S09.E04: Cindy's Story

[Cherrio]

8 minutes ago, Toaster Strudel said:

Who else was impatiently pacing the room when she was slooooooooooooowly dropping moisturizer in the palm of her hand, and slooooooooowly spreading it thickly in her hair?

And when you thought she was done, she'd do it again?

...And when you thought she was done, she'd do it again?

........And when you thought she was done, she'd do it again?

 

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Her hair grossed me out.

[KateHearts]

I can't understand the comment (basic script) we so frequently hear: "I've been working so hard..." doing what?? Not eating? So many of these people literally sit and stare into space; it's really sad. She was especially flat and lacking emotion. 

The scene where she says she asked Sandy what she could do to help out: I thought I heard her say "I offered to paint her house." I did an actual double take.  She painted her nails... sort of.  Close up of her getting polish all over Sandy's finger.

Cindy set herself up for failure again and again. Not only did she blame others- but she blamed them ahead of time.  "If I can't do what Dr. Now expects, I don't think I can go on."  "I know what I should be doing but I need more time; therefore I won't be able to do it." I was really annoyed when Sandy was trying to walk her and she was snapping at her for everything: the oxygen tubing was caught, etc.  She's not someone I would enjoy spending an afternoon with, much less moving her into my living room.

[auntjess]

9 minutes ago, KateHearts said:

I can't understand the comment (basic script) we so frequently hear: "I've been working so hard..." doing what?? Not eating? So many of these people literally sit and stare into space; it's really sad. She was especially flat and lacking emotion. 

She did the least of any person I've seen, barring James K. and the Assantis, and seemed to feel that Dr. Now only needed to do surgery, and she'd be thin.
She was so ungrateful for everything done for her.

 

 

 

[nokat]

13 minutes ago, auntjess said:

She did the least of any person I've seen, barring James K. and the Assantis, and seemed to feel that Dr. Now only needed to do surgery, and she'd be thin.
She was so ungrateful for everything done for her.

 

 

 

I don't understand that either. "I've been working hard at losing weight." No, not shoving food in is not work.

[Toaster Strudel]

How much does that family fried chicken meal cost in the US?

[CrazyInAlabama]

I looked up Popeyes Family Deal prices, and the 16 piece with sides and biscuits is $34, and the 12 piece with sides and biscuits is $26.     I think KFC is cheaper, but it's still pricey.    

What amazes me is a single human being eating the entire family meal, and not even pausing.     That 'breakfast' was thousands, of calories, and the pre-breakfast was a lot too.    It would be different to me if Cindy seemed to enjoy eating that much, but she didn't even seem to taste it.      

This episode was as close to a televised suicide as you can get.   

Edited January 23, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[nokat]

Just now, CrazyInAlabama said:

I looked up Pppeyes Family Deal prices, and the 16 piece with sides and biscuits is $34, and the 12 piece with sides and biscuits is $26.      What amazes me is a single human being eating the entire family meal, and not even pausing.       It would be different to me if Cindy seemed to enjoy eating that much, but she didn't even seem to taste it.    

That's about the same price for KFC. I bought if for an actual family.

[Texasmom1970]

Still do not understand why she even went on this show. So obvious she had basically given up. Sad to say but it is like she was slowly committing suicide by food.

[ams1001]

11 minutes ago, Toaster Strudel said:

How much does that family fried chicken meal cost in the US?

Might vary some depending on where you are, but it's about $25 for the smallest "bucket meal" ("8 pieces of our freshly prepared chicken, available in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, or Kentucky Grilled®, 2 large sides of your choice, and 4 biscuits") at the random nearby KFC location I selected (in suburban NJ).

[WhitneyWhit]

Cindy reminded me of Pauline, both in looks and voice.

What a pointless episode. I kept waiting for something, anything, to happen and it never did. I actually rewatched to see if she ever moved from that chair as it seemed every scene featured her sitting there, eating, and cancelling an appointment because she wasn't ready. I mean, what can you say about someone who said no to losing weight by simply laying in a bed and doing nothing for a couple months?

[NeitherSparky]

4 hours ago, KateHearts said:

The scene where she says she asked Sandy what she could do to help out: I thought I heard her say "I offered to paint her house." I did an actual double take.  She painted her nails... sort of.  Close up of her getting polish all over Sandy's finger.

