S08.E14: Megan's Story

[ShoePrincess]

On 4/2/2020 at 8:01 AM, Johnny Dollar said:

Another in a long line of boring episodes. The only interesting part was the almost palpable sexual energy between Megan’s mom and Dr Now 😍😍🍆🍆🍑🍑

I think that sexual energy was one-sided, and it wasn’t on Dr. New’s side.

 

[kstar821]

14 hours ago, Johnny Dollar said:

No tats or body piercing, but she did end up with a tiny dog at the end. Unless that was a standard size dachshund that looked like a mini next to its owner. 

I saw that, too!  It's like a requirement for these people to own a dachshund. 😂

[Caoimhe]

1 hour ago, Concerned said:

There are people who don’t feel the doctor cares unless they get blood work and a prescription. These people help make doctors rich and Medicare broke.

They are also a big contributing factor to growing antibiotic resistance.

[Caoimhe]

1 hour ago, calpurnia99 said:

She is a nice enough person,, but if you are 24 and let yourself get to 600 pounds, you have some serious issues with reality. Something is wired way, way off. She came out of the womb stuffing her face.

If nearly dying from blood clots in your lungs doesn’t convince you that continuing to stuff your face continuously isn’t a good idea I don’t know if anything ever will.  She also mentioned more than once that the surgery will fix everything and she won’t have to work so hard to follow the diet any more.  Sure it will help temporarily but her cravings to eat will come back and I just don’t see her resisting in the long term.

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by ThereButFor

[AZChristian]

Just now, ThereButFor said:

She also mentioned more than once that the surgery it will fix everything and she won’t have to work so hard to follow the diet any more.  

She pretty much referred to losing over 100 pounds on her own in a year was a wasted effort!

Dr. Now needs to give these people copies of actual stories of patients who have "out-eaten" their sleeve or bypass surgeries.

If you don't change your lifestyle, your life won't change!!!!

[Twopper]

56 minutes ago, calpurnia99 said:

She is a nice enough person,, but if you are 24 and let yourself get to 600 pounds, you have some serious issues with reality. Something is wired way, way off. She came out of the womb stuffing her face.

It wouldn't surprise me if she came out of the womb weighing above average.  Her mother is diabetic, and I don't know if she has always been or perhaps developed gestational diabetes first or not,  At the beginning there is a picture of a very overweight Megan as a babe in arms or very young toddler.  Everyone in the picture-mom, dad, evil step sisters --all look obese.

What galled me was Dr Now talking about the 11 meds as something someone in their 40's or 40's would be on.   Well, maybe that's true for the obese people he works with but I don't think that's normal.   Mr Twopper is on a low dose BP med and I have 2 meds for crummy lungs, and we are both over 65. 

19 hours ago, AZChristian said:

And some doctors just love prescribing meds.  I stopped seeing a doctor who had me on 8 prescriptions in my 40s.  When I'd complain about side effects, he tried to give me another prescription to address the side effects. 

I am really sorry about your brother.  I had a cousin who took an Rx for something which had a side effect she hated so instead of finding a different medicine or changing her lifestyle, she started taking another med.  And so on to the point where she had a basket full of pills on the bfast table, but all this happened in her mid 50's (so maybe Dr Now is more correct than I like to think),  She ended up spending her last years in a nursing home, but she lived into her mid 80's.   Her daughter is 50 and may be beginning to be the same way as her mother and grandmother--all three of whom seem to have hypochondriac tendencies.    It is really awful to watch.

[ams1001]

46 minutes ago, kstar821 said:

I saw that, too!  It's like a requirement for these people to own a dachshund. 😂

Or a Chihuahua.

[AZChristian]

2 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Or a Chihuahua.

Or two or three.

[ams1001]

5 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Or two or three.

Well, they are small...

[Tabbygirl521]

I don’t think Dr Now meant that 40-year-olds SHOULD be on a lot of meds, just that Megan’s aren’t typically needed until a person is at least in their 40s (which still seems way too young).The second time he chided her, he did say it was like someone in their 40s, 50s, 60s. it just occurred to me that he may have inadvertently been thinking of his own patients and the array of meds they may be on at young ages - no doubt well before the general population  

My immediate reaction when he first addressed it was, Wow, REALLY? I’m 66 and I only take 2 meds regularly (which I realize is luck of the draw to some extent). I am of course dying to know what all Megan could possibly be taking.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Tabbygirl521

[88Keys]

17 hours ago, Otter said:

Just want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience on Live Chat!  I'm a west coaster and my new provider airs TLC on Eastern Time.  I couldn't keep up at all but irregardless it was a lot of fun!  Thanks for making me feel so welcome (being a virgin and all)!

