Former WWE star Hulk Hogan admitted to previously being addicted to prescription pain killers during a recent interview with Muscle and Health.
The 70-year-old star admitted the stress his body endured during his wrestling days resulted in multiple surgical procedures that ultimately led him down the path of a long line of prescribed medication. Hogan described the experience as a “vicious cycle” and explained the struggle he endured.
“I had doctors writing me prescription after prescription,” Hogan said to Muscle and Health.
He went on to explain how the surgeries fixed the physical ailments, but resulted in pain that required the prescribed pills.
“I was hitting the pain pills hard because I’d had to endure twenty-five procedures,” he said.
Hogan admitted to undergoing roughly 25 surgeries in the last 20 years, including 10 back surgeries, several facial operations, and knee and hip replacements, according to Muscle and Health.
“There was a period of time, about five or six years ago, where I was in crazy pain to the extent I couldn’t even function,” he said. “When you have back surgery, it takes a good year for your body to recover, yet they were cutting on me every four months.”
He admitted to reaching for pain meds to get through the most basic daily tasks, as a result of the excruciating pain he was in.
Hogan said that in spite of the fact that “things started to wind down” and his body was healing and recovering well, the doctors continued to prescribe “the same meds.”
“It got to a point where I’d recovered from the tenth back surgery, and the pharmacy would call me and say, ‘Your prescription’s ready,’ and like a dog chasing a bone, I’d go pick it up,” he said.
He got to the point that he convinced himself to get off the pills since he wasn’t experiencing the level of pain that would require him to continue. (RELATED: ‘I Had A 2% Chance To Live’: Matthew Perry Opens Up About Addiction Journey In New Memoir)
WWE legend Hulk Hogan, 70, details addiction to prescription pills following 25 surgeries as now-sober wrestler admits he was ‘like a dog chasing a bone’ getting his fix https://t.co/JNQT3H9vGh pic.twitter.com/Kt8DfYOfb2
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) August 22, 2023
“My body hurts from all the wrestling injuries, but I’m not in this excruciating pain that I can’t live with,” Hogan said.
He now uses CBD and is pleased with the outcome.
“The inflammation instantly went away with CBD,” he said to Muscle and Health.
“Usually, my wrists are swollen like crazy by the end of the day. Now, they’re fine. I noticed an immediate change as soon as I started on it,” he said.