S05.E11: James K's Story

[bethster2000]

40 minutes ago, Stephanie1216 said:

No wonder middle eastern people hate Americans. 

Mistakes happen.  Don't take responsibility for World Affairs just because you misidentified Now's accent. :-)

ETA: I am determined to make something good come of my television encounter with James.  My husband and I have both pledged to each lose 50 lbs. over the next year.  I printed out a photo of James K. shoveling Cha-neeeeze Fuhd into his gaping maw and taped it to the refrigerator.

Edited March 19, 2017 by bethster2000

[Elizabeth9]

9 hours ago, chopperchopperbell said:

I was as horrified as everyone else watching this episode.  It was obvious that none of them were intelligent or educated.  They were trapped as much by poverty, abuse, and lack of education/intelligence, as they were by James and Lisa's poor choices.

I agree that to some extent I think Lisa was trying to hasten James' death.  I'm always perplexed as to how these people can afford all this food.  Even with food stamps it would be like trying to feed 10 people on a budget for 2.  None of these people work.  Their spouses don't work.  They're all leeching off the benefits of the disabled, which could be another reason no one seems incentivized to try too hard.

That being said---I very much agree with the person upthread who said that it is an eating disorder just like anorexia, but on opposite spectrums.  And it angers me that we'll work so hard to "save" the anorexics and bulimics, the alcoholics and drug addicts, but the morbidly obese are treated with prejudice and disgust.  I feel like hatred against fat people is the last socially acceptable form of prejudice.  What all these people need is the same as what any mentally ill or addict needs--long term hospitalization.  They need to be in a controlled environment where they can be monitored and have their food controlled, made to exercise, get psychological (and if needed, medical) help.  Even if they relapse, it would be no different than most addicts. 

As loathesome as some of these people can be, they are no more loathesome than the addicts on intervention.  There seems to be something inherently selfish and broken about these people.  And the morbidly obese deserve a chance, too.  People treat obesity as a weakness, as gluttonous behavior, instead of seeing it as the illness it really is.

I have struggled with obesity my whole life (not to that extent) and when I was finally diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and put on Metformin, I lost 60 lbs.  For me, the blood sugar highs and lows were driving my weight gain.  So I do believe that in many of these people there may be physical problems as well as mental problems at play.  I just feel like they deserve the same dignity and chance for redemption as any addict/mentally ill/physically disabled person.

James was in a controlled environment- the hospital- twice, I believe.  How did James react?  He had food snuck in.  He either gained weight or stayed the same.  

As someone who as been inpatient for eating disorders, James would have lasted about 48 hours.  Quite frankly, they don't put up with a lot of bullshit in those places.  Did you ever see "Addicted To Food?"  They didn't play on that show.  Either you're there to get well, or you're a distraction to those who are...and you can leave.

At what point do you draw the line?  Other people need the resources, too.  I'd say the same thing about a heroin addict, aborexic or alcoholic.  Some people just don't want help, regardless of their addiction.

its not fair to act like James didn't have chances.  He did.  In fact, he had more help than most of the people on the show (inpatient hospitalization).  He CHOSE to continue in his addiction.  THAT is what people are judging... not his size, his rejection of world-class treatment, Althewhile abusing his family and acting entitled while doing so.  It's hard not to be appalled at that level of behavior, and I'm usually the one telling people not to judge the folks on this show:

Edited March 19, 2017 by Elizabeth9

[MegD]

On 3/16/2017 at 11:13 AM, BXD said:

On 3/16/2017 at 11:07 AM, atiyah9369 said:

I need to know what his status is now.

Pathetically I googled him. I didn't see any obituaries or anything like that, so I guess he is still...existing. It's shocking really.

Apparently, both heaven and hell both have a weight limit. I'll be bringing the DVDs and party music for that luxury handbasket.

I got the impression that Bailey may not have finished high school and was pulled out of high school. Didn't someone say that he hadn't gotten up since he broke his ankle and that was around when she started needing to help. I couldn't help but feel awful for her.

[happy2bhere]

7 hours ago, Faithtoo said:

That is what broke my heart.  Father put himself in further debt only for his money to be wasted.  Sad.

Dad went to great lengths to give his son a chance.  That is the beautiful, uplifting moment in this entire story.  

The rest was black comedy.  Sad, terrific stuff...

If this was a work of fiction, it would be Oscar-worthy.

Edited March 19, 2017 by embarassed2bhere

[Aw my lahgs]

58 minutes ago, Stephanie1216 said:

Apologies.  

