‘Sopranos’ Star Jamie-Lynn Sigler Gives Health Update Amid MS Battle
Jamie-Lynn Sigler, known best for her role as Meadow Soprano in HBO‘s long-loved series The Sopranos, is getting candid about living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
After revealing her diagnosis publicly in 2016, Sigler is giving fans an update on her health battle as she continues to deal with the degenerative autoimmune disease that damages the central nervous system. Speaking to People, Sigler is looking back on her public reveal and its impact on her journey moving forward with MS.
“It was a big moment for me, because it was the beginning of this journey of self-reflection and self-acceptance,” she told the outlet. “I grew up with this idea that people are only going to be attracted to you when you’re perfect, and it’s quite the opposite. MS gave me my superpower, which is vulnerability, because the more raw and real and open I am — and this has forced me to be that — the more beautiful connections are.”
(Credit: © HBO/ Courtesy: Everett Collection)
In the years since her announcement, Sigler continues to act and is a wife and mom. Despite her diagnosis, which includes trouble walking for long periods, Sigler persists. “I can still accomplish the things that I want to do, whether it be at work or at home,” she revealed.
Regarding work, Sigler noted that while on set for ABC‘s Big Sky, “they were able to park my trailer closer,” so she didn’t have to walk as far. “They were able to make accommodations, have discussions prior to me getting to work, and really allowed for me then to just focus and do my job and feel like anybody else.”
In addition to her work as an actress, Sigler is working to help others affected by MS with a three-step process she helped create with Novartis, a pharmaceutical company. She’s the spokesperson for the steps, which include “acceptance of the disease, reframing reality, and asking for help.”
“A lot of the times with a diagnosis, it can be fear, depression, sadness, grief,” she says. “I really came to this place of understanding, processing those feelings, and stepped into this place of acceptance.” In her experience, Sigler said, “People really like to be helpful. People really want to help.”
After dealing with a bout of Lyme disease at 19, Sigler experienced tingling and heaviness in her legs in 2000 and was diagnosed with MS the following year. While she went symptom-free for a while but began to experience weakness in her right side in 2005. She now gets regular injections of Kesimpta to regulate symptoms.
“I’m very busy, and I can take it at home or on the go,” she revealed of the treatment. “On Sunday mornings, I’ll take it out of the fridge, make my kids breakfast, excuse myself to the bathroom, and in two minutes, I’m back, and I’ve literally done my medication.”
When it comes to her husband, Sigler shared that “I used to go through these moments where I would feel bad that he didn’t know Jamie pre-MS, but then I’m like, ‘Oh, but now that I think about it, Jamie with MS is probably way cooler, way more soulful and grounded.'” She also admitted her sons sometimes struggle with her diagnosis, but she revealed it’s important “to have those conversations.”
“Them still seeing me as their mom reminds me that I’m so much more than my MS, and it doesn’t define me,” she added.
