Larry King's Wife Shawn Southwick King Enters Rehab For Addiction To Painkillers: Report

The New York Post's Page Six reports that Shawn Southwick King, wife of CNN's Larry King, has entered rehab for addition to painkillers:

TALKMEISTER Larry King's stunning TV-personality wife, Shawn Southwick King, 48, has gone into rehab for addiction to painkillers. King, 74, has been married to Southwick, his sixth wife, for 10 years and they have two children together. A friend of King's confirmed to Page Six, "Shawn is in rehab for medication issues related to her chronic migraine problem." CNN declined to comment.

Shawn King discussed her migraines on the April 26, 2005 broadcast of "Larry King Live," and, in particular, discussed the dangers of taking too much pain medication:

L. KING: Before we ask Susan, does Imitrex work -- does anything work for you?

S. KING: So far, we're still searching.

L. KING: None of the pain pills work for you?

S. KING: No. I mean, well, you've taken me to the hospital for morphine when it gets really, really bad.

L. KING: So none of the -- even the new ones?

S. KING: But you have to be really careful, because it can be a cycle where if you take too much pain medication, that can trigger another migraine.

L. KING: So the pain -- the cause -- the cure is the cause?

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S. KING: Right.

Earlier in that broadcast, Shawn King said she could get as many as ten migraines in one month and that she hadn't gone three months without a migraine since first coming down with the painful headaches:

SHAWN KING, SINGER, LARRY'S WIFE, MIGRAINE SUFFERER: I remember the very day, it was the day my brother got married. And I put the luncheon on, the brunch. And after my part of the brunch was over with, I started losing vision in this -- like a crescent shape. And I would hold up my hand, and I couldn't tell how many fingers I was holding up. And...

L. KING: What did you think it was?

S. KING: Well, I didn't have any idea, except I mentioned it to the fellow who was sitting next to me. He said, you're about to get a migraine headache. Because he was a migraine sufferer.

L. KING: Since then you get them how frequently?

S. KING: Oh, it depends.

L. KING: Average?

S. KING: Average, boy, I can get 10 in a month. I can get one or three in a month. You've seen me go through...

L. KING: What's the longest you've ever been without one?

S. KING: Oh, gosh.

L. KING: Do you think? You ever gone three months without one?

S. KING: No.

Click for the full transcript of Shawn King migraines discussion on "Larry King Live."

Comments

[therhinocard]

i just told a co worker about this story and she said if she was married to larry king she'd be doped up too.

[MyThought]

There are non-addictive migraine meds out there - an "excuse"? Looks like it.

[Amerigucci]

Really? What are they?

Do you have migraines?

[candycane]

you don't know what your talking about.

[oxygen]

my daughter had terrible reactions to both imitrex and zomig - life threatening reactions - all becasue people are sooo worried about other people feeling good or without pain - when you have exreme pain morphine or marijuana doesn't make you high it just makes you out of pain - anyone who claims there are non addictive treatments doesn't know medical and scientific facts - a problem leading to cancer and other diseases becasue people like that vote for moral reasons not scientific ones and then when they get cancer they wonder how come we don't make laws based on scientific facts but it's too late then but they can always pray to jesus too bad for others who aren't true believers that jesus can relieve any pain you have...big pharma doesn't want you to grow your own medicine because they might have to get a real job - better to put you in jail if you don't take their special "non addictive" treatments - did any of YOUR ancestors use morphine 100 years ago?

[heal57]

I have migraines and I know what I'm talking about ;morphine tablets and other strong painkillers do not help migraines. They take away other pain, like back or neck or anywhere, but not migraines. I've taken Zomig and years ago Imitrex. I don't like taking them but sometimes I have to; no addiction but I get tired on them. I'd love not to ever take anything and I don't sometimes but the pain is awful. Maybe just getting knocked out from morphine is the only way Shawn could cope.

[MrJoyboy]

She got a migraine trying to figure out how he got that job and what exactly his appeal is.

[adavis08]

" You can't hide those Lying eyes" "A rich old man and she won't have to worry" Being married to Larry King...no wonder she needs pills. He is repulsive with his clothes on let alone off. UGH !

[j.gold]

Does she hang out with McCain's wife?

[xpresv]

Same dealer, same Botox, same bad bleach job.

Apparently, same desire for old dudes.

[America08]

There was something weird about that whole interview and let's not talk about the many jokes people can make about this.

[deecee22]

Perfect cure: Stop marring OLD MEN -20-30 years your senior. You have nothing in common.

[cpscscs]

Shawn King, Cindy McCain, Jamie Lee Curtis. That's just in the past 2 or 3 days. Now the House is holding hearings on internet prescriptions for pain killers. Why are so many people into using opiates? It's because people like them. This is nothing new. Opium dens were popular throughout history for a reason. Opiate deivatives produce a pleasant buzz. But they work.

[janex]

You left out my personal favorite, Rush Limbaugh. I notice that something they all have in common is that they are white, rich, have committed felonies as a result of their addictions, and none have been successfully prosecuted. All of them should thank their lucky stars they aren't poor or of color, or they would not be able to go out in public and discuss how they overcame or were overcoming their addictions. The cameras would have to come to them for the jail house interview.

