Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

MS Living Well: Key Info from Multiple Sclerosis Experts

Progressive multiple sclerosis can be a worrisome diagnosis, filled with questions about one's personal future including independence. In this podcast, Mark Webb shares his personal story of transition to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis with incredible resiliency, brilliant humor and tenacious optimism. He explains how MS has affected his career from Euro Disney to Head of Communications at Shift.ms, a global online MS community. He candidly describes the impact of the disease on his functioning including cognition, mobility and bladder and how he has adapted to these obstacles. Mark reflects on his acceptance of progressive MS and emphasizes his motivation to make a difference for himself, his family and the MS community.

Dr. Gavin Giovannoni describes in the podcast primary progressive MS, secondary progressive MS and active secondary progressive MS and whether or not these are truly different conditions. He moves beyond labels and explains that people with progressive disease, even those with limited mobility, can still be at risk of relapses affecting vision and arms. Continuing, switching or stopping disease-modifying therapy in progressive multiple sclerosis patients are covered. The impact of early MS damage, aging and ongoing, smoldering inflammation on progressive disease is described. Progressive multiple sclerosis treatments in clinical trials are highlighted including masitinib, BTK inhibitors, ibudilast, simvastatin, biotin, lipoic acid and remyelination strategies.

Mark Webb is Head of Communications for Shift.ms, an online community of over 38,000 people living with MS. Mark lives with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and first developed MS symptoms back in 1992. He's a blog writer: onemanandhiscatheters.com, public speaker and rugby wheelchair player. Mark lives in the U.K. with wife and 2 sons.

Gavin Giovannoni MBBCh, PhD, FCP, FRCP, FRCPath is the Chair of Neurology of the Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London. Professor Giovannoni completed his medical training and neurology training in South Africa. In addition, he completed a PhD in immunology from the University of London in 1998. He is particularly interested in clinical issues related to optimizing MS disease-modifying therapies including progressive disease.

Visit www.mslivingwell.org for more information.

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