Highlights
- Christina Applegate says doctors have concluded she does not have multiple sclerosis (MS), five years after her initial diagnosis.
- The actress revealed she was left in tears and is still experiencing debilitating symptoms.
- Further investigations are due to begin as she seeks answers about her health.
Christina Applegate has revealed that doctors have overturned her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis after five years, leaving the actress facing fresh uncertainty about the cause of her ongoing health problems.
The Anchorman and Married... with Children star shared the news on her podcast, Messy, co-hosted by Jamie-Lynn Sigler. Applegate said she was far from relieved by the development, as her symptoms have continued and she still does not know what is causing them.
“You don't get misdiagnosed and then all of the sudden I'm better,” she said in an episode released on Tuesday. “If anything, I've gotten worse.”
The two-part episode marked her return to the podcast after a break to process the news. She said further investigations into her daily symptoms were due to begin the following week.
“I'm back at square one where I don't know what's going on with me,” she added.
Christina Applegate reveals emotional reaction to MS diagnosis reversal
Applegate said her doctors began reconsidering her diagnosis after her physician suggested stopping her MS infusion treatment a few years ago to see how her body responded.
During the period without treatment, her body did not react in a way that indicated she had MS. Doctors subsequently examined her case further and concluded that she did not have the autoimmune condition.
Recalling the moment she was told, Applegate said her doctor entered her room and announced: “Congratulations, you don't have MS.”
However, the news did not bring the relief others might have expected.
“I was, like, not happy at all,” she said, explaining that she became tearful while those around her were happy about the result.
The reversal has left her without an explanation for the symptoms that continue to affect her daily life.
Why MS can be misdiagnosed
Medical experts say diagnosing MS can be complicated because its symptoms vary and there is no single test that can definitively confirm or rule out the condition.
Dr Marwa Kaisey, who appeared on Applegate's podcast, explained that diagnosis depends on a set of clinical criteria rather than one conclusive test.
Dr Michael Kornberg, an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, noted that receiving a different diagnosis after years of living with a condition can be deeply unsettling.
Research suggests that around 15 to 20 per cent of people diagnosed with MS may not actually have the disease, according to Elena Grebenciucova, a neuroimmunology physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
MS is commonly investigated using MRI scans of the brain and spinal cord to identify lesions. However, similar white matter changes can occur with other conditions, including migraines and vascular risk factors. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause neurological symptoms that resemble those associated with MS.
Dr Philip De Jager, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, described MS as a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring doctors to assess a patient's medical history alongside laboratory tests and other investigations. He also advised patients to seek second opinions when appropriate.
Applegate’s ongoing health struggles
Applegate announced her MS diagnosis in August 2021, after experiencing symptoms for some time.
“It's been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps on going,” she said at the time.
In subsequent years, she spoke openly about the emotional toll of her health struggles. During a 2024 episode of her podcast, she described being in a deep depression and said she no longer enjoyed living or the things she once loved.
In an interview with The New York Times, she also revealed that she could not walk without a cane and used a wheelchair while filming the Netflix series Dead to Me.
The actress's latest revelation marks another difficult chapter in her health journey. Although doctors have reportedly ruled out MS, the cause of her ongoing symptoms remains unknown, and further investigations are expected to shed light on her condition.
