Jamie-Lynn Sigler, ‘Sopranos’ Star, Shares 15-Year Battle With Multiple Sclerosis, Joins Jack Osbourne In Revealing MS

Jamie-Lynn Sigler feels it’s time to share her health struggles associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) with the world. Following her recent wedding to pro baseball player Cutter Dykstra, Jamie-Lynn is now revealing that she learned she had MS at age 20. But Sigler shared with People that she still has problems accepting her condition.

“I wasn’t ready until now,” admitted Jamie-Lynn. “You’d think that after all these years, somebody would be settled with something like this, but it’s still hard to accept.”

The symptoms of MS have challenged Sigler in a variety of ways recently. Known for her role on the Sopranos, the 34-year-old actress first experienced no symptoms. However, over the past 10 years, Jamie-Lynn has experienced a variety of health concerns.

“I can’t walk for a long period of time without resting. I cannot run. No superhero roles for me,” added Sigler with humor. “Stairs? I can do them but they’re not the easiest. When I walk, I have to think about every single step, which is annoying and frustrating.”

In addition, Jamie-Lynn is now confessing that she hid her MS when she was working.

“Sometimes all I needed was like five or 10 minutes to sit and recharge but I wouldn’t ask, because I didn’t want them to be suspicious,” admitted Sigler.

No cure currently exists for MS. However, Jamie-Lynn has tried various options such as infusions and injections. Currently, to stabilize her symptoms, Sigler takes a pill twice a day called Tecfidera. The stabilization of her MS symptoms has lasted for six years.

“Things are manageable now,” emphasized Jamie-Lynn. “It takes a fighting attitude to deal with all this. This disease can absolutely take over your life if you let it.”

The actress expressed her appreciation to husband Dykstra, who is 26, for providing her with bravery. The couple also has a little boy, Beau, who is 2, and Sigler noted that their son also offers her support. As a result, Jamie-Lynn feels the time has come to be candid about her MS.

Sigler also shared that she feels the combination of her recent marriage and her son motivated her to stop keeping her MS a secret.

“I’m at a point in my life with my son, with my new marriage, it’s a new me. I don’t want to hold a secret where it feels like I have something to be ashamed of or have something to hide,” declared Jamie-Lynn. “It’s part of me, but it’s not who I am.”

Sigler also reflected on how she wants to be a role model for her little boy, as well as her concern that if she continued to hide her MS, she would be involving her son in holding onto the secret.

“I didn’t want him to get to an age where he felt like he had to keep this secret for me as well,” declared Jamie-Lynn. “I wanted to be an example to him of strength and courage.”

Discussing how her wedding changed her life, Sigler revealed her enthusiasm for her future.

“I’m excited for the first time in a long time. I’ve got my brain and my heart and I’ve prepared myself for everything that could happen. But I’ve got an amazing husband, the best son, and I hope that we can make more babies and just keep having fun. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

Understanding MS: Jamie-Lynn Sigler Explains

What does MS involve? Turning to Instagram to share, Jamie-Lynn opened up about her condition. And for Sigler, the hope in explaining her MS and being open is that she can serve as an inspiration to others, reported Celebrity Baby Scoop.

“It has slowed me down and it can make things hard, but there is still a lot I CAN do,” posted Jamie-Lynn. “I hope I can be an example to anyone struggling out there to push through and past your circumstances.”

Sigler also expressed her thanks to her family and friends for protecting her secret.

“You all have fiercely protected me over the years when I was too scared to share this publicly, for fear that everything would go away. You stood by me, helped me when I needed it, and always made me feel loved and worthy of things even when I felt less than and different.”

As the Inquisitr reported, Jack Osbourne also has struggled with multiple sclerosis. The son of Sharon Osbourne received his diagnosis after losing 60 percent of his vision in one eye. MS causes chronic inflammation of the brain, optic nerves, and spinal cord. However, early diagnosis can help, with medications available to mitigate relapses.

Osbourne follows a strict Paleo diet, an approach that some feel can help ease symptoms. Dr. Terry Wahls, the author of The Wahls Protocol, also uses Paleo diet principles and functional medicine for her own MS and has been a proponent of this alternative.

[Photo by Ari Perilstein/Getty Images for Feld Entertainment]