August 14, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Biomarkers, cow’s milk, EBV vaccine Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Is it MS or something else? Should all autoimmune diseases that damage myelin be called MS? Probably not, according…
August 11, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Who says MS doesn’t hurt? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a pain in my butt ā and other places, too. It hasn’t always been that way. For many years post-diagnosis, I didn’t notice much pain. But of the 43 years I’ve lived with MS, it’s hurt for the past 15. Usually, it’s just…
August 7, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: DMT survey, keto diet, Gilenya generic Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Neurologists comment on DMTs available for RRMS There are 20 disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) available to treat MS in the…
August 4, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias In August, I’m celebrating a big birthday and an MS anniversary “Will you still need me, will you still feed me/ when I’m 64?” Could Paul McCartney have imagined what life would be like at 64 when he wrote that iconic lyric as a teenager, or when the Beatles recorded it in their early 20s? I never could’ve imagined…
July 31, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: AI and MS diagnosis, gut bacteria, DMTs Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Could MS be predicted by an artificial intelligence tool? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to predict…
July 28, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias I’m trying Factor meal service in an attempt to eat healthier My wife hates to cook, except for a big Thanksgiving turkey. I don’t know how to cook, except for scrambled eggs or meat on a grill. So for many years, our meals have pretty much been restaurant (eat-in or carry-out), ready-to-heat from the grocery store, frozen (lasagna or pizza), and,…
July 24, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: DMT use in older people, spinal MRIs, and more Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Are DMTs useful and safe for older MS patients? The MS News Today story “Can elderly MS patients…
July 21, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Why pills became the most popular first DMTs for MS Note: This column describes the authorās own experiences with several disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Times, they’ve been a-changing for disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). When I was diagnosed with multiple…
July 18, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: 10-minute Ocrevus injection, NfL blood test, optic nerve Editor’s note: “MS News Notes” will return to its regular Monday morning schedule next week. Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: A 10-minute injection of…
July 14, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Bottoms up: Why I’m drinking more water because of my MS I’m drinking again, more than I have in years. It’s not the hard stuff, though; not even beer or wine. It’s just plain water. That may sound crazy for someone like me who has bladder problems due to multiple sclerosis (MS). For many of us with MS, we…
July 10, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: New gadolinium agent, myelin, high-efficacy DMTs Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Testing a new MRI contrast agent One concern that some people with MS have when getting an MRI…
July 7, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias We need more advertisements portraying people with disabilities I nearly jumped for joy ā well, I would’ve if I could’ve ā when I saw a new TV commercial for the Expedia travel company the other day. It shows a woman in winter who’s obviously had enough of the cold, ice, and snow. She is desperate to…
July 3, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Stem cell therapy, genetic variant, diet Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Another study shows positive results with stem cell therapy Yet another study has concluded that autologous hematopoietic…
June 30, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias My COVID-19 antibodies are still in my blood, but does it matter? It’s been almost two and a half years since my first COVID-19 vaccine ā eight months since my most recent booster ā and my COVID-19 antibodies seem to still be doing their thing. I know this because, after having nine test tubes of blood drawn, the lab results…
June 26, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Vaccinations, sex coping strategies, myelin repair Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: MS experts offer more than 50 vaccine guidelines I know there are different opinions about vaccines, and I’ve…
June 23, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias A good doctor-patient relationship matters to people with MS “What can Dr. Crayton help you with today?” I was starting my annual multiple sclerosis (MS) checkup with my neurologist, and before I met with her, I got this question from her MS nurse. I was stumped. I’d never been asked that before. I think most people with MS…
June 20, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Clemastine, MS retrospective, PIPE-791 Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Myelin repair and clemastine The Multiple Sclerosis News Today story “MRI method detects myelin repair with…
June 16, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Air4All hopes to make flying with a wheelchair easier I’ve done quite a bit of flying, for business and pleasure, over the 42 years I’ve lived with multiple sclerosis (MS). It’s not easy traveling by air with my scooter, and I can’t imagine trying to fly with a 450-pound power wheelchair. Actually, I don’t have to imagine.
June 12, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Foralumab, Ocrevus, Kesimpta, exercise Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Foralumab shows early positive results for SPMS I’ll say up front that this is a very small study.
June 9, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Could a digital bridge to link brain and spinal cord help those with MS? We all know that the difficulty many of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) have walking can be caused by lesions that damage the nerves along the spinal cord. What if an electronic bridge could be built to carry nerve impulses over those damaged areas? That concept is being…
June 5, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Frexalimab, vidofludimus calcium, Briumvi Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Is CD40L a better way to control MS inflammation? CD40L is a protein thatās involved with activation of…
June 2, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Let’s talk facts about MS and COVID-19 vaccines Since the early days of the COVID-19 vaccination program, disinformation claiming that the vaccines can induce multiple sclerosis (MS) has swirled around social media. Recently, there’s been a resurgence of this type of post, sparked by a report published on the World Health Organization (WHO) website titled “…
May 30, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News Notes: EBV, nabiximols, MRT-6160 Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: A closer look at the EBV-MS link Much has been written over the past few years about the…
May 26, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Sure, there are benefits to having a pet. But with MS, is it wise? I’m just back from walking our dog. My wife, Laura, rescued him about a year ago, and when she heard his name was Toby, like Tobias, she thought it was a sign that he was the dog for us. We’ve had dogs before, but I’m not getting any younger or…
May 22, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Stem cell studies, Ocrevus, fenebrutinib, and more Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Early stem cell transplants I’ve read the headline “Stem cell therapy may do most good when given…
May 19, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Want to take your MS to the beach? Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer vacation in the U.S., is fast approaching. It’s almost time for some summer beach fun ā if we can get there. Beaches can be difficult, if not impossible, to access for many people with multiple sclerosis (MS). But times seem to be…
May 15, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Facial surgery, UK MS rate, omega-3, remyelination Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Surgical treatment of facial pain I’ve never heard of surgery being used as an MS treatment, but…
May 12, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias My 5 wishes for the future of multiple sclerosis A recent post on the MS-Selfie blog asks and answers this question: What is the “greatest unmet need” concerning multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)? Professor Gavin Giovannoni, the London-based neurologist who writes that blog, lists five unmet needs, many of which I agree with. But those needs are from the viewpoint…
May 8, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Ocrevus, assistive devices, virtual reality, Briumvi Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a Monday morning column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at whatās been happening: Study: Starting Ocrevus early is better than later The MS News Today story “AAN 2023: Early…
May 5, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Artificial intelligence moves into the MS exam room. But should it? Is artificial intelligence (AI) intelligent enough to help make a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS)? Apparently so, and more. In the United Kingdom, a project named AssistMS is studying whether AI can be used to detect and highlight changes on brain MRIs. An algorithm software called…