Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman revealed his heart works at just 20% after his sepsis diagnosis. Then, he spoke with Ron Harris about his experience and current health update.
Moreover, the 8x Olympia champion entered the hospital on June 30 with a serious medical condition. Since then, his family kept fans updated until the sepsis diagnosis on July 11.
Finally, the 61-year-old first warned fans on social media before the emergency. He said he could not attend a UK event due to his medical issue.
“Due to a medical emergency, I won’t be attending the event,” Coleman shared. “But don’t worry—I’m getting the best care possible.”
Coleman experienced his first sign of symptoms during a seminar and meet and greet with fans. He was scheduled to appear at a show, flying into Milwaukee the night before, but could not remember much about his appearance.
“I get up on stage, we start the seminar, and I’m not going to lie, I don’t remember too much after that. I do this seminar, I don’t remember what questions were asked…I don’t remember doing the meet and greet.”
Once he was transported to the hospital, doctors said there was a heart issue that they were “not equipped” to deal with. Coleman was moved once again and was given the top level of care.
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Ronnie Coleman Talks Sepsis and Heart performing at 20%
Coleman underwent surgery to replace his left ventricular artery. Then, doctors accessed the artery through his hip. As a result, they avoided opening his chest. Clearly, this reduced surgical risks and helped speed up his recovery.
Later, Coleman revealed that he had no warning signs. For twenty years, he received regular heart screenings. In fact, all his tests came back clear. Eventually, he stopped going as often. Meanwhile, he kept training and followed a clean diet. Therefore, his active lifestyle may have masked his heart issues.
“The doctor did say that my heart had been working at 20% for the last two years. I was doing cardio for an hour a day, I was working out at least an hour a day. I was eating healthy, I quit drinking alcohol and everything.”
Ronnie Coleman continued to discuss his sepsis diagnosis. To this point, doctors “never really pinpointed” what caused this but were able to treat it to the best of their ability.
“They had me in a lightweight coma, the sepsis. It kind of confuses you a lot. I think that’s what was happening to me when I was on stage and doing the meet and greet.”
Coleman’s team started a campaign that would be working to raise money to support his recovery and raise awareness about sepsis. The initiative, called RONNIE STRONG, will donate proceeds to Sepsis Alliance.
“My team came up with the idea of it. We’re trying our best to use this platform, maybe God wanted me to use this platform to raise awareness of sepsis. Maybe some others lives will be saved.”
Sepsis can last anywhere from 6 to 18 months. First, the immune system overreacts to an infection. Then, that response causes dangerous inflammation throughout the body. Next, the inflammation can damage tissues and organs. Eventually, this may result in complete organ failure or death. Meanwhile, Ronnie Coleman shared how the illness affected both his mind and body. Finally, he described symptoms like confusion and intense pain.
“That confusion thing. They said when I was on stage, I kept repeating sentences over and over. That’s one of the main ones. And being in that extreme pain.”
Colosseum Strength will continue to provide health updates on Ronnie Coleman as his recovery progresses.
For more news and updates, follow Colosseum Strength on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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- Ronnie Coleman Reflects on Experience with Sepsis, Says Heart is Performing at 20%
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Overview
Ronnie Coleman shared new details about his recent sepsis scare. First, doctors admitted him to the hospital with a serious medical issue. Then, they diagnosed him with sepsis and discovered his heart only worked at 20%. Next, surgeons replaced his left ventricular artery through his hip, not his chest. After that, Coleman described how he trained daily and ate clean, which masked the issue. Meanwhile, his confusion and memory lapses revealed early signs of sepsis. Now, he leads a new campaign called “RONNIE STRONG” to raise awareness. Finally, Colosseum Strength continues to provide updates on his recovery.
Featured Image – Ronnie Coleman Reflects on Experience with Sepsis, Says Heart is Performing at 20% – Credit: @Ronniecoleman08 (Instagram)
