Celine Dion has opened up about her 17-year battle with undiagnosed stiff person syndrome. During this journey, she revealed the measures and treatment she’s taken to combat symptoms.
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For her cover story with PEOPLE, Dion said the symptoms, which included severe muscle spasms and difficulty breathing, impacted her ability to sing and it started during her tour in Germany. “I had breakfast, and I suddenly started to feel a spasm. My vocal exercise made it worse,” Dion recounted. She started to seek various treatments such as steam showers and consultations with specialists but nothing seemed to work.
As her condition worsened, the singer was prescribed muscle relaxers, including increasing doses of Valium, to manage the symptoms. “We started with two milligrams… and then it went up to 90 milligrams just to get through a performance,” she continued. However, she was
didn’t fully realize the dangerous risks of taking the high dosage at the time.
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“I did not understand that I could have gone to bed and stopped breathing,”
After she was diagnosed in August 2022, Dion went on a rigorous treatment plan which included medication, immune therapy, vocal therapy, and intensive physical rehabilitation. Her treatments, as described by Dr. Amanda Piquet, director of the autoimmune neurology program at the University of Colorado and the physician who diagnosed Dion.
Dr. Piquet explained that the disease is often diagnosed as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s, which lacks FDA approved therapies.
Dion’s openness about her diagnosis and treatment journey with SPS serves as an inspiration for many who suffer from this rare disorder. She is determined to use her platform to increase awareness and support for others battling similar conditions. “It’s very important to know… I did not take medicine just to drug myself,” Dion emphasizes.
