NEED TO KNOW
Christina Applegate learned from her doctor that she does not have multiple sclerosis despite experiencing debilitating symptoms since 2021
The actress said her condition had worsened and doctors would investigate the cause of her health problems.
Applegate returned to Messy podcast after taking time to process diagnosis change and other health issues
Christina Applegate returned to host it Messy podcast with shocking news.
On Tuesday, October 20, Applegate and co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler released back-to-back episodes of their podcast, in which the actresses have raw discussions about their respective journeys with multiple sclerosis.
However, during her return episode, Applegate, 54, emotionally shared that she took time away from the podcast to process a new revelation from her doctor — she did not, in fact, have MS.
“She came into my room and said, ‘Congratulations, you don’t have MS,'” Applegate recalled through tears. “I wasn’t happy at all. Everyone was so happy.”
Applegate noted that although she learned she had been misdiagnosed, it had no impact on her debilitating symptoms.
“There’s no misdiagnosis and all of a sudden I’m better,” Applegate continued. “I haven’t gotten better, Jamie! If anything, I’ve gotten worse. So I’m back to square one where I don’t know what’s happening to me. And this will be an online survey that my doctors are going to embark on just to find out what’s been happening since 2021, why did this happen?”
Christina Applegate attends the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
In the second part of the podcast, Applegate got emotional again, saying: “I went through a big depression because of this. But I lost everything. I lost my job. I lost – I’m sorry. What do you say to someone who’s been living with this for six years – my God, I’m so sorry – because it stopped my life. I still have to use a wheelchair when I go to the doctor. I can’t walk from the car to the room. I’m still Nothing magical happened when she said, “You don’t have MS.”
THE Dead for me The actress admitted to struggling to find her place in the MS community, especially after building a community of others diagnosed with MS.
“It’s weird because I feel like I’m letting everyone down,” Applegate said. “It’s this weird feeling because I became that – you and me, the poster children of MS. And everything I did. I had a reason. I had a fucking reason why my day sucked every day. And now I don’t have a reason and it’s very annoying and very confusing to me.”
Applegate with Anthony Anderson at the Emmy Awards in January 2024
Credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty
Applegate said she was still in a “state of shock” over the misdiagnosis, calling it “mindf—.”
The Emmy winner added that she took time off from the podcast to “process” the news while experimenting with “some health stuff.”
Ultimately, Applegate said she views her health journey as “the same game with a different name.”
The Emmy Award-winning actress last appeared on the podcast in March.
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On March 31, Sigler announced that the duo was taking a short break Messy. Shortly after, it was reported that Applegate had been hospitalized due to complications from her multiple sclerosis. The podcast resumed on April 21, and Sigler spent the next few months recording solo episodes while also featuring special guests.
Applegate was initially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021. The progressive disease damages the protective covering around nerves, called myelin, in the central nervous system, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This can cause muscle weakness, vision changes, numbness, memory loss, and gastrointestinal problems.
The actress first addressed reports of her hospitalization via Instagram in April, shortly after the publication of her memoir, You with sad eyes. She thanked fans for their support and added: “Health issues are a constant for me, but I’m a strong girl and I’m getting stronger and better every day.”
“I’m taking a moment to focus on my health, but I’ll be back with more to say soon enough,” she said at the time.
In August, a source told PEOPLE that she came home from the hospital and was “doing great.”
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