I said Dr. Now was Hispanic I was just guessing that just how he sounded I've never looked into it. Above blogging friend said he's Iranian. No wonder middle eastern people hate Americans. 

People make mistakes. No big deal. Dr Now has lived in the US since 1971 and is more American than Apple pie. Yeah he has a heavy accent, some people do. He is/was married for decades to an American woman, has adult American children who also married Americans and has some grandchildren.

[MrsStealth]

4 hours ago, Runnergirl said:

I think he keeps making new GFM pages because of all the negative (and true) comments he keeps getting on them. He threw away his BEST CHANCE with Dr. Now. Millions of people watched him make an ass of himself on national television and people keep reminding him of that. 

Just when I thought he couldn't be more ridiculous, he starts yet another go fund me page. Idiot.

The new GoFundMe page was deleted, I think.

[bethster2000]

33 minutes ago, Elizabeth9 said:

THAT is what people are judging... not his size, his rejection of world-class treatment, Althewhile abusing his family and acting entitled while doing so.  

100%.

[Pentwater]

When he dies, his enablers should be charged with unlawful assisted suicide (or attempted murder or just flat out murder). 

Edited to say that I think they ARE trying to kill him. Death by pie.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Pentwater

[Aw my lahgs]

Just now, Pentwater said:

When he dies, his enablers should be charged with unlawful assisted suicide (or attempted murder or just flat out murder). 

Give them a break. He's beyond help. It will be their get out of jail free card.

[fountain]

It would be interesting if they added some type of overeaters program to this show.  I find what bothers me most about the ones like James who don't accept the program is that they never recognize how what they do affects  the others around them.  James has had a significant negative affect on his daughter, she was forced to quit school, which is just horrible and James doesn't give a shit.  At least with something like AA and NA you have face your asshole behaviour.

eta: if the enablers should be charged with attempted murder then James should now be charged with child abuse for having his daughter quit school and making her wipe his ass as a minor.

Edited March 19, 2017 by fountain

[Pentwater]

7 minutes ago, Nutella said:

Give them a break. He's beyond help. It will be their get out of jail free card.

Hmm. I think you're right. How do I GFM a truckload of Sara Lee to him? 

[Wings]

1 hour ago, Pentwater said:

When he dies, his enablers should be charged with unlawful assisted suicide (or attempted murder or just flat out murder). 

Edited to say that I think they ARE trying to kill him. Death by pie.

It is not their responsibility. He is the creator of his life.  He can say no. 

[swankie]

On Friday, March 17, 2017 at 9:25 AM, Kid said:

During last night's Supersized episode, one of the captions said that three of James' homes burned down. One house fire I could understand, but THREE?! Either they keep buying faulty Fry Daddy deep fryers or someone is a firebug.

Makes me wonder if those fires could have been set on purpose for insurance money.  Hmmmm.....

[Thriftykins]

9 hours ago, Miss Chevious said:

Wow that didn't last long. I checked the comments on there earlier  (all 16 of them) and none of them were complimentary. I was surprised they hadn't been deleted. I guess they realized everyone had their number. 

I wasn't going to comment over there because it just seems kind of cruel. Like we're kicking a man when he's down.  Even without comments it was a pretty bad idea.  They couldn't get funding when people were neutral to them.  Getting funding when people have been exposed to your horribleness and actively dislike you is utterly hopeless.

9 hours ago, bethster2000 said:

Mistakes happen.  Don't take responsibility for World Affairs just because you misidentified Now's accent. :-)

ETA: I am determined to make something good come of my television encounter with James.  My husband and I have both pledged to each lose 50 lbs. over the next year.  I printed out a photo of James K. shoveling Cha-neeeeze Fuhd into his gaping maw and taped it to the refrigerator.

Ironically, some people use people like James as an excuse to not lose weight.  They figure "hey, I'm a little pudgy, but I'm not a huge blob like this dude".

9 hours ago, Elizabeth9 said:

James was in a controlled environment- the hospital- twice, I believe.  How did James react?  He had food snuck in.  He either gained weight or stayed the same.  

 

James didn't gain weight in the hospital.  He did in fact lose weight there.  It was when he went home to try and do it himself that he faltered.

