Emmy-winning actress Christina Applegate announced Tuesday that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, more than five years after she first shared that she had the chronic condition.
Applegate, 54, revealed the findings during a two-part episode of her podcast “MeSsy,” which she co-hosts with fellow actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler. Variety and CBS News reported that Applegate took a hiatus from the program to process the medical development before addressing it publicly.
The former “Dead to Me” star said her physician informed her that recent testing showed she does not have multiple sclerosis. Rather than providing relief, the development left her unsettled, as her physical condition has not improved.
“This may come as great news, but to me, I’m back at square one,” Applegate said on the program, recounting that her doctor entered the room and said, “Congratulations, you don’t have MS.” Applegate added, “You don’t get misdiagnosed and then all of the sudden I’m better. I haven’t gotten better … If anything, I’ve gotten worse in some ways.”
Ongoing symptoms and emotional toll
Applegate first disclosed her MS diagnosis in 2021 while filming the final season of the Netflix series “Dead to Me.” The illness eventually led her to step away from on-camera acting. After going public, she became an outspoken voice for disability awareness and chronic illness support alongside Sigler, who has lived with MS for years.
Applegate noted on the podcast that the reversal felt disorienting after years of speaking on behalf of patients. “It’s weird because I feel like I let everybody down,” she said, calling the situation “very unnerving and it’s really confusing for me.”
Despite the lack of an MS diagnosis, Applegate said severe symptoms continue to disrupt her daily life. She undergoes physical therapy three times every week and still relies on mobility aids. She explained that she cannot walk from a vehicle into medical offices without using a wheelchair, adding, “Nothing magical happened when she said, ‘You don’t have MS.’ Nothing magical happened.”
Medical testing and diagnostic challenges
According to CBS News, the reevaluation began after Applegate’s physician paused an infusion therapy a few years ago to examine how her B cells would respond. When the cell count showed no change, specialists launched a closer review of her condition. Her initial evaluation in 2021 had included a spinal tap and magnetic resonance imaging scans that revealed brain lesions.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly targets the central nervous system, damaging nerve fibers. Medical experts note that diagnosing the disorder is notoriously complex because there is no single conclusive test, and symptoms such as tingling, numbness, dizziness and severe fatigue can stem from numerous other medical issues.
During the podcast, Dr. Marwa Kaisey, an associate professor of neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, explained that MS misdiagnoses are not unusual. Kaisey noted that research indicates nearly one in five individuals who receive an MS diagnosis do not actually have the disorder.
Applegate said her medical team plans to start an extensive investigation next week to determine what has caused her chronic health problems since 2021.
