Not drugs, constipation killed Elvis: Personal doctor

The Times of India ^ | 7 May, 2010 | The Times of India

[James C. Bennett]

LONDON: Elvis Presley's death has been the subject of many conspiracy theories with some believing that years of drug misuse led to the end of the 'King of Rock N Roll'.

But according to Nick George Nichopoulos, Elvis's doctor for the last 12 years of his life, the singer died of chronic constipation, which was also responsible for his drastic weight gain in the years before his death.

The doctor, who attempted to resuscitate Elvis on the day of his death, said that it wasn't until the autopsy that he realised how severe the constipation had been, Daily Mail reported online.

Nichopoulos says the autopsy found Elvis's colon to be five to six inches in diameter, compared to an average of two to three inches. And rather than the standard four to five feet long, Elvis's colon was eight to nine feet.

The doctor said that he had even offered Elvis a colostomy, to remove part of his bowel but the singer rejected the treatment. Nichopoulos believes if Elvis had undergone the treatment he might still be alive today. The singer died on August 16, 1977, at the age of just 42. His body was found in the bathroom at his home Graceland.

[James C. Bennett]

I apologise for allowing anyone here who might have been ingesting food or drink, to read this.

[autumnraine]

It wasn’t the 947 pills a month I prescribed him! It was his feces!

(for the record, I have no idea the specific amount of drugs prescribed to Elvis, but I know it was a boatload)

[al baby]

The constipation was fueled by his drug use

[King Moonracer]

Abusing pain killers can cause constipation, nothing a good bottle of Indian Times water couldn’t unplug.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

I had always heard that after his death (that he died ON the toilet). Sad, sad, sad. I’m sure he was pumped full of barbiturates and opiates. Same as MJ and Nicole. Pathetic, really.

[Notwithstanding]

A “butt load” or a “shit load” of drugs would work.

[historyrepeatz]

You gotta drink fluids when you’re popping the pills! Sheesh!

[cripplecreek]

This crap again?

[Cinnamon Girl]

Why would we believe anything Dr. Nick says?

[SouthDixie]

It wasn't any secret Elvis had digestive issues back then...the reports I read claimed he had 40lbs of impacted waste in his colon at the time of death.
Evidently, Exlax, Metamusil or Benefibre wasn't his friend back then.

[dfwgator]

"Hello, everybody."

[GSP.FAN]

[RaceBannon]

you dont have to abuse painkillers to get constipated, all you have to do is take a normal dose.

[historyrepeatz]

Elvis the King died on his throne.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

“I’m all backed up, Mm mm oh, oh, yeah, yeah!”

[henkster]

I think Dr. Nick has chronic constipation. It’s up to his eyeballs.

[cripplecreek]

Apparently it wasn’t a hunka hunka burnin love after all.

[Iron Munro]

[verity]

Why are you interested in Elvis’ digestive tract?

[nmh]

“Nichopoulos says the autopsy found Elvis’s colon to be five to six inches in diameter, compared to an average of two to three inches. And rather than the standard four to five feet long, Elvis’s colon was eight to nine feet.”