Christina Applegate Reveals She Does Not Have Multiple Sclerosis After Years of Symptoms

Christina Applegate has revealed that she has been misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and does not have the condition, despite experiencing debilitating symptoms since early 2021.

Applegate, 54, shared the unexpected news on a recent episode of her podcast, "Messy," which she co-hosts with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also battles MS. She described the moment her doctor delivered the news, stating, "She came into my room and said, ‘Congratulations, you don’t have MS.’"

The actress expressed her confusion and distress over the revelation, noting, "I was, like, not happy at all. Everybody else was so happy." She explained that the misdiagnosis has not resolved her health issues, and her symptoms have, if anything, worsened. "I haven’t gotten better, Jamie! If anything, I’ve gotten worse. So I’m back at square one where I don’t know what’s going on with me," Applegate said. She plans to undergo further medical investigation to understand the cause of her persistent symptoms since 2021.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, incurable disease where the immune system attacks the central nervous system, causing nerve damage. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include fatigue, difficulty walking, vision problems, and cognitive challenges. Applegate had previously spoken openly about how the condition had significantly impacted her life, forcing her to step away from her acting career and rely on a wheelchair and cane. "I’ve gone through a great depression because of it," she admitted. "But I lost everything. I lost my job."

Applegate had publicly announced her MS diagnosis in August 2021. She had previously shared that she had been hospitalized multiple times and undergone numerous tests for the condition. In February, she mentioned that she was mainly confined to her bed due to pain, though she made efforts to take her teenage daughter to school. "I want to take her; it’s my favorite thing to do. It’s the only time we have together by ourselves," she told People magazine.

Her memoir, "You With The Sad Eyes," released in March, also detailed her experiences with the illness, including the profound exhaustion she felt. "One of the worst side-effects of the illness is the exhaustion. It feels as though I’ve been on a three-day sleepless bender – and that’s how I feel after a good night’s sleep. Hence all the time I spend on and in bed, snuggled up against my heating pad," she wrote in an excerpt published by The Guardian.

Applegate was reportedly discharged from a Los Angeles hospital in August after a months-long stay, with sources telling TMZ she was doing well at home. Details surrounding the reason for her hospitalization remain unclear, as do the specifics of her ongoing health struggles beyond the now-disputed MS diagnosis. Representatives for Applegate have declined to comment on her hospitalization or medical treatments, stating only that she has a "long history of complicated medical conditions."