Christina Applegate Reveals She Was Misdiagnosed With MS: 'I've Gotten Worse'
Christina Applegate has shared a stunning health update: after more than five years of living publicly with multiple sclerosis, the actress says doctors have now told her she does not have MS at all.
The "Dead to Me" star, 54, made the revelation on Tuesday's episode of "MeSsy," the podcast she co-hosts with her friend and fellow actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, ABC News reported.
"Congratulations, You Don't Have MS"
Applegate recalled the moment a doctor delivered the news.
"She came into my room and said, 'Congratulations, you don't have MS,'" she said, according to Men's Journal.
But Applegate said the news did not feel like a reason to celebrate. While others around her were happy, she was in tears, because her symptoms have not gone away.
"I haven't gotten better, Jamie! If anything, I've gotten worse," she told Sigler.
She still uses a wheelchair at doctors' offices and said she cannot walk from her car to the exam room. Applegate also said she has lost "everything" during her health battle, including her job.
Back to Square One
Now, Applegate and her doctors are trying to figure out what has been causing her symptoms since 2021.
"And now I don't have a reason and it's very unnerving and it's very confusing for me," she said, according to The Express Tribune. She described her situation as "the same game with a different name." She has not shared what doctors suspect may be behind her symptoms, or how long the search for answers could take.
Applegate also opened up about the emotional toll. In a later episode, she described going through a period of deep depression while processing the news. She said she now feels unsure of her place in the MS community, where she had become one of the most recognizable voices, and worries that she let people down.
How Common Is an MS Misdiagnosis?
The podcast's second episode featured Dr. Marwa Kaisey, an associate professor of neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Kaisey explained that misdiagnosis is fairly common because there is no single test that can confirm MS. Instead, doctors rely on a set of criteria to make the diagnosis. She said about 20% of patients diagnosed with MS are later found to have been misdiagnosed.
MS is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, and its symptoms can overlap with many other conditions.
A Long Road Since 2021
Applegate first revealed her MS diagnosis on social media in August 2021. In the years since, she has spoken openly about her health in interviews, on social media and on "MeSsy," which she launched with Sigler to talk candidly about life with the disease.
Sigler was diagnosed with MS at age 20 and went public with her diagnosis in 2016. When the pair launched the show in 2024, Applegate said she hoped listeners living with MS would know "you're not alone," Entertainment Tonight reported. At the time, she described legs that hurt so much she could not sit through a movie, and called the podcast "kind of my coming out party."
Tuesday's episodes marked the podcast's return after about seven months off the air. The show announced a break on March 31, and Applegate was reportedly hospitalized in Los Angeles around that time. Her representative declined to share details about her treatment. She remained under medical care for several months and returned home in August, according to reports.
Best known for her roles in "Married... with Children," "Anchorman" and "Dead to Me," Applegate has earned praise from fans for her honesty about her health. Her doctors are continuing to look for answers.
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