I can't even imagine what the chat was like for the Assantis and James K.  

 

James K's thread was looooong.  Pretty sure we talked about him non-stop for over a week.  At the time, he was the worst we had seen.  This was before the Assanti's, and Schenee, and Maya...we were so naive.  This show always manages to top itself.

[Lunula]

I'm not normally one to point fingers at mom & dad - but fingers can clearly be pointed here. She told Dr Now she's "always been" overweight and her comment went back to when she was a year old?! Didn't she say that at 5 she was 250 lb? A 250 lb 5-year-old? Are you kidding me? 

Playing armchair psychologist here, but Megan has never eaten normally, never been a normal weight, never learned how to have, or deal with, emotions normally and - to me - it all goes back to mom and dad. Overweight 12-month-old babies are because mom and dad have no fucking clue what they are doing. That's abuse. She's probably never had real friends. Never had a job. Never had a boyfriend. Lives with her mom and has never lived on her own. Her "major trauma" that started all this (in her estimation) is that her half sisters were "really mean to her" as kids. And now we have a completely dysfunctional 24-year-old who is on 9 and 12 medications for chronic health conditions. Damn. I'm almost 49 and know how many medications I'm on? Zero. 

Yes, she's an adult and makes her own choices - but the first thing she does when she sees dad is ask him if he wants a pizza? Mom says she supports her and then orders, and eats, fast food in front of her (repeatedly)? She has the emotional maturity of an 8-year-old and I think Dr Now saw that, which is why he let slide his normal prerequisite weight loss. Honestly, I'm with him - she did way better than I expected and at 24 she needs something, anything, that will give her a shot at a life. 

I only wish Dr Now had gotten her (and her mother) into therapy. 

[dahling]

1 hour ago, Lunula said:

I only wish Dr Now had gotten her (and her mother) into therapy.

Maybe he did and it was even more boring than what made the final cut. 

[ava111]

3 hours ago, Lunula said:

 She's probably never had real friends. Never had a job. Never had a boyfriend. Lives with her mom and has never lived on her own. Her "major trauma" that started all this (in her estimation) is that her half sisters were "really mean to her" as kids. And now we have a completely dysfunctional 24-year-old who is on 9 and 12 medications for chronic health conditions. Damn

Didn't she say she met someone online and he started to be mentally abusive and she for a while was doing lot of partying and "stuff" which I assume means drugs? Then she moved back in with her mom.

One thing I noticed they definitely were not the usually poor people we see most of the time (although it seems this season they have more people with nice homes than usually). Their house was not only clean but also decorated which is pretty rare with most of people. They didn't have financial problems for sure. 

Coincidentally when I watched it last night I had on the same t-shirt she was wearing (except 3 sizes smaller) when she took her dog out for walk - it says " I just want to hang with my dog". 

Edited April 3, 2020 by ava111
Grammar

[Scratches19]

On 4/1/2020 at 9:34 PM, dahling said:

Mom is liable to catch some flies the way she sits with her mouth gaping open, especially when gazing up at Dr. Now. Maybe she is awestruck. 

What a couple of blaaaaaaah people. 

Hahaha. This is exactly what my s/o just said. We are catching up with Dr Now on Friday night. 

[Scratches19]

Missed the live chat. I’m hoping to make it at least once during this “stay at home“ time. So we are watching tonight. Dinner was yummy fish, baked potato and diet sodies  

Opening scenes: she’s got a front butt. 

I have to say I am hungry watching this! Pizza, cookies, bacon!

I guessed 587 on the 3 month. It a was 590. Hire me for the weight guessing booth at the fair. 

The more I watch this, the more I think they should START with three months of therapy over Skype or FaceTime Before he even sees them. Classic codependency from unresolved divorce trauma  neither of them want to confront it.

” That’s hanging pretty low there.” - Dr Now.  
 

 

 

[NeitherSparky]

14 hours ago, kstar821 said:

I saw that, too!  It's like a requirement for these people to own a dachshund. 😂

Which they brought with them on one of their drives down to Houston, apparently did not put it in a crate, and left it in the car during the appointment. 😞

[crazycatlady58]

7 hours ago, NeitherSparky said:

Which they brought with them on one of their drives down to Houston, apparently did not put it in a crate, and left it in the car during the appointment. 😞

When Dr. Now first saw them he ask how many people were in the house and I could have sworn they said three. Maybe the third person did not want to be on the show and that person was in the car with the day.

