Dr Jonathan White | S6E15

In this episode, we’re sharing highlights from a ‘talkhealth’ webinar: ‘TH+ Expert Webinar with Dr Jonathan White: Overcoming MS’. In the webinar, Overcoming MS medical advisor, Dr Jonathan White speaks about the evidence and benefits of the Program, his personal MS journey and making healthy changes for life. ‘talkhealth’ is a patient-centric online health community based in the UK, that provides a full range of support services.    Topics and timestamps: 02:25 Intro: Jonathan’s MS diagnosis and Overcoming MS journey.  09:27 The importance of a compassionate diagnosis.  10:14 Finding hope with an MS diagnosis with a healthy lifestyle.  11:29 An overview of the Program.  12:35 How Overcoming MS can prevent other conditions.  13:14 The history of the Overcoming MS charity.  16:27 Connecting through Overcoming MS Circles.   18:39 The research behind the Overcoming MS Program.   22:41 The benefits of physical activity for people with MS.  24:53 Mindfulness and mental health.   28:21 Disease-modifying drugs for MS.   32:14 Preventing MS in family members.   39:24 How to change your life, for life.  42:13 The increase in plant-based options at stores and restaurants.   More info and links:   Watch the original webinar Find out more about ‘talkHealth’  Hear Jonathan on other episodes including the 100th Episode, the menopause roundtable, an introduction to Overcoming MS,  Learn about creating habits with Atomic Habit by James Clear Learn about meditation from Ten Percent Happier Sign up to the 6 Months to Overcoming MS course  New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page  Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub  Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media:  Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out:   Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. You can catch any episode of Living Well with MS here or on your favourite podcast listening app. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune into the show. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org.  Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS.  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, you can leave a donation here.  

Following and supporting Overcoming MS as a couple | S6E14

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Jane and Ian Airey-Regardsoe as our guests! Jane is a member of the Southwest, UK Circle and her husband, Ian is cycling to France as a fundraising challenge, supported by Jane, to benefit Overcoming MS. They chat about adopting the Overcoming MS Program as a couple, their fundraising challenge and why they’ve chosen to support the charity. Watch this episode on YouTube here.  Topics and Timestamps: 01:22 Jane’s MS diagnosis and Overcoming MS journey. 06:49 Adopting the Overcoming MS Program as a partner. 10:08 Tips for adopting the Overcoming MS Program. 11:17 How to improve low vitamin D levels.   14:53 Jane and Ian’s ‘Door to Door cycle’ fundraiser. 16:56 The impact of raising money for Overcoming MS. 18:24 How to prepare for a physical challenge. 24:03 Tips for starting your own fundraising efforts. Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis? Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips. More info and links: Door to Door Challenge Facts: Date: 8th to 27th September Distance: 950 miles (1,564 km) Total Ascent: 59,000 ft Total Descent: 46,400 ft Route: Holcombe Rogus, Poole, Normandy, Britanny, The Loire, Poitou-Charentes, Limousin, Midi Pyrenees View the route here Contribute to Jane and Ian’s fundraising page Follow Jane and Ian’s blog New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out:  Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. Support us:  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.

Highly Sensitive People and MS with Psychotherapeutic Counsellor Rachel Burn | S6E13

Welcome to Living Well with MS, where we are pleased to welcome Rachel Burn as our guest! Rachel is a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and follows the Overcoming MS Program. In this episode, Rachel talks to Geoff about who should work with a therapist, how to choose a therapist, how to unpack our emotions and how to know if you’re a highly sensitive person. Watch this episode on YouTube here. Keep reading for the key episode takeaways. Topics and Timestamps: 01:46 Rachel’s background and her MS and Overcoming MS journey. 08:14 Who should work with a therapist? 09:49 How you should choose a therapist and style of therapy. 12:27 How to unpack your emotions scientifically as waves of chemicals. 16:06 Unhelpful tactics of clinging to emotions or suppressing them. 19:29 The connection with highly sensitive people (HSPs) and autoimmunity. 21:43 How to know if you’re highly sensitive. 26:05 The power of the Overcoming MS community for the newly diagnosed. Want to learn more about living a full and happy life with multiple sclerosis? Sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips. More info and links: Connect with Rachel on the Live Well Hub Follow Rachel on TikTok @born_a_bodymind Listen to Craig Hassed’s episode on meditation tips Find out more about the books that Rachel mentions: Gabor Mate’s book When the Body Says No Elaine Aron’s book The Highly Sensitive Person Bessel van Der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps The Score Susan Gehrig’s book Why Love Matters Lisa Feldman Barrett’s book: How Emotions Are Made 'Key to Successful Therapy' Read about the 90-second life of an emotion New to Overcoming MS? Visit our introductory page Connect with others following Overcoming MS on the Live Well Hub Visit the Overcoming MS website Follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest Don’t miss out:  Subscribe to this podcast and never miss an episode. Listen to our archive of Living Well with MS episodes here. If you like Living Well with MS, please leave a 5-star review. Feel free to share your comments and suggestions for future guests and episode topics by emailing podcast@overcomingms.org. Make sure you sign up to our newsletter to hear our latest tips and news about living a full and happy life with MS. Support us:  If you enjoy this podcast and want to support the ongoing work of Overcoming MS, we would really appreciate it if you could leave a donation here. Every donation, however small, helps us to share the podcast with more people on how to live well with MS.