Céline Dion, who’s been battling stiff-person syndrome for years, detailed the measures she once took in order to perform: “90 milligrams of Valium can kill you.”
Céline Dion is revealing more details about her health journey.
The “My Heart Will Go On” singer reflected on the remedies she tried amid her battle with stiff-person syndrome, including up to 90 milligrams of prescription medications like Valium—which can treat muscle spasms—to get her through performances.
“Ninety milligrams of Valium can kill you,” Céline told Hoda Kotb during NBC News’ hourlong special Celine’s Story. “You can stop breathing. And at one point, the thing is that my body got used to it at 20 and 30 and 40 [milligrams] until it went up.”
“And I needed that,” she continued. “It was relaxing my whole body, but for what? For two weeks, for a month—’OK, the show must go on. Here we go, I’m fine’. But you get used to it, it doesn’t work anymore. More, more, more.”
The Grammy winner recalled taking 20 milligrams of the medication and by the time she walked from her dressing room to backstage, the relief had worn off. But singing was her passion. So, when the Covid pandemic shuttered live performances, it allowed her to focus on her health without canceling shows.
But the 56-year-old also added, “I stopped everything because it stopped working so I got worse.”
After over 20 years of muscle spasms and extreme pain that resulted in painful performances and canceling tour dates, she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.
And one of the hardest battles for Céline—who shares sons René-Charles, 23, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13, with her late husband René Angélil—was struggling to perform. “I wanted to be brave,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to let anyone down.”
But since her diagnosis, she’s continued to remain positive amid her harrowing battle and is grateful for the support from her friends, family, fans and team.
“Life doesn’t give you any answers,” she told Vogue France in April. “You just have to live it! I have this illness for some unknown reason.”
“People who suffer from SPS may not be lucky enough or have the means to have good doctors and good treatments,” she shared. “I have those means, and this is a gift. What’s more, I have this strength within me. I know that nothing is going to stop me.”
Keep reading to learn more about Céline’s battle with stiff-person syndrome.
(E! News and NBC are part of the NBCUniversal family.)