I ask Nichopoulos to talk about precisely, medically, what caused Presley's death. "The night he died he was bigger than usual," he begins. Depending on how long it had been since Presley had managed to empty himself, his girth fluctuated between big and stupendous. He sometimes appeared to be gaining or losing twenty pounds from one performance to the next. "He wanted to get rid of his gut that night. He was pushing and pushing. Holding his breath." As the constipated do.
In "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal," Mary Roach explores the medical circumstances surrounding Elvis Presley's death through the perspective of his physician, Nichopoulos. On the night Presley died, he was notably heavier than usual, a condition that peaked at different times due to his fluctuating weight. This variation could be as dramatic as a twenty-pound difference from one performance to the next, revealing the impact of his diet and health on his physical appearance.
Roach describes how Presley was attempting to alleviate his discomfort that night by trying to empty his bowels, which he struggled with. Nichopoulos indicates that Presley was holding his breath and exerting effort, much like someone suffering from constipation. This detail highlights the significant health issues Elvis faced, illustrating a grim intersection of celebrity lifestyle and personal health challenges at the time of his death.