[calpurnia99]

Dr, Now: You are not a picky eater when you weigh 600 pounds!

GOLD!

[KateHearts]

23 hours ago, Concerned said:

A friend’s 90 year old mother had several low level complaints, mostly about being tired and achy. The doctor told her that it was part of the package of being 90 and that she didn’t require anything. Her daughter was furious and took her mother to several other doctors and had her mother on 8 prescriptions. She was dead within a year.

There are people who don’t feel the doctor cares unless they get blood work and a prescription. These people help make doctors rich and Medicare broke.

Let's be fair though; she was 90. I think it's a stretch to blame medications- or doctors- or even the daughter- for the fact that she died at 90 (91?)

On another note, was there ever a lot of pink in their house? It reminded me of Gypsy Rose Blanchard's house in Mommy Dead and Dearest.  I also was a little put off by the weird comic faces on car seat covers. No way could I face that every time I got in my car.

22 hours ago, Twopper said:

It wouldn't surprise me if she came out of the womb weighing above average. 

In the early bio segments, she was markedly heavy even as a toddler and small child. 

22 hours ago, kstar821 said:

I saw that, too!  It's like a requirement for these people to own a dachshund. 😂

That, and to have tiny little houses. 

[Pondlass1]

I think they need to change up the formula for this show. Why do they have to drive all the way to Houston only to be told the same thing every episode... Go back home and lose 50 pounds a munt to qualify for bariatric surgery. 

Dr Now could do this via video conference. If the 600Pounder loses required weight.. then drive across country to his office for medical tests etc.

It seems such a waste of time to drive all that way just to sit in his office and say “ok” to everything he says. The paperwork is available online too. I know the long drive is contrived drama for viewing audiences but it’s now boring and predictable.  Even Dr.Now is bored judging by all the mumbling. He knows he’s wasting his breath, especially this season.

Still, at least we weren’t treated to the usual eye boggling shower scene this time.

And I have a suspicion the mother was encouraged to hijack her daughter’s progress by TLC production for added drama. But the open mouthed star struck performance in the doctor’s office was all too real and quite funny.

 

 

 

[ams1001]

3 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

Dr Now could do this via video conference. If the 600Pounder loses required weight.. then drive across country to his office for medical tests etc.

And we have seen them do skype appointments, even the initial appointment in one or two cases, I think. They could probably get a lot of tests done at home, too. Stuff like blood work they could have done at a local lab and just have the results sent to Dr. Now.

Edited April 4, 2020 by ams1001

[AZChristian]

13 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

And we have seen them do skype appointments, even the initial appointment in one or two cases, I think. They could probably get a lot of tests done at home, too. Stuff like blood work they could have done at a local lab and just have it sent to Dr. Now.

I wonder if part of the "come here for your first appointment" is to see whether people are serious enough about wanting help that they will put significant effort into starting the process.  It's real easy to have skype discussions and have Dr. Now's office send the 1,200 diet and exercise plan via e-mail. 

Maybe they think if people REALLY want to work hard to get into the process from step one, they may be more likely to stick with it.  Most of the people we see don't lose weight according to the assignment Dr. Now gives them . . . I suspect they'd lose a lot less if they didn't have to stand on the dreaded corner scale and then face him immediately afterwards with the result.

And unless Dr. Now had an associate handling the weigh-ins near the participants' homes and reporting back to him directly, it would be real easy for the participant to lie about weigh-ins.  We've seen how easily these people lie.

[Raiderred]

The mom looked like Ozzy Osbourne. 

I see everyone blaming mom, as we should, but I think dad had just as much or more to blame as he started her very young eating a lot and terrible stuff.

The Doxie was adorable.  I have three of them.  One red and two black and tans but mine are standards so not real tiny at about 22 lbs.

[ams1001]

2 hours ago, AZChristian said:

And unless Dr. Now had an associate handling the weigh-ins near the participants' homes and reporting back to him directly, it would be real easy for the participant to lie about weigh-ins.  We've seen how easily these people lie.

Yeah, I can see why Dr. Now would want to do weigh-ins in person. (Though I think there was one patient who did see a doctor at home who sent results to Dr. Now? I suspect there were extenuating circumstances, there, though.) But something like an EKG or routine lab work could be done anywhere (unless he can't order such things in other states..?).

[PradaKitty]

It always amazes me how most of these parents let their children’s weight get so out of hand. No child should start kindergarten at 100 pounds! No five year old child should weigh that much. 
iIf my kid was large and getting larger I would do everything to fix that come hell or high water. 
What kind of life is your child going to have if they continue along the path to morbid obesity?

