Christina Applegate’s multiple sclerosis misdiagnosis is not an isolated event. I should know
Shakira Hussein’s concerns about her bipolar diagnosis were dismissed as common among ‘women like you’. Then she was found to have MS
TL;DR
- Christina Applegate's potential misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) has raised concerns among those living with the disease.
- A 2024 systematic review found that approximately 15% of studied MS cases were misdiagnosed, with women being twice as likely as men to be misdiagnosed.
- The author shares her personal experience of being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder for 20 years before being correctly diagnosed with MS.
- The author faced dismissal from medical professionals who attributed her symptoms to psychiatric issues common in 'intelligent women like you'.
- The period before diagnosis is described as the most difficult due to fear and uncertainty.
- The boundary between diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals creates a divide between those perceived as deserving of support and those who are not.
- The author advocates for symptoms to be taken seriously and for diagnosed patients to be treated with confidence, without fear of doctors having second thoughts.