The All You Can Eat Buffet: My 600 Pound Life All Episode Discussion

[Twopper]

On 5/11/2019 at 8:59 PM, ProTourist said:

I've been wondering why this is the only time in the whole series that Dr. Now has offered the gastric balloon to one of the patients who had already moved to Houston, or who lived nearby, but were unable to lose enough weight on their own. This season alone, the gastric balloon might have helped Jeanne, Maja, Mercedes, and even Angela J. I think Mercedes could have been an especially good candidate since she was running out of time and there is no hospitalization involved.

Any thoughts on this?

I notice that they do that sometimes on the Fat Doctor program in the UK.  I can't recall where they couldn't do one for health reasons, but I do recall discussion about whether the patient was healthy enough to place it in the stomach.  Maybe too much fatty tissue in the neck, perhaps?  I think he has had enough experience now to know that the surgery without willingness to change one's eating habit is not going to result in lasting weight loss.   He has certainly tweaked his methods in the years the show was on.  He did surgery immediately on both Melissa and Ashley.  Not sure how much Ashley weighed, but he no longer does immediate surgery on people who weigh as much as Melissa did.    I like the shows from the UK, but most of their patients seem to be in the 300-450 category in the first place.  They don't usually get asked to lose 30 pound in one munt.  They do have to do a mild diet for two weeks to shrink their livers.   I wonder if someone  who weighed 350 went to Dr Now's clinic for WLS if he would make them lose some weight first.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

My guess is that Dr. Now knows that a bunch of the poundticipants who would get the balloon, and claim they know it's a temporary fix with a six month limit would still disappear on him.   

Karina went to Mexico, had one put in, and it was at least a year later when she saw Dr. Now to have it removed.   However, by then she had learned to out eat the balloon.  

[mmecorday]

The Charity episode is on TLC now. I had forgotten about her "butt wings" and nasty sores.

This will keep me from wanting a midnight snack.

[Scratches19]

I saw an episode from Season 3 the other day and I realized how much Dr Now has aged in that time.  I hope he can continue for a few more years. 

[Tabbygirl521]

On 5/14/2019 at 7:48 AM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I think Jeanne said something like that.       But it's a pretty common complaint from the hospitalized patients, that the food at the hospital isn't any good.    They're usually the ones who also go home, and gain a lot of weigh back too.  

And you know they’re bitching because they are being served healthful food instead of the usual slop. So annoying. I believe most hospitals these days have vastly improved food quality. I’ll even give a shout-out to Virginia Mason Med Center in Seattle. I’ve had fantastic food there, and you can even get slightly “unhealthy” food l if your doctor hasn’t restricted your diet. I came out of a mastectomy absolutely starving and wanting a cheeseburger and fries, and I got ‘em! It was a super lean burger and the fries weren’t as greasy as I would prefer 😂 but it was satisfying and tasty.

My cardiac patient of a husband was on a restricted diet there and had delicious broiled salmon and the like. Of course, Dr Now’s patients would equate this to being flogged and in chains. 

[babyhouseman]

7 hours ago, Scratches19 said:

I saw an episode from Season 3 the other day and I realized how much Dr Now has aged in that time.  I hope he can continue for a few more years. 

Some of these people age me, and I'm just looking at them on TV. I wish him well. He can't be replaced.

[Otter]

Posting only because I thought it was funny.  In a sad way.
 

[SunnyBeBe]

It does get confusing when the same shows are run on different networks.  I looked around this site for the show Snapped, but, couldn't find it.  They had an episode that I just saw for the second time of a wife named Ashley who murdered her husband (stabbed and hit him in head with claw hammer) while he slept.  When she went into the interrogation room after leaving hospital (she had a story she was attacked by two men too), it appeared that she had no hair on top of her head. There was fine, thin hair on the sides.  She had undergone bariatric surgery.   Do you think there is some connection between that?  

