Celine Dion has revealed that she took a deadly dose of valium after she failed to realise the amount could kill her.
Celine, 56, has opened up about her struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome as she revealed how the rare neurological condition has affected her over the past years.
Speaking to Hoda Kobt in an NBC interview on June 11, the singer spoke about suffering from debilitating spasms and stiffness that kept her from performing.
She revealed that in order to manage her symptoms she relied on Valium, a brand of diazepam which can be used to treat muscle spasms or twitches along with seizures and anxiety.
She explained that she started taking 20 milligrams of the drug but upped the dosage to a level that she didn’t realise was lethal.
‘I did not know honestly that it could kill me,’ she said. ‘90 milligrams of Valium can kill you, you can stop breathing.
‘And at one point, the thing is that my body got used to it at 20 and 30 and 40 until it went up. And I needed that, it was relaxing my whole body.’
She added: ‘I would take, for example before a performance, 20 milligrams of Valium, and then just walking from my dressing room to backstage, it was gone already.’
She revealed she had to stop taking the drug slowly. ‘I stopped everything with the help of doctors because when you taper these drugs you can, you can die as well.
‘You cannot just like stop everything.’
Stiff Person Syndrome explained
Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune movement disorder that affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord).
SPS is characterised by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the chest, abdomen, pelvis, back and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms. Stiff-person syndrome is extremely rare.
Only about one out of every one million people have been diagnosed with this syndrome. Twice as many women have stiff person syndrome as men. Symptoms can occur at any age but usually develop between ages 30 and 60.
Despite her diagnosis, the My Heart Will Go On singer was firm that she is determined that she will perform again.
‘I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands. I will. I will.’
‘I am Celine Dion, because today my voice will be heard for the first time, not just because I have to, or because I need to. It’s because I want to. And I miss it.’
The interview with Hoda Kobt was released to promote the singer’s upcoming documentary.
Her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome will be explored further in the Prime Video documentary about her life I Am: Celine Dion.
I Am: Celine Dion is set to air on Prime Video on June 25.
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