Living with MS: Christina Applegate Opens Up About Her Daily Struggles
Christina Applegate has described her battle with multiple sclerosis as "the worst thing I've ever gone through" in an emotional new interview, revealing the severe limitations the disease has placed on her daily life.
The 53-year-old actress, who was diagnosed with MS in 2021, shared on Conan O'Brien's podcast that she now rarely ventures outside her home due to the debilitating symptoms. "I don't really leave the house anymore," Applegate told O'Brien. "If people saw what my life was like on the daily, they wouldn't they wouldn't be able to do it. Because I can sometimes not do it. It's really, really hard."
The "Dead to Me" star revealed that her condition has resulted in over 30 hospitalizations since her diagnosis. "For three years, since I was diagnosed, I've been in the hospital upwards of 30 times from throwing up and diarrhea and pain that is unimaginable," Applegate disclosed on her "MeSsy" podcast, which she co-hosts with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also has MS. "They've done every test known to man on me, put so much radiation into my body from CT scans to everything else."
The Physical Reality of MS
Applegate described the pain from her symptoms in stark terms, telling O'Brien that on particularly difficult days, even basic movement is excruciating. "To go to the bathroom, it's like walking on needles and hot lava," she said, adding that she often fears these severe episodes will become her "new normal."
The actress expressed frustration with people who ask her what she did to "deserve" the disease. "It's, like, I had breast cancer as well, so, 'Oh, you must have done something,'" she said, referencing her 2008 diagnosis. "That stigma is — I'm used to it now, but it was for a while, like, was so hard to swallow because why the f would you think that I would do something to have this?"
In March 2024, Applegate revealed that her condition has forced her to wear diapers, explaining, "because you probably can't get to the bathroom in time." She also shared that she now believes her gastrointestinal issues may be related to MS affecting her organ function. "One of the things with MS is that it slows down our organs — not completely, but there is a slowing of the function of your organs," she explained.
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease that damages the protective cover around nerves called myelin in the central nervous system. It can cause muscle weakness, vision changes, numbness, and memory issues. Applegate described her initial symptoms as painful: "I was losing balance, but the pain was extraordinary. And when I say numb, it's numb, but it hurts."
Despite the challenges, Applegate continues to speak candidly about her condition to raise awareness. She appeared with a cane at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards and has used her platform on the "MeSsy" podcast to help others dealing with similar health struggles.
"I'm just having a pissy day today," she told O'Brien during their emotional conversation. "I'm having a bad MS-y day." When she began to tear up, the host offered support, saying, "Cry all you want, and then I'm gonna start crying."