[Scarlett45]

6 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

It does get confusing when the same shows are run on different networks.  I looked around this site for the show Snapped, but, couldn't find it.  They had an episode that I just saw for the second time of a wife named Ashley who murdered her husband (stabbed and hit him in head with claw hammer) while he slept.  When she went into the interrogation room after leaving hospital (she had a story she was attacked by two men too), it appeared that she had no hair on top of her head. There was fine, thin hair on the sides.  She had undergone bariatric surgery.   Do you think there is some connection between that?  

Sometimes the malnutrition after a gastric surgery can cause hair loss. Especially if you were already predisposed to it. 

[SunnyBeBe]

1 minute ago, Scarlett45 said:

Sometimes the malnutrition after a gastric surgery can cause hair loss. Especially if you were already predisposed to it. 

That's what I was wondering.  It was just so jarring to see her with no wig or anything.  Do you know if the hair will return, if the nutrition improves? 

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

That's what I was wondering.  It was just so jarring to see her with no wig or anything.  Do you know if the hair will return, if the nutrition improves? 

No idea. For some people it does for others it does not. Given her age likely no. My mom started losing her hair in her early 50s (she didn’t have gastric surgery or anything just genetics). It took her a decade to be comfortable with being bald. I was proud of her! She now only wears wigs in the middle of winter for warmth. 

I have some friends that have had the gastric sleeve, and they worry about hair and teeth loss as when they hit peri menopause. 

[SunnyBeBe]

Thanks for that info Scarlett.  The lady in the crime show appeared to be in her late 20's or early 30's.  They didn't say what type of surgery she had, but she appeared to have lost A LOT of weight. They speculated that with her new found body she wanted to be free and experience life. Only, she wasn't content with divorce. Her story was that he was abusive. 

I guess there are a lot of issues with the surgeries that we don't even consider.  It's certainly a lot more intense that I used to think. 

[ProTourist]

According to TLC's currently-posted schedule, Janine's one-year follow-up will air next Wednesday May 29. We'll find out how her gastric balloon worked out, plus any other treatments that may have been used subsequently.

[CatherineM]

I found it interesting that Janine got a follow up show to herself. Guess they thought she could fill the whole show by herself. 

[ProTourist]

2 hours ago, CatherineM said:

I found it interesting that Janine got a follow up show to herself. Guess they thought she could fill the whole show by herself. 

Yes, I was thinking of that too. Am looking forward to Janine's update!

Also, has anyone here watched the latest update on June, Chad, and Pauline that has been available on the TLC website (and To Go) app, since the 15th? It's not yet on TLC's published broadcast schedule, and I for one cannot unlock it for playback. Would be interested in any highlights that might be worth mentioning, especially regarding Pauline. 😊

[CrazyInAlabama]

The update this week better not be a snooze fest like the Assanti's was.   I'm hoping it's not almost all recaps.  

[aliya]

On 5/14/2019 at 1:25 PM, Twopper said:

I notice that they do that sometimes on the Fat Doctor program in the UK.  I can't recall where they couldn't do one for health reasons, but I do recall discussion about whether the patient was healthy enough to place it in the stomach.  Maybe too much fatty tissue in the neck, perhaps?  I think he has had enough experience now to know that the surgery without willingness to change one's eating habit is not going to result in lasting weight loss.   He has certainly tweaked his methods in the years the show was on.  He did surgery immediately on both Melissa and Ashley.  Not sure how much Ashley weighed, but he no longer does immediate surgery on people who weigh as much as Melissa did.    I like the shows from the UK, but most of their patients seem to be in the 300-450 category in the first place.  They don't usually get asked to lose 30 pound in one munt.  They do have to do a mild diet for two weeks to shrink their livers.   I wonder if someone  who weighed 350 went to Dr Now's clinic for WLS if he would make them lose some weight first.  

I've also seen those UK shows where they put them on a milk diet prior to surgery.

I am no where near 350 and looked into WLS for diabetes. I cancelled my appointment w/the shrink and stopped at that point. They did gives us a nice little diet plan, which I don't even think was low carb, it seemed more like the Am Diabetic Assn's old fashioned exchange diet program.

