Christina Applegate is bravely opening up about the debilitating physical symptoms she experiences due to her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. On a recent episode of her MesSy podcast, the Anchorman actress, who received an autoimmune disease diagnosis in 2021, revealed that she frequently finds herself “lay[ing] in bed screaming” from the “sharp pains” and “ache” brought on by her condition.
“I lay in bed screaming,” Applegate said. “Jamie [her co-host] and I have different… everybody has different ways of it showing up. I lay in bed screaming. The sharp pains, the ache, and the squeezing sensation were overwhelming.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the protective sheath covering nerve fibers, known as myelin. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including numbness, weakness, vision changes, and difficulty walking.
During the podcast episode, Applegate and her co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also lives with MS, spoke with guest Rory Kandel, the owner of Rory’s Bakehouse, about how the disease has manifested in their lives.
“It feels like I have knives in my stomach,” Kandel shared. “I’ll be lying in bed, and when I wake up, I physically can’t turn from side to side.” Applegate empathized, responding, “Do you feel like that? Every single day of my life.” The Married… with Children alum went on to describe how the pain has affected her daily activities, making it difficult for her to even hold a phone or open a bottle.
Sometimes, I’m unable to pick up my phone because it’s in my hands. I’ll try to reach for my phone or my remote to turn on the TV, but sometimes I can’t even hold them. I can’t open bottles now,” she said.
Despite their debilitating symptoms, Applegate and the other guests noted that their chronic illness is often invisible to the outside world. Applegate remarked, “It’s the beauty of the invisible disease.”
The actress also revealed that the pain is so severe on some days that she struggles to even get out of bed in the morning. “If I place my feet on the ground and they experience intense pain, I immediately think, ‘Yes,'” she admitted. “I’m going to return to my bed and use my diaper for urination, as I don’t have the energy to walk all the way to the bathroom,” she confided, joking about the diaper issue.
Through her candid discussion, Applegate hopes to shed light on the harsh realities of living with MS and inspire others who are battling the chronic condition. “It’s so freaking painful, hard, and awkward,” she said.