Updated

Updated · Fightful · Aug 20

Brie Bella Hospitalized After Severe GI Reaction, 911 Called 1 Week After SummerSlam Injury

Updated

Updated · Fightful · Aug 20

Brie Bella Hospitalized After Severe GI Reaction, 911 Called 1 Week After SummerSlam Injury

Q: Why did a broken bone at SummerSlam lead to a terrifying 911 call and an embarrassing hospital stay for Brie Bella?

A broken scapula at SummerSlam set off the chain of events because the pain medication Brie Bella took during recovery left her severely constipated. After days without a bowel movement, she finally strained on the toilet, then fainted from the physical stress, prompting her husband Bryan Danielson to call 911 when he found her unconscious. Bella said the injury happened in a SummerSlam match, where she broke her shoulder blade and was later prescribed painkillers. Medical guidance widely recognizes opioid pain medicines as a major cause of constipation, especially when someone is also less mobile and may be dehydrated during injury recovery. In Bella’s case, the constipation became severe enough that when she pushed to go, she passed out. That kind of episode is consistent with what doctors describe as defecation syncope, when straining can trigger a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure through a vagal response, reducing blood flow to the brain and causing brief loss of consciousness. The risk can be higher when someone is in pain, dehydrated, or already physically stressed. The hospital stay became embarrassing because Bella regained consciousness realizing she had soiled herself during the episode. She said doctors kept her there for hours, monitored her, gave her IV fluids, and did not let her clean up until they were sure she was stable. She later joked about it publicly, but said it was genuinely frightening in the moment.

Q: What hidden danger of injury recovery sent a Hall of Fame wrestler to the hospital with an entirely different medical crisis?

The hidden danger was opioid-induced constipation during injury recovery. Brie Bella said painkillers prescribed after she broke her scapula left her severely constipated for days, and when she finally strained to have a bowel movement, she fainted on the toilet and was taken to the hospital. Her story highlights a common but sometimes underestimated complication of recovery after injury or surgery: narcotic pain medicines can slow the gut, especially when combined with dehydration and reduced mobility. Medical guidance widely recognizes constipation as one of the most frequent opioid side effects, and in serious cases it can lead to extreme straining, fainting, fecal impaction, or even bowel obstruction. In Bella’s case, the bathroom emergency became the separate medical crisis. Bryan Danielson called 911 after finding her unconscious, and she was monitored in the hospital and given fluids before being discharged. The broader takeaway is that constipation prevention should be part of pain management. Experts typically recommend hydration, movement as tolerated, and early use of clinician-approved laxatives or stool-softening strategies when opioids are prescribed. Urgent evaluation is warranted if constipation is accompanied by fainting, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, inability to pass stool or gas, or confusion.

3 articles · Updated · Fightful · Aug 20

Brie Bella said a severe gastrointestinal reaction after eating out left her fainting, incontinent and unresponsive at home, prompting Bryan Danielson to call 911 and send her to the hospital.
A little over 1 week after suffering a broken scapula at SummerSlam, Bella said she had not used the bathroom for 8 days and believes a meal mishandled as gluten-free triggered the episode.
EMTs transported her carefully because of the shoulder injury, and hospital staff ran tests before treatment; she said 2 IV bags and medication helped her recover enough to walk again.
Bella recounted the ordeal on The Nikki & Brie Show, saying the family now jokes about it and her daughter Birdie even wrote a story about the incident.