Bodybuilding legend Flex Wheeler poured his blood, sweat, and tears into the sport, and wasn’t able to leave it behind unscathed. In a recent Instagram reel shared on August 13, 2024, Wheeler opened up on going under the knife a staggering 600 times in the last 20 years. Having lost a limb and endured pains we probably can’t imagine, Wheeler has suffered extreme discomfort for decades but credits his use of kratom for helping him through the hardships after traditional painkillers failed to improve his quality of life.
Flex Wheeler gave some of the best bodybuilders in the world a run for their money throughout his career. Despite never being crowned a Mr. Olympia, Wheeler was a four-time Arnold Classic champion whose physique is renowned as one of the greatest of all time still to this day. However, Wheeler’s impeccable symmetry and aesthetic appeal came at a cost.
Slowly, Flex Wheeler’s health would take a turn for the worse. From blood clots to eventually kidney failure that resulted in multiple hospital stays, Wheeler’s dreams of lifelong health went out the window. Instead, his life would be turned upside down in 2019 when he found out his right leg would need to be amputated.
The following years weren’t any better for Wheeler, who would go on to receive dozens more surgeries. In addition to dealing with unimaginable pain, Flex Wheeler’s mental health began to deteriorate. In a past interview, Wheeler described how the use of opiates would cause him to hallucinate and even suffer from suicidal thoughts.
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Flex Wheeler Opened Up About How Kratom Has Changed His Life
Since painkillers have adversely affected Wheeler’s health and mental well-being, he has sought relief through other means. In a recent Instagram post, Flex Wheeler opened up about using Kratom and how it has changed his life.
Wheeler sheds light on the immense number of surgeries he has undergone over the past 20 years.
“Hi. My name is Flex Wheeler and I want to talk to you about Kratom and what it’s done for me. I deal with extreme pain. I deal with neuropathy and phantom pain from limb loss. Also back surgeries and everything else. Not exaggerating, I’ve had over 200 surgeries just within the last few years and probably well over 5 or 600 surgeries in the last 20 years.”
He reveals that he has tried all forms of painkillers to no avail.
“I can’t tell you the different opiates I have taken everything from Fentanyl, you name it. They’ve never worked. I’m also a kidney transplant patient so it makes me very very toxic when I take these opiates, it causes me to hallucinate and everything else” Wheeler explains.
However, Flex Wheeler finally found relief when using Kratom and he said the treatment made his pain more bearable.
“Using Kratom, I don’t get that. It doesn’t take away my pain completely, nothing does, but it makes my pain more bearable. Most importantly, it keeps me from having dark thoughts. When you deal with the type of pain that I deal with, it can really compromise your thinking and moods.”
Wheeler expresses his gratitude for finding Kratom and reveals that it has changed his life.
“I’m going to sum this up very simply for you, Kratom has saved my life. Simple as that and I’m proud and excited to continue using it. Thank you for listening.”
In his prime, Flex Wheeler was able to push other bodybuilding legends to their limits. This included Ronnie Coleman, who credits Wheeler for his first Mr. Olympia win. Similar to Flex Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman has also faced adversity regarding his health and wellness.
Ronnie Coleman has dealt with several injuries that have led to a multitude of surgeries, some of which caused him to believe he would never walk unassisted again. Today, Coleman is undergoing stem cell treatments that have helped not only keep his pain at bay but also prevented him from having to go under the knife.
With great success comes great sacrifice, something Flex Wheeler knows all too well. Thankfully, despite years of tremendous pain, Wheeler has finally found something that makes his suffering more tolerable so he can go on to enjoy his life.
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