Frank McGrath, a seasoned figure in bodybuilding, encountered severe health issues. To elaborate, in a YouTube revelation, Frank McGrath recounted a near-death experience before the 2023 Olympia. During this ordeal, doctors discovered two significant ulcers in his esophagus, leading to internal bleeding.
“They had to pick me off my bed and put me on the stretcher in the ambulance. And I really felt myself like fading away. I thought I was dying,” revealed Frank McGrath.
Having secured his Pro card in 2003 at the CBBF Canadian Championships, McGrath’s impressive physique quickly garnered attention. Renowned for his monstrous proportions and feathered quads, he was also admired for his defined biceps and forearms. His final competitive appearance came in sixth place at the 2015 Lou Ferrigno Legacy Pro.
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In retirement, McGrath remained an active and visible member of the bodybuilding community. Despite ongoing health issues that require dialysis, he continues to inspire fans with his unwavering dedication to training.
Frank McGrath Talks ‘Dangerous’ Health Scare, Says He Was ‘Losing Blood’ and Felt Himself ‘Fading Away’
Moreover, before the Olympia, McGrath disclosed that he injected his shoulder with a “bad shot,” resulting in significant pain and inflammation.
“I posted about I did a bad shot in my shoulder, got pretty swollen up, it was really painful but that’s just the beginning of the story. I’ll tell you what happened first. Before the Arnold, not the Arnold, the Olympia, I did a shot of testosterone, you know I’m doing TRT right now.
That was a Wednesday, I went to the Olympia and even at the Olympia I was having problems eating. I had no appetite, I was feeling pretty tired and stuff like that but I pushed through and went to the Olympia and had a good time,” said McGrath.
Subsequently, days later, his shoulder became even more painful and swollen, prompting him to finally go to the hospital.
“Sunday morning and my shoulder was super swollen and very painful. I stayed in bed all day flew home, got home. I thought that it was just a bad shot.
I think we’ve all done a bad shot. You get a little lump, no big deal right? But it wasn’t getting better. It didn’t get better.”
It was so painful it got to the point where I had to go to the hospital. I wasn’t sure if it was getting infected and went to the hospital. Yes I did [I went to the gym first].
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Furthermore, he tried to have the medical staff drain his shoulder and specified that they found no infections in the emergency room.
“Tried to get it drained and stuff like that. I went to the emergency room just in case you have an infection you don’t want to lose your fuckin whole arm.”
“I went to the emergency room got it all checked out they did blood tests all the stuff like that. No infections, but the arm was super super swollen all the way down to my forearm.”
In addition, while explaining his condition, Frank McGrath underscored the “major pains” in his stomach, stating that he struggled to maintain balance. Subsequently, he fell, resulting in a collision with his head on a cupboard.
“There was a lot of water retention, the shoulder was huge. They said you have a really bad hematoma in your shoulder and they actually sent me home and they said come back Sunday night and they were going to re-admit me the next day they were going to get an ultrasound and drain the fluid out of it and I should be fine.”
“I was having major major pains in my stomach. I stood up and tried to go to the bathroom. I was so disoriented that I couldn’t really keep my balance. Got to the bathroom, fell, smashed my head on the cupboard.”
Once more, he highlighted that his blood pressure had dropped to 54 over 30, compelling doctors and medical staff to administer blood transfusions promptly.
“They said let’s call the ambulance it’s not safe. For me, I don’t know about you, I don’t call the ambulance until it’s like life or death. I’m a guy it’s embarrassing man. It sounds kind of stupid because you think you’re going to be okay. I was like okay, I should. I’m in pain I cannot get up.”
“They put me on an IV, my blood pressure was 54 over 40 as soon as they did that, they were like get two bags of blood right now. They rushed. No waiting. They said this guy needs it right now. They didn’t even check my blood type they could put any blood in there, it’s the one that matches everyone yeah O negative,” said McGrath.
Frank McGrath described feeling his life “fading away” at that moment.
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“I felt myself fading away. I was like… I was disoriented and it’s such a hard thing to describe feeling like the life is draining out of you.”
In particular, medical professionals discovered two ulcers in McGrath’s esophagus, leading to internal bleeding.
“I ended up having two ulcers in my esophagus very big ones they said, then they did the other end, and I had a lot of bowel inflammation, ulcers in my stomach, they fixed all those whatever they had to do.
But the main thing that happened was that I was bleeding internally. I was losing blood.
Given his past health issues, McGrath was already taking Warfarin, a blood thinning agent to ensure his blood doesn’t clot. However, after he hit his head, medical professionals expressed concerns over a potential brain bleed.
“I was on blood thinners it’s called Warfarin, to make sure my blood doesn’t clot. When I was in the hospital, they said, they check your blood every time, once a month something like that, I can’t remember how many times, they checked your INR which is how thin your blood is.”
“I did smack my head, but they were even like if you hurt your head or you smack your head and you get a bleed in your brain, it’s very dangerous.”
Frank McGrath Focuses on Recovery and Health After Near-Death Experience
As he recovers, McGrath is concentrated on enhancing his health in the coming days. Additionally, he mentioned that his swollen shoulder remains a hematoma, presenting an ongoing challenge.
“Today was the first day I ate chicken and rice. It’s plain and it digests pretty good. Right now, I’m not going to eat pizza or fuckin — not for a while.
Not till I fully heal, then I can have a cheat meal or whatever. Now it’s just eating plain for now and find things that are just easy.”
“They did an ultrasound on the shoulder and they said it was just a hematoma that was just really swollen. It’s gone down a lot but it’s at a point where it’s not going down anymore.”
A surprising development in the bodybuilding community revolves around the emergence of esophagus ulcers as a cause for concern. Shortly before the 2023 Mr. Olympia, former champion Brandon Curry faced health challenges attributed to esophagus ulcers. Despite the obstacles, Curry showcased remarkable resilience and clinched a fourth-place finish on the prestigious Olympia stage.
This incident underscores the delicate nature of life, particularly within the demanding realm of bodybuilding. Fans express relief as they witness the steady progress of beloved bodybuilding figure Frank McGrath in his recovery. Optimism prevails for the complete subsiding of his shoulder inflammation in the near future.
For more details, you can watch the complete video on the IFBB AMA YouTube channel:
Overview
In a recent YouTube revelation, bodybuilding veteran Frank McGrath shared a near-death experience before the 2023 Olympia. Two significant esophagus ulcers caused internal bleeding. Despite a swollen shoulder from a “bad shot,” McGrath faced stomach pains and a blood pressure drop to 54 over 30. Emergency blood transfusions were required. Recovery focuses on health improvement, addressing a persistent shoulder hematoma. Fans, familiar with health challenges in bodybuilding, express relief at McGrath’s recovery.
Featured Image @frank_mcgrath78 (Instagram), @IFBB AMA (Youtube)