[brilliantbreakfast]

14 hours ago, MillieSparklepants said:

Well said. I think as a society, we try to be understanding and compassionate. Most of us are sympathetic toward these patients and genuinely root for them to overcome their demons. But James showed over and over again that he didn't actually want to change his behavior, he just wanted there to be no consequences to his behavior. Multiple crowdfunding pages so he could eat like a pig, magic surgery to make him skinny, pulling his daughter out of school to wipe his butt ... James only cares about James. That's why we don't like him and that's why we are angry about supporting him emotionally and financially. With his attitude, he will never be a contributing member of society and people who work all day and yet still can't afford steak or Chinese takeout are essentially being forced to provide those things to him for life.

Most of these patients, like the people on "Hoarders", have endured some kind of horrific childhood abuse or trauma, and some people are less resilient than others.  No one gets to be THAT big without either a really good denial mechanism, an entire tribe of enablers, or more likely, both.  The formula with most people on this show is that the habits that got them into the mess are so ingrained that they have become comfortable emotionally with them, so of course it's hard to break those.  But MOST of the people on this show, whether they ever get down to normal weight or not, do have at least a temporary epiphany where they can see light at the end of the tunnel.  Don't underestimate the GUTS it takes to make big changes like that.  Look at how many of the marriages end once the patient starts losing weight.  Whole family dynamics change.   And this show is very formulaic.  They seek help, they rebel, they see the light, get the surgery, and then are on their way towards a normal life.  

Even Nicole, who is the obvious comparison point, did finally put in the necessary effort.  Of course Nicole did seem to have a certain amount of insight into her own behavior, her own traumas, and how she got there.  Whether she is even marginally brighter than James, or if the therapist they sent her to just was better than most of them that you see on this show, we don't know.  But even Nicole wasn't as cruel to her caregivers as James is, and Charlie really DID seem to want to help her, not sabotage her, unlike Lisa.  

The situation with James is this toxic little dance with Lisa.  Neither one can change till the other one does, and so it goes on.

[TurtlePower]

James must have been banned from gofundme. I can't find anything on him anymore. I guess his delusions caught up with him. 

I have a feeling the next time we hear about him, It'll be because he has died. 

[KateHearts]

50 minutes ago, Michael Stabosz said:

Ironically, some people use people like James as an excuse to not lose weight.  They figure "hey, I'm a little pudgy, but I'm not a huge blob like this dude".

Exactly. I think that the biggest fallout from these people's issues is on their kids, who sit near them stuffing their faces with junk food like dad/mom, thinking they're ok and the parent has the problem. Meanwhile they are headed down the same path themselves, soothing their sadness and depression with food. Most of them are already considerably overweight.

[swankie]

On Friday, March 17, 2017 at 9:38 AM, FCOL said:

I would be curious to question him on the fried rice thing. Is he thinking that because fried rice is brownish that its actually a long grain rice? I mean not that it matters since they are both high in crabs which is what he needs to cut back on, but I am just trying to figure out the logic of why fried rice wouldn't be as bad for you as just plain rice.

I think James was being literal in his interpretation of the "Don't Eat" list.  It said you couldn't have "rice", not "fried rice".  People like him will use any ploy they can come up with to justify their behavior.  And did you hear how he complained that she only gave him "one little eggroll"?  Well James, if you could actually raise your head to see what's on the plate you would know that she gave you two eggrolls.  The glee at which he ate that plate of food convinced me that James will never get out of that bed and will likely die in it.  It's really sad because not only will his father have taken a second mortgage out for nothing, he will probably have to use whatever little money he has left to bury James with.  Sad case all around.

[poeticlicensed]

23 minutes ago, swankie said:

I think James was being literal in his interpretation of the "Don't Eat" list.  It said you couldn't have "rice", not "fried rice".  People like him will use any ploy they can come up with to justify their behavior.  And did you hear how he complained that she only gave him "one little eggroll"?  Well James, if you could actually raise your head to see what's on the plate you would know that she gave you two eggrolls.  The glee at which he ate that plate of food convinced me that James will never get out of that bed and will likely die in it.  It's really sad because not only will his father have taken a second mortgage out for nothing, he will probably have to use whatever little money he has left to bury James with.  Sad case all around.

I remember a few years ago I went on something called the no white food diet. Basically it meant nothing with flour or sugar or rice or potatoes. If I needed to eat bread it had to be whole grain, rice should be brown, etc and those should be eaten sparingly. Mr used to joke that it was ok to eat chocolate cake and ice cream because they weren't white. Of course he was kidding because brown food can be made with white ingredients. But I'm sure James and Lisa cherry picker that list. The list includes eggs, as they are high in protein and low in carbs. I sure they said egg rolls were ok because eggs were on this list. I realize that they were not well educated, but I considercherry picking or twisting the list willful ignorance. 