I was told I wouldn't have to lose any weight before surgery. The bariatric unit at my uni's hospital doesn't use protein shakes, either. Just regular food in controlled amounts before surgery. I have no idea if the scenario would have been different if I weight 600 lbs. 

[Twopper]

On 5/14/2019 at 1:25 PM, Twopper said:

I notice that they do that sometimes on the Fat Doctor program in the UK.  I can't recall where they couldn't do one for health reasons, but I do recall discussion about whether the patient was healthy enough to place it in the stomach.  Maybe too much fatty tissue in the neck, perhaps?  I think he has had enough experience now to know that the surgery without willingness to change one's eating habit is not going to result in lasting weight loss.   He has certainly tweaked his methods in the years the show was on.  He did surgery immediately on both Melissa and Ashley.  Not sure how much Ashley weighed, but he no longer does immediate surgery on people who weigh as much as Melissa did.    I like the shows from the UK, but most of their patients seem to be in the 300-450 category in the first place.  They don't usually get asked to lose 30 pound in one munt.  They do have to do a milk diet for two weeks to shrink their livers.   I wonder if someone  who weighed 350 went to Dr Now's clinic for WLS if he would make them lose some weight first.  

Edited May 27, 2019 by Twopper
while a milk diet is a mild diet, I meant to say "milk diet"

[Twopper]

10 hours ago, aliya said:

I've also seen those UK shows where they put them on a milk diet prior to surgery.

I haven't had my caffeine today, and I don't know why I ended up quoting myself in a new post when I was just trying to edit my old post where I typed "mild" instead of "milk."

The purpose of the milk diet for 2 weeks is to shrink the liver.  I remember the cute dr in the UK showing 4 differing sizes of liver retractors that they use to pull back the liver to get to the stomach. 

I can't prove it, but I would guess that there would have been a different story if you weighed 600 pounds or more.  Some of the patients on this show have mentioned that they cannot get an appointment with other doctors while they still weigh 600 pounds or more.   Whether that is true or not  I have no clue.  I do know about the doctor in Hotlanta so there's that.

[CatherineM]

They often say that no other dr. has been willing to help them. They never say no other dr. has been able to help them. Most just don’t have the tools or feel competent enough to do it without the patient dying on the table. What we’ve never talked about is Dr. Now’s liability insurance. Most drs. would be afraid of getting sued dealing with such medically fragile patients. Maybe it’s the lawyer in me, but I wonder if he’s got his assets protected. Maybe in a trust or his kids’ names so that he can’t lose everything if he gets sued for malpractice. 

One thing that is clear, these participants know about getting money. The losers especially are quick to hit up go fund me. Imagine how fast Schnee or James would head to a lawyer. 

[aliya]

5 hours ago, CatherineM said:

They often say that no other dr. has been willing to help them. They never say no other dr. has been able to help them.

Absolutely agreeing with you on the liability issues, but I always tell myself that the whining about 'no other doctor will help me,' isn't the complete truth from these people.

I bet you any competent bariatric surgeon, especially one associated with a university hospital, could have helped most of these people. They would have had to do the same thing Dr Now tells them to do - stick to a diet and try to get some more exercise (mostly so they can get up after surgery, I'm not trying to turn them into marathon runners).

They don't want to do the work and/or they have a misunderstanding of the surgery, thinking that's all they need without changing their eating habits. Despite what they say about being at the end of their rope, they don't want to give up the food. Considering how big they are, and that Dr Now's compliant patients lose 30-50 lbs a month, most of these people could lose 200 pounds in a few months, putting them in the range of 'regular' people who get bariatric surgery. 

[ProTourist]

4 minutes ago, aliya said:

Absolutely agreeing with you on the liability issues, but I always tell myself that the whining about 'no other doctor will help me,' isn't the complete truth from these people.

I bet you any competent bariatric surgeon, especially one associated with a university hospital, could have helped most of these people. They would have had to do the same thing Dr Now tells them to do - stick to a diet and try to get some more exercise (mostly so they can get up after surgery, I'm not trying to turn them into marathon runners).