I obviously would not include any child with underlying medical issues in this category.

[knuckles491]

Every single poundticipant this season says "I have to do what I need", or "the things I need". instead of the "what I need To DO, or the things I need To Do."  And most of them, except  Megan in this last episode, reach down and grab the top of their T shirt to wipe their eyes when they cry.  Why don't they reach for a tissue?

Edited April 4, 2020 by knuckles491
mistake

[the-grey-lady]

4 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

I think they need to change up the formula for this show. Why do they have to drive all the way to Houston only to be told the same thing every episode... Go back home and lose 50 pounds a munt to qualify for bariatric surgery. 

Dr Now could do this via video conference. If the 600Pounder loses required weight.. then drive across country to his office for medical tests etc.

It seems such a waste of time to drive all that way just to sit in his office and say “ok” to everything he says. The paperwork is available online too. I know the long drive is contrived drama for viewing audiences but it’s now boring and predictable.  Even Dr.Now is bored judging by all the mumbling. He knows he’s wasting his breath, especially this season.

Still, at least we weren’t treated to the usual eye boggling shower scene this time.

And I have a suspicion the mother was encouraged to hijack her daughter’s progress by TLC production for added drama. But the open mouthed star struck performance in the doctor’s office was all too real and quite funny.

I completely agree. And if we did away with the initial appointment scene, we would also be free of my least favorite part of every episode: the hand-wringing from the poundticipant wondering "what Dr. Now will ask them to dooooo."

I'm tired of yelling "He's going to ask you to eat less!" every Wednesday.

[knuckles491]

Or, when they say, on the long trip down, "I'm really scared that the Doctor will say he can't help me".

[Minivanessa]

During the live chat on this episode, I got so angry that Megan was a THREE HUNDRED POUND ELEVEN YEAR OLD and the adults in her life did fuckall about it.  For God's sake, this is a CHILD who weighed THREE HUNDRED POUNDS and yes I'm yelling.

Did either of her parents have time to notice that their child was mobrbidly obese at age 11?? 

Did any teacher notice what had to be an extraordinarily bad physical condition? Didn't any adult at her school say, wait a minute, we need to report this unhealthy child and get her medical help?

Did she EVER go to a doctor, and if so what the hell did the doctor say to the parents? "Oh, she could stand to lose a little weight?"

Jesus wept.

[ams1001]

44 minutes ago, knuckles491 said:

Or, when they say, on the long trip down, "I'm really scared that the Doctor will say he can't help me".

Yeah, a TLC camera crew is following you just for Dr. Now to say "sorry, can't help you!" at the first appointment. 🙄

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Pounders,

Megan was on many medications.  That was part of the show.  Discussions of people you know who took many or some medications and had what you believe are bad results from doing so are not part of the show.  Dr. Now did not tell her she was on medications she did not need, so not a topic we need to discuss. 

Back to your regularly scheduled snarking.

[Caoimhe]

7 hours ago, ams1001 said:

And we have seen them do skype appointments, even the initial appointment in one or two cases, I think. They could probably get a lot of tests done at home, too. Stuff like blood work they could have done at a local lab and just have the results sent to Dr. Now.

Yes!  The very nasty Angie J was on video call with Dr Now when he told her she’d tested positive for a number of unprescribed drugs.

[calpurnia99]

7 hours ago, knuckles491 said:

Every single poundticipant this season says "I have to do what I need", or "the things I need". instead of the "what I need To DO, or the things I need To Do."  And most of them, except  Megan in this last episode, reach down and grab the top of their T shirt to wipe their eyes when they cry.  Why don't they reach for a tissue?

Yes, it must be the script writer because every episode they all end every sentence with the word NEED. Once someone pointed it out here, I notice it all the time. Even Dr. Now does it.

They say:

 I hope I can lose the weight I need. I want to be where I need.  It will all go fine if I eat right like I need.  Then I get the weight loss like I need. If I can just get used to making the food I need. I'll get the surgery, like I need.  When I'm down where I need than my life will be how I need.

Not a "need to" or "need to do" or  a sentence constructed using the word need that is not hanging off the end.  In the entire show! Every show! It's very bizarre. If I could only stop reading this thread like I need.

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by calpurnia99

[IKnit4Cats]

How in the world did I miss that she is in my hometown?

I don't know her. I moved away more than 24 years ago. Maybe some younger relatives know her. Taylorville is not a big place.

[IKnit4Cats]

I'm way behind and just seeing this, but she didn't even read what he gave her???

And she isn't exercising because she doesn't belong to a gym?

