Mexico City.- The battle that Celine Dion is fighting against rigid person syndrome, which she was diagnosed with in December 2022 but which she began to suffer from years ago, led her to abuse sedatives and anxiolytics with the risk of dying from an overdose.
This was confessed by the 56-year-old Canadian star in an interview with NBC News prior to the premiere of the documentary about her life I Am: Celine Dion, which Prime Video will premiere on June 25.
“I went on stage and started to sound more nasal (…) but what I felt was different: I started to feel that my body was more rigid,” he said about the first times he noticed the condition, in a show a long time ago. .
To try to cope with the symptoms, such as seizures, stiff muscles in his torso and limbs, and severe muscle spasms, he self-medicated with 20 milligram doses of diazepam (Valium), the powerful sedative.
“Ninety milligrams can kill you, you could stop breathing, but my body got used to 20, 30, 40 (milligrams) and going up, and I needed it: I needed to relax my whole body.”
Stiff person syndrome is a rare progressive autoimmune disorder with no cure, which only with treatment can be controllable. It also usually causes difficulty speaking and walking, or causes double vision.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he decided to put himself in the hands of health professionals to reduce his consumption of diazepam and look for another way out.
“With the help of the doctors I stopped everything, because by reducing these medications you can also die, you can’t just stop everything,” he added.
She is so determined to rebuild her artistic life that no obstacle will stop her.
“I’m going back to the stage even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to speak with my hands, I will. I am Celine Dion, because today my voice will be heard for the first time, not because I have to or because I need to, but because I want and need this,” said the Grammy winner, who has had hits like “My Heart Will Go On.”
The star, born in Quebec, had to cancel a tour in 2023-2024 as she did not feel strong enough. She made a surprise appearance at the Grammys last February to present the Album of the Year category, which Taylor Swift won.
During her career, Dion has sold more than 250 million records. Her Courage World Tour, which began in 2019, completed 52 shows before being suspended due to the pandemic.
With information from AFP
#Celine #Dion #risk #dying #overdose
