Christina Applegate reveals multiple sclerosis diagnosis

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Christina Applegate revealed that she was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. 

The 49-year-old actress took to Twitter on Monday to candidly share news of her diagnosis while simultaneously letting her fans know that she is very optimistic about her future. 

"Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey," the "Anchorman" star wrote. "But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some a--hole blocks it."

In a follow-up tweet, she quoted a friend who has the illness as well before asking her fans for privacy on the matter.

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"As one of my friends that has MS said ‘we wake up and take the indicated action’. And that’s what I do," she concluded. "So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing.  Thank you xo"

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society describes MS as "an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body." The cause of the disease is still unknown but it is believed to be a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The organization notes that there are an estimated 1 million people living with MS in the United States right now. 

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In fact, Applegate isn’t the first celebrity to share an MS diagnosis publicly in recent years. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Applegate’s announcement was preceded by her "The Sweetest Thing" co-star Selma Blair, "Sopranos" actress Jamie Lynn Sigler, former talk-show host Montell Williams and reality star Jack Osbourne.

Christina Applegate revealed she has been diagnosed with MS. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that Applegate has had to share a life-changing medical diagnosis with the public. In 2008, she revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon after, she revealed that she was cancer-free after undergoing a double mastectomy surgery. 

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The aftermath of her recovery was actually featured in a plotline on her Netflix drama series "Dead To Me" in which her character unwittingly befriends her husband’s killer. At one point, her character reveals that she had both her breasts removed preemptively after her mother died of breast cancer. 

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"It hasn’t really been discussed on shows before; I don’t think there’s a lot of characters out there with double mastectomies," the actress told USA Today in 2019. "But I went through it, and it’s a horribly painful process – emotionally, spiritually, physically – and I never really talked about it. I thought this was my chance to tell a little bit about me, but also all the women that have gone through that."