By Basant El-Faramawy
Actress Christina Applegate has provided a new health update weeks after revealing she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, saying she is now being tested for other conditions that mimic the disease.
Misdiagnosis revealed on podcast
Applegate, 54, announced the misdiagnosis on the October 20 episode of her MeSsy podcast, which she co-hosts with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who was diagnosed with MS in 2016. Applegate had been diagnosed with MS in 2021 and retired from acting in 2022 after the final season of the Netflix series "Dead to Me." She said new technology contributed to the revised finding, but described the news as a return to "square one" rather than a relief.
Testing for similar conditions
On the latest podcast episode, Applegate explained that she is undergoing tests for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Lyme disease, and other ailments that can mimic MS symptoms. She said she continues to experience debilitating pain and has not improved since the misdiagnosis.
Struggle with identity and uncertainty
Applegate said it is difficult to shake the MS identity she has lived with for years. She expressed frustration that the misdiagnosis has not led to feeling better, and that doctors are now finding "something different" but have not yet identified the exact condition. She also noted that MS misdiagnoses occur at a high rate.
