S04.E02: Brittani's Story

[HalcyonDays]

Just a reminder to everyone to please keep the discussion considerate and respectful, and to limit the unnecessarily body shaming and general shaming overall. This Mod Note explains in a little more detail. Thank you.

 

 

[HalcyonDays]

Episode synopsis: Brittani married a man who loves large women but at 600 lbs she can barely contribute to their marriage. With dreams of a normal relationship, she gets weight loss surgery. Her entire world then changes leaving her with the challenge to forge a new life.

[ChicagoCita]

Another person I liked a lot. I was nervous when they kept stressing that her husband liked large women, but he seemed to realize there was a real problem developing with Brittani's weight, unlike the vile Gareth.

 

I would have like to have seen him losing weight with her. I know he did the initial weight loss with her pre-surgery, but it wasn't as clear if he continued.

 

Was that food all over the bed they shared?

 

The way she walks was sad. I see knee replacement in her future (I've had one done, and it was the smartest thing I've ever done).

 

I feel so hopeful these past two shows. Glad they haven't featured someone I've wanted to slap (so far).

[Noirprncess]

This was a pleasant episode. She got the needed therapy and improved her marriage. Total win all-around.

[Hero]

Was anyone else's episode "2 hours" long? But in reality, they tacked on that Skin Tight show at the end...again!

I hate when TLC does that.

[hoosiermom]

Same here Suzy 123. Thank goodness I like the tight skin show too.

[Hero]

I'm not into that show and I was sure that when I recorded my 600 lb life, it was only an hour long. Hmmm...

[non sequitur]

I liked Brittani.  It was so good to see the therapy being useful.  It is difficult to let go of something that makes you feel so safe. I hope Brittani's husband continues to support her, and they are able to start a family.  

[stormy]

I love when I love someone on this show and am rooting for them to succeed.

You go Brittani!

This was not the episode that TLC advertised. They showed a clip for that one last week and it involved a couple, with a daughter, fighting constantly because she wanted to loose weight. Wonder what happened to that?

[poeticlicensed]

I liked Brittani a lot. And her husband was supportive. It would have been better for them to change their eating habits as a couple, but I don't think that happened. During the last dinner out, they brought Brittani her grilled chicken, but  her husband had a huge burger and fries in front of him. When the two of them sat side by side during the first consult with Dr Now, Brittani's husband was just as wide as she was. Dr Now probably wondered whether he had a 2 fer. 

 

After surgery, Brittani kept saying that she couldn't eat because food tasted disgusting. I was just wondering if she thought all food was disgusting, or just the food that she was limited to eating. It seems like most of Dr Now's patients are told to eat lots of eggs, which makes sense because they are a good source of protein and low carb. I can imagine that eating eggs everyday would be tiresome and  after a while, taste disgusting. I wonder how much of the losing food cravings is psychological rather than physical. My guess it's it's mostly psychological. 

 

Again the DVR said the show was 2 hours, but I was prepared and stopped recording after the first hour. 

Edited January 14, 2016 by poeticlicensed

[OhioMom]

Good for her, making the changes she needed to, and dealing with her painful past. :)  The both definitely seemed happy at the end of the show.

[Peanutbuttercup]

Brittani's husband really needed to get the surgery too. If they are going to have a healthy, active family life, he can't continue down the path that he is on.

On the Skin Tight episode that followed, I was sad to see one of the women who lost so much weight just stood by while her husband fed their children a meal of frozen corn dogs. Really, they ought to know better. Eating that kind of crap is how she got over 400 lbs (I know, I was once over 350 lbs myself). I can't believe she's willing to consign her children to that kind of life too, but apparently she is.

[suzeecat]

What a happy, uplifting episode! Her observation that if it wasn't on tv or in the grocery store, she hadn't experienced it was eye-opening. I would love to see an update to see if her husband loses some weight and if they ever have children.  The effects of child molestation can be so destructive!  I think most cases that I see on this show and on Intervention mention this. 

[closer2fine]

Careful, TLC, this is two weeks in a row you've shown us really wonderful patients who put in the work needed to succeed.  I'm just waiting for the "Penny" to drop at this point.

 

This was a really emotional episode to watch. Brittani was a good story to follow, and I found myself holding my breath when she went back for her Month 2 weigh in. Even though she fell 5 pounds short, she clearly proved to Dr. Now that she was capable of doing the work and being successful. 

