Hulk Hogan’s shocking fentanyl doses after divorce: ‘You should be dead,’ pharmacist warned | International Sports News
Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, spoke in detail about the most difficult period of his life in his final recorded interview, released posthumously in the Netflix docuseries Hulk Hogan: Real American. Hogan died in July 2025 at 71 from acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. The four-part series, completed before his death, follows his life and career and focuses closely on 2009, when he returned to wrestling while dealing with severe pain, heavy fentanyl use and the aftermath of his divorce.
Return to wrestling and the level of drug use
Hogan’s account centres on his decision to return to wrestling with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), at a point when his body was already under strain from years in the ring. He described taking fentanyl in multiple forms at the same time to manage pain from repeated surgeries. “Taking 80-milligram fentanyls, two in the morning, stuffing them under my gums…” he said, before detailing the wider routine: “I had two 300mg patches of fentanyl on my legs and they gave me six 1500mg fentanyl lollipops to eat.” He recalled the reaction from a pharmacist when he collected his prescription: “I went to the pharmacy, he goes, ‘You should be dead. We have never seen a human being take this much fentanyl.’” In the same interview, Hogan added that doctors told him directly that the level he was taking exceeded anything they had seen, saying, “My body just had had enough.”
Injuries and day-to-day condition
The physical condition behind that dependency runs through the series. Hogan points to multiple back surgeries that left him in constant pain and unable to function normally. “I had to sleep in a chair, and if I just twitched my finger like that, my whole back would spasm and torque,” he said, describing how even small movements triggered severe pain. Eric Bischoff, who worked closely with Hogan and arranged his move to TNA, described what that looked like during filming and appearances: “I would literally have to go to his hotel and help him get out of bed and get into the shower to get ready to go to the shoot.”
Jeremy Borash, who was involved in production at the time, said Hogan had initially been expected to appear regularly on screen, but “it became very apparent very quickly he was in no shape to do that.”
Divorce, finances and the decision to return
The timing of Hogan’s return is tied directly to his high-profile divorce from Linda Hogan after 24 years of marriage. He said he “hit rock-bottom” after giving her “70 percent” of his total assets. “I gave her everything to get rid of her,” he said, adding that he was left “broke.”
Hulk Hogan and Linda Hogan. (Image via: Getty Images)
Bischoff, who negotiated the TNA deal, explained the situation around that decision: “Hulk was reluctant to go, but he needed the money.” He also described the wider circumstances Hogan was dealing with at the time: “Your wife’s divorcing you, your doctors are giving you fistfuls of pills that would kill a horse, and you’re chasing it down with a quart of vodka a day.”
Substance use beyond pain management
The docuseries also addresses Hogan’s long-term issues with substance use beyond fentanyl.Friends and family spoke about his steroid use during the 1980s and early 1990s, as well as longstanding alcohol consumption.Bischoff’s account of the period included both, describing a cycle where Hogan was dealing with prescription drugs alongside heavy drinking.
Mental health and lowest point
Hogan also spoke openly about his mental state following his divorce, including a period where he considered suicide.“I went home, I started drinking and started eating pills, and I just went down this rabbit hole for a couple of days,” he said. “Next thing I know, I’m sitting in front of my bathroom with a gun in my mouth and not knowing what I was doing, you know?” Bischoff, reflecting on that period as someone who was in regular contact with him, said: “He was down, he was hurting.”
Family and later life
Following Hogan’s death, Linda Hogan, his former wife and mother of his two children Brooke and Nick, shared a statement on Instagram reflecting on his passing. She said “the finality” of his loss was “shocking,” adding: “We spent every minute together for so many years. I’ve known him since he was 28 yrs old! … It’s very sad. I love you Hulkster. You were my man. The only man for me.” At the time of his death, Hogan was married to his third wife, Sky Daily, whom he married in 2023. He had previously divorced Jennifer McDaniel in 2021.
Final account
The series brings together Hogan’s own account with those who worked closely with him during that period, showing how injury, medication, financial pressure and personal strain were all present at once during his final years in and around wrestling.
