# Has anyone ever died pushing out a turd? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 15, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386 "2004-03-15T05:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kezami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kezami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kezami)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/1 "2004-03-15T05:38:12Z")
If someone is _badly_ constipated, couldn’t the increased thoracic pressure from holding his/her breath and pushing cause a stroke or something - or maybe a heart attack? Has anyone ever died that way? I think I’d prefer to go quietly in my sleep. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/2 "2004-03-15T05:48:26Z")
Well, according to most accounts, Elvis died while on the toilet. However, he was also overweight, out of shape, and a drug addict when he died. Just the strain of taking his freakin’ pants off might have been enough to kill him. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/3 "2004-03-15T05:52:25Z")
It’s called “straining at stool” and is a common cause of death. ---
**Author:** ![spiralscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@spiralscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiralscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/4 "2004-03-15T07:01:00Z")
Anyone else reminded of the X-Files episode with the mechanical, possibly alien cockroaches? ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/5 "2004-03-15T07:06:38Z")
Frank Rizzo (former hard-ass mayor of Philidelphia) died on the john. I think its one of the manlier ways to go… ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/6 "2004-03-15T08:44:34Z")
In the “exploding toilet” episode of _Mythbusters_, one of the EMT’s mentioned that he had found people who died on the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/7 "2004-03-15T12:54:46Z")
My neighbor died on the toilet ---
**Author:** ![Achilles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dc4da7/32.png) [@Achilles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achilles)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/8 "2004-03-15T13:04:32Z")
Well it sure beats explosive diahorrea… ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/9 "2004-03-15T13:55:54Z")
Given the timing, I think it is safe to say that some of the poor souls who died when the World Trade Center buildings were struck were sitting on the toilet. Also, Judy Garland died on the toilet, as did Catherine the Great. IIRC, the straining increases the blood pressure which results in strokes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/10 "2004-03-15T14:00:39Z")
Where is **lieu**? 😕 Bet _he’d_ know… ---
**Author:** ![Blornx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Blornx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blornx)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/11 "2004-03-15T14:03:49Z")
[Rectal prolapse](http://www.gastromd.com/education/rectalprolapse.html) is a condition where the rectum gets pushed through, turning inside-out - sometimes caused by straining. It’s treatable with surgery. Don’t look for photos if you’re squeamish. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/12 "2004-03-15T16:33:17Z")
I know someone who works in a nursing home who says a surprisingly large number of people expire while on the pot. Usually they tell the family that their loved one died peacefully in their sleep when this happens. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/13 "2004-03-15T16:37:37Z")
I’ve come across several “customers” having passed away on the toilet. Most elderly (one was in her 40’s, but it wasn’t from what I’m about to describe). There’s a nerve in your body called the vagus nerve, that if you stimulate it, will slow your heart rate down. It can be stimulated from cold water on your face, your body going nutty and stimulating it on its own, or, the most common one, by bearing down like you are trying to push out a stool. Elderly folks are often found deceased on the toilet after trying to push out a stool, pushing too hard, and lowering their heart rate enough that they pass out and subsequently die. The nickname for it is to “vagal out.” You can even try this yourself (I’ve done it hooked up to a heart monitor in the presence of other trained (ehem) and qualified (ehem) EMT-Cardiacs, your results may vary) by bearing down but not passing anything and taking your pulse. A normal healthy person won’t die from it, just stop pushing if you feel strange. We’ll also have patients try vagal manuvers to bring themselves out of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT…a wicked fast heart rate), but it hasn’t worked in my presence on the few SVT patients I’ve had. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/14 "2004-03-15T16:43:46Z")
Since we’ve established that people do, indeed, die while sitting on the can, may I hijack a bit? Concerning Elvis: Who was it that said “That’s how I want to go - fat, old, stoned and sitting on the pot.”. I think it was one of the early punk rockers. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/15 "2004-03-15T19:48:50Z")
Great. Now I’m going to be worried about using the john. I always felt I was straining more than I should have too. Now I’m going to be too worried about dying and being found with my pants around my ankles and a colon on the verge of exploding. Crap. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/16 "2004-03-15T20:25:34Z")
> [@Blornx](#): > > [Rectal prolapse](http://www.gastromd.com/education/rectalprolapse.html)Don’t look for photos if you’re squeamish. Hey, thanks for putting THAT idea in my head. After doing a google image search, i don’t think I’m ever going to take a shit again. \ ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/17 "2004-03-15T20:28:20Z")
Well, Celyn must write out a hundred times “Do not read SDMB when it is time to think of eating.” ☹ But the post from **Max Carnage** means that NOT ONLY does one have to worry about the traditional mother’s advice -"always wear clean underwear in case you get run over by a car and have to go to hosptal…\*."but now one must look at one’s best, no matter what hour of night or morning, so as just to make a quick visit to that most impotrant of rooms? OK - perhaps, given the context of the O.P, not a very “quick” visit at all. Anyway, now, what shall Celyn eat? Will Celyn eat? These, and other questions, will be dealt with in the next episode". ☹ - Yet, call me silly, but I have always tended to think that, if bashed up enough to need hospital, underwear might be the last of my considerations. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/18 "2004-03-15T20:43:12Z")
No more shitting for me, from now on I’m having them taken out by Cesarean. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/19 "2004-03-15T21:06:21Z")
Valsalva’s Maneuver [http://www.aboutbreathing.com/articles/valsalvas-maneuver.htm](http://www.aboutbreathing.com/articles/valsalvas-maneuver.htm) “Valsalva’s maneuver occurs when one holds one’s breath and strains. Defecation or urination (many die on the toilet seat), using the arm and upper trunk muscles to move up in bed, or strains during coughing, gagging or vomiting. The increased pressure, immediate tachycardia, and reflex bradycardia can bring about cardiac arrest in vulnerable heart patients.” -Above taken from a medical dictionary. > [@](#): > > The nickname for it is to “vagal out.” I heard is as “valsalva’d out” in my EMT days. ---
**Author:** ![kezami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kezami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kezami)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386/20 "2004-03-15T21:39:18Z")
I’m running out to buy a case or two of bran flakes, prophylactically. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-died-pushing-out-a-turd/234386.md?page=2)