Selma Blair is revealing her latest treatment for multiple sclerosis.
“Hi. So a lot of people have been asking me how I am doing so great and my movement is so much different, and I really am excited,” Blair, 52, tells Us Weekly exclusively in a new video on Monday, August 5. “I want to let people know that — I’m still in remission, I’m feeling great — after the bone marrow transplant, I actually fell into a major relapse.”
Cuddling outdoors with her service dog Scout in the clip, Blair explains that an MRI “lit up flare” and showed “new lesions” leading her to find a new doctor.
“Thank God I found a great one here in West Hollywood, Dr. Berkovich,” Blair says, exclaiming that her doctor has been “amazing” and recommended she try a new therapy. “It was just tablets. So I took that, a couple short series of tablets, and in two years your therapy is done. It’s called Mavenclad.”
The actress continues: “It’s been amazing and it helped my movement and speech so much, and it’s allowed me to have a great summer, great years. I need you all to know. Bye.”
Since Blair announced her MS diagnosis in October 2018, she has been candid about the ups and downs of her illness — and her treatment.
In Us’ July cover story, Blair opened up about the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that she received five years ago.
“I imagined that I would do the stem cell [treatment] and come out looking like Christie Brinkley and feeling amazing,” she said. “I put every egg in that basket. I did not allow for how long recovery really took. I’ve had to fake it till I make it. I aged so much after the chemo and then menopause. That’s something no one talks about. But I’m getting back on track.”
Blair noted that she’s still in remission, getting MRIs a couple times a year and continuing with treatment. “I know a lot of people can’t afford it, but for me, [it] really alleviated the MS progression incredibly,” she said. “It saved my life.”
The Legally Blonde star also noted that she has done IVIG — a therapy that utilizes antibodies from healthy donors — to keep her from “getting sick.”
“If I get sick, all bets are off,” she said. “That’s how I maintain the wellness people see. Some are [considered] experimental but nothing is so left-field — I’m not rich enough to go to Sweden or Germany to do all these wild things.”
While discussing her disability, Blair reflected on her journey to where she is today — and revealed the advice she would give herself six years ago.
“It’s going to take years to feel better, but it’s OK,” she said. “You’re being lovingly guided and things will come in their time. You just have to keep showing up. One day you’ll feel better — and you’ll do an interview talking about how far you’ve come!”