 

I was so happy for her when she was able to go shopping and find something that made her feel good about herself when looking in the mirror. And the simple act of going out for dinner with her husband and then for a walk. That's the kind of victory I love seeing.  Even when she had the setback with the horse-drawn carriage, I was SO GLAD when the next segment talked about how she didn't let herself get discouraged about it. She just re-committed herself and got a trainer. 

[LilyoftheValley]

I like Brittani too.  She came across as very intelligent and she was spot-on in all of her commentary about her situation.  I agree though that her husband is very close to having the same problems she did.  He is definitely more mobile but is clearly a candidate for the surgery too.  I bet he felt like the "thin" one in the relationship for a long time, but the smaller  Brittani gets, the more he is going to realize that he is in really bad shape.  He looked about 8 years older than Brittani or so and is a also going a bald a bit.   He is at a very high risk of dropping dead any moment from a massive heart attack.  

 

Brittani had one of the healthiest attitudes to all this than anyone I have seen on the show.  She was determined but at the same time she was realistic about everything.  She was scared but was willing to go commit to everything despite her fears.  I was impressed when she went to the personal training session and did not have a meltdown about being the fattest person at the gym; she just went in there and got it done.  I thought her goals ancillary to weight loss were realistic too.  She just wanted to be a good partner to her husband, and she was really happy once she had reached that goal.  

[Pepper Mostly]

Co-signing everyone. Loved Brittani, loved her kind hubby, cheered as the weight came off. She was brave to go to the gym, and her trainer was AWESOME. So kind and supportive. Loved him.

[poeticlicensed]

Brittani had one of the healthiest attitudes to all this than anyone I have seen on the show.  She was determined but at the same time she was realistic about everything.  She was scared but was willing to go commit to everything despite her fears.  I was impressed when she went to the personal training session and did not have a meltdown about being the fattest person at the gym; she just went in there and got it done.  I thought her goals ancillary to weight loss were realistic too.  She just wanted to be a good partner to her husband, and she was really happy once she had reached that goal.

 

Brittani was one of the only ones who didn't see the surgery as the goal and then figured everything would work out just because of the bypass. Most of the others view the surgery as their salvation, rather than just the beginning. 

 

For Brittani, it was so brave for her to talk about how she feels about herself. What personal hell it must be to eat until you are sick and then hate yourself after. I mean we all do that to some extent. I eat some chips and want to kick myself an hour later. I cannot imagine the feelings of self loathing one  must have when they get to that weight and continue to stuff themselves to the point of feeling ill and not being able to stop, then having to look in a mirror to and see the results and feel the results in your joints,, your immobility. It's really very sad. 

[Oldernowiser]

Careful, TLC, this is two weeks in a row you've shown us really wonderful patients who put in the work needed to succeed.  I'm just waiting for the "Penny" to drop at this point.

I see what you did there...bravo!

[momofsquid]

It bothered me that Brittani was so reluctant to go out because she felt everyone was staring and mocking her. I don't doubt that she's had to suffer some negative comments and they must have left her scarred. But I think we all need to learn that everyone is self-conscious about our own issues and some of the people that she assumed were giving her dirty looks were probably really thinking more about their own bad hair day or what-have-you. And the people who do behave badly simply should not matter. I hope her therapist was able to address her concerns about other people's reactions because I thought that was having a much bigger impact on her life than it should have. (slightly related story: My MIL, in her mid-80s, is always self-conscious in airports because she thinks everyone is judging her for not using a smartphone. Seriously. I'm quite certain they are neither noticing nor judging.)

[poeticlicensed]

My MIL, in her mid-80s, is always self-conscious in airports because she thinks everyone is judging her for not using a smartphone. Seriously. I'm quite certain they are neither noticing nor judging.)

 

Tell your MIL that the cool new thing these days  is to have a flip phone instead of a smartphone. It's quite the rage among hipsters. 

[LilyoftheValley]

I thought something similar.  I commonly see people maybe not quite as big as Brittani but pretty close at the grocery store using one of those power chair things.  I hardly notice anymore.  

