
Christina Applegate shocked fans with the revelation that she’d been misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and that the debilitating health issues she’s dealt with for the past five years are not due to MS, but from an as-yet-unknown medical malady.
Applegate shared the news on the Tuesday, October 20 edition of the “MeSsy” podcast, which she co-hosts with “Sopranos” alum Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who went public with her MS diagnosis in 2016.
Sigler Remains By Applegate’s Side
During the podcast — in which Applegate made her first appearance after being hospitalized for several months — Sigler declared her unwavering support for Applegate, insisting that even though Applegate doesn’t have MS, she and the entire MS community are still behind her.
“Me and this whole community are going to be here by your side as we figure this out, and even if you don’t — still,” Sigler said, as reported by Us Weekly.
“Everything’s just a name,” Sigler added. “I could have MS. You could have something different, and our bodies could be very, very similar in what they’re battling and struggling with. Just give yourself grace.”
‘The Same Game with a Different Name’
Revealing her misdiagnosis on the podcast, Applegate shared her frustration over not knowing what has been causing the debilitating health woes that have plagued her for more than five years.
“It’s the same game with a different name. That’s what I keep saying,” Applegate said.
“I’m sure there are so many of our listeners too that have been misdiagnosed in some way. … There’s a lot, she added. “More than you’d think.”
Meanwhile, Sigler encouraged Applegate to continue to focus on her health.
“Maybe you’re just listening to your body right now. Maybe you’re just really in tune and taking care of yourself. I don’t know,” Sigler said.
“I’m going to keep trying to err on the side of positive for you because I just have this vision of a lot of possibilities for you,” she continued. “I want to hold that because you deserve that. I’m just so happy you’re back, and I don’t have to do this without you.”
Her Condition Has Worsened

While revealing she’d been misdiagnosed, Applegate broke down in tears recalling how her doctor told her that her symptoms were not caused by MS.
“She came into my room and said, ‘Congratulations, you don’t have MS,’ ” Applegate shared. “I was, like, not happy at all. Everybody else was so happy.”
Applegate — who was diagnosed with MS in 2021 — explained she didn’t see that as the good news others did because now she had no explanation for the health issues she’s been experiencing for the past five years.
“You don’t get misdiagnosed and then all of the sudden I’m better,” Applegate told Sigler. “I haven’t gotten better, Jamie! If anything, I’ve gotten worse.”
As she told Sigler, she still has great difficulty walking, and often requires a wheelchair. “I can’t walk from the car to the room. I’m still in this,” she said, referencing her wheelchair.
Beyond the physical aspects, Applegate also detailed the mental anguish she’s been enduring because of what she had believed to be MS.
“I’ve gone through a great depression because of it,” she said. “But I lost everything. I lost my job.”
At the same time, Applegate also feels a sense of guilt toward a community that’s embraced her, and become a huge part of her life for the past five years.
“It’s weird because I feel like I let everybody down,” she admitted.
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‘Sopranos’ Alum Jamie-Lynn Sigler Shares Support for Christina Applegate After MS Misdiagnosis: ‘Give Yourself Grace’