[swankie]

On Friday, March 17, 2017 at 0:11 PM, OSM Mom said:

"He's very active for someone his size.."

Yes, if you're talking about his bowels.  Lol!

[aliya]

This train wreck is already up on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVlSAhctJE4

[Granny58]

12 hours ago, Stephanie1216 said:

Apologies.  

I said Dr. Now was Hispanic I was just guessing that just how he sounded I've never looked into it. Above blogging friend said he's Iranian. No wonder middle eastern people hate Americans. 

Meh, don't worry about it.  He speaks only slightly accented English by this point and it is not easy to pin down.  You made a reasonable assumption given his geographic location.  Unless you're a linguist, why should you know?

[Trees]

I completely agree about there needs to be a therapy/group aspect to this show.  That they neglect it really does make me wonder about their motivation.  Are they *really* there to help people?  Or are they just looking for shocking TV?

Heroin addiction, for instance - you don't yell at the addict to stop shooting up and yell at grandma to stop giving him money, and expect it to work.  I watched Dr Drew's rehab shows years back and you see the intensive therapy they get.

I got into a hospital's weight loss program (NOT this level of obesity, btw) and they have group sessions, individual therapy, exercise classes, individual sessions with exercise physiologists, regular blood testing and more.  Oh and most importantly - dieticians!  You can choose to have a plan tailored for you or do a protein shakes/meal replacements or a combination of both.  They work with you closely and give you all the tools. You still have to make the decision to do it but the constant support is there.  They even hold monthly cooking classes and weekly nutrition classes.  And this is just metro Detroit, a regular hospital, not on national TV.  Why doesn't the world-famous TV star Dr Now do this???

This same program also has groups for the more obese who are heading for weight-loss surgery.  Their bariatric sessions include others of similar weights and challenges facing and transitioning from surgery.  It's all specialized and they help each other.

Having experienced this, it make me crazy that he takes these (mostly) uneducated people, yells at them, gives them a piece of paper and says "go home and lose weight".  Where is the training?  Where is the support?  Very few of those patients on his show lose weight and even the ones who do have a crazy-hard time getting into the program.  Patients like James K and that juggalo (Nicole?) - they don't have a snowball's chance in hell when told to go home with this piece of paper and their enablers and "just do it".

If it was just a matter of "stop", we'd all be thin and have no addictions.

[Trees]

Myself, a well-educated person... I attended the nutrition classes, for example.  Though I thought I knew how to read a food label, I gained all new perspective.  The dieticians break it down.  They show you all kinds of labels, how to really understand them, and why the numbers matter.

Ever try to read the "Fat" labels?  The classes not only explain what those different types of fat mean, but why they matter, how the different ones affect the body, and how to select one over another.

Sugar?  They show you how different names hidden in lists of ingredients are actually sugar. 

Once they gave us a tasting of a variety of pasta sauces.  Side by side, it was easy to pick out one that was noticeably sweeter than the others, though by itself on the table, you may not really detect it. Then they showed us the labels.  While the sweet one seemed like a relatively healthful choice, there it was - loaded with extra sugar.  That was years ago, but I still use that knowledge at the store.

These patients like James... imagine Lisa and Bayley at the new territory of the grocery store, attempting to create food for a 1,200 calorie day. How do they navigate it after a lifetime of fast food and probably some boxed mixes of stuff? It's gotta be as if somebody plunked them down in a foreign country.

These are real people who get involved with this show.  Desperate people.  They sign up for help but how much do they really get, as compared to how much money the network earns?  I've heard that they only get like $2,500 for moving and their Medicaid (sorry, I said Medicare first) pays for the surgery.  It's reality TV but certainly not like one of those brainless "real housewives" shows or something where people just want to be celebrities.

I think TLC owes these people a whole lot more resources.  And frankly, I think their ratings would sky-rocket if overweight people knew they could watch and actually learn some of the tools they'd need to succeed.  I can't imagine that super-obese people feel anything but hopelessness after seeing people go to the famous Dr Now and fail.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Trees
to fix a mistake

[KateHearts]

48 minutes ago, Trees said:

, it make me crazy that he takes these (mostly) uneducated people, yells at them, gives them a piece of paper and says "go home and lose weight".  Where is the training?  Where is the support?

