Hollywood star Selma Blair has spoken out about the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) which sadly left her unable to walk or talk.
Speaking on This Morning the actor spoke out about her experience with the chronic autoimmune condition, shockingly revealing that she had been misdiagnosed for 30 years.
Blair has starred in numerous iconic films from the 90s and early 00s, most notably appearing in Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde, before appearing more recently in shows such as American Crime Story where she played Kris Jenner.
Now, however, the actor is sharing her health story in the hope that will encourage others to get a diagnosis that may change their lives.
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Blair revealed her diagnosis in 2018, later saying in an interview with The Guardian that her doctors had encouraged her not to go public for fear she would lose work.
The actor appeared on the ITV show alongside her service dog Scout, speaking about her journey with MS.
MS is a lifelong condition which affects the nerves and brain, occurring when someone’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering of nerves in the brain and spine.
Speaking about the symptoms that came prior to her diagnosis, Blair said it had started ‘as young as she can remember’ with her eyesight.
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She said: “We just never really diagnosed it and just said ‘oh now it’s changed into a lazy eye’.”
The actor also revealed that she had chronic headaches, chronic fever, a drop leg, ticks, and that she spent ‘her entire life with doctors really trying to figure out why [she] was so tired’.
Due to the extreme fatigue, she suffered from this was misdiagnosed as depression for much of her life.
Blair revealed that when she was pregnant with her first child ‘she felt great’ and had not realised due to the lack of diagnosis that this was because MS can go into remission.
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After giving birth the symptoms came back, leading doctors to chalk it up to post-partum depression.
The symptoms post-birth were so bad that she was unable to walk due to pain.
When she was finally able to figure it out was due to a plea she put out on social media asking for support with finding someone who could sort out steroid treatments to enable her to go back to work.
She revealed that fellow actor Elizabeth Berkley reached out and encouraged her to speak to her brother, a spinal neurologist.
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Blair fell asleep during the appointment leading the neurologist to carry out a test in which he put her upright and she fell right back, revealing issues with her bodies inherent balance.
After carrying out an MRI, the first time she had received after ‘begging her whole life’, the MS was finally discovered.
She spoke about how she was ‘a different person now’ and encouraged those who recognised the symptoms that even though a diagnosis is troubling there is ‘so much you can learn about yourself along the way’.
She went on to say: "I didn’t realise how isolating it can be to have a chronic illness or auto-immune disorder.”
Blair has now been relapse free for two years.
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If you have been affected by the contents of this article, please find more information and support via MS Society on their website. You can call their helpline at 0808 800 8000 Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm except bank holidays or email at [email protected].
Topics: Health, This Morning, ITV, Celebrity
Michael Slavin