In a story that’s truly stomach-turning, a 23-year-old man from India experienced ongoing indigestion and bloating that defied typical diagnosis. Doctors were floored when they found the culprit — a three-centimeter live cockroach lodged in his intestines.
The bizarre discovery left everyone questioning: how did it get there? And more importantly, how was it still alive?
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The young man’s ordeal started with typical symptoms.
He experienced discomfort, bloating, and indigestion, which he attributed to some street food he’d eaten at a local night market. However, what seemed like a common case of food-related indigestion escalated into a medical mystery.
The man’s health issues persisted, leading him to consult Dr. Shubham Vatsya, a senior gastroenterologist.
Dr. Vatsya and his team conducted routine examinations.
They searched for common gastrointestinal issues, but the endoscopy soon revealed an unexpected surprise. “Even we were surprised as to how the cockroach managed to stay intact,” Dr. Vatsya said.
It was the last thing anyone expected to find lurking in the patient’s intestines, and the doctor knew quick action was needed.
Using an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, the medical team finally zeroed in on the source of the patient’s distress.
As Dr. Vatsya explained, the team “activated the suction button on the scope, effectively sucking the cockroach into the suction channel, leading to its removal.” The procedure, while effective, left the entire team unnerved by the oddity of the situation.
The insect’s survival in the man’s small intestine could have had dangerous consequences.
Dr. Vatsya noted that a live cockroach in such a sensitive area might have led to life-threatening complications. It’s unusual, but a lucky escape for this unnamed man.
The doctor hinted that had it gone undetected, the results could have been far worse.
The baffling case didn’t take long to gain traction online.
As news of the incident spread across social media, the internet community’s reactions were a mixture of disgust and disbelief. A Reddit user captured many’s horror: “I’m going to pretend I didn’t read that and move on with my life.” Comments like this revealed just how unsettling the story was for readers.
Another social media user speculated on how the insect might have survived:
“I bet it hit that stomach acid and bolted for the nearest crevice — right through the pyloric sphincter, bypassing a lot of the process that would have otherwise killed it.”
Theories like this only fueled the mystery, as people struggled to grasp the insect’s resilience.
Several commenters marveled at the hardiness of cockroaches, citing their reputation for surviving extreme conditions.
“Whenever they talked about a nuclear disaster, they said cockroaches would be the most likely critter to survive the radiation,” one person wrote. “Now we know they can also survive inside your intestines — quite impressive.” The cockroach’s tenacity seemed almost supernatural.
Others took a more humorous approach, albeit with a shudder.
One commenter quipped, “I guess it’s time to stop eating. Intravenous nutrients from here on out.” And “guess you could say he had a bad stomach bug.”
Another simply summed up the sentiment: “I am disturbed, and my day is ruined.” As the tale circulated, it seemed to leave an indelible mark on anyone who read it.
This strange story serves as a cautionary reminder that indigestion might sometimes be more than it seems.
For one man, his seemingly ordinary symptoms led to an extraordinary diagnosis. While he’s thankfully rid of his uninvited guest, the ordeal has surely left him with a memory he’ll never forget — or want to repeat.
H/T: The Indian Express