Ok I heard “house” too but said nothing because I thought for sure I was the only one. How does “nails” sound like “house” anyways? But it did!
 

Btw...Cindy and I have the same first name and are the same age. I don’t know why you guys needed to know that. But now you do.

[cynicat]

9 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

Still do not understand why she even went on this show. So obvious she had basically given up. Sad to say but it is like she was slowly committing suicide by food.

I watched this again and I don't think she wanted to be on this show, or at least was open to it at the beginning.  But then Sandy pushed, and pushed, and pushed.  Cindy repeatedly said no one was listening to her, and she was right.  It's possible that she felt completely out of control and the only thing she could control is how much she ate, and resisting the whole process.  Dear god, even Dr. Paradise cut her off when she was starting to talk about Sandy.  The second viewing made me really mad at all of her "friends"

[auntjess]

16 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

Still do not understand why she even went on this show. So obvious she had basically given up. Sad to say but it is like she was slowly committing suicide by food.

I agree with Cynicat, I don't think she wanted to. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

What I heard the first time when Cindy wanted to paint Sandy's nails is "Can I paint your nose?".    Fortunately, it was nails.  Though Cindy painting Sandy's nose might have been entertaining. 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[FormeryHeavyJ]

Just about halfway through this episode watching it on my cable company's repeat channel.  I don't even know where to begin.  Even Jabba the Hutt occasionally moved.  I can't go yet.  I'm not ready.  Yeah like you have so much to plan before the FD hauls your half-ton ass into the ambulance so you can now sponge off your friend.  A friend who should be canonized for sainthood from dealing with your whiny, childish self. 

I have so much to do before I leave.....as you sit there and stare at the ceiling.  Are you conceptualizing painting it like the Sistene Chapel?  Sorry to burst your bubble Cindy but I think someone else can deliver your thesis at the jet propulsion physics seminar.

If I was her friend...the future saint in the Catholic Church....and "care givers" were in her earpiece trying to convince their meal ticket to continue as is I would have taken that cellphone, a 12-gauge shotgun (it IS Texas after all) and blown it to kingdom come.  I have very little patience for stupidity.

[DAJ]

On 1/21/2021 at 5:35 PM, lilysmom said:

When you think about it, the only person we heard saying that the current caregiver was so against Cindy going to Houston was Sandy. We never heard the caregiver saying not to go. (At least I don't remember her saying that.) And, wasn't that caregiver actually right about that decision in the long run?

 If you think about how Sandy lied about having a bed, and a beautiful room for her, and how she basically badgered her into going, it sounds like she really wanted her to come there badly. I was wondering even in the beginning, why would someone be so anxious to take on a burden like that? Could it have been TLC money in addition to whatever the government was paying for a caregiver? The fact that someone kept feeding her makes me think they didn't really want her to get better.

What you said makes a lot of sense. I noticed Cindy even gained weight at Sandy's house, and she did say..a bed is coming..

[4Sibes Redux]

I’ll give Sandy the benefit of the doubt and say she was motivated to move Cindy to her house to save her. But not everyone wants to be saved and Cindy articulated that she didn’t want to do various things. She should have accepted Cindy’s reluctance. I doubt Sandy had power of attorney to make those decisions. 

And I would have been very pissed off if I was Cindy and discovered there was no bed and I couldn’t use the bathroom. Sandy shouldn’t have hid those truths. 

[pdlinda]

On 1/22/2021 at 6:32 PM, nokat said:

I looked up Pppeyes Family Deal prices, and the 16 piece with sides and biscuits is $34, and the 12 piece with sides and biscuits is $26. 

Are we to suppose that the show pays for all the food the poundicipants scarf down during the episodes?  I can't fathom how any person who's not thoroughly "flush with $$$" would be able to afford these HUGE fast-food (restaurant delivery) meals multiple times a day, week, month??  It's literally hundreds of dollars a day!!

[nokat]

2 hours ago, pdlinda said:

Are we to suppose that the show pays for all the food the poundicipants scarf down during the episodes?  I can't fathom how any person who's not thoroughly "flush with $$$" would be able to afford these HUGE fast-food (restaurant delivery) meals multiple times a day, week, month??  It's literally hundreds of dollars a day!!

