S08.E05: Gina's Story

[KateHearts]

23 minutes ago, DVDFreaker said:

She lost 200 pounds 

I just read that she lost 50 during the show. Did she lose more after that?

[DVDFreaker]

4 hours ago, KateHearts said:

I just read that she lost 50 during the show. Did she lose more after that?

Yes, here is the article https://deadline.com/2021/08/gina-krasley-dead-my-600-lb-life-star-1234810551/

[Wanda]

16 hours ago, DVDFreaker said:

She lost 200 pounds 

During the episode she only lost 50 lbs. that’s the reference I used because I always take the after death articles with a grain of salt. The ones on Lisa and James K claimed they both lost the magical 200 lbs also.

Edited August 7, 2021 by Wanda
Added info

[Calamity Jane]

Wow, this made me think again about thoughts I’ve had for years regarding these folks. It truly seems that everyone needs to be in support groups that meet a time or two a week at least with someone from Nowzaradan’s staff to inculcate concepts, strategies, menus, etc. So many patients seem so clueless about the risks their weight poses, proper nutrition, how to prepare the 1,200 calorie meals, how to exercise, and so much more. And frequent meetings make you more accountable.  

Maybe there’s a lot happening we don’t see, but man oh man, these people seem so on their own. We don’t tell drug addicts or alcoholics to go home to get better by themselves without support, so why with food addicts? It’s so sad that this poor woman needed so much help, but nobody really has an answer that reliably gets results. 

I wonder what their success rate is compared with treatment for substances. Humans are so self-destructive and so hard to help,  perhaps this is as good as it can get, but I hope that’s not true. 

I also hope her death was not directly from weight-related causes. She was very mobile for 600+ pounds, which would seem to augur well for success. Her whole-body flush when exerting herself alarmed me, also the angry looking mole below her ear, so anything seems possible.  

Overall, just so sad. 

[EtheltoTillie]

17 hours ago, Calamity Jane said:

Wow, this made me think again about thoughts I’ve had for years regarding these folks. It truly seems that everyone needs to be in support groups that meet a time or two a week at least with someone from Nowzaradan’s staff to inculcate concepts, strategies, menus, etc. So many patients seem so clueless about the risks their weight poses, proper nutrition, how to prepare the 1,200 calorie meals, how to exercise, and so much more. And frequent meetings make you more accountable.  

Maybe there’s a lot happening we don’t see, but man oh man, these people seem so on their own. We don’t tell drug addicts or alcoholics to go home to get better by themselves without support, so why with food addicts? It’s so sad that this poor woman needed so much help, but nobody really has an answer that reliably gets results. 

I wonder what their success rate is compared with treatment for substances. Humans are so self-destructive and so hard to help,  perhaps this is as good as it can get, but I hope that’s not true. 

I also hope her death was not directly from weight-related causes. She was very mobile for 600+ pounds, which would seem to augur well for success. Her whole-body flush when exerting herself alarmed me, also the angry looking mole below her ear, so anything seems possible.  

Overall, just so sad. 

Very good summary of the issues, and this is why I had stopped watching for a few years.  I caught a few episodes last season.  It did seem exploitative to set them up to fail first.  And it's not as if I didn't join in the snark from time to time.  Aw mah laig. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by GussieK

[sagittarius sue]

I was sorry to hear about Gina.  There was a comment on an article about her death that someone had read elsewhere that her death was due to cellulitis that turned septic.  Considering her past poor hygiene that wouldn't be surprising.  I looked up the Live Chat, and we had an epic snark about her, 22 pages!

It appears Beth stuck with her until the end.  I hope she separates from that horribly dysfunctional family of Gina's, and starts a new life without them.

[cynicat]

On 8/7/2021 at 11:47 AM, Wanda said:

During the episode she only lost 50 lbs. that’s the reference I used because I always take the after death articles with a grain of salt. The ones on Lisa and James K claimed they both lost the magical 200 lbs also.

Of course, even if she lost 200lbs, she'd still be morbidly obese at ~400lbs.  While it would be headed in the right direction, that weight still carries many health risks.  The damage may already have been done.  So sad.

[mamadrama]

I love Dr. Now, and I think he legitimately cares, but he is not a mental health or pain management doctor. Most of these people need intensive therapy. Sending an 800lb person home with a sheet of paper telling them to only eat 1200 calories a day, or simply telling them to "quit smoking," is the equivalent of sending a heroin addict home with the instruction to stop shooting up. If it were easy for them to follow a simple diet and stop overeating then they probably would've done that already. Sure, the accountability to him probably helps, but IMO they need way more than that. 

Then there are those like Sean who lack really basic life skills. After his first visit He said that Dr Now had him on a 1200 calorie diet but that He had no idea of what that was in "actual food".  He had a nutritionist working with him in rehab and a PA who came and fixed meals for him on occasion, but what he needed (in addition to those things) was an old fashioned Home Ec class. Someone to teach him how to cook, how to budget, how to shop, etc. 

I hope that they're getting additional help off camera. 

[Calamity Jane]

On 8/9/2021 at 4:18 PM, mamadrama said:

I love Dr. Now, and I think he legitimately cares, but he is not a mental health or pain management doctor. Most of these people need intensive therapy. Sending an 800lb person home with a sheet of paper telling them to only eat 1200 calories a day, or simply telling them to "quit smoking," is the equivalent of sending a heroin addict home with the instruction to stop shooting up. If it were easy for them to follow a simple diet and stop overeating then they probably would've done that already. Sure, the accountability to him probably helps, but IMO they need way more than that. 

Then there are those like Sean who lack really basic life skills. After his first visit He said that Dr Now had him on a 1200 calorie diet but that He had no idea of what that was in "actual food".  He had a nutritionist working with him in rehab and a PA who came and fixed meals for him on occasion, but what he needed (in addition to those things) was an old fashioned Home Ec class. Someone to teach him how to cook, how to budget, how to shop, etc. 

I hope that they're getting additional help off camera. 

Yes, yes, yes to all this. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

From what I've read, there is a lot of off camera help for Dr. Now's patients.   They do have support groups, some of the leaders are success stories from Dr. Now's program.   There is a psych screening, but not therapy.  Therapy is a separate program.   Plus, a lot more nutritional information (probably part of it is his book), and maybe dieticians.    

[Carla81]

Am I the only one on this thread that noticed Gina's bleached crotch on her leggings all the way through the show?

[mmecorday]

Quote

Am I the only one on this thread that noticed Gina's bleached crotch on her leggings all the way through the show?

This is kind of gross, but then again so is this show. Sometimes women have acidic discharge than creates bleach-like stains on their underwear. I don't think Gina wore underwear, so if she had that condition, it probably stained her leggings.

 

[cynicat]

They showed this episode today on TLC.  I totally forgot how unbelievably annoying Gina was.  I'm not a violent person, but her whining makes me want to jump through the screen and slap her silly.

By the way, I realize she died, but she really wasn't committed to anything except playing a victim.

Edited January 12 by cynicat