The key facts
- Christina Applegate, who believed she had been living with multiple sclerosis since 2021, learned the diagnosis was false
- Her symptoms persist; investigation into the causes begins next week
- According to doctors, MS misdiagnoses occur in roughly 15–20% of cases
A False Diagnosis After Five Years
Actress Christina Applegate, known for the series 'Married... with Children' and 'Anchorman,' said in an episode of her MeSsy podcast that for five years she believed she had multiple sclerosis, but recently learned the diagnosis was wrong. She was diagnosed with MS in August 2021 after prolonged symptoms. 'You don't get misdiagnosed and then suddenly I become better — she said. — If anything, I got worse.' She learned the news in tears and was 'not happy at all,' while those around her, according to her, were rejoicing.
What Happened
According to Applegate, several years ago her doctor suggested stopping her MS infusion treatment to observe her body's reaction. During the pause, her body did not react the way it would be expected to with MS. Doctors reviewed the case and concluded she does not have an autoimmune disease. 'She walked into my room and said: Congratulations, you don't have MS,' the actress recalled. She noted that the diagnosis had given her clarity and a path forward, and now she is 'back at square one' and does not know what is happening to her. The two-part episode with co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who has herself had MS for more than two decades, concludes Applegate's break from the podcast; the investigation into the causes of her debilitating daily symptoms begins next week. 'I still need wheelchairs when I go to the doctor. I can't walk from the car to the office. I'm still in this,' she said.
Why MS Misdiagnoses Are Not Uncommon
Doctors invited to the episode explained that MS is difficult to diagnose. Dr. Marwa Kaisey noted that symptoms are inconsistent and there is no universal test: 'It's not a pregnancy test that says yes or no. It's a list of criteria.' According to data cited by neuroimmunologist Elena Grebenciucova of Northwestern University, research shows that about 15–20% of patients diagnosed with MS are actually not ill with it (according to Cleveland Clinic data reported by AFP, roughly one fifth of cases). The diagnosis is usually made based on multiple lesions on an MRI of the brain or spinal cord, but such white matter spots can be signs of migraines, high blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol; vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms similar to MS. Dr. Philip De Jager, director of the Columbia University Multiple Sclerosis Center, called MS 'a diagnosis of exclusion' and advised patients to seek a second opinion. Dr. Michael Kornberg of Johns Hopkins University noted that a misdiagnosis is extremely hard psychologically: 'It becomes part of your identity... To live with it for five years and then get a different diagnosis — that is very hard.'
Background
Applegate first announced her MS diagnosis in August 2021, saying at the time: 'It's been a strange journey. But as we all know, the road keeps going.' She later described 'real depression,' and in a 2024 podcast episode said: 'I don't enjoy living. I don't enjoy anything anymore.' In an interview with the New York Times, she said she cannot walk without a cane and used a wheelchair during filming of the Netflix series Dead to Me. According to AFP, while Applegate was dealing with her health, including a lengthy hospitalization, Sigler hosted the podcast alone for several months.
Image source, AFP 
Image source, Getty Images Applegate with her Dead to Me costar Linda Cardellini, carrying a cane as she receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022