 

I do not want to discount these people's experiences, but it seems to me that they take any non-positive interaction with other people as that person "being mean" to them because of their weight.  I am not bragging here, but though I have gotten a bit puffy with age I was a very thin model in my teens and early twenties.  Sometimes people were assholes.  Sometimes people gave me a dirty look then (for whatever reason).  Sometimes waitstaff treated me poorly.  And I am chubby now and that still happens.  That's just life.  I am not saying they do not get it more than other people, but I highly doubt is every single interaction with other people that isn't just butterflies and rainbows and moonbeams comes entirely down to that other person judging them because of their weight.  

[Maizie131]

 (slightly related story: My MIL, in her mid-80s, is always self-conscious in airports because she thinks everyone is judging her for not using a smartphone. Seriously. I'm quite certain they are neither noticing nor judging.)

momofsquid - Couldn't believe when I read this...today was the death of my beloved pink Motorola flip-phone -- the battery will no longer hold a charge.  Over the past half-dozen years when I pull it out of my purse to make/answer a call people laugh at me!  Did I care?  Not even a little bit!  I'm devastated...now I've gotta learn one of those new iphone thingies.  Not a good thing!  I'm 64 y.o. & I don't adjust to change very easily.  Oh well...maybe I'll learn how to "text."

 

(Mods ... delete if you want (sorry, but couldn't resist...I really AM sad about my flip-phone!  ha!)

Tell your MIL that the cool new thing these days  is to have a flip phone instead of a smartphone. It's quite the rage among hipsters. 

poeticlicensed - you must've been typing at the same time as I was!  Too frickin' funny!  (See my comment above.) 

[IvySpice]

 

I think we all need to learn that everyone is self-conscious about our own issues and some of the people that she assumed were giving her dirty looks were probably really thinking more about their own bad hair day or what-have-you.

Hopefully she'll work through that with her therapist. I mean, mega-obesity is so common now that a person of size needs to dress like a stripper to stand out in the grocery store. (See: peopleofwalmart.com. I'm a bad person.) The vast majority of people do not pay any attention to the floor tiles, either. This is America...they're just there.

 

Seconding the hope that the husband decides to get healthy if they're going to try for kids. He's got a long way to go.

[notyrmomma]

After surgery, Brittani kept saying that she couldn't eat because food tasted disgusting. I was just wondering if she thought all food was disgusting, or just the food that she was limited to eating. It seems like most of Dr Now's patients are told to eat lots of eggs, which makes sense because they are a good source of protein and low carb. I can imagine that eating eggs everyday would be tiresome and  after a while, taste disgusting. I wonder how much of the losing food cravings is psychological rather than physical. My guess it's it's mostly psychological.

I could totally relate to what Brittani was saying.  I agree that food tastes funny in the months after surgery and even nearly a year and a half later, even favorite foods are now just "meh."  Its a big adjustment to make.  Before I had bariatric surgery, eggs used to be my favorite food, and even to this day, I still can't stomach them.  Not only do they taste terrible to me now, but they are incredibly filling (which is why they tell you to eat protein first because once you do, there is no more room!!!).  

 

Belive it or not, losing the ability to enjoy your food is like morning the loss of your best friend.  I ca only speak for myself and my addiction, but food was something I looked foward to each day--I was either thinking about my next meal or eating.  Also, when you are eating something, for the moment, all is right in the world, you feel no pain and no anxiety.  Take the ability to eat away andits  not only that nothing can replace that euphoric feeling, but you are forced to deal with your feelings and stressors head on.  Its tough and I myself have had more than a few meltdowns.  Her decription of the addiction was spot on, and her being able to admit and articulate it will probably help her overcome it.

 

 

On the Skin Tight episode that followed, I was sad to see one of the women who lost so much weight just stood by while her husband fed their children a meal of frozen corn dogs. Really, they ought to know better. Eating that kind of crap is how she got over 400 lbs (I know, I was once over 350 lbs myself). I can't believe she's willing to consign her children to that kind of life too, but apparently she is.