I recall on earlier seasons, a dietitian would visit the family and look in the cupboards and discuss food choices. And we do get the occasional abbreviated review of the therapist visit. I know for a fact that beginning the process of having bariatric surgery involves a battery of testing and a few months of weight loss on one's own before approval.

you have to keep in mind that this is a year (or more) condensed into two hours' worth of tv and the goal is to have high ratings and viewership. So we see very little of the daily events that these people experience. And I'm sure watching Lisa and Bayley wander the grocery aisles isn't anywhere as compelling as James screaming or Nicole being hosed off on her back porch.

TLC has slid down the path of wanting to shock, horrify and disgust its audience rather than show a human interest story that may have educational value. Seems to be where most of reality tv has gone of late.

Edited March 19, 2017 by KateHearts

[Elizabeth9]

3 hours ago, Michael Stabosz said:

I wasn't going to comment over there because it just seems kind of cruel. Like we're kicking a man when he's down.  Even without comments it was a pretty bad idea.  They couldn't get funding when people were neutral to them.  Getting funding when people have been exposed to your horribleness and actively dislike you is utterly hopeless.

Ironically, some people use people like James as an excuse to not lose weight.  They figure "hey, I'm a little pudgy, but I'm not a huge blob like this dude".

James didn't gain weight in the hospital.  He did in fact lose weight there.  It was when he went home to try and do it himself that he faltered.

Oh sorry- I was doing a lot of fast forwarding in this episode.  You're correct.

[Elizabeth9]

1 hour ago, Trees said:

I completely agree about there needs to be a therapy/group aspect to this show.  That they neglect it really does make me wonder about their motivation.  Are they *really* there to help people?  Or are they just looking for shocking TV?

Heroin addiction, for instance - you don't yell at the addict to stop shooting up and yell at grandma to stop giving him money, and expect it to work.  I watched Dr Drew's rehab shows years back and you see the intensive therapy they get.

I got into a hospital's weight loss program (NOT this level of obesity, btw) and they have group sessions, individual therapy, exercise classes, individual sessions with exercise physiologists, regular blood testing and more.  Oh and most importantly - dieticians!  You can choose to have a plan tailored for you or do a protein shakes/meal replacements or a combination of both.  They work with you closely and give you all the tools. You still have to make the decision to do it but the constant support is there.  They even hold monthly cooking classes and weekly nutrition classes.  And this is just metro Detroit, a regular hospital, not on national TV.  Why doesn't the world-famous TV star Dr Now do this???

This same program also has groups for the more obese who are heading for weight-loss surgery.  Their bariatric sessions include others of similar weights and challenges facing and transitioning from surgery.  It's all specialized and they help each other.

Having experienced this, it make me crazy that he takes these (mostly) uneducated people, yells at them, gives them a piece of paper and says "go home and lose weight".  Where is the training?  Where is the support?  Very few of those patients on his show lose weight and even the ones who do have a crazy-hard time getting into the program.  Patients like James K and that juggalo (Nicole?) - they don't have a snowball's chance in hell when told to go home with this piece of paper and their enablers and "just do it".

If it was just a matter of "stop", we'd all be thin and have no addictions.

On Intervention, Grandma does get yelled at for giving the addict money.

I agree that they need more intensive help- I'm just not sure about James' willingness.  He'd have to be transported several times a day (and we all know how much he loves that).  If it was inpatient, there would have to be a way to get him out of bed to attend the group in the first place.  You have to be at a certain level of functionality to be in treatment.  While it may not seem fair, it's the reality, and someone like James is simply not functioning on any level. He seems to go to the bathroom on himself and then ask for help- how would that work in a group setting?  I'm not trying to be mean- I've seen anorexics denied treatment simply because they were so medically unstable the treatment facility could not accommodate them at that time.  Treatment centers have a limited staff and aren't equipped to deal with an 800+ pound total care patient.  Someone like James may have to lose a certain amount of weight just to get into a treatment program.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Elizabeth9

[Honey]

57 minutes ago, Trees said:

Myself, a well-educated person... I attended the nutrition classes, for example.  Though I thought I knew how to read a food label, I gained all new perspective.  The dieticians break it down.  They show you all kinds of labels, how to really understand them, and why the numbers matter.

Ever try to read the "Fat" labels?  The classes not only explain what those different types of fat mean, but why they matter, how the different ones affect the body, and how to select one over another.

