Actress Christina Applegate learns she never had multiple sclerosis after five‑year misdiagnosis

Christina Applegate discovered she was never diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, ending a five‑year belief that she lived with the disease. The revelation came during Tuesday’s episode of her Messy podcast, where the star said she felt “not happy at all” and was in tears upon hearing the news. She added that her symptoms have continued to worsen despite the correction. In the same episode she explained that a doctor had asked her to stop the infusion therapy she was receiving for MS to see how her body reacted. When the medication was paused, her condition did not improve in a way that would confirm MS, prompting further investigations. Doctors then concluded she did not have the autoimmune disorder and one physician told her, “Congratulations, you don’t have MS.” Applegate said she was upset while others around her expressed relief. The podcast also featured Dr Marwa Kaisey, who noted that MS misdiagnoses are common because symptoms vary and there is no single test. Research cited by neuroimmunology specialist Elena Grebenciucova suggests that 15‑20 % of people labeled with MS actually have a different condition. Diagnosis typically relies on MRI‑detected brain or spinal‑cord lesions, which can also appear in migraines, high blood pressure, high sugar or cholesterol, and even vitamin B12 deficiency. Columbia University neurologist Philip De Jager called MS a diagnosis of exclusion and urged patients to seek second opinions. Applegate, first diagnosed in August 2021, has spoken openly about depression and loss of enjoyment in life, noting she needed a cane and a wheelchair while filming Netflix’s Dead to Me. An investigation into the true cause of her daily debilitating symptoms will start next week, leaving her “back at square one.”

Context

MS is usually confirmed by a pattern of MRI lesions and a range of clinical criteria; because those signs overlap with other health issues, doctors often have to rule out alternatives before confirming the disease.