I've wondered that too. The show might be helping? Not really helping them, but just so we can watch them eat.

[mamadrama]

5 hours ago, pdlinda said:

Are we to suppose that the show pays for all the food the poundicipants scarf down during the episodes?  I can't fathom how any person who's not thoroughly "flush with $$$" would be able to afford these HUGE fast-food (restaurant delivery) meals multiple times a day, week, month??  It's literally hundreds of dollars a day!!

Supposedly the show only gives them $2500 and it's for moving expenses. However, I think they may also pay for the food on the road and the one grocery shopping trip they have them do. There was a scene (can't remember which person) that made it clear that the more than just the poundticipant was eating. They were on their way to Houston and stopped at a fast food place. The driver ordered for the couple and then placed 2 more orders, and they did it in a way that made it clear that it was food for 4 different people. I can't remember the wording, but it was more than just "this person eats enough for 4." They paid for all the orders together and then for just a second you could see them passing food to the people (producer or videographer) in the back. 

[magemaud]

I recently saw a repeat of an old TLC program about a morbidly obese woman that wasn’t part of the 600 pound franchise. I think the woman might have been in New Orleans and it was a different doctor. At the end the woman suffered some kind of medical issue and passed away. Anyway, part of this woman’s treatment was having the appropriate meals delivered to her every day (kind of like Nutri-System but I think these were arranged by the doctor. In fact, sometimes he delivered them himself when he made a home visit.) I wonder why Dr. Now doesn’t do something like that to ensure his patients get the correct proportion of  1200 calories they need to lose weight. Now, I'm sure many would cheat and eat additional food but at least they could see what they need to eat on his weight loss program 

[pdlinda]

58 minutes ago, magemaud said:

I wonder why Dr. Now doesn’t do something like that to ensure his patients get the correct proportion of  1200 calories they need to lose weight. Now, I'm sure many would cheat and eat additional food but at least they could see what they need to eat on his weight loss program 

In my (not so) humble opinion, it's because it would add considerable expense to the production of the show (food service professionals, delivery, purchasing the actual foods.) Then there are the dietary preferences of the pounders.  Many prefer different types of foods so, like school cafeterias, most of the delivered food would simply be thrown away.  Also, we see MANY pounders in the hospital on a "controlled diet" who don't hesitate to have family bring continual "feedings" of all the foods they crave in addition (or in replacement of) the hospital food.  

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the show is a huge success.  Dr. Now's son's production company is making tons of $$$ on it exactly as it is.  As so FEW of the pounders actually succeed (no more than 5%), they have little to no incentive to change their approach.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I doubt that the poundticipants would change their eating habits in any way, no matter how tasty or health, the portion controlled meals would be.   

 Also, there used to be a bariatric clinic where the patients moved in, and the patients still cheated, one man hoisted up pizza orders he called in.   With the apps today, it would be even easier.   I think the Covid restrictions on visitors, or any other outsiders in the hospital are why some Poundticipants are succeeding.    

Look at the previous time when Cindy was in a hospital for a year, lost 100 lbs., and then when she left she gained it all back very quickly.   You can't make someone weight, they have to want to lose weight, and commit to the process, and commit to maintaining the weight loss.    Just as with mental health therapy, no desire to change means the person won't be helped. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[magemaud]

4 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

You can't make someone weight, they have to want to lose weight, and commit to the process, and commit to maintaining the weight loss.    Just as with mental health therapy, no desire to change means the person won't be helped. 

Well, that describes Cindy to a "T"

[Brooklynista]

6 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I doubt that the poundticipants would change their eating habits in any way, no matter how tasty or health, the portion controlled meals would be.   

 Also, there used to be a bariatric clinic where the patients moved in, and the patients still cheated, one man hoisted up pizza orders he called in.   With the apps today, it would be even easier.   I think the Covid restrictions on visitors, or any other outsiders in the hospital are why some Poundticipants are succeeding.    