Sugar?  They show you how different names hidden in lists of ingredients are actually sugar. 

Once they gave us a tasting of a variety of pasta sauces.  Side by side, it was easy to pick out one that was noticeably sweeter than the others, though by itself on the table, you may not really detect it. Then they showed us the labels.  While the sweet one seemed like a relatively healthful choice, there it was - loaded with extra sugar.  That was years ago, but I still use that knowledge at the store.

These patients like James... imagine Lisa and Bayley at the new territory of the grocery store, attempting to create food for a 1,200 calorie day. How do they navigate it after a lifetime of fast food and probably some boxed mixes of stuff? It's gotta be as if somebody plunked them down in a foreign country.

These are real people who get involved with this show.  Desperate people.  They sign up for help but how much do they really get, as compared to how much money the network earns?  I've heard that they only get like $2,500 for moving and their Medicare pays for the surgery.  It's reality TV but certainly not like one of those brainless "real housewives" shows or something where people just want to be celebrities.

I think TLC owes these people a whole lot more resources.  And frankly, I think their ratings would sky-rocket if overweight people knew they could watch and actually learn some of the tools they'd need to succeed.  I can't imagine that super-obese people feel anything but hopelessness after seeing people go to the famous Dr Now and fail.

Slight nitpick: It would be medicaid, not medicare.

[ThinkerBell]

Am I understanding the origins of James' predicament correctly? He hurt his ankle and was on bed rest, resulting in a weight gain that ultimately broke said bed? He claims he never actually put weight on his leg again and has no idea if his ankle actually healed, and then blames his 800 lb. bulk on that one incident? What a delicate flower!

I broke my foot a year ago, and the initial pain was horrible, but I went back to work the next day. I didn't realize I had a fracture until two days later when I saw a doctor, but kept showing up for work for the 8 weeks it took to heal by literally dragging myself on my behind up a flight of twelve stairs each morning. Bed rest was never an option. I think this guy has always looked for the easy way out and has a sense of entitlement that is almost as inflated as his enormous broken down body.

[spacefly]

3 minutes ago, Honey said:

Slight nitpick: It would be medicaid, not medicare.

If he is on SSDI after 2 years of disability you are transferred to medicare Part A and Part B.

[DangerousMinds]

13 hours ago, Stephanie1216 said:

Apologies.  

I said Dr. Now was Hispanic I was just guessing that just how he sounded I've never looked into it. Above blogging friend said he's Iranian. No wonder middle eastern people hate Americans. 

Most don't . . .

[Wings]

Every addict does not have a terrible childhood.   Many blame their addiction on it but that is just  looking for justification and not necessary nor productive.  There is a genetic component, his mother was an alcoholic.  My belief is it is not the fault of the person who becomes addicted.  Accept that and do whatever it takes for you to stop.  Therapy is not helpful but being in touch with others who share your addiction can be helpful as long as they are actively quitting.  

James just doesn't want to lose weight badly enough. 

Dr Now is a surgeon and it is not his responsibility to get James help with nutrition or therapy.  James and Lisa are the ones who need to seek the information!  Google can tell him all he needs to know.  A used computer or tablet is not that expensive. 

ETA. They have smart phones.

Edited March 19, 2017 by wings707

[Honey]

21 hours ago, okerry said:

I'll completely disagree with that. James got all sorts of compassion and help from MANY people until he threw it all in the garbage and wasted every penny of the money spent on him and every ounce of the time and effort also spent on him.

THAT, again, is why people couldn't stand James. There have been plenty of other patients on this show who were "eating too much food," but folks here on this (admittedly tough) board were fully supportive of them. The twins, Brandi and Kandi, got a lot of love and support here, as have many other patients.

The difference was that those patients did appreciate the help and money they got and DID do something with it. James threw it right back in everyone's face, including his own father who may well become homeless trying to give his beast of a son far more help and compassion than he deserved. And James STILL wasted ALL of it.

ETA: I do understand what a nightmare addiction can be and what a horrific hold it can get on a person. That said, addicts DO still have a choice. If they had none, nobody would ever recover from their addiction no matter what kind it was. But addicts DO recover when they make the choice to do whatever it takes. They usually have to hit rock bottom first, but it is possible for them to make the choice.

James has already hit rock bottom and even that wasn't enough. He had a choice to accept real help, but refused. 

A very good, and very wise addiction counselor once told me, that it's best if an addict doesn't hit "rock bottom" first.  Losing their marriage, job, home etc.  There is then nothing left to motivate them to get better.

