From MS to Kidney Crisis: Christina Applegate Spills Painful Hospital Stay In MeSsy Podcast

Christina Applegate, a household name from popular TV series like Married…with Children and Dead to Me-has recently shared a shocking health update: in addition to dealing with multiple sclerosis (MS), Applegate has been hospitalized for a double kidney infection. Let’s dive into Applegate’s proverbial last straws, her resilience and much about her medical timeline.

Applegate’s Grievous Hospital Story

On August 5, 2025, Applegate recorded an episode of her MeSsy podcast from a Los Angeles hospital, discussing how she had been suffering excruciating pain from kidney infections that had spread to both kidneys. Initially, she thought it was an attack of appendicitis. The pain was to her “screaming” level, radiating from her back to the front, which warranted an emergency CT scan at 2 a.m.

The emergency CT scan confirmed the infection, which requires immediate administration of high-dose IV antibiotics. Nevertheless, Applegate managed to inject humor into the situation, even to the point of jokingly dismissing the doctors’ questions regarding her cleanliness, “I have the cleanest vagina…I’m a clean girl down yonder.”

M.S. Re-infection Admission Saga

The kidney infection Applegate had is a double-whammy for her in dealing with MS, which was confirmed in 2021. Since then, she’s had over 30 hospital admissions while battling through signs like vomiting, diarrhea, and sensations of pain she described as “unimaginable,” all of which she relates to slowing down of organs because of MS. Her honesty on MeSsy, which she co-hosts with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, really illustrates how mad she is at the medical professionals for dismissing her symptoms.

There’s an upheaval going on in her life, Applegate’s speech about planning for a colonoscopy to deal with gastrointestinal-type issues underscores her fight to seek answers while challenging her neurologist’s concerns. 

Applegate’s Resilience Amid Chronic Illness

However, Applegate’s spirit was never broken. Despite taking a toll on Applegate emotionally and physically, her humor-directed forced laughter about her hospital stays-and her MS-at events like the 2023 Emmys-given a way to escape bondage. She has been vocal about mental health challenges, especially in 2024, where she suffered “real depression.”

Her podcast becomes another means of outreach for her to touch lives and spread hope and kinship. Applegate’s path has been one of resilience with a following of inspired fans, thanks to her journey through this latest health setback.

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