Former 'Sopranos' Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler Opens Up About Dealing With Multiple Sclerosis

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Jamie-Lynn Sigler uses a walking stick and she isn’t ashamed one bit. The former Sopranos actress has been very open about battling multiple sclerosis since she was diagnosed at age 20 and aims to erase the stigma surrounding the disease. The actress opened up in 2016, surprising much of the world when she shared her diagnosis of the disease. Multiple Sclerosis is a progressive autoimmune disease that damages the nerve cells in an individual’s brain, as well as affectng the spinal cord.

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Anyone living with multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, may not exhibit any external signs of a chronic illness. However, the symptoms might be there continually, like fatigue, pain, and other debilitating issues. Sigler told Yahoo Beauty, “I don’t want to say it frustrates me when people say, ‘You don’t look sick,’ because I agree, and I understand—and I don’t feel sick, sitting here in front of you.” Sigler had to make adjustments in her life because of the MS in order for her to live and thrive in an independent way.

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Now 38-years old, Sigler has been living with the disease for almost two decades, and living publicly, too. Sigler told PEOPLE Now, “I have my bad days as we all do.” She went on to add, “I think what has happened is that for me it was so much about fighting it and keeping it a secret and covering it up. And then, when I became public about it, then it was accepting that people knew. And now it’s sort of shifted into this thing where, I think people don’t realize, they think with chronic illness it’s so much the physical stuff and the way it affects you physically, but emotionally it can really affect you even more.”

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Another recent celebrity to showcase her battle with MS is actress Selma Blair. Blair confirmed that she started experiencing strange symptoms early on in life and simply downplayed them. But eventually, Blair was diagnosed in 2018 and has since become a prominent advocate for those living with the incurable disease, sharing her story bravely as she can. Blair offers up her own challenges of living with MS on her social media page, but also showcases a glimpse into how you can also thrive despite an MS diagnosis.

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Sigler has her finger on the same pulse. Her approach isn’t naive, but it’s positive. Sigler explained to PEOPLE Now, “Do I still wish I didn’t have MS? Sure. But it’s like my thing in this lifetime, maybe. And I am dealing with it the best I can. I’m still independent. I just went on a trip alone to Punta Cana with my son. I’m still able to work. I have the energy to do all these things.” Sigler then added that despite the fact MS slows her down physically, she has figured much of it out and doesn’t feeling like she’s missing out on anything in life.