You’ve received the diagnosis—now how do you get the right treatment? In Episode 8, dives into the complex, sometimes adversarial world of MS medications and clinical bureaucracy. Moving beyond the standard CIS label, this episode charts the path from being prescribed Aubagio to fighting institutional resistance to access high-efficacy, pulsed therapies. Hear the candid story of navigating falsified doctor notes, firing a neurologist who...
Friday, March 19th, 2021. The day everything changed, and the day the medical system failed completely. In the premiere of the "Recent History" era, takes listeners inside VCU Medical Center in Richmond, VA. From a dying car engine to being forgotten in a waiting room at closing time, discover the chaotic reality of receiving a Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS) diagnosis. This episode explores the vital importance of auditing your own medical...
In Episode 6, we explore the breaking point of the "History" era (2014–2021). pulls back the curtain on the mental exhaustion of balancing a four-hour daily commute, newborn twins, and a barrage of surgeries, all while battling the invisible, crushing fatigue of MS. This episode explores the moment decided to fire his neurologist, throw away his medications, and step into a period of medical isolation just as the world faced the 2020...
How do you manage debilitating pain without waking hereditary demons? In Episode 5, we enter the core of "History" (2014–2021) and explore the chemical reality of clearing numerous medical hurdles. While still without an official Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, the sheer volume of surgeries meant that Oxy, liquid Vicodin, and anti-vertigo medications became the new norm. candidly shares the internal battle of relying on these powerful opioids...
In Episode 4, we enter "History" (2014–2021). This was the era of the great medical "ruling out." Timothy Brien shares the dizzying journey of being treated for bilateral carpal tunnel by an MS specialist who began pulling on the threads of his medical history. From spinal fusions and brain fistulas to nasal nodules and twin infants, this episode explores the chaos of seeking a diagnosis while life is happening at full speed.In This...
What do you do when you have symptoms but no label for them? In Episode 3, we look at the dangerous "middle ground" of MS—the time between the first lesions and a formal diagnosis. Timothy Brien discusses the struggle of managing neuropathy with "solutions" like Niacin that caused more discomfort than relief, and the slippery slope of self-medicating with alcohol and pot to numb the pain.In This Episode:The Niacin Flush: Dealing with the...
In Episode 2, we dive deeper into the "Ancient History" era (2009–2014). As Tim Brien transitions from a beanbag chair in Chicago to a new life and marriage in Fredericksburg, VA, his MS symptoms begin to mount. This episode explores the physical and cognitive "noise" of early RRMS—from numbness in the hands to the subtle, frustrating start of cognitive slowing.In This Episode:The Physical Puzzle: Managing hand numbness while navigating a...
Summary: In the series premiere of My Solo MS Journey, we travel back to "Ancient History"—Chicago, 2009. Timothy Brien shares the unlikely story of his diagnosis, which didn't start with a limp or blurred vision, but with a trip to the VA to investigate ED. Discover how a search for pituitary issues led to the discovery of three dime-sized lesions and changed everything while he was living on a friend’s beanbag chair and starting a new...
If you or someone you love has just received a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis, this episode is for you. Join for the trailer of My Solo MS Journey, a 9-part limited series that maps out 17 years of living with Relapsing Remitting MS (RRMS). From the "Ancient History" of daily shots in 2009 to the modern era of high-efficacy pulsed therapies like Mavenclad in 2026, this series is designed to show you that a diagnosis is not a stop...
