Ric Flair Discusses Recent Health Scares, Denies Alcohol Use Was A Primary Cause

The health scares that Ric Flair has faced over the last two years would certainly rival any of the physical adversity he suffered during the course of his wrestling career.

During the Summer of 2017, Flair had a serious health scare that threatened to take his life. That incident resulted in multiple surgeries, with Flair ultimately making a full recovering.

This Spring, Flair had another scare that caused him to miss a scheduled appearance during Starrcast in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend.

Flair discussed exactly what he has went through, specifically the four surgeries he has underwent since 2017, during an appearance on Busted Open Radio this week.

"I have had a total of four different surgeries, the fourth being about three weeks ago," said Flair. "I didn't tell anyone except my wife and family, I didn't tell Ashley because I didn't want her to worry about it. They went in the first time to look for blockage, I had none. The second time they put me to sleep and they tried to shock my heart. What was happening, my heart was going into a-fib, that stay lasted two days. The third time I went in and had an ablation where it is like soldering your heart together, I was great for three days at that time, but it didn't work."

As discussed, Flair's recent procedure caused him to pull out of Starrcast weekend. That procedure was initially said to have been routine in nature, but Flair clarified and indicated it was more serious than originally thought.

"The last time I went in, I couldn't breathe. It had been bothering me for a couple of days," Flair recalled. "But this was to the point where I couldn't walk for two steps, sitting down I was great. The only way to get myself into the hospital and follow protocol, because of the number of people ahead of me, was to go to the emergency room. I was straight through, 30 seconds from door to door and someone got a picture of me. That is how things went upside down.

"I'm glad I went, they found a blood clot that had broken off of my leg and went to my lung, that was taken care of. That is why the surgery was put off for three days. I had fluid on my heart from the anesthesia from the three other surgeries. I lost nine pounds of fluid over those three days because of the Lasix. I have taken Lasixs before, but then I had twenty drinks, so it evened out."

Never one to lay low, Flair traveled to Europe not long after his second surgery. Looking back now, he admits that probably was a bad idea.

"After I shocked my heart, I got on a plane and flew to London," Flair stated. "I look forward to seeing all the guys. It was in Liverpool. Bret (Hart) was there, Kevin Nash, Bischoff, Scott Hall, Waltman, and Jericho, thirty years from now you appreciate those moments."

Lastly, Flair indicated that despite what has been reported, it wasn't his drinking issues that lead to these health scares.

"I had surgery three years prior (to 2017 health scare) for an emergency appendectomy," Flair explained. "I sat up in bed because I didn't want to stay in the hospital, got a hernia and intestinal blockage, so three surgeries in three days. I went septic and while the drinking weakened my system, a one in a million situation occurs where your intestines can start leaking. That is why I went septic. I found out the drinking isn't what did it, it weakened my system, but it was a result of the going septic."

[H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcript.]