Look at the previous time when Cindy was in a hospital for a year, lost 100 lbs., and then when she left she gained it all back very quickly.   You can't make someone weight, they have to want to lose weight, and commit to the process, and commit to maintaining the weight loss.    Just as with mental health therapy, no desire to change means the person won't be helped. 

Was that Brookhaven obesity center? I remember one of the doctors saying some of his patients would eat crates of oranges at a time because they were healthy 🙄

[CrazyInAlabama]

Yes, Brookhaven.    I was trying to remember that all day.   They're still in business.   The show was 2007.     There were some sad cases on that show.  

When ever this thread pops up, I wonder if this will be the sad announcement about Cindy.  

[newyawk]

The entire first half of this show I was watching this woman and thinking she should own one of those old 80's Wham! T-shirts with the huge letters, but it would read "Choose Death" instead of the original phrase.

[newyawk]

This episode had to have been shot after the pandemic started, right? I was kind of surprised that Dr. Now would go to a patient's home and not wear a mask while treating her, or that she had none on. Maybe she had to test negative before the house call. 

[Scratches19]

On 1/22/2021 at 6:57 AM, suev33 3 said:

And why the hell weren't they showing what Sandy was feeding her!???.   Sandy should have been, nope....if you want that food, you get it yourself. 

Yes this!!! No food scenes. Were they hiding that? Some legal reasons? She had to have a feeder and my guess is Sandy filled that role/roll. 

[Scratches19]

On 1/22/2021 at 5:35 PM, ams1001 said:

Might vary some depending on where you are, but it's about $25 for the smallest "bucket meal" ("8 pieces of our freshly prepared chicken, available in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, or Kentucky Grilled®, 2 large sides of your choice, and 4 biscuits") at the random nearby KFC location I selected (in suburban NJ).

I must confess we saw the familiar packaging and looked at each other... “KFC!!!”

Followed a few minutes later by, “When’s the last time we had KFC?”.

Neither of us could recall.

[nokat]

On 1/21/2021 at 12:50 PM, Twopper said:

nope, not new at all.  I hope everyone gets a laugh out of that line.

I recognize by the name you were around back in TWOP days. I didn't mean to offend.

[Twopper]

8 hours ago, Scratches19 said:

I must confess we saw the familiar packaging and looked at each other... “KFC!!!”

Followed a few minutes later by, “When’s the last time we had KFC?”.

Neither of us could recall.

 

48 minutes ago, nokat said:

I recognize by the name you were around back in TWOP days. I didn't mean to offend.

nope, not offended.  Glad you understand my name, not everyone does.

I lived in NOLA in the 70 and 80's, and I occasionally went to Popeye's.   I haven't been since.  I think maybe I have been to KFC a half dozen times.  There is a meat&3 place about a mile from me than has great fried chicken so I can't see driving farther out to the fast food places.  We did have KFC a few years back when we ate with a group of friends at their place.  It was pretty good. 

14 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Yes, Brookhaven.    I was trying to remember that all day.   They're still in business.   The show was 2007.     There were some sad cases on that show. 

I used to watch that all the time when it was on.  I can't believe I have been watching fatties on tv for at least ``14 years.   I have no idea what that says about me.  I recall one of the men who was about 800 pounds developed rickets due to malnutrition.   And that's where I learned they couldn't stop people from ordering out.

[pdlinda]

15 hours ago, Scratches19 said:

She had to have a feeder and my guess is Sandy filled that role/roll. 

....probably with help from her daughter and husband. 

Still wonder where all the cash came from to keep Cindy sated with her every food want and desire.  From what I gather reading these boards, Cindy's tastes in food don't run cheap.  (Maybe she paid for the food marathon herself).  Who knows?

One thing I DO know...when Cindy's "hungry" Cindy gets what she craves and she can't "service" her needs herself so she must have "co-conspirators."

[hookedontv]

I'm happy I read this forum before trying to watch Cindy's episode. I got through about 20 minutes and realized it was pointless to continue since nothing was going to happen. From all your comments, it sounds like it was a silly episode to watch (except for maybe doing the Live Chat, that's always fun). 

Hopefully tomorrow's episode will be better. I'm taking my mom to the  hospital on Wednesday for an outpatient procedure, the hospital is on lockdown so I am only able to drop off / pick up despite her being elderly. I'll need some good snark Wednesday night so hopefully I'll be able to Live Chat. 

