A training body-builder required life-saving surgery after one of his major organs twisted due to his high-protein diet.
Sean Tierney had just started to compete in body-building competitions when he was rushed to hospital with severe abdominal pains.
Doctors started to treat the 34-year-old for appendicitis but then found out his bowel had started to twist and had to perform life-saving surgery.
Mr Tierney, who started competing in body building competitions in April 2017, was “in the best shape of his life” when he fell ill, reports Hull Live.
The 34-year-old, who has regularly attended the gym for around 11 years, decided to take up bodybuilding after being inspired by other gym-goers.
He said: “I used to go just for fitness for a couple of times a week and saw people who were bigger and stronger than me and I wanted to look like that.
“I asked the current Mr. Universe to train me he is the best bodybuilder in the UK – and he gave me advice and told me about meal prepping all online. He came to the show in Hull and I placed fourth in the British Finals.”
Just before the competition, Mr Tierney started to feel a “bit of discomfort” in his stomach and his doctor told him to increase his fibre intake and lower his protein as it was this that was causing the problem.
He said: “The doctor said the protein was an issue because I needed to increase my fibre. It was to do with the amount of protein I was having and the fact I was on a strict diet for the first time in my life and my body was not used to it.”
However, soon after, things took a turn for the worse.
Mr Tierney said: “After the competition I was having really bad contractions and pains in my stomach and I had to call an ambulance.
“They thought I had appendicitis and said that because of all of the bodybuilding they could make a small cut above the appendix and when they put me to sleep they found out I had a twisted bowl.
“They had to take everything out, sort the mess out and sew it up again. I had to have 43 staples but the doctors said I was very, very lucky not to need a colostomy bag.”
Since then, Mr Tierney has got back to training and is looking forward to entering a bodybuilding competition in Castleford in three weeks’ time.
He said: “I’m hoping to place in the top three and if I do I will get to go to the British Finals two weeks later. I’ve also entered a strongman competition in July in Hull which requires different training and food which will be difficult but I’m looking forward to it.”
Mr Tierney said he would give advice to others following in his footsteps and said he would say to “keep going”.
He said: “In the hospital I was writing plans for training and meals and what I was going to do after when I got out to try and get myself back on track and looking forward to things.
“I struggled, especially with my stomach when I was eating a lot of protein to get back on track. I would just say if you have a goal to keep going for that.”