TLDR
Christina Applegate revealed on her podcast that her doctor reversed her 2021 multiple sclerosis diagnosis, leaving her without an explanation for debilitating symptoms that have not improved. She said she is back at square one, and up to 25 per cent of MS diagnoses may be incorrect.
What Applegate said on the podcast
During a recent episode of her podcast, Christina Applegate disclosed that her doctor had reversed the multiple sclerosis diagnosis she had received, with the doctor telling her that she does not have the disease.[1] The announcement came on MeSsy, the podcast she co-hosts with actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, which launched on 19 March 2024.[2]
"I'm back at square one where I don't know what's going on with me," she said. Applegate also pushed back on any suggestion that a reversed diagnosis brings relief: "You don't get misdiagnosed and then all of a sudden I'm better."[1]
MeSsy was built around both hosts sharing personal experiences with MS.[3] Sigler has lived with the disease for more than two decades, while Applegate went public with her own diagnosis in 2021.
Symptoms remain despite the reversed diagnosis
Applegate continues to experience debilitating symptoms and said the reversal has left her without any medical explanation for what she is going through.[1] Her medical team has yet to confirm an alternative diagnosis that would account for the debilitating symptoms she continues to experience.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath protecting nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord, producing symptoms including fatigue, vision problems, coordination difficulties and chronic pain.
How common MS misdiagnosis is and what conditions can mimic it
A study published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders found that up to 25 per cent of people diagnosed with MS may have received an incorrect diagnosis, according to MS Australia.[4]
Diagnosing MS typically requires a combination of MRI imaging to detect lesions in the central nervous system, neurological examinations and, in some cases, analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.[4] Because every element of that process can be influenced by other conditions, doctors must actively rule out alternatives before settling on an MS diagnosis.
Conditions that can produce similar presentations include vitamin B12 deficiency, genetic disorders, neuromyelitis optica and structural spinal abnormalities.[4]
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