I am curious as to why child protective services were not called in the case of the three women mentioned as all of them had minor children in the home during an active phase of their addiction. I lived in a neighborhood with a lot of poorer people of color, and I can assure you, the alcoholics in my neighborhood were called to account much more often even though their drug of choice was legal.

How do I know? The social workers would come to talk to me about what I had observed. Either addiction is a medical problem or it is a criminal problem. Prosecution should not be determined by how much money you have or the color (or lack thereof) of your skin.

[timetorevolt]

Welcome to the hypcrosy of criminal justice system. And their heads exploded when OJ was acquitted. He bought the system just like rich white people have always been allowed to do.

[GQTaste]

How did she break the law? W/ Rush he was getting them illegally. Same w/ McCains wife. But how did King break the law?

[Amerigucci]

Where do you live, Janie? CPS neither works in such a way nor provides any such aggressive efforts in intervening in family problems. You've been watching too much Cagney and Lacey.

[Amerigucci]

Who are these "so many people" ? You've mentioned three people who have used medications for pain. What do you suggest people do when they're in pain?

Do you know what addiction is? Do you understand the difference between dependence and addiction?

People don't take opiates for "a pleasant buzz" - You can't stay awake long enough to do anything behind it, like enjoy it. If a pleasant buzz is what you're looking for, have a drink. And leave your keys in the basket by the door.

[avraamjack]

.
LSD and MARIJUANA are both reported to be helpful with migranes.
.

[jalapeno]

Okay I will go pick up some windowpane and a joint at Walgreens, thanks!

[avraamjack]

.
You are most welcome !
.

[Mort]

She's already in rehab for painkillers. Why in the world should she even consider illegal drugs?
With all your posts, you seem to be preoccupied with numbing and tripping. Maybe it works for you, Jack, but most of us would rather not spend time in jail.

[mphalen]

Because marijuana works and is not addictive.

[avraamjack]

.
I understand your fallacious concern.
.
The point is that both MARIJUANA and LSD are nontoxic and useful. Their illegality is a mistake.
.
Painkillers can kill you. Neither Marijuana nor LSD can kill you.
.
Truth is my preoccupation.
.

[UltraClassic]

Does anyone see a double standard here? Has anyone ever here ever used these medications? I was injured in the service years ago and givin morphine. I can tell you, I was high as a kite and love it.

It's not hard to to understand how substance use can turn into abuse, whether you are Rush, Mrs. McCain or Mrs. King.

[lippp]

Interesting because I had a serious back surgery 7 years ago and was placed on Morphine recuperating in intensive care. I also was given steriods. Yet I never felt the need to continue taking either of them. In fact, just the opposite occurred. I rejected both as soon as I could. So I must say I don't relate to people who say they become addicted on this stuff because I believe most don't.

[candycane]

We all don't respond in the same way to these drugs.

[Peddler]

It is a debilitating disease....a pain, even sometimes, is not relieved by pain medication. Sometimes the prescription for the disease is often more damaging than the disease iteself. Speedy recovery.

[editrix66]

Leave the woman alone. Migraines are horrible, incredibly painful, and completely debilitating. I have a friend who had migraine spikes for over a year. She almost lost her mind (and her job). I wish Shawn King well.

[avraamjack]

.
LSD has been reported to stop migranes from occuring.
.

[Rosanneofpgh]

Umm, dont you think the side effects of LSD might be too much? Besides, ITS ILLEGAL. I presume she doesnt want to go to jail.

[Amerigucci]

Not LSD, per se, but ergotamine, which is a precursor to LSD. It works as a vasoconstrictor, and it doesn't work for everyone with migraines, or consistently.

I am sure that Shawn King has tried everything medical science and old wives' tales have to offer. The fact that she gets so many of them, so frequently, tells me that it's hormonally related, and likely to plague her up to and beyond menopause.

If you're not a migraine sufferer, you really shouldn't be weighing in with opinions, but instead, you should be asking questions.

[xpresv]

Uh, if I took LSD and had to look at Larry King, I think I'd definitely have a "bad trip."

Rather have the migraine, thanks.

[avraamjack]

.
Tell her to try LSD and MARIJUANA. They are both repoted to be very helpful.
.

[hukkahukkabirninglove]

I used to get migraines, as did members of my family. They are awful, and Mrs King certainly has my sympathy. Hope she can find a way to live with them without addictive pain meds.

My experience was that they went away with age--mine were most prominent and frequent in my 30's but subsided and disappeared in my 40's. I'm 56 (male) and haven't had a migraine in about 10 years.

I don't watch much TV, haven't seen Larry in about 10 years (wonder if that's coincidental with my migraines? Nah!) I guess if you don't like Larry King, there's 99 other crappy channels on cable to watch.

[dadw5boys]

Her headaches disappeared when Larry King left for work!!!!!!!

[tjkreidler]

I have a friend who has suffered dibilitating migraines for years. I can empathize with Ms Southwick. My friend finally had an electrode implanted in his head and when he feels one coming on, he presses a button andthe electrode stimulates a portion of his brain and the headache dies before it even gets going. He is finally a happy man!

[avraamjack]

.
Did he try LSD or MARIJUANA first?
.