Christina Applegate revealed that she had been admitted to the hospital after contracting a serious kidney infection, which left her "screaming" in pain.
The iconic actress, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2021, shared the frightening experience on her podcast, MeSsy, which she co-hosts with fellow actress and MS sufferer Jamie-Lynn Sigler.
Searing pain
© Getty ImagesChristina recorded the August 5 episode of the podcast from her hospital bed and recounted her decision to get help.
She shared that while on a flight home from Europe, she began to feel unwell and decided to go straight from the airport to the hospital to address the issue immediately, before it spiralled out of control.
Learn more about Christina's health battle below...
"I'm like, I wanna be admitted," she said. "I'm staying here because I want answers. I want every test that you can possibly think of or ones that you haven't even thought of, and I want them done."
She recalled waking up the following day with excruciating pain in her side, leading her to think that her appendix had burst.
© Getty Images"So much pain. I'm screaming, and they ordered me an emergency CT at two in the morning," Christina said, adding that they had diagnosed her with an infection in both of her kidneys. She then told fans of her plans to stay in the hospital until the infection had dissipated.
"I'm just gonna be here," the Dead To Me actress said. "Because of this kidney infection, I have to have intravenous antibiotics right now. And that's where we're at."
"I'm holding in a bag o' tears right now," she added, joking that "I sometimes fall into the nurse's arms like a freako, just like crying."
Living with MS
© Getty ImagesThe 53-year-old has endured years of pain due to her MS. This neurological disease affects the central nervous system and can cause vision problems, stiffness, extreme fatigue and difficulties with speech and movement.
She previously opened up on the podcast about how difficult her day-to-day life had become since her diagnosis, sharing that the pain was overwhelming at times.
"I lie in bed screaming," Christina said. "The ache, the squeezing – it's like a vice grip that just won't let go."
© Michael Buckner"I can't even pick up my phone sometimes," she continued. "The MS has traveled into my hands, and now I'll go to grab my phone or the remote, and sometimes I can't even hold them."
"It's just so incredibly painful, awkward, and isolating," she added.
Moving forward
© Variety via Getty ImagesAlthough MS is a crippling disease that has often left her bedridden, the mother of one has worked hard to raise awareness and provide fellow MS sufferers with an outlet for their frustrations.
She started the podcast with Jamie in 2024, and together the pair have delved into their experiences with the disease as well as parenting and personal growth.
Christina shares her only daughter, Sadie, with her husband, Martyn LeNoble. The teen is often by her side at major events, including at the 2023 SAG Awards and her mother's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2022.
