Christina Applegate fears her breast implants may be 'poisoning' her body as she is overdue to have them replaced. She describes a study about breast implant illness that creates MS-like symptoms.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleChristina Applegate continues to search for answers to her unexplained health problems since learning she was misdiagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis). The actress, 54, is now exploring another possible explanation for her ongoing health struggles and constant fatigue so that she can finally understand what has been behind her years-long condition.
Applegate underwent a double mastectomy following breast cancer in 2008, and recently learned about a condition where breast implants can present MS-like symptoms. She now wonders if she is facing the same thing.
During the November 10, 2026, episode of her MeSsy podcast, which Applegate co-hosts with fellow actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, the actress discussed the possibility of breast implant illness. Then someone sent her a study that suggested breast implant symptoms could mimic multiple sclerosis.
The Dead to Me star said, "I swear, over the last five years I thought, 'What if they're leaking and they're poisoning me?'" Applegate said she intends to investigate the possibility with her doctors. She also revealed that she is already "way overdue" to have her implants replaced.
Applegate's concerns stem from her history of breast cancer and subsequent reconstructive surgery. After undergoing a double mastectomy following an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis, she was found to carry the BRCA1 gene mutation, which increases the risk of developing breast and certain other cancers. Following the surgery, the actress underwent breast reconstruction using implants.
More than a decade later, Applegate is questioning whether the implants could be contributing to some of the unexplained symptoms she has been experiencing. The actress has earlier talked about struggling with persistent fatigue, widespread body pain, and mobility issues. While she previously attributed many of these problems to multiple sclerosis, her recent revelation about being misdiagnosed has prompted her to reconsider other possible explanations.
Speaking about her new concern, Breast Implant Illness (BII) is a broad term used to describe a range of symptoms that people associate with their breast implants. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reported symptoms include chronic fatigue, memory and concentration problems, joint and muscle pain, hair loss, weight changes, anxiety and depression.
However, BII is not currently recognised as a formal medical diagnosis, and there's no established diagnostic criteria that can confirm the condition. Breast implants can also carry other risks, including rupture, capsular contracture and certain rare cancers associated with implant capsules.
Applegate's latest health concerns come weeks after she revealed that doctors had told her she did not have multiple sclerosis, despite being diagnosed with the neurological condition in 2021. She had previously spoken about her MS diagnosis and its impact on her mobility, including difficulties walking and managing everyday activities.
In an episode of MeSsy on October 20, 2026, Applegate said a doctor told her recently, “Congratulations, you don’t have MS.” The revelation prompted her medical team to retrace her symptoms and investigate other possible explanations. In the November 10 episode, she shared how her symptoms are impacting her day-to-day life. The actress revealed that she is experiencing significant joint pain and has difficulty moving her right shoulder. She shared:
"I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with me... It's overwhelming because there's so many different things that could be going on, and this pain stuff – I don't know what's going on in my joints, but I can't move my right shoulder at all now. I can't lift my arm. It takes me 10 minutes, at least, to even sit up and get out of my bed because I just hurt all over. And I don't know if I'm doing that to myself by sleeping too much – am I doing that?"
In a November 3, 2026, podcast episode, Applegate said she was undergoing tests for "sister diseases", conditions that can produce symptoms resembling MS, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Lyme disease.
Have you heard of Breast Implant Illness before? What's your take on Applegate's latest concern?
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