They don't want to do the work and/or they have a misunderstanding of the surgery, thinking that's all they need without changing their eating habits. Despite what they say about being at the end of their rope, they don't want to give up the food. Considering how big they are, and that Dr Now's compliant patients lose 30-50 lbs a month, most of these people could lose 200 pounds in a few months, putting them in the range of 'regular' people who get bariatric surgery. 

It seems that most hospitals cannot accommodate patients above 350-400 pounds, as they do not have beds nor operating tables that will hold them. Dr. Now explains it toward the beginning of this video:

Granted he is referring to the earlier days of his practice, so it's possible there is more availability these days.

I doubt that most 600+ pound people would be able to get down to 350-400 pounds with just diet and exercise, without the surgery. Some do take it off, and more, and keep it off, but then they manage the whole process without surgery.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I bet that Dr. Now isn't the first program for a lot of the show patients.    I remember an article talking about one poundticipant having tried a lot of other doctors, and either they didn't qualify for the program, or flunked out.   Remember in Steven's original episode, he was bounced of at least one hospital.     We've also had a bunch who either had earlier stomach stapling or other procedures, and ate right through the surgery.   

Edited May 28, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[CatherineM]

1 hour ago, ProTourist said:

I doubt that most 600+ pound people would be able to get down to 350-400 pounds with just diet and exercise, without the surgery. Some do take it off, and more, and keep it off, but then they manage the whole process without surgery.

I did. I started with exercises in my bed. Sit-ups and scissor kicks. Diet was 95% though. That and therapy and 12 step program for my food addiction. I watch this show to remind myself of how far I’ve come, and the stuff I used to say. I told many doctors that I just don’t eat like that after having a James worthy breakfast. 

[aliya]

6 hours ago, ProTourist said:

It seems that most hospitals cannot accommodate patients above 350-400 pounds, as they do not have beds nor operating tables that will hold them.

The thing is, they wouldn't need extraordinarily specialized equipment if they were 3-400 lbs instead of 600.

[ProTourist]

1 hour ago, aliya said:

The thing is, they wouldn't need extraordinarily specialized equipment if they were 3-400 lbs instead of 600.

That is true, but those few who can get themselves from 600+ pounds to 300-400 pounds with diet and exercise alone, could probably just continue on the rest of the way without surgery, as did our CatherineM above. Dr. Now's patients usually have to lose only 50-100 pounds on their own in order to qualify for surgery, so it's less of a struggle for them. The rest of their weight loss occurs with benefit of the gastric surgery.

[aliya]

1 minute ago, ProTourist said:

That is true, but those few who can get themselves from 600+ pounds to 300-400 pounds with diet and exercise alone, could probably just continue on the rest of the way without surgery, as did our CatherineM above. Dr. Now's patients usually have to lose only 50-100 pounds on their own in order to qualify for surgery, so it's less of a struggle for them. The rest of their weight loss occurs with benefit of the gastric surgery.

I hear you. I just get tired of these people saying 'nothing has worked' or 'only Dr Now can help me,' when they don't take even the first steps to help themselves first. 

[Minivanessa]

3 hours ago, aliya said:

I hear you. I just get tired of these people saying 'nothing has worked' or 'only Dr Now can help me,' when they don't take even the first steps to help themselves first. 

I know. I'm not educated or trained in psychology so I'm just an interested armchair observer. I find the dynamics of these cases interesting.

They need help turning their eating habit around. And most of them seem very stuck.

Then they hear about Dr. Now, that mythical figure down in Texas, who can perform a surgical procedure that will make their weight go away.

This season we saw failures, and IIRC those folks had a childlike attitude toward Dr. Now. And a magical way of thinking about weight loss surgery:  it will make weight loss not just possible but easy and inevitable. 

Several poundticipants were surprised at their initial consult with Dr. Now when told that they will have to lose weight on their own before Dr. Now will approve them for surgery. Their comments before their weigh-ins are often childlike, from scared to defiant  - "I hope Dr. Now doesn't get mad at me," "I think I'm making good progress no matter what Dr. Now thinks," and Angie's famous "Dr. Now is all wrong and unfair and I'm going to make him apologize to me!" I think Jeanne said something similar too. 

