Selma Blair is an actress who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2018. MS is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. Blair had been seeing neurologists for chronic headaches and fevers since her early 20s, but she never considered the possibility of having a neurological illness until a doctor told her at 22 years old that she had optic neuritis, a common symptom of MS. It wasnt until she was in her 40s that Blair received her official diagnosis of MS, and the doctor told her that she had probably had the disease for at least 25 to 30 years. Blair has used her platform to share her journey and advocate for those with chronic illnesses and disabilities. She has written a book called "Mean Baby" that details her struggles with MS, among other things.
Blairs MS symptoms include difficulty controlling her body, weakness, and lack of appetite. She has also experienced uncontrollable weeping and muscle contractions in her neck. Blairs MS went undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for more than 40 years, and she has become an advocate for accessibility and awareness. Blairs MS may currently be in remission, but she knows that relapses can happen, and shes ready to tackle them head-on if they do.
