Christina Applegate says debilitating symptoms continue despite MS misdiagnosis

She says receiving a new diagnosis has brought emotional challenges as she struggles to understand her condition

Christina Applegate is undergoing further medical testing after discovering she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, revealing that doctors are now investigating other conditions that could explain her ongoing symptoms.

During the November 3 episode of her MesSy podcast, co-hosted with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Applegate discussed her health journey with guest Jack Osbourne, who also has multiple sclerosis.

The 54-year-old actress explained that she and her medical team are returning to the beginning of the diagnostic process and examining illnesses that can produce symptoms similar to MS.

“We are going into square one, just doing some testing and going one by one of the sister diseases to MS,” she said.

Applegate named rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Lyme disease among the conditions doctors are investigating. “All these things can kind of mimic MS,” she explained, adding that she was being tested “slowly but surely”.

The actress revealed in October that she had been misdiagnosed after initially receiving an MS diagnosis in 2021. Although the news meant she did not have the progressive neurological disease, Applegate said her physical symptoms had not disappeared.

She described continuing to experience severe mobility difficulties, including needing a wheelchair when visiting medical facilities. The diagnosis also brought emotional distress, as she struggled to process the years spent believing she had MS.

Applegate said she had built a community around her diagnosis and found it difficult to understand her situation after learning it was incorrect.

Neurologist Dr Marwa Kaisey, who appeared on the podcast, explained that diagnosing MS can be challenging because there is no single definitive test. Instead, doctors rely on a combination of clinical findings and diagnostic criteria.

Kaisey also cited research suggesting that nearly 20% of people diagnosed with MS may have been incorrectly diagnosed, highlighting the importance of careful medical evaluation.

Applegate has yet to reveal the results of her latest tests.