I think I'd rather she just lie instead.

[GoldaVining]

On 4/3/2020 at 2:26 PM, ava111 said:

Their house was not only clean but also decorated which is pretty rare with most of people.

Their kitchen was pink with a cupcakes wallpaper border!

So glad to see a dog getting walked on the daily on this show.

Edited April 6, 2020 by GoldaVining
cuz it was stated before

[JunkFoodTV]

Megan and mom certainly belong to the Itty-bitty titty committee. 👀

[calpurnia99]

4 hours ago, JunkFoodTV said:

Megan and mom certainly belong to the Itty-bitty titty committee. 👀

Id rather see that than some of the ladies weve seen with their My 120 Pound Breasts taking our eyes out

[JunkFoodTV]

18 minutes ago, calpurnia99 said:

Id rather see that than some of the ladies weve seen with their My 120 Pound Breasts taking our eyes out

Yeah, I think I was just surprised at Megan's disproportionate shape. It seems so many are top heavy, including the men. 😀

[Johnny Dollar]

11 hours ago, calpurnia99 said:

Id rather see that than some of the ladies weve seen with their My 120 Pound Breasts taking our eyes out

calpurnia - You should work for TLC. That sounds like a perfect spin off show. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I'm rewatching the juicy parts of this episode.   Mom and Megan meeting Dr. Now, and Mom staring at him with her mouth hanging open.    Then the scene of Megan 'following' Dr. NOw's diet with Megan eating a giant salad of lettuce, with a full bottle of dressing, a bunch of cheese on top, and a full package or two of bacon that Mom made for her.   

[Oro2marco]

On 4/4/2020 at 6:12 AM, KateHearts said:

Let's be fair though; she was 90. I think it's a stretch to blame medications- or doctors- or even the daughter- for the fact that she died at 90 (91?)

On another note, was there ever a lot of pink in their house? It reminded me of Gypsy Rose Blanchard's house in Mommy Dead and Dearest.  I also was a little put off by the weird comic faces on car seat covers. No way could I face that every time I got in my car.

In the early bio segments, she was markedly heavy even as a toddler and small child. 

That, and to have tiny little houses. 

I hated that bright pink kitchen with the cupcake wallpaper border. So tacky!

[CrazyInAlabama]

I still get a charge out of the mother starring at Dr. Now as if he's her Prince Charming.    I'm sure Dr. Now could do better that her.     

How anyone can think Megan's salad with what looked like a full bottle of dressing, and at least two of the microwave, ready-to-eat bacon on top was a Dr. Now approved meal?     I wonder what kind of huge meals we didn't see when the camera crew was gone?

This Thursday, 7 May (I hope 7 May), is the supersized of this.   It's scheduled for 7 p.m. Central.    I'm not sure I can watch this again, plus I can't imagine what bonus tidbits they'll put on screen.    

Edited May 3, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[El maestro]

I promised myself not watch another millennial edition of “it’s no my fault. Somebody can do it for me”... big mistake.

[Cementhead]

Mom sure loves her pink.  And the brighter, the better.  Pink kitchen, pink shirts, pink jackets...

Am I the only one who was super annoyed by Megan's fake sing songy voice she would put on when talking to Dr. Now?  What a manipulative Bullshitter.  You could literally see her 'switch it on' when he walked into the office.  Her monotone, flat, barely alive way of speaking became all "up with people!" Of course, the good doctor was not having any of of and I loved it when he called her on her whole sodium bullshit excuse. 

Megan and her mouth-breathing mother were beyond dull and this episode was beyond tedious so I never bothered to finish it on account of I really just don't care, especially since I had just watched Justin's story right before. 

[fonfereksglen]

During BSG commercials, I learned that Megan cannot bring herself to eat calamari or caviar.  So she does have limits.  Her perfect last meal would be pizza. Agree with that!

Then during what I think was a supersized scene, they were on the roadtrip from IL to Houston.  Megan seemed genuinely thrilled to see the arch and lamented that her entire life was spent inside the house never going anywhere.  When you ponder that, she was already living in the near future.  A very William Gibson moment.

[JunkFoodTV]

The second bonus scene was Megan in a swimsuit in a hot tub. Oh boy...😝

[Meowwww]

Watching supersized now.  Her cheerful “ok! Ok!” Like nothing is a big deal, is grating on my nerves. 

[Tabbygirl521]

I am both laughing and cursing @Cementhead for today’s ear worm, “Up With People.” It’s been at least 40 years since that crossed my brain.

I’m off to find it on YouTube so I can transmit it to my sister...