Christina Applegate has revealed that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, despite continuing to experience symptoms which she says have worsened over time.
The actress made the announcement as she returned to her podcast, MeSsy, alongside co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, after taking a sabbatical in March. Applegate said she had needed time away to process what her doctor had told her.
She recalled her doctor entering a room and congratulating her before telling her that she did not have MS, an autoimmune disease affecting the brain and spinal cord.
Applegate said she broke down in tears, but stressed that they were not tears of relief. “I was, like, not happy at all. Everybody else was so happy,” she said.
Christina Applegate says MS symptoms have worsened
Applegate was diagnosed with MS in August 2021, after likely experiencing symptoms for years. She and Sigler had regularly discussed the impact of the condition on their lives, with Sigler having been diagnosed in 2001.
During the second episode of the podcast’s return, the pair were joined by Dr Marwa Kaisey, a neurologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre.
Dr Kaisey said MS misdiagnosis was “fairly common” because there is no single test for the condition. She explained: “It’s not like we have something like a pregnancy test that says ‘yes, you have it. No, you don’t.’ It’s a list of criteria.”
She said that one in five people were misdiagnosed with MS.
Applegate pointed out that, although she had been misdiagnosed, she still experienced severe symptoms and believed they had become worse over time.
The actress was hospitalised in Los Angeles in late March, although the reason for her admission was not disclosed. She remained under medical care for nearly four months before being discharged in August.