One of this season's defining "failure" moments was the scene when Dr. Now had discovered that both Jeanne and her mother needed immediate hospitalization. Jeanne was show trudging through the dark all upset, "But I thought I was going to get surgery and instead I'm having to go to the hospital!" Sorry honey but you have a potentially life-threatening INFECTION that needs to be treated STAT. And, BTW, your "surgery" will actually happen in, you know, a hospital. **eyerolls**

I think the failures were so far stuck into a junction of dysfunctions that it really would take a magic wand to turn them around. OTOH the successful pounditicipants had some spark of sincere desire to turn things around and the will and skills to grab on to Dr. Now's program and work it. 

Obviously I don't have the skills to unpick the snarl of elements in each pounditicipant's case. When I'm done snarking I often feel conflicted about watching this show for leisure entertainment, although the bottom line is, it is interesting and with a few exceptions I feel empathy for the pounditicipants and hope they succeed. (Exceptions include Steven Asshole, whom I refuse to watch on TV and whose topic on this forum I refuse to even click on. The show should have never featured him at all much less done an update. Just, no.)

[Colleenna]

14 hours ago, ProTourist said:

It seems that most hospitals cannot accommodate patients above 350-400 pounds, as they do not have beds nor operating tables that will hold them. Dr. Now explains it toward the beginning of this video:

Granted he is referring to the earlier days of his practice, so it's possible there is more availability these days.

I doubt that most 600+ pound people would be able to get down to 350-400 pounds with just diet and exercise, without the surgery. Some do take it off, and more, and keep it off, but then they manage the whole process without surgery.

I've mentioned before in this forum about a man I knew 40+ years ago who went from (weight unknown, absolutely over 500) to 180 with nothing but the Atkins diet and swimming an hour a day. I looked him up on FB and judging from pictures he's posted, he appears to have kept most of the weight off. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

When you think about it, the 600 + lb patients require private rooms, at least for filming, require larger, and stronger gurneys, operating tables, hospital beds, and extras such as the higher capacity scales.     I'm sure Dr. Now's insurance is also higher than other doctors, because of the fragile health of his patients.      Some of his patients also stay in the hospitals for month, some take a lot of nursings, and support staff care too.  

Edited May 28, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[CatherineM]

I’ll bet that Dr. Now pays for the extra hospitalizations. That’s why he got so mad that James regained 112 lbs. He screamed about them wasting resources. 

[sagittarius sue]

8 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Exceptions include Steven Asshole, whom I refuse to watch on TV and whose topic on this forum I refuse to even click on. The show should have never featured him at all much less done an update. Just, no.

Agreed.  There have been two updates and promises of another.  I just can't anymore.

[ProTourist]

13 hours ago, aliya said:

I hear you. I just get tired of these people saying 'nothing has worked' or 'only Dr Now can help me,' when they don't take even the first steps to help themselves first. 

Yes, I understand what you mean. The problem, I think, is lack of self-discipline and self-control, along with food addiction issues in some cases. The people can't stop over-eating and overdoing the starches and sugars on their own. They think the gastric surgery will prevent them from over-eating, but the reality is that it will only do so for the first few months. After that, little by little they can go back to over-eating and will stop making progress, and will regain what they lost.

Gastric surgery cannot correct personality disorder. When you think of it, it really isn't much of a tool if it can be defeated by lack of self-discipline within a few months. I'm surprised that it helps as many people as it does.

I seem to have a rather negative outlook today, but that's point-of-view I have on WLS right now.

[ProTourist]

9 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I think the failures were so far stuck into a junction of dysfunctions that it really would take a magic wand to turn them around. OTOH the successful pounditicipants had some spark of sincere desire to turn things around and the will and skills to grab on to Dr. Now's program and work it. 

Yes, I agree completely.

[Carboncat]

13 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I know. I'm not educated or trained in psychology so I'm just an interested armchair observer. I find the dynamics of these cases interesting.

They need help turning their eating habit around. And most of them seem very stuck.