[FormeryHeavyJ]

We all watch the show & we all know within the first 10-15 minutes if this is going to be a success story or not.  The doctor himself MUST have the final say as to whom he sees for this purpose.  Why then do we continue to get a steady parade of people that are not willing to do ANYTHING to help themselves?  Cindy last week.  The homeless brothers living in a van (not down by the river).  Do the creators/producers of the show think that they were going to join 24 Hour Fitness & dedicate themselves to healthy eating when they do not have a roof over their heads (one that does not move).

There must be many people in that situation who would try anything to turn their lives into normality.  These are the people who inspire others & not one who sits on a chair all day staring at the ceiling with "so much to do".  Why don't they get a chance at life-saving surgery?

Just my two cents of venting & frustration.

[Scarlett45]

On 1/24/2021 at 1:27 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Also, there used to be a bariatric clinic where the patients moved in, and the patients still cheated, one man hoisted up pizza orders he called in.   With the apps today, it would be even easier.   I think the Covid restrictions on visitors, or any other outsiders in the hospital are why some Poundticipants are succeeding.    

I remeber this- it was Brookhaven Obesity clinic in New Jersey maybe? Many patients ended up there because other facilities couldn’t care for them (didn’t have beds big enough etc) or patient had a fall at home and their family/caregivers said they couldn’t handle it any more. 

 

On 1/24/2021 at 7:58 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

Yes, Brookhaven.    I was trying to remember that all day.   They're still in business.   The show was 2007.     There were some sad cases on that show.  

When ever this thread pops up, I wonder if this will be the sad announcement about Cindy.  

Yup!

 

On 1/23/2021 at 5:20 AM, cynicat said:

I watched this again and I don't think she wanted to be on this show, or at least was open to it at the beginning.  But then Sandy pushed, and pushed, and pushed.  Cindy repeatedly said no one was listening to her, and she was right.  It's possible that she felt completely out of control and the only thing she could control is how much she ate, and resisting the whole process.  Dear god, even Dr. Paradise cut her off when she was starting to talk about Sandy.  The second viewing made me really mad at all of her "friends"

Yeah I got the impression that Cindy just wasn’t interested. 

[magemaud]

I don’t consider Cindy’s story a legit episode. While we did get to see the obligatory shower scene, hear Dr. Now talk about her “sisuashun” and he did say that if she didn’t change she “wasn’t going to make it” the episode was missing these crucial components:

She didn’t have any tattoos

we never saw her being fed by her enabling caretaker

the torturous road trip to Houston with multiple fast food stops on the way

the waddling into Now’s office from the parking lot

scowling Cassandra calling her in to the weigh in 

the dramatic weigh in cut to commercial followed by how she had no idea she weighed that much

Dr. Now’s greeting of “How ya’ll doing”

Have I left out anything that we were cheated out of with this non-episode?

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by magemaud

[NeitherSparky]

On 1/25/2021 at 12:39 AM, Scratches19 said:

I must confess we saw the familiar packaging and looked at each other... “KFC!!!”

Followed a few minutes later by, “When’s the last time we had KFC?”.

Neither of us could recall.

I had the same thought last week and decided to get some KFC (surprisingly they don’t have an app). I know it had been years since I had it, and now I remember why. The flavor was ok but it was so greasy it made me a little ill. I let my parrot have the biscuit. He wasn’t terribly impressed, lol.

[PrincessPurrsALot]

On 1/24/2021 at 9:27 PM, newyawk said:

This episode had to have been shot after the pandemic started, right? I was kind of surprised that Dr. Now would go to a patient's home and not wear a mask while treating her, or that she had none on. Maybe she had to test negative before the house call. 

It's not like Cindy wasn't quarantined.  Where would she go? 😁 (Yes, I know the others in the house likely went out at times which means she could have been exposed). 

I have found many reality shows play more fast and loose with this than they should.  They will often announce that everyone has been tested, then take off their masks.  Um, did you get tested and quarantine between when you took the test and when you saw the doctor?  Rapid tests came later and were not as accurate as regular tests. Also I have a hard time imagining Cindy allowing them to stick a swab up her nose.  Did they bribe her with candy? 