It was the pinup woman who heated up the corndogs and handed them to her "pleasantly plump" children! I'm like whoow whoow, wait a minute, what's she doing with those corn dogs?? Sad!  Also, am I nuts, or did she seem a little too "pleasantly plump" herself to be getting sking surgery?  I thought Dr.. Now was going to tell her to lose another 10 pounds and then he would think about it.  By the way,I know he does these skin surgeries all the time on this show, but since when is he a real plastic surgeon????  I would want a real plastic surgeon to do my surgery, not a jack of all trades surgeon,

[Meraji]

It was the pinup woman who heated up the corndogs and handed them to her "pleasantly plump" children! I'm like whoow whoow, wait a minute, what's she doing with those corn dogs?? Sad!  Also, am I nuts, or did she seem a little too "pleasantly plump" herself to be getting sking surgery?  I thought Dr.. Now was going to tell her to lose another 10 pounds and then he would think about it.  By the way,I know he does these skin surgeries all the time on this show, but since when is he a real plastic surgeon????  I would want a real plastic surgeon to do my surgery, not a jack of all trades surgeon,

 

Yes, I couldn't believe Dr. Now was involved in any of the skin removal surgeries on Skin Tight! Though we've seen him do surgeries to remove excess skin, it's all been very functional and not cosmetic. To me, in the first episode didn't he appear to only assist the main cosmetic surgeons? If he was learning further techniques I approve. But in this episode, after mentioning 3-4 times the surgeons may need to consult a vein specialist to proceed with the retro-gal's leg surgery, they called in Dr. Now. Am I missing something? Is he a vein guy, too? Was he the primary surgeon on her thigh reduction? I admit to mostly listening and half-watching.

[AltLivia]

I have a visible disability and get a ton of stares. It is anxiety-provoking but I don't scream about it in the grocery store, or on a busy street! I wonder if Brittani ever considered that she's being followed by a camera crew, and people are wondering what they're filming/inconvenienced by the crew?

 

As others have said, morbid obesity is common, and Texas has a higher percentage of obese folks statistically . They're aware of the weight loss surgery industry. I doubt Brittani's size phases most.

 

I always find it weird when these folks are like, "I want to have a baby!" if they've never really been intimate with their spouse. I mean, sure, live that dream, but make a connection and don't be so laser-focused. 

[whydoiwatch]

Concerning the skin removal show following Brittani's story...granted, I didn't watch it very closely. It just seems the women featured in  this show were so unhappy. I don't just mean the displeasure with their excess skin that prompted them to seek surgery. Somehow it seemed more than that. 

Maybe it is because we meet these people after their struggles with weight loss and don't know their whole story in that regard. The "reveal parties" were just off to me. Not being in their situation I don't know how I would respond, but I do know there is no way I would want such a party. 

Perhaps the very emphasis of this show is on the cosmetic side as opposed to the health benefits. Perhaps this show proves that weight loss and skin surgery won't make you happy if you weren't happy before. 

[Oldernowiser]

What a cutie...ITA with everyone saying how refreshing this season's people have been.

But her husband had the furtive, guilty look of a guy who was cheating on her regularly with Crispy Creme, Domino's, and assorted drive-thru. Did he ever lose any weight during the show's schedule?

Edited January 15, 2016 by Oldernowiser

[HelloOutThere]

Really liking the tone of the show this season (though I'm sure it won't last). Both Brittani and the girl from last week were so open about how they did this to themselves and how much they hate it, and themselves for doing it. I felt Brittani was extremely well-spoken. She was very self-aware and able to articulate what it's like to be so large. One thing that she and the girl from last week (sorry forgot her name) mentioned that stuck with me was just how much pain they are in, all the time. I've heard very large people on other shows / documentaries mention this as well. I can't imagine waking up in the morning only to have your entire body screaming at you in pain. It made me admire Brittani's determination even more. Not only is being so big not aesthetically pleasing, uncomfortable, and inconvenient, but it's also extremely painful as well.

 

Brittani's attitude in recovery was also exemplary - when the nurses told her she had to get up and walk, she was like, "Do I have to? OK." And she did it. Rather than whining or shutting down. Very mature. Loved how she just tackled the working out aspect with a positive attitude. Her trainer seemed great with her as well. I hope she stuck to it - it's amazing how just a small increase in physical activity after having done absolutely none can make such a big, immediate difference - for people of any weight. I'm sure it helped her motivation tremendously. 

 

I would have like to have seen footage of her making the flight to Houston. Not out of morbid curiosity, but more out of how she was accommodated on the plane. It looked like both her and her husband would have required at least two (if not three) seats, each. Most subjects of the show are usually thrown into the back of a minivan (which I always remark to myself seems very unsafe and illegal).

