Actor Richard Low reveals incurable colon condition behind hospital stay

Veteran Mediacorp actor Richard Low, known affectionately as Limpeh, has revealed the cause of his six-day hospitalization in May: diverticular disease, a condition affecting the large intestine. The 74-year-old actor experienced sudden loss of bowel and bladder control, followed by significant intestinal bleeding.

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When I got up in the morning and went to the toilet, I saw blood in my stool. I immediately thought: 'This is bad.'

Low described discovering blood in his stool, which immediately triggered alarm bells due to a similar episode he suffered two decades ago. Doctors later confirmed that diverticulitis had caused a perforation in his intestine, leading to continuous bleeding. Despite the internal bleeding, Low initially felt physically fine and even filmed a segment for a show before seeking medical attention.

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I had a bad feeling that the same thing that happened 20 years ago might be happening again.

The ordeal resulted in a 5kg weight loss during his hospital stay, where he was initially unable to eat and later restricted to liquids. While Low has recovered, he shared that diverticular disease is an incurable condition. Management now focuses on lifestyle changes, including a strict diet avoiding fried foods and alcohol to prevent future flare-ups.

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For the first three days, I had to undergo various tests, so I wasn't allowed to eat anything. I didn't have much of an appetite anyway. Over the next few days, I could only consume liquids.