Christina Applegate was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis for 5 years
What's the story
Hollywood actor Christina Applegate, known for her roles in Anchorman and Married With Children, has revealed that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) for five years. The revelation came during a recent episode of her podcast Messy, where she expressed her discontent over the news. "You don't get misdiagnosed and then all of the sudden I'm better," Applegate said on Tuesday. "If anything, I've gotten worse."
Diagnosis journey
Applegate's doctor suggested stopping MS infusion treatment
The two-part episode, co-hosted by Jamie Sigler, marks Applegate's return after a break to process this shocking news.
She revealed that her doctor had suggested stopping her MS infusion treatment a few years ago to see how her body reacted.
During this period, her body didn't show any signs of having MS, prompting doctors to investigate further and eventually rule out the autoimmune disease.
Emotional response
Investigation into her debilitating symptoms will begin next week
Applegate recalled the moment when she was told that she didn't have MS.
"She came into my room and said, 'Congratulations, you don't have MS,'" she said. "I was, like, not happy at all." "Everybody else was so happy."
The actor also revealed that an investigation into her "debilitating symptoms," which she experiences daily, will start next week.
Medical insight
'To live with that for 5 years...is really unsettling'
Dr. Michael Kornberg, an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said, via the BBC, that misdiagnoses can be extremely distressing for people dealing with chronic illnesses.
"It becomes part of your identity," he explained, adding that there is a "comfort" in knowing what is happening inside your body.
"To live with that for five years and then to be given a different diagnosis is really unsettling."
Medical perspective
'It's not like we have something like a pregnancy test'
Dr. Marwa Kaisey, a guest on Tuesday's episode, said MS misdiagnoses are not uncommon due to inconsistent symptoms and lack of universal testing.
"It's not like we have something like a pregnancy test that says 'yes, you have it. No, you don't,'" she said. "It's a list of criteria."
Research suggests that about 15-20% of patients diagnosed with MS do not actually have the disease, according to Elena Grebenciucova, a neuroimmunology physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
Personal struggle
Applegate was 1st diagnosed with MS in August 2021
Applegate was first diagnosed with MS in August 2021 after experiencing symptoms for some time.
Years later, she spoke of being in a "real depression" and said she didn't enjoy living or things anymore.
She had previously revealed that she couldn't walk without a cane and used a wheelchair while filming the Netflix series Dead To Me.
MS causes muscle stiffness and problems with walking and talking.