 

Finally, one little moment that made an impact on me was when Brittani was in the clothing store and she rushed over to an item, saying "I saw this online!". I'm sure we all do this all the time (I realized I just said this in a shoe store the other day), but for Brittani, her reaction was so notable because before she had seen things ONLY online. The simple act of going to a store and looking at something she saw online (rather than having to buy it and have it shipped) was a new concept to her, and it was cool to see that little moment.

[jacksgirl]

Agree with all- Brittani seems like a sweet girl and should be Dr. Now's poster child for doing it the right way.Was kind of dozing off- did I understand that they were NOT having sex, but now are? Also, I wonder how educated Brittani is? She was very well-spoken.

[4leafclover]

Regarding his participation on the surgery of the woman with the vein issues, Dr. Now is a vascular specialist as well as a general surgeon.

[NYCFree]

The only taste change that I've had after lapband surgery is hating fried potatoes now. I shouldn't be eating any fried potatoes anyway, but I just found it curious if I tried some fries from my husband's or son's plates, they tasted really repulsive to me. They were formerly delicious. Same thing with potato chips.

Other unhealthy food still tastes ok, just the one thing that went wacky.

[poeticlicensed]

The only taste change that I've had after lapband surgery is hating fried potatoes now. I shouldn't be eating any fried potatoes anyway, but I just found it curious if I tried some fries from my husband's or son's plates, they tasted really repulsive to me. They were formerly delicious. Same thing with potato chips.

Other unhealthy food still tastes ok, just the one thing that went wacky.

That's really interesting in how food tastes different after the surgery. I wonder if dramatic weight loss changes your hormonal levels and that's what causes the changes in taste or if it's psychological. Not sure if this is relevant but I remember being pregnant with my first child and hating anything having to do with meat. The smell, the taste, I couldn't even walk through the grocery story meat aisle without feeling ill. With my second all I wanted was hamburgers. Weird. I do know that I cut sugar out of my diet years ago and rarely eat or drink anything with sugar in it (except wine, sorry!). I can say that if I do eat something with sugar, it tastes incredibly sweet to me and I can only manage a bite or two. I also did whole 30 during December and noticed that when I did add the verboten foods (dairy, wheat, etc) back in afterward my stomach rebelled and I found that I had heartburn in the evenings. I suppose that a dramatic change like a bypass completely upends your relationship with food, both physically and psychologically.

At first I watched this show for the shock factor, but now that the shock has worn off after the hundredth shower scene and I had never seen a lymphodema (sp?) before, I now find it incredibly fascinating, from a physiological and psychological, as well as a sociological perspective. People in the US have a crazy relationship with food that I don't get. I traveled to Europe a few months ago and honestly, I didn't see as many overweight and obese people that I see here. I mean, I was in Paris and it's very food focused (of course) but it's different, the portions are tiny compared to here. But portion sizes is just one thing, I still keep pondering it ever since I got back. Again, this show makes me think about how we deal with food and eating.

Edited January 16, 2016 by poeticlicensed

[Muffyn]

 

Brittani was one of the only ones who didn't see the surgery as the goal and then figured everything would work out just because of the bypass. Most of the others view the surgery as their salvation, rather than just the beginning. 

 

For Brittani, it was so brave for her to talk about how she feels about herself. What personal hell it must be to eat until you are sick and then hate yourself after. I mean we all do that to some extent. I eat some chips and want to kick myself an hour later. I cannot imagine the feelings of self loathing one  must have when they get to that weight and continue to stuff themselves to the point of feeling ill and not being able to stop, then having to look in a mirror to and see the results and feel the results in your joints,, your immobility. It's really very sad. 

That has been the big change so far this season.  Both Brittani and Nicki talked about the real issues that led to their weight gain, how they felt about their sizes and themselves and their relationships with their families.  Last season each episode was becoming rote.  We heard the same confessionals every time.  "I have to do this" ad nauseum.  The show is much more interesting this season.  We have been shown better that the surgery is a tool for weight loss; the people still need to do a ton of work to get where they want to be.  

