Christina Applegate has publicly addressed her health situation with a new update, following reports that she had been hospitalized since late March due to her ongoing struggle with multiple sclerosis (MS). The 54-year-old actress, who was first diagnosed with the autoimmune condition in 2021, has recently disclosed that she has become largely bed-bound in recent months.
Hospitalization Details and Public Response
Over the weekend, friends of Christina Applegate shared distressing details about her latest hospital stay with the Daily Mail. However, the star took to Instagram on Monday to reassure her followers, posting a message that she was getting "stronger and better every day." She included a photograph of her memoir titled "You With The Sad Eyes," indicating she would be "taking a moment to focus on her health."
Her Instagram caption read: "Thank you for the outpouring of love and well wishes. Health issues are a constant for me, but I'm a strong chick and I'm getting stronger and better every day. I'm taking a moment to focus on my health, but I'll be back with more to say soon enough."
Confirmation and Medical Background
Last week, sources informed TMZ that Christina Applegate was admitted to a hospital in late March, though specific reasons were not disclosed at the time. A representative for Applegate told the Daily Mail: "I have no comment on whether she is in the hospital or what her medical treatments are. She's had a long history of complicated medical conditions that she has been refreshingly open about, as evidenced in her memoir and on her podcast."
The actress, best known for her role in "Married... With Children," announced her MS diagnosis in 2021. In February of this year, she revealed that she is primarily confined to her bed due to the effects of the disease. During an interview with People, Applegate explained how pain has largely kept her in bed, though she makes efforts to leave her bedroom for her teenage daughter Sadie, such as taking her to school.
"I want to take her; it's my favorite thing to do. It's the only time we have together by ourselves," the actress stated. "I tell myself, 'Just get her there safely and get home so you can get back into bed.' And that's what I do."
Living with Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the protective sheath covering nerve fibers, known as myelin, according to the Mayo Clinic. This can lead to symptoms such as numbness, weakness, difficulty walking, vision changes, and other complications.
In an excerpt from her 2026 memoir "You With The Sad Eyes," published in The Guardian in March, Applegate reflected on her MS battle. "One of the worst side-effects of the illness is the exhaustion," she wrote candidly. "It feels as though I've been on a three‑day sleepless bender – and that's how I feel after a good night's sleep. Hence all the time I spend on and in bed, snuggled up against my heating pad."
She continued, "On the back of that diagnosis and the symptoms I face, I no longer care what I say or how I come across or how it makes anyone feel. I don't have patience for bulls*** any more, for things that are meaningless or merely 'extra.'"
Diagnosis and Ongoing Struggles
Applegate first shared news of her MS diagnosis on social media in August 2021, stating: "Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It's been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It's been a touch road. But as we all know, the road keeps going."
During an episode of her "MeSsy" podcast last year, the actress revealed that she had been hospitalized over 30 times in the three years since her diagnosis. She told her co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also battles MS: "That is unimaginable, okay? They've done every test known to man on me, put so much radiation into my body from CT scans to everything else."
In August 2025, Applegate recorded a podcast episode from her hospital bed while being treated for a kidney infection, which occurred after a family trip to Europe. She described waking up to severe pain in her right side that left her "screaming," and an emergency CT scan confirmed the infection.
Regarding her memoir, released on March 3, Applegate previously shared that she decided to write the book when she was "forced to slow down" due to her health. Her openness about her journey continues to inspire many, as she navigates the challenges of living with a chronic condition while maintaining a positive outlook.