Then they hear about Dr. Now, that mythical figure down in Texas, who can perform a surgical procedure that will make their weight go away.

This season we saw failures, and IIRC those folks had a childlike attitude toward Dr. Now. And a magical way of thinking about weight loss surgery:  it will make weight loss not just possible but easy and inevitable. 

Several poundticipants were surprised at their initial consult with Dr. Now when told that they will have to lose weight on their own before Dr. Now will approve them for surgery. Their comments before their weigh-ins are often childlike, from scared to defiant  - "I hope Dr. Now doesn't get mad at me," "I think I'm making good progress no matter what Dr. Now thinks," and Angie's famous "Dr. Now is all wrong and unfair and I'm going to make him apologize to me!" I think Jeanne said something similar too. 

One of this season's defining "failure" moments was the scene when Dr. Now had discovered that both Jeanne and her mother needed immediate hospitalization. Jeanne was show trudging through the dark all upset, "But I thought I was going to get surgery and instead I'm having to go to the hospital!" Sorry honey but you have a potentially life-threatening INFECTION that needs to be treated STAT. And, BTW, your "surgery" will actually happen in, you know, a hospital. **eyerolls**

I think the failures were so far stuck into a junction of dysfunctions that it really would take a magic wand to turn them around. OTOH the successful pounditicipants had some spark of sincere desire to turn things around and the will and skills to grab on to Dr. Now's program and work it. 

Obviously I don't have the skills to unpick the snarl of elements in each pounditicipant's case. When I'm done snarking I often feel conflicted about watching this show for leisure entertainment, although the bottom line is, it is interesting and with a few exceptions I feel empathy for the pounditicipants and hope they succeed. (Exceptions include Steven Asshole, whom I refuse to watch on TV and whose topic on this forum I refuse to even click on. The show should have never featured him at all much less done an update. Just, no.)

I agree the childishness and entitlement of some of the poundticipants is really annoying.  If Dr. Now says you can't have the surgery because you heart and lungs can't take it, it's like  "But you TOLD me I was getting my surgery!"  Like it's all because of meany Dr. Now, not that they can't survive the surgery. 

Likewise the constant nail-biting angst at weigh-in  "I've been working hard!"  "I don't know what the scale's going to say..."  --I mean if you've been following the diet and instructions you should have a clue. I remember snowflake Doug was so upset that Dr. Now said his recent progress was failing he was almost like "well, if he's gonna hurt my feelings like that, I'll show him--I'll quit the program!"  Yeah, Doug, that'll show him...

Also the insistence on my skin surgery, and if they don't get approved they might as well gain weight.  Nooo… like Dr. now told (Brandi? Kandi?, not the pregnant one) she hadn't lost enough FAT for skin removal.  What's the deal with skin surgery anyway at 350ibs?  If it was me I'd wait till I was 150lbs so it would be tighter (and less dangerous).  It's so infantile to perceive a delay as some denial of their rights, instead of a medical decision.

When I had open spine surgery I was told if my breathing was compromised, they would cancel.  I was nervous, I had quit smoking only 2 weeks previously, not 2 months, I had a cold, and I have mild COPD.  (I don't have a weight problem, but I have my struggles!)  I had the 6 hour surgery, but I wouldn't have dreamed of throwing a tantrum demanding surgery.  It would have been because the anesthesia would have been too dangerous.

[Tabbygirl521]

20 hours ago, ProTourist said:

Yes, I understand what you mean. The problem, I think, is lack of self-discipline and self-control, along with food addiction issues in some cases. The people can't stop over-eating and overdoing the starches and sugars on their own. They think the gastric surgery will prevent them from over-eating, but the reality is that it will only do so for the first few months. After that, little by little they can go back to over-eating and will stop making progress, and will regain what they lost.

Gastric surgery cannot correct personality disorder. When you think of it, it really isn't much of a tool if it can be defeated by lack of self-discipline within a few months. I'm surprised that it helps as many people as it does.

I seem to have a rather negative outlook today, but that's point-of-view I have on WLS right now.

And then we have the enablers on top of all this. 

