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My Life |

Teri Garr

After years of mysterious symptoms, the "Tootsie" star was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Find out why she decided to go public, and learn how she manages her condition.

Teri Garr

Teri Garr, one of the most beloved comedic actresses in Hollywood, began her career with dancing roles in the 1964 classic film Pajama Party and nine Elvis Presley movies. She was at her peak in 1983 - she'd recently been nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Dustin Hoffman's girlfriend in Tootsie and had wowed audiences in Young Frankenstein, Oh God!, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind - when she noticed a tingling sensation in her right foot. Then she stumbled while jogging, and next came an inexplicable stabbing feeling in her arm.

She saw a doctor. And then another. And another - all of whom failed to find a diagnosis for her mysterious symptoms, which came and went, often disappearing for months at a time. Garr continued working, becoming a regular guest on her friend David Letterman's late night talk show - who can forget the time she took a shower onscreen? - hosting Saturday Night Live three times, and landing recurring roles on M*A*S*H and Friends.

In Garr's 2005 book, Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood, she credits her mother's indefatigable spirit for her own confidence and tenacity. Garr grew up in a house of performers: Her father, Eddie Garr, was a stage and film actor and an ex-vaudevillian, and her mother, Phyllis, was a model and dancer; money was tight in the Garr household, but they managed. Then, when Garr was just 11 years old her father died, leaving Phyllis to care for three young children. Phyllis went to work as a wardrobe mistress at NBC, where she worked long shifts (and once borrowed a Christian Dior dress from the Dinah Shore show for Teri to wear to the prom).

The optimistic spirit that Garr learned from her mother certainly helped her cope when, finally, in 1999, a specialist gave Garr a definitive diagnosis: She had multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic, degenerative autoimmune disease that affects around 400,000 Americans. In MS, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks normal tissues of the central nervous system, causing speech and muscle movement problems.

Garr went public with her struggle in 2002, and she hasn't looked back since. Now she's a National Ambassador for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, a paid spokesperson for an MS medication, and a leading advocate for multiple sclerosis education and research. And while MS remains an often-baffling disease, one thing about Teri Garr is clear: Even in the face of a “speedbump” like MS, she certainly won't be slowing down anytime soon.

Everyday Health: After your MS symptoms first started in 1982 it took almost two decades to get a proper diagnosis. What was it like when you finally had a name for all of the symptoms you'd been dealing with for so long?

Terri Garr: I was relieved to finally know what it was. It was better to be told I had an autoimmune disease than being told they didn't know what it was.

Everyday Health: Multiple sclerosis symptoms can vary so widely, and they can come and go. What were your initial symptoms?

Teri Garr: I had weakness on the right side - arm, leg, and foot. Having to manage fatigue is something I and many people with MS have to deal with, and heat is no friend to my MS either - it can be devastating. However, each person with MS lives with his or her own special suitcase of symptoms. Yet, we all work around our symptoms and move forward with our lives.

Everyday Health: Did you feel you had to hide your condition initially?

Teri Garr: Yes, because I thought agents and producers would think I was disabled, and I wasn't, and I'm not. This business can be very judgmental. Of course, acting and dancing was my life, so I felt I needed to protect myself. I decided to go public because there were rumors floating around and I wanted the information to come from me and not an outsider.

Everyday Health: What was it like when you started to speak publicly about your MS?

Teri Garr: I heard from a lot of people that I hadn't heard from for a long time, and the fans from whom I heard were all certainly supportive. That was nice! Speaking out about multiple sclerosis to others who may be dealing with this disease is actually helpful to me, as well as, I hope, to others. It builds community, helps bring awareness to MS, and strengthens the MS movement that will ultimately lead to the end of this disease.

Everyday Health: What other things do you do to stay healthy?

Teri Garr: I eat a healthy diet and work out on a bike a few times a week. Anything you can do to stay positive is helpful also. Writing Speedbumps was a way to stay positive in the face of MS.

Everyday Health: Does your famous sense of humor help you through the rough times?

Teri Garr: Yes. They say laughter is the best medicine. I try to laugh as much as possible and enjoy the company of people who can make me laugh.

Everyday Health: You had a brain aneurysm a few years ago. Was that related to the MS? How are you feeling now?

Teri Garr: No, it was not related to MS, and I'm feeling nearly back to my old self. It is a long and arduous road to recovery.

Everyday Health: Do you have any advice for someone who's just been diagnosed with MS? Or for someone who thinks they might have it?

Teri Garr: I always say don't be scared. It's not that bad - there's always something worse - and there is definitely life after multiple sclerosis. In fact, it is a very exciting time in MS research, with many new treatments moving through the pipeline.

If you suspect that you might have it, see a neurologist right away. Early treatment is key. And once again, get accurate information about the disease: Be smart, not scared.

See all My Life interviews.

Last Updated: 04/19/2009