The hitting "rock bottom" thing is a myth, and if there is an addict in your life it's best not to wait for that, because very often "rock bottom" is death. 

Edited March 19, 2017 by Honey

[Tabbygirl521]

I am contemplating the Stage 5 bitching and moaning that James must be doing RIGHT NOW due to being kicked off gofundme. 

[Elizabeth9]

Someone like James will never hit rock bottom, and that's the problem.  Too many enablers. He never has to feel the pain of his own actions and inactions.  He will likely die from this addiction- that will be his bottom.  

[Trees]

We'll have to agree to disagree.  True, very true - Dr Now *IS* a surgeon.  However, he hands out a diet, yells at them to do it, and the show pretends to be about the journey.  Even he acknowledges that the surgery is just "a tool" and not a solution.  But you can't hand a hammer to a guy and tell him to just go pound some nail and be a carpenter.

7 minutes ago, Tabbygirl521 said:

I am contemplating the Stage 5 bitching and moaning that James must be doing RIGHT NOW due to being kicked off gofundme. 

... and having heard Lisa say on TV that she'd like to walk out on him.

And what the people in his life saying now that they know what the reality is, especially the dad's friends who see how the dad remortgaged the home for nothing?

It's gotta be major tantrum-time in that trailer home hellhole these days.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Trees
add a word for clarity

[kgg]

1 minute ago, Elizabeth9 said:

Someone like James will never hit rock bottom, and that's the problem. 

When you take a crap in your bed and your teenage daughter has to clean it up - if that's not your bottom, you are bottomless.  He MUST be getting something out of this.  I think the price of not being mobile, the price of the indignity of having to be taken care of like a baby does not outweigh getting to lay in bed all day and do his drug of choice:  food.  I've seen so many Intervention episodes where people who had nice, comfortable homes end up living in a crack house or on the street because of drugs.  It's the same thing - the cons of lack of safe shelter, lack of security, lack of health care are not enough to keep people away from drugs.  The high is too much of a lure.  And we know that for some drug addicts, they will never recover.  I think James is one of those people.

[Wings]

14 minutes ago, Honey said:

A very good, and very wise addiction counselor once told me, that it's best if an addict doesn't hit "rock bottom" first.  Losing their marriage, job, home etc.  There is then nothing left to motivate them to get better.

The hitting "rock bottom" thing is a myth, and if there is an addict in your life it's best not to wait for that, because very often "rock bottom" is death. 

Yes, I agree 100%.   Rock bottom is an AA term and as useless as the entire organization. 

[ScottMcG]

1 hour ago, Trees said:

I can't imagine that super-obese people feel anything but hopelessness after seeing people go to the famous Dr Now and fail.

And yet...he has dozens of success stories on this show. Don't just point at this weak-willed pathetic case and start saying that they will all fail. 

[Toaster Strudel]

2 minutes ago, kgg said:

When you take a crap in your bed and your teenage daughter has to clean it up - if that's not your bottom, you are bottomless. 

Not only that... but he's not pooping logs... there was a huge stain I could see when they were folding over the quilted pad he shits on.  He has bad diarrhea.

[jacksgirl]

At the beginning of the show, the BSOJ states that the patients chance of long-term success is less than 5%. We know there have seen some short term successes this year, the twins and Diana are all on the right track, it should not surprise anyone that some of these patients will be epic failures. Like my hubby says "It has taken years of hard work to get to that weight, it's going to take years to get it off. "

Edited March 19, 2017 by jacksgirl

[MegD]

1 hour ago, KateHearts said:

2 hours ago, Trees said:

, it make me crazy that he takes these (mostly) uneducated people, yells at them, gives them a piece of paper and says "go home and lose weight".  Where is the training?  Where is the support?

I recall on earlier seasons, a dietitian would visit the family and look in the cupboards and discuss food choices. And we do get the occasional abbreviated review of the therapist visit. I know for a fact that beginning the process of having bariatric surgery involves a battery of testing and a few months of weight loss on one's own before approval.

I recall this as well. I also suspect that Dr. Now wants to see some motivation to change before he diverts resources to someone who's not really that interested in actually going through the program. Yes, James said he wanted to lose weight. Yes, hiss girlfriend said she would feed him the right foods. But he shows up at the hospital bigger than he was originally via Skype. There was no motivation in anything James said, just the words that he thought Dr. Now wanted to hear. He didn't accept any personal responsibility for his weight. Until he recognizes that he bears some responsibility for what he puts in his mouth, he's just wasting everyone's time.

