Christina Applegate says it is “such a shame” that her 13-year-old daughter, Sadie Grace LeNoble, has been diagnosed with the neurological condition Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.
The 52-year-old actress and her teenage daughter – who she has with her husband, musician Martyn LeNoble – have spoken candidly about her battle with the condition, which causes the heart rate to increase abnormally quickly when you sit or stand upright, and in hot weather.
Sadie also has misophonia, which causes a decreased tolerance to specific sounds.
Speaking on the ‘MeSsy’ podcast with her actress mother, who herself has Multiple Sclerosis, Sadie said: ‘I have something called POTS.’
‘I have no idea what it actually is, but it has something to do with the autonomic nervous system and it affects my heart. “When I get up, I get really dizzy and my legs get really weak and I feel like I’m going to faint,” she added.
Christina Applegate says it’s ‘such a shame’ that her 13-year-old daughter, Sadie Grace LeNoble, who was pictured together in Los Angeles in January, has been diagnosed with the neurological condition Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
On heavy days she can faint and even become unconscious.
Sadie said, “That’s only on really bad days when it’s hot.”
Regarding its impact on her ability to perform physical activities, she said, “Last year, in sixth grade, I would go to the nurse for it several times a day because I always felt like I was going to faint.
“If I were to get up in class, I’d say, ‘I have to go to the nurse.’ I can’t do this.’ Or I’m at gym and say, “I have to go to the nurse.”
The school thought she was making up her symptoms just to get out of gym class because they didn’t know what she was suffering from.
Sadie said, “They said, ‘You’re doing this to get out of class. It’s probably just fear. Go back to class.” They wouldn’t do anything for it.’
She would do her sports lessons and suffer a lot from this, which also affected her mental health.
Sadie opened up about being diagnosed with the neurological condition Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome while appearing on an episode of the MeSsy podcast; seen in 2024 with her mother in Los Angeles
While welcoming her daughter to her podcast, which she co-hosts with friend Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who also lives with MS, the Dead to Me star, 52, described her teen as the best guest she “could possibly ever have.” have’ and her reason for getting up in the morning’ (seen in 2022)
“When she was diagnosed, it felt like… not everything was over, but it was hard to watch my mother lose a lot of the skills she had in my childhood,” Sadie told listeners about the MS her mother’s diagnosis (seen in February 2023)
She continued, “The fact that they didn’t do anything about it definitely hurt me physically and emotionally.
“Because I was like, ‘This is rude, and I feel sick and you’re telling me to go to gym and run laps around the soccer field.’ I can not do that”.’
Her mother said, “She wears layers of clothes on 90 degree days and she hates gym – sorry school, not a big fan of gym or physical stuff.
“I thought, ‘Oh, I felt that a little bit too.’ I feel so terrible that we didn’t pay attention to it.”
Christina apologized to her daughter, saying, “I just didn’t see it at home, honey. You were doing well at home. But it’s a bit like us.’
Christina said, “We go out into the world, and the stress and anxiety of the world brings our symptoms much worse than if we were in the safety and cool of our own home.”
She said, “And I’m so sorry, Sadie Grace.”
Her daughter replied, “It’s okay.”
Sadie said her neurological issues make her more empathetic and understanding of her mother’s battle with the autoimmune disease MS.
She added, “I feel like if I didn’t have this thing, it would be a lot harder to understand what my mom is going through.
“As my mom says, ‘Oh, I’m a little sore right now.’ Oh, I’m having tremors.” If I didn’t have this, I’d probably say, ‘I don’t really care.’ I do not know what you’re talking about.”