[Concerned]

On 5/27/2019 at 7:59 PM, ProTourist said:

It seems that most hospitals cannot accommodate patients above 350-400 pounds, as they do not have beds nor operating tables that will hold them. Dr. Now explains it toward the beginning of this video:

Granted he is referring to the earlier days of his practice, so it's possible there is more availability these days.

I doubt that most 600+ pound people would be able to get down to 350-400 pounds with just diet and exercise, without the surgery. Some do take it off, and more, and keep it off, but then they manage the whole process without surgery.

Equine hospitals have rotating tables for the animals that can weigh over 2000 pounds. You lead the horse to the table when it’s vertical, strap the horse in, sedate him, then rotate the table to horizontal. Might work for some of Dr Now’s patients.

[Wanda]

On 5/26/2019 at 8:20 PM, ProTourist said:

Yes, I was thinking of that too. Am looking forward to Janine's update!

Also, has anyone here watched the latest update on June, Chad, and Pauline that has been available on the TLC website (and To Go) app, since the 15th? It's not yet on TLC's published broadcast schedule, and I for one cannot unlock it for playback. Would be interested in any highlights that might be worth mentioning, especially regarding Pauline. 😊

I’ve been wondering if they won’t show Chad(who was in the previews last season) because he’s apparently written a book and that might violate some show rules.

[ProTourist]

On 5/26/2019 at 8:20 PM, ProTourist said:

Also, has anyone here watched the latest update on June, Chad, and Pauline that has been available on the TLC website (and To Go) app, since the 15th? It's not yet on TLC's published broadcast schedule, and I for one cannot unlock it for playback. Would be interested in any highlights that might be worth mentioning, especially regarding Pauline. 😊

The site (linked above) is now showing the June, Chad, and Pauline update as episode #8, for this the fifth season of Where Are They Now? So it looks like we'll be waiting until late July for the broadcast and for other online availability (such as on Amazon).

[PrincessPurrsALot]

For this forum, we are talking about the show as it is shown on the TLC broadcast.  TLC is notorious for releasing things early, pulling them back, messing up their schedule, mislabelling episodes, etc.  Depending on a user's cable company, they may or may not have access to the online viewing. This also allows us to maintain the fun of the live chats.  We are watching together usually without spoilers. If you choose to see something early, fine.  But let's keep it out of the forums so we can all snark together come live broadcast. 

[fonfereksglen]

34 minutes ago, PrincessPurrsALot said:

For this forum, we are talking about the show as it is shown on the TLC broadcast.  TLC is notorious for releasing things early, pulling them back, messing up their schedule, mislabelling episodes, etc.  Depending on a user's cable company, they may or may not have access to the online viewing. This also allows us to maintain the fun of the live chats.  We are watching together usually without spoilers. If you choose to see something early, fine.  But let's keep it out of the forums so we can all snark together come live broadcast. 

Now the yellow screen of judgment, aka, YSOJ,  makes sense!

[aliya]

20 hours ago, Carboncat said:

When I had open spine surgery I was told if my breathing was compromised, they would cancel.  I was nervous, I had quit smoking only 2 weeks previously, not 2 months, I had a cold, and I have mild COPD.  (I don't have a weight problem, but I have my struggles!)  I had the 6 hour surgery, but I wouldn't have dreamed of throwing a tantrum demanding surgery.  It would have been because the anesthesia would have been too dangerous.

As we say in the law biz, "No one can eff you up like an anesthesiologist."  ☺️  You don't want to add any problems to an already delicate situation.

[ProTourist]

Fyi y'all, I've read a rumor that there will be a final follow-up episode on Sean Milliken (who passed away in February) coming up in a couple of weeks. If true, this will probably be the first time they've aired a follow-up on a poundticipant who has already died. I suppose if they had already filmed the next/final year of Sean's journey, then they decided to go ahead and use it. We should find out soon. This is the blurb:

Quote

In the fourth year of his weight-loss journey, Sean struggles to get past the loss of his mother and live on his own; Dr. Now intervenes to control Sean's eating for a time.

