Christina Applegate says ‘new technology’ revealed she was misdiagnosed with MS
Christina Applegate has opened up further about her apparent multiple sclerosis diagnosis, with the 54-year-old actor claiming she was misdiagnosed in 2021. Known for her roles in everything from Married... with Children to Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, many of you will know Applegate for her performance as Jen Harding in Netflix's Dead to Me.
The third and final season of Dead to Me was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and then faced further delays when Applegate was diagnosed with MS.
She went on to praise co-star Linda Cardellini and showrunner Liz Feldman for their support and helping her make reasonable adjustments to her filming schedule.
Although Applegate initially said she'd be open to potential voiceover work instead of acting directly in front of the camera, it was reported in March 2026 that she has 'retired'.
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After previously discussing how she'd developed a tremor from her condition, Applegate has given an update on her health during the latest episode of her "MeSsy" podcast (via Entertainment Weekly). Speaking with fellow actor and MS sufferer Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Applegate said her misdiagnosis has left her back at 'square one' as she broke down in tears.
Talking about a recent development, an emotional Applegate explained that "new technology that had come out" has taken her down a disappointing path.
“This may come as great news, but, to me, it comes as I’m back at square one,” said the actor, adding that a doctor "came into my room and she said, ‘Congratulations! You don’t have MS.’”
Even though those around Applegate were apparently pleased that she might not have MS, she wasn't happy: "You don’t get misdiagnosed, and then all of a sudden I’m better. I haven’t gotten better. I’ve gotten worse, in some ways. I’m back at square one. I don’t know what’s going on with me."
As for what's next, the 54-year-old said: "That’s going to be an online investigation my doctors are going to get into to find out what’s been happening since 2021. Why did this happen? I have every symptom of someone with MS.
“Every single one. We both know that there are many things that mirror MS. Many different things.”
Applegate wrote a memoir titled You With the Sad Eyes that came out in March 2026 and also details her 2021 diagnosis. While she was reassured by Sigler that he's done nothing wrong, Applegate said she feels like she "let everybody down" by becoming an advocate for MS treatment and visibility, only to find she's been misdiagnosed.
In terms of what's going on with her, Applegate admitted "there’s a pretty damn high number of misdiagnoses with MS," as well as feeling like “something else is going on, from the totally benign to something else that’s kind of intense that you need to get treated for.”
The pair were later joined by Dr. Marwa Kaisey of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s neurology department, who clarified that misdiagnosing MS is 'fairly common' because there's not “one single test for MS” that can prove the disease's existence in someone: "It’s not like we have something like a pregnancy test that says, ‘Yes. You have it.’ ‘No. You don’t.’ It’s a list of criteria."
A candid Applegate concluded that while she might not have multiple sclerosis, she's still struggling with her health: "I’m sorry. What do you say to someone who’s been living with this for six years?. It stopped my life. I still have to use wheelchairs when I go to the doctor’s office. I can’t walk from the car to the room. I’m still in this. Nothing magical happened when she said, ‘You don’t have MS.’ Nothing magical happened.”