Since being diagnosed in 2021, Applegate says she has become all too familiar with hospital gowns. On her podcast in March 2025, she revealed that she had been hospitalized more than 30 times because of vomiting, diarrhea and severe pain. “That is unimaginable, OK?” she said, adding that doctors had subjected her to virtually every test imaginable—and exposed her to extensive radiation through repeated CT scans.
Still, Applegate said those experiences helped her recognize a possible connection between her gastrointestinal symptoms and her broader health condition. “I have noticed that—and I’m going to be really honest—if I have to poop, I puke,” she explained. “And when I puke, I get all the pain and then all the things happen.”
Just months after sharing that account, Applegate found herself seeking medical care again. After returning from a family trip to Europe, she recalled telling hospital staff in August, “I wanna be admitted. I’m staying here because I want answers.” She said she demanded every test doctors could consider, including tests they had not yet thought of.
A CT scan performed in the middle of the night ultimately provided an answer: Applegate had kidney infections.