Christina Applegate: Living with MS is the worst thing

Bang Showbiz on May 6, 2025

Published in Women

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Christina Applegate has found living with multiple sclerosis (MS) to be the "worst thing" she's ever experienced.

The 53-year-old actress was diagnosed with MS - a degenerative neurological condition - back in 2021, and Christina admits that living with the autoimmune disease has been the biggest challenge of her life.

During an appearance on the 'Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend' podcast, Christina said: "This is the worst thing I've ever had in my life. It's the worst thing I've ever gone through."

Christina rarely leaves her house these days, as she struggles with her symptoms.

The Hollywood star shared: "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.

"I don't really leave the house anymore."

MS can cause issues such as muscle weakness, vision changes and numbness.

And Christina admitted that she's experienced "extraordinary" pain since being diagnosed with MS.

She said: "I was losing balance, but the pain was extraordinary. And when I say numb, it's numb, but it hurts."

Christina previously admitted to "screaming" in pain amid her struggles with MS.

The actress revealed the physical toll that the autoimmune disease has taken on her body.

She said on the 'MeSsy' podcast: "I lay in bed screaming - like, the sharp pains, the ache, that squeezing."

Christina confessed that she now struggles to perform everyday tasks, including answering her phone and using her TV remote.

The actress shared: "I can't even pick up my phone sometimes because now it's travelled into my hands, so I'll, like, try to go get my phone or get my remote to turn on the TV or sometimes, I can't even hold them. I can't open bottles now."

Christina also struggles to get out of bed in the morning, explaining that her bedroom floor feels like "lava".

She said: "I put my feet on the ground and they're hurting, like, extraordinarily bad to the touch. I was like, yep. Gonna get back in my bed and pee in my diaper because I don't feel like walking all the way to the damn bathroom.

"I actually don't lay here and pee in my bed diaper. That's just a joke. But it's like it's so freaking painful and so hard and so awkward."