 

It was the pinup woman who heated up the corndogs and handed them to her "pleasantly plump" children! I'm like whoow whoow, wait a minute, what's she doing with those corn dogs?? Sad!  Also, am I nuts, or did she seem a little too "pleasantly plump" herself to be getting sking surgery?  I thought Dr.. Now was going to tell her to lose another 10 pounds and then he would think about it.  By the way,I know he does these skin surgeries all the time on this show, but since when is he a real plastic surgeon????  I would want a real plastic surgeon to do my surgery, not a jack of all trades surgeon,

 

I wouldn't want Dr. Now doing skin surgery or any other surgery where the visual appeal matters on me either.  There were many people on whom he left huge gaps in the skin when doing the surgery.  He doesn't seem to care about the aesthetics.  When I had jaw surgery a few years ago I used an orthopedist and a plastic surgeon.  One repaired the joint, the other made sure my jawline looked normal.  

[aliya]

On the Skin Tight episode that followed, I was sad to see one of the women who lost so much weight just stood by while her husband fed their children a meal of frozen corn dogs. Really, they ought to know better. Eating that kind of crap is how she got over 400 lbs 

I was thinking about having gastric sleeve. I signed up, went to the meetings, started WW (insurance needed to see a 'real' effort to lose weight, etc.), and joined a FB page for people in my age group getting or who have the gastric sleeve. For a number of reasons, I backed out of it, but one of the major reasons was I continued to see people who couldn't get a handle on their eating. One person just posted gaining 15 pounds since Thanksgiving. I know weight is a struggle, but if you can't adjust your eating with a tool that re-wires your plumbing... After reading for months and seeing so many people struggle, I figured I had less to lose than most of them and could struggle on my own.  It's scary how people mess themselves up (myself included).

 

I liked Britanni, but yeah, the husband needed to be on the operating table beside her.  Maybe it was just their style, but it seemed that the husband didn't hold Britanni's hand when they were out walking on their dates. They talked a lot about their relationship, but I didn't see much of a physical expression of it.

[Muffyn]

I forgot to mention Brittani broke the fast food curse.  So many of the people when traveling claim they can only eat high-calorie fast food.  It looked like they went to Panda Express and she had steamed vegetables instead of noodles or rice and a stir-fried option rather than deep-fried.  It can be done!  

[Morgalisa]

If you watch the supersize episodes, they omit certain things (i.e., that he likes large women) and they include other footage, such as, he lost either 60 or 80 pounds (can't recall which one). Also, when they went on their date they held hands and were very sweet and loving with each other. It was evident they had had sex.

[Armchair Critic]

They need to stop the pretense that these people might not get the surgery since we know that is the reason they are filming them.

 

But I like Brittani and how she said she didn't want her husband to have to take care of her.

[Calamity Jane]

Brittani started with a few advantages over most of the people we see.  She was able to do self-care, she was able to walk, she was able to drive, she seemed to have more overall strength left than most - and she had the appropriate attitude towards the whole weight-loss process.  I was very impressed that she was able to do all that at 605 pounds.  I would love to see a follow up on her progress because I think she has a better chance at long-term success than most.  She seemed like a very sweet and self-aware person.  

[BodhiGurl]

Finally an episode that was inspiring and positive. Saw this on the replay the other night... I'd love an update episode about Brittani. Hopefully her husband has gotten healthier...

[Minerette]

She has very similar facial features to actress Natalie Dormer!

[snarktini]

On 1/15/2016 at 3:57 PM, jacksgirl said:

Agree with all- Brittani seems like a sweet girl and should be Dr. Now's poster child for doing it the right way.Was kind of dozing off- did I understand that they were NOT having sex, but now are? Also, I wonder how educated Brittani is? She was very well-spoken.

I didn't watch the whole thing but I did catch the part where she says they were intimate "in the ways that they could" but had never had intercourse. How sad, for both of them. I hope therapy helps with that -- weight may have been a factor, but I'd guess the sexual abuse is bigger issue.

Did they say how old she was?

[CrazyInAlabama]

I really hope that Brittani keeps up with her weight loss, gets surgery for her legs (from a cosmetic surgeon), and becomes a mom.   She seems like someone who would be an amazing mom. 

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Pounders, What do we do? We avoid discussing how money is being snatched from the public's wallet for the participants unless it’s specifically revealed on the show. Anything else is pure speculation not to mention also a slippery slope toward talking politics.