At one point, Dr. Now even mentioned that therapy would be useless for James at this point because he was exerting no effort. But I suspect that like Penny, he had home health, PT and a dietician all at least make attempts to visit him.

[Arynm]

It is also interesting to note that even though Dr. Now kicked James out of the program, he still allowed his physical therapist to go see him. I am sure James did not pay for that. Dr. Now really does try and try and try, even when the patients don't try at all. His efforts would be better used with any other patient, he is really wasting his time here.

[Wings]

My favorite lines:

"This is not a good time to leave my family, right now."

"I have too much going on in my life to leave, right now"

"its fried!"  

"I have to retrain my body from eating cheese burgers." 

[Thriftykins]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth9 said:

 Treatment centers have a limited staff and aren't equipped to deal with an 800+ pound total care patient.  Someone like James may have to lose a certain amount of weight just to get into a treatment program.

This was actually a point on the documentary "The Man Who Ate Himself to Death" (which is available on Youtube for free).

 

People kept trying to find ways to help Ricky (who's weight issues were compounded by the fact that he lived in Guam).  Both a weight loss surgeon (not Dr. Now; he was not involved in this project. ) and a weight loss specialty center said he needed to lose some  weight before they could help him.

[ZombieLisa]

I think there is more therapy than shown. If you watch the "Where are they now" episode with Melissa (I think that was her name. She lost all the weight and then had a couple kids and gained a lot back), there's a group therapy session with at least a few familiar M600PL people. I saw Amber and at least one other woman who was on the show.

[Thriftykins]

1 hour ago, ThinkerBell said:

Am I understanding the origins of James' predicament correctly? He hurt his ankle and was on bed rest, resulting in a weight gain that ultimately broke said bed? He claims he never actually put weight on his leg again and has no idea if his ankle actually healed, and then blames his 800 lb. bulk on that one incident? What a delicate flower!

I broke my foot a year ago, and the initial pain was horrible, but I went back to work the next day. I didn't realize I had a fracture until two days later when I saw a doctor, but kept showing up for work for the 8 weeks it took to heal by literally dragging myself on my behind up a flight of twelve stairs each morning. Bed rest was never an option. I think this guy has always looked for the easy way out and has a sense of entitlement that is almost as inflated as his enormous broken down body.

He was already pretty heavy (I think over 400 lbs) when that happened.  It would have greatly exacerbated the injury.  If you are in fairly good shape, you're making an apples to oranges comparison.

[Wings]

59 minutes ago, Trees said:

 

We'll have to agree to disagree.  True, very true - Dr Now *IS* a surgeon.  However, he hands out a diet, yells at them to do it, and the show pretends to be about the journey.  Even he acknowledges that the surgery is just "a tool" and not a solution.  But you can't hand a hammer to a guy and tell him to just go pound some nail and be a carpenter.

 

Doctors most often hand you a hammer.  Back trouble, take this (oxycodone).   High blood pressure, take this.  The medical community has been criticized for this extensively.   I actually had to fight to get PT for my sciatica!  And it worked, of course.   

I don't agree with this but you cannot change western medicine's approach.  You have to educate yourself and take charge of your own health.   Dr Now is just doing as he was trained.  

I am not convinced that they don't get some help from the staff either.  Printed material on what exactly is allowed on the diet has been mentioned.  Lisa said "rice was not on that paper."   I assume that calorie information was given and a food scale, as well.  Probably too boring to take up air time.  

In other episodes some have seen a therapist at the request of Dr Now.  I don't believe they are left to twist in the wind. 

[KateHearts]

1 hour ago, Trees said:

However, he hands out a diet, yells at them to do it, and the show pretends to be about the journey.  Even he acknowledges that the surgery is just "a tool" and not a solution. 

As I said, these patients do get a lot of counseling and education. We don't see it because it doesn't make good TV. no respectable surgeon just does a surgery without screening the patient to be sure he/she is an appropriate candidate and counsel them on their own role in recovery and healing. 

[KateHearts]

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

 

 

 

1 hour ago, wings707 said:

Dr Now is a surgeon and it is not his responsibility to get James help with nutrition or therapy.  James and Lisa are the ones who need to seek the information!  Google can tell him all he needs to know.  A used computer or tablet is not that expensive. 

It absolutely IS his responsibility. Any reputable bariatric surgeon does just that.