[nokat]

59 minutes ago, ProTourist said:

Fyi y'all, I've read a rumor that there will be a final follow-up episode on Sean Milliken (who passed away in February) coming up in a couple of weeks.

I'm not sure how I feel about them airing a follow-up after someone has passed. It was a sad situation and we all kind of knew where it was headed. We see some very damaged people on this show.
 

[Minivanessa]

On 5/30/2019 at 5:33 AM, nokat said:

I'm not sure how I feel about them airing a follow-up after someone has passed. It was a sad situation and we all kind of knew where it was headed. We see some very damaged people on this show.
 

I think, like so much in life, it depends. In this case it depends on how they choose to present the story. There's a reason for the term "super morbidly obese." All of the poundticipants are at a higher risk of serious disease and early death due to the burden those enormous weights put on the body. This could be a sensitive and informative exploration of those issues.

Oh, wait. This is TLC. And, Sean was the victim of The Mother From Hell. Who infantilized him and fed him and isolated him into their own little two-person world. And then died, leaving Sean alone in the world without the emotional maturity or skills to navigate his way through life on even the simplest levels. Trapped and disabled in an enormous body. On that level, this is a horror movie. 

Oh, TLC, please surprise me. Manage to tell Sean's story in a way that is informative on the physical/medical issues, and tells us in some un-cringeworthy way about how his life was warped and destroyed by his heinous mother. 

Well, one can always hope . . .

EDITED much later to add: And, RIP, Sean. I hope TLC treats your story with respect and sensitivity. And I hope that wherever you are, it's a happy place and you are free to realize your potential.

Edited June 4, 2019 by Jeeves

[ProTourist]

The rumor is confirmed: the episode is scheduled for Wednesday June 12.

17 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

Oh, TLC, please surprise me. Manage to tell Sean's story in a way that is informative on the physical/medical issues, and tells us in some un-cringeworthy way about how his life was warped and destroyed by his heinous mother. 

Well, one can always hope . . . 

I share your hope, Jeeves.

[Guest]

I remember Sean's second episode abruptly ending—with the poor man, sitting all alone wearing only a hospital gown on the front lawn of his flooded-out apartment complex. And it just ended. Then, the following week, there was to be a Part 2 of his story—but, what with this being TLC and all, was just as abruptly removed from the schedule and never mentioned again. I'm thinking that whatever is shown on June 12th will be that unaired Part 2 plus some mention of his passing. 

I have no snark for Sean, only sympathy. He was one (if not the only) of the Poundticipants who I felt profound sorrow for.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I've watched some updates that were sad, but I think watching an update on poor Sean is not going to happen for me.       

Edited May 31, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[sagittarius sue]

I didn't mind the bit of funeral coverage they had with Robert's story as it was part of the same story line.  I wouldn't have minded it with Kelly's story as it wouldn't have had such an abrupt ending.  I do mind tacking on a death to older footage.

[missnoa]

I remember being really upset about Robert, because it seemed like he was doing so, so well and I like it when they seem to do well. But then they moved him to that rehab center and it was just like something changed and that was it. Seeing his family cry was very hard.

I imagine they're going to air all of Sean episodes in a row and it's probably going to be extremely sad to see that play out because it honestly is to me a tragedy. His parents ruined his life before he even had a chance to live it. Mostly his mother, but his father had an obligation to that child too when he was young and he failed him. It's just such a tragic situation to me.

I'm sure other people have said this before but I would not be surprised if Sean's mother had that Munchausen by proxy, where a mother makes a child sick because they like being the savior and the center of attention.I wonder what would have happened if Sean's situation had come to people's attention when he was still a young child and they could have removed him.

ETA: Remembering the WATN I watched, I remember him not unpacking anything in his new place at least partially because he said it "wasn't a one person job" despite it easily being a one person job and him seriously thinking a care facility, which Dr. Now told him was NOT a place designed to be a permanent home, was his "goal" for where he would live after a few months in his new apartment. He was actively shooting for it. He literally could not fathom a world where there wasn't someone taking care of him.

Edited May 31, 2019 by missnoa