TLC - My 600 pound Life

[Anonymous]

Gosh, I am kind of fascinated by this show. Each week, they follow the life of a 600lb man or woman who have had gastric bypass surgery and subsequent skin removal surgery. There are of course the enablers (family members) who bring the food into the house. Some of these stories are heartbreaking. Because these people are beyond obese, they are unable to move, work, or sometimes, shower on their own. Typically, the shows have a happy ending so I guess that is what keeps me interested.

[Anonymous]

If you had an obese person in your life, you probably wouldn't like it. Watching a family member joyfully eat themselves to death is like watching an alcoholic reach for the bottle except for the fact that our society seems to view the two topics differently. It can ruin a family meal to watch an obese person pile food on their plate. We have to arrange the table to make room for the fat person. They will blame their stiff joints on high school sports and ignore the extra 200 pounds they put on. It is heartbreaking and infuriating. I WISH my sibling would consider by-pass but he and his wife are still mobile enough to think they are within the normal range. Forget the fact that they cannot walk a city block without a break and neither is over 35 years old.

[Anonymous]

I'm addicted to these kinds of shows. I've been overweight, technically obese (now have a healthy BMI of 21-22). But weight loss shows fascinate me. I don't know if it's some kind of twisted "well at least I was never *that* bad" interest, or some kind of morbid curiosity.

I'm not proud of my fascination, but I admit it's there. I think part of it is like the "medicine cabinet" fascination - you want to know what's going on with other people, and all reality TV feeds that curiosity. I love stories that show what people eat in a day, or what families in different countries eat in a week. What's in people's fridges, etc.

I like the follow-ups though, and seeing people succeed. I found Amber's story (new episode last night) particularly heartbreaking - so young. You have to wonder what's going on behind the scenes, and how her parents had to have enabled her obesity (showing love with food). But I was glad to see that months after her surgery, she seemed to not only have lost a considerable amount of weight, but happier and outside, doing things, with a loving boyfriend (who doesn't seem to have been just a "feeder"). Despite my morbid interest in these stories, I genuinely hope for the best for all the people shown in these kinds of stories.

[Anonymous]

I watch this too, because I'm fascinated at how you can just get SO obese that it comes to such a crisis point.

[Anonymous]

I watch this show too. My doctor relatives are disgusted that doctors would operate on thee people, they are disqualified at nearly every hospital in the country. They all go to the one doctor in Houston, who is one of a handful who will see them.

I first started watching this show, and then I watched the movie about Lanoise. Her strict diet, and cheating on it, were fascinating. But then I was shocked when she died.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watch this show too. My doctor relatives are disgusted that doctors would operate on thee people, they are disqualified at nearly every hospital in the country. They all go to the one doctor in Houston, who is one of a handful who will see them.

What does this mean? That they are too obsese to be operated on by most standards of medical practice?

[Anonymous]

Why are we heartbroken when someone weighing almost 700 lbs dies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watch this show too. My doctor relatives are disgusted that doctors would operate on thee people, they are disqualified at nearly every hospital in the country. They all go to the one doctor in Houston, who is one of a handful who will see them.

What does this mean? That they are too obsese to be operated on by most standards of medical practice?

yes they can be too obese for an operation. putting someone under anesthesia who is morbidly obese is very risky. It is also much more difficult to physically operate on someone with so much fat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are we heartbroken when someone weighing almost 700 lbs dies?

why wouldn't you be? I find it sad when drug addicts die too. There has to be a lot going on for someone to do that to themselves. I watch a lot of intervention and the most fascinating part in when they tell their story and what let them to drugs/addiction. it is heartbreaking. So many have had major tragedies in their lives or been sexually abused. You have to really hate yourself to eat your way to 700lbs and that is sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watch this too, because I'm fascinated at how you can just get SO obese that it comes to such a crisis point.

14:55 here. Me too.

I've been 50 lbs overweight. I can understand an add-up of 50 lbs over the course of your life. But 2x, 3x, 4x or more of what a person should weigh? I don't understand that. It takes several thousand calories just to sustain the weight of a sleeping 500lb person, let alone to actively still be gaining weight. You really have to be eating a tremendous amount of food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watch this show too. My doctor relatives are disgusted that doctors would operate on thee people, they are disqualified at nearly every hospital in the country. They all go to the one doctor in Houston, who is one of a handful who will see them.

What does this mean? That they are too obsese to be operated on by most standards of medical practice?

yes they can be too obese for an operation. putting someone under anesthesia who is morbidly obese is very risky. It is also much more difficult to physically operate on someone with so much fat.

That's why these surgeries are a last resort for someone so morbidly obese. Of course it's very risky to operate and put a 600lb person under anesthesia. But what's their other option? In the cases of these people, it's either risky surgery or death in the not too distant future - risky surgery may provide a better outcome.

[Anonymous]

I like this show too.

We put the super obese in a double bind -- disgust at their condition and disgust and sneeringwhen they opt to do something about it.

I also like this show because it shows that gastric bypass is not some magical fantasy cure-all magic wand that takes all the weight off of you. You still have to diet and exercise and eat right all the time after you have it or as you can see on this show YOU WILL GAIN WEIGHT. Contrary to the posts on DCUM which excoriate people for having surgery "instead of dieting."

I found Penny's story so sad and befuddling.

[Anonymous]

I felt so sad for the black guy (forgot his name), that lost his job, lost the weight after surgery, got married and then died. They didnt say what he died from but im so curious, if anyone knows. Forgot his name so i cant google it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watch this show too. My doctor relatives are disgusted that doctors would operate on thee people, they are disqualified at nearly every hospital in the country. They all go to the one doctor in Houston, who is one of a handful who will see them.

What does this mean? That they are too obsese to be operated on by most standards of medical practice?

yes they can be too obese for an operation. putting someone under anesthesia who is morbidly obese is very risky. It is also much more difficult to physically operate on someone with so much fat.

It's not standards of medical practice. It's morbidity and mortality. And liability.

[Anonymous]

I was so furious in the last episode - Pauline - who made NO efforts, and in complete denial. I Googled her, and it appears she'd made somewhat of a living by selling her story to tabloids, and being proud of her morbid obesity.

I wonder why they allowed her on the show?

I understand that it's very difficult to make changes and commit to new habits, and feel second hand pride when the people they feature overcome their hurdle - it's incredibly inspiring. But that last episode... I feel so bad for her son. His morbidly obese and stubborn mom has stolen his life and made him her slave, pretty much. It's heartbreaking.