TORMENTED TIGER ON SLIPPERY SLOPE!
His agonizing pain sparks fears of painkiller relapse
TIGER WOODS has confessed to being in agony as he rehabs from bone-shattering injuries he suffered in his devastating car wreck — triggering fresh fears that he could relapse into an addiction to painkillers!
When his SUV flew off a California highway and crashed in February, the 45-year-old links legend’s lower right tibia and fibula bones were smashed to bits and his right foot was severely injured. His leg muscles swelled so much surgeons had to cut open the covering tissue to relieve pressure.
Now hobbling on a cast and crutches, Tiger — who’s undergone several major surgeries for golf-related injuries over the years — recently admitted his recovery has been excruciating. “I understand more of the rehab processes because of my past injuries, but this was more painful than anything I have ever experienced,” he said.
The champ’s legacy has been tarnished by several stints in rehab for addiction issues — most recently in 2017 when he needed help to kick a dependency on prescription medications after a DUI bust in Florida.
As The National ENQUIRER reported, Tiger also sought treatment to battle addictions to the powerful painkiller Vicodin and the sleeping medication Ambien in 2010 after his marriage collapsed in a cheating scandal.
“People are obviously worried,” an insider snitched. “Tiger relied on painkillers in the past and they got the better of him. His injuries from this accident are the worst he’s ever experienced, so it’s only natural for people to worry about a relapse.” Addiction expert Thomas Gagliano, author of “The Problem Was Me,” called those fears well-founded. “He’s going to NEED painkillers to get through this,” Gagliano told The ENQUIRER. “But he also needs to be connected to people who know what the dangers are.
“He is at great risk of relapse and needs to be monitored very carefully!”
The rigors of rehab will also boost the likelihood Tiger could relapse, warned another expert.
“The increased stress, post-surgical pain medication and his history make him high risk for relapse,” said addiction specialist and pain management expert
Dr. Gregory A. Smith, who hasn’t treated the star. The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department ruled Tiger’s wreck was “purely an accident” after an investigation, even though he admitted having no recollection of driving and an officer at the scene claimed to have found an empty, unmarked pill bottle.
Some speculated Tiger, who did not respond to a request for comment, may have been
asleep at the wheel because there were no signs the SUV braked before he careened across a median.
“Whatever the cause of the accident, Tiger is struggling with the gut-wrenching results,” the source spilled. “Anyone would have trouble navigating the kind of pain he’s experiencing without relying on drugs to get them through — let alone somebody with his history.”