Overview
- Applegate revealed on her MeSsy podcast that clinicians told her the 2021 diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was incorrect and that new imaging no longer supports MS.
- She reports that her symptoms have not improved and in some ways have worsened, and she still needs mobility aids such as a cane and a wheelchair for medical visits.
- The original diagnosis rested on brain scans showing about forty lesions in 2021, and neurologists say similar MRI findings can be caused by other neurological or autoimmune conditions.
- Applegate says the mistaken diagnosis cost her work and caused severe emotional harm, including a deep depression after she stepped back from acting to focus on treatment.
- Medical experts quoted note diagnostic uncertainty in MS is common, with some estimating a substantial minority of past diagnoses were incorrect, which can lead to unnecessary treatment and long-term life changes and calls for careful re-evaluation.