[lilysmom]

21 hours ago, FormeryHeavyJ said:

We all watch the show & we all know within the first 10-15 minutes if this is going to be a success story or not.  The doctor himself MUST have the final say as to whom he sees for this purpose.  Why then do we continue to get a steady parade of people that are not willing to do ANYTHING to help themselves?  Cindy last week.  The homeless brothers living in a van (not down by the river).  Do the creators/producers of the show think that they were going to join 24 Hour Fitness & dedicate themselves to healthy eating when they do not have a roof over their heads (one that does not move).

There must be many people in that situation who would try anything to turn their lives into normality.  These are the people who inspire others & not one who sits on a chair all day staring at the ceiling with "so much to do".  Why don't they get a chance at life-saving surgery?

Just my two cents of venting & frustration.

I agree that usually you can figure out pretty quickly which participants will succeed and which ones will not. I think our idea of success may differ from the producers idea of success. Their success is how many people watch the show and not how many patients lose enough weight. Sadly, they have discovered that the more pathetic or obnoxious the patient )Assanti brothers, anyone?) and the more failure they experience  the better the ratings (IMO).I think they count on the fact that most will not continue with a gym or the diet. I believe they even have a disclaimer type phrase in the opening that says that most will not succeed.

I think most of the patients start out convinced they will do anything to have a normal life again, but when reality sets in and they realize that THEY are responsible for following the diet and exercise plans, that it is going to take a long time, and giving up the thing that means the most to them, food, that is when you see them start to give up. As long as this show has been on the air, many of them still show up thinking that Dr Now is somehow going to wave a wand and the weight will just melt away. Or they gain 20 pounds the first month and think he is going to approve them for surgery because they worked so hard.

 

[Snarkastikate]

Started out thinking that Sandy's motives were pure, she blamed the caretakers who watches her eat all day,  But in reality they couldn't stop her from ordering all the food she wanted.   So Sandy's gonna save Cindy!  She moves her out of her place that had a hospital bed with lift assist hanging from ceiling & available bathroom and moves her hundreds of miles away.   She promises her a comfy bed & bathroom.  She parks Cindy's huge ass on a recliner that isn't huge enough.  No bed appears. Can't really fit into the bathroom.   BEST OF ALL....... Cindy loses NO weight while in Sandy's tender loving care!   Therefore, I kinda wonder if maybe some of the motivation was money?   But that Cindy wasn't one of the biggest  asshole poundicipants ever to appear on this show.  Why was she even considering bariatric surgery when she clearly isn't interested.  She'll be bedbound in a year.  Who cares?

Edited January 27, 2021 by Snarkastikate

[String Theory]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:02 AM, sempervivum said:

In general, if it's that hard to persuade someone to get help, it's a doomed mission from the start. And Cindy really, really didn't want to get help.

Don't want to overshare, but my ex was an alcoholic, he started drinking as a teenager.  He'd go to rehab and would be sober for 4-5 yrs and then relapse.  

His parents kept asking me to talk to him about going to rehab.  When I would do this, he'd drink more.  Finally, his parents scheduled an intervention he went to Hazelton, then checked himself out after 3 days.

Long story short, nothing worked, he didn't want to stop.  He told me he loved drinking more than anything else....which was sadly, the truth.  He didn't want to stop, no how much begging & bargaining any of us did.  

The bottom line is truly hardcore addicts don't want anyone to help them.  Cindy didn't get to become morbidly  obese overnight.  Food was her "drug of choice" it was the only thing that she got comfort from.    I believe initially Sandy had good intentions, but like Cindy said "she wasn't listening to her".  Cindy didn't want to go to see Dr. Now,  she'd accepted her destiny.  She was aware that eating would ultimately kill her.  (I thought there would be a graphic at the end of the episode saying she died). Cindy is no different than an alcoholic or drug abuser.  If they really DON'T want to quit, nothing anyone can say or do will get them to stop.  

I know, firsthand, how hard it is to watch someone you care about refuse help.  It's called a disease for a reason.  When I watch this show I often wonder if any of these patients are seen by a psychiatrist.  Dr. Paradise is great, but he can't prescribe meds that might help those who may have a chemical imbalance or are depressed.   The "Depression/Fear/Anxiety" triad seems to a common denominator with Dr. Now's patients.(or that's what they're reading from a script for their voice over). 

