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Selma Blair says doctors dismissed her early symptoms of MS as being linked to her period instead
For most of her life, Selma Blair battled unexplained pain, exhaustion, and neurological symptoms, only to be told by doctors that nothing was wrong. It wasn’t until her 40s that the Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde star finally learned the truth: she had multiple sclerosis (MS).
Speaking at the Flow Space Women’s Health Summit, as reported by Variety, Blair revealed that she was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2018, but her symptoms began much earlier.
“It turned out I probably had juvenile MS as my first optical neuritis was when I was about seven,” Blair said. “That left me with a lazy eye from nerve damage. But there were a lot of things missed my whole life.”
“Endless, bone-crushing fatigue”
Blair described years of debilitating symptoms that were repeatedly dismissed or misdiagnosed. “I had CAT scans as a kid, and I had doctor visits, and I stayed in hospitals for weeks at a time,” she recalled. “I’d have fevers, I’d have pain, endless, bone-crushing fatigue that I still do have. And my mom would say, ‘Why can’t you give her an MRI?’”
Despite her family’s concerns, doctors consistently minimized her symptoms. Blair said that as a young girl, her pain was often chalked up to puberty or emotional sensitivity.
“They’d say, ‘Oh, she doesn’t need it. She’s probably getting her period,’” she explained. “But then a boy from my class who had a headache would get an MRI right away. Now, they weren’t wrong to do that for him, but it made me feel invisible. I looked fine, so no one believed how much I hurt.”
Finding strength through sharing her story
When Blair finally received her MS diagnosis, she decided to share her story publicly; not for sympathy, but to thank the people who had supported her and to raise awareness for others living with chronic illnesses.
“I just put it on my Instagram to thank people on set who were helping me stay at my job,” she said. “I couldn’t use my hands well. I couldn’t take my clothes off. I still sometimes struggle with dystonia and with speech and movement, even though I’m relapse-free right now.”
What she didn’t expect was the overwhelming response from people who saw themselves in her story. “When I did post, I saw there was a whole world that felt seen,” she continued. “People related to someone having chronic health issues. It made me realize it was much bigger than me. It felt good knowing others were finding comfort.”
A new chapter of healing
Now 53, Blair says she’s finally in a good place; physically and emotionally. Earlier this year, she revealed that she is “truly relapse-free” and feeling stronger than she has in years. “I am doing amazingly well. I’ve been feeling great for about a year,” she told PEOPLE in April. “Now that I actually have stamina and energy, going out isn’t so scary. I’m finally well enough to really live again.”
Blair, who has become an outspoken advocate for disability awareness and autoimmune research, said she’s still learning how to navigate life with MS. She even encouraged fellow actor, Christina Applegate, to get tested for MS after Applegate was experiencing potential symptoms of the disease.
“There’s so much I still need to learn,” she reflected. “But I’m living with it, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.”