• Shawn Johnson is relying on over-the-counter medications for pain relief after having a C-section to give birth to her third child
• She refused narcotic pain drugs for recovery due to her past addiction to Adderall which began after being prescribed by a doctor during her Olympic comeback in 2010
• Johnson’s husband has been supportive of her during her recovery from the C-section and transition to a family of five.
Here is what happened:
Shawn Johnson is relying on over-the-counter medications to provide her pain relief after welcoming her third child on Dec. 22. Ten days after giving birth by C-section to her and husband Andrew East’s son Barrett “Beau” Madison East, the retired Olympic gymnast said she refused narcotic pain drugs to aid her recovery. She mentioned on her Instagram Stories, “They made me SO sick, and frankly after being addicted to adderall it just scares me so I don’t even mess with it.”
Shawn has spoken about her past Adderall addiction, mentioning that it started in 2011, a year after she tore her left ACL while skiing and underwent knee surgery. The medication was prescribed by the United States Gymnastics doctor to help her lose weight and have more energy for gymnastics. This led to her becoming addicted and overdosing on Adderall. Overcoming the addiction became a significant challenge for her.
Despite these challenges, Shawn is now a mother of three and is focused on her family life. She has retired from professional gymnastics and stated that her left knee was not able to sustain the demands of the sport any longer. She also shared that her husband has been a great support system for her and their children. She says he is the “world’s greatest dad to handle the two older ones.” Their family has continued to grow, and they are enjoying their time at home together.