Just hoping tonight's episode will be less depressing.   This season hasn't provided me with anyone who wants to stick with the program.

[Drogo]

I think Garnier Fructis would like to offer Cindy $1M dollars to never use their products again. 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Drogo

[OoogleEyes]

Ugh, watching the end of this train wreck. 

Dr. Now...."I don't think that you want to do this!"

I'll file that in my No Shit, Sherlock! file. 

[pdlinda]

5 hours ago, String Theory said:

The "Depression/Fear/Anxiety" triad seems to a common denominator with Dr. Now's patients.(or that's what they're reading from a script for their voice over). 

I thought the side effects of any psych meds might neutralize whatever good they might do.  At their weight each pounder would probably require massive doses to be effective and it might not be safe with all their complicated medical conditions.

[Hellga]

15 hours ago, pdlinda said:

I thought the side effects of any psych meds might neutralize whatever good they might do.  At their weight each pounder would probably require massive doses to be effective and it might not be safe with all their complicated medical conditions.

Not all meds require weight-based adjustment, it all depends on how the drug get distributed within the body (which, in turn, has to do with its chemical properties and its affinity for water vs. fat).  Antidepressants aren't dosed by weight and studies have shown that body weight doesn't affect blood levels of these drugs.  

[pdlinda]

1 hour ago, Hellga said:

Antidepressants aren't dosed by weight and studies have shown that body weight doesn't affect blood levels of these drugs.  

How about contraindications of anti-depressants with multiple other meds that are typical for the pounders, e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, joint malfunctions and digestive issues.

It's so obvious that most, if not all, of the pounders have mental health conditions that could conceivably be helped by therapy AND MEDICATION. I just took it as a "given" that since Dr. Now only refers his patients to psychotherapists who cannot prescribe psych meds he was signaling that he wasn't going to get involved in the medication aspect of their mental health conditions.

[Hellga]

1 hour ago, pdlinda said:

How about contraindications of anti-depressants with multiple other meds that are typical for the pounders, e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, joint malfunctions and digestive issues.

It's so obvious that most, if not all, of the pounders have mental health conditions that could conceivably be helped by therapy AND MEDICATION. I just took it as a "given" that since Dr. Now only refers his patients to psychotherapists who cannot prescribe psych meds he was signaling that he wasn't going to get involved in the medication aspect of their mental health conditions.

It depends on the medications, as there are great many different types of antidepressants as well as all those drugs for other conditions.  Poundticipants aren't the only on polypharmacy, I have personally seen patients on 20+ different prescription meds at the same time (never a good situation, and often this is a sign of a poorly managed (as in, no one gives a shit enough to coordinate care) patient but sometimes it is actually necessary, at least in the short term.  It can be done safely, if you put enough care into it.  I would simply caution from making assumptions based on what we are seeing on the show.  We are seeing only a small snippet of someone's overall medical care - only things that are directly related to their efforts to lose weight.   They don't show endocrinologists, cardiologists, heck, even PCPs and most of them have to be on plans that require PCP referrals for any advanced care.  Inductive reasoning doesn't necessarily lead to correct conclusions even when all the premises are true, and when you are extrapolating from a lack of signal instead of a signal, it rarely does. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

This saturday, the 30th, is Cindy's supersized episode (7 to 9 pm Central).    I think I'll skip it. 

I remember on one Supersized episode (I love whoever decided to call a episode with pop up facts, and bonus scenes Supersized) the best they could come up with was saying something about when the cardboard box was invented.    

Edited January 29, 2021 by CrazyInAlabama

[pdlinda]

58 minutes ago, Hellga said:

Inductive reasoning doesn't necessarily lead to correct conclusions even when all the premises are true, and when you are extrapolating from a lack of signal instead of a signal, it rarely does. 

That conclusion makes sense.  The entire concept of a person progressing to such a dangerously high weight might assume a lot with inductive reasoning; however, as you point out, a logical conclusion from a stated set of facts leaves out a LOT of assumptions in between.