Christina Applegate Says She Was Misdiagnosed With MS, Is 'Back at Square One'

Actress Christina Applegate said on her podcast "MeSsy" on Tuesday that she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis, more than five years after she announced the diagnosis publicly in 2021. Applegate, 54, said a doctor told her she does not have MS, and that she is "back at square one" about what is causing her symptoms. She said she has not improved and has in some ways gotten worse. The two episodes, hosted with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, mark her return after a seven-month break for health reasons. Applegate retired from acting after the 2021 diagnosis. Dr. Elena Grebenciucova of Northwestern Medicine told the New York Post that up to 1 in 5 patients diagnosed with MS may have a different condition.

Left-leaning coverage, from CBS News, centers on a medical correspondent, Dr. Cèline Gounder, explaining how a misdiagnosis could happen. Alternative outlets focus on Applegate's own account: Straight Arrow News calls misdiagnosis common, while The A.V. Club stresses her emotional reaction, including feeling she let people down as an advocate. Right-leaning outlets split: the New York Post gives her quotes, an MS description and the risks of improper treatment; the Washington Times stresses the podcast discussion and her break. All sides agree on the core facts; they differ in whether they lead with expert explanation or her personal response.