The 56-year-old disclosed that she used the medication diazepam, also referred to as Valium, to help calm her “whole body,” but she was unaware of the risks.
The years before she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome are when her dependence on the doses developed.
With the help of physical and occupational therapy, the incurable condition—a rare neurological ailment that causes progressive muscular stiffness and spasms—can be lessened.
The music icon, whose successes include My Heart Will Go On, Think Twice, and It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, and who has sold over 250 million albums, disclosed.
The singer acknowledged that “I miss it” and stated that she was motivated to perform again despite her health issues.
As she started to feel her symptoms again after 20 minutes, Dion explained in her first broadcast interview following her diagnosis that her body had grown acclimated to the medication and she had to increase her dosage.
“To be honest, I had no idea that it could kill me,” she said to Hoda Kotb, host of program.
