Christina Applegate Revealed She Was Misdiagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis
Actress Christina Applegate announced she was misdiagnosed with MS, revealing new MRI tech showed she does not have the disease, but her symptoms persist.
Key facts
- Applegate was diagnosed with MS in 2021.
- She announced the misdiagnosis on her MeSsy podcast in October 2026.
- New MRI technology indicated she does not have MS.
- She reports ongoing symptoms that match MS.
- Misdiagnosis rates for MS are high.
Christina Applegate returned to her MeSsy podcast after a seven‑month break to share that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021.
According to Variety, new MRI technology showed she does not have MS, and her doctor confirmed the misdiagnosis during a recent visit.
Applegate said she still experiences symptoms that match MS, and she described feeling back at "square one" as she seeks a new diagnosis.
She expressed that the revelation was emotionally difficult and that she feels she has let the MS community down.
Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reported that misdiagnoses of MS are common, and that Applegate will now work with specialists to investigate her condition.
Context
The misdiagnosis was discovered after Applegate underwent extensive testing, including brain and spinal MRIs, and a spinal tap, which initially suggested a low‑scale relapsing‑remitting MS. The new imaging technology contradicted earlier findings, prompting a reevaluation of her diagnosis.
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