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Whats your My 600 LB Life conspiracy theory? (self.My600lbLife)

submitted by Lobocop714

Whats the biggest conspiracy theory you have about the show?

True or not, lets hear it! I have a few to get the ball rolling... Favorite Theory, Proven or Not Penny was also abusing pain medication, possibly intravenously. In her episode and follow up she seemed high a lot, especially when she was pouring over all those coupons.

Bettie Jo was an undiagnosed schizophrenic. I worked with adults experiencing onset schizophrenia due to trauma, and she just gave me that vibe. You could see the decline post 600lb episode and in the WATN episodes. She is either disassociating or trying to focus through the inner negative stimulations.

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[–]Region-Certain 286 points287 points  (56 children)

I think a lot of people must be nominated by their family or recruited to the show somehow separately from Dr. Now’s actual medical practice/process. I think that’s why there are so many wild stories on the show and why some people seem really uninterested in actually following through with their progress.

I think Dr. Now doesn’t like it but is locked into these contracts so he has to do a lot of it.

Its not that much of a conspiracy, really.

Also, that a lot of the patient confrontations don’t happen because you don’t see them or Dr. Now actually saying the words, but instead you see their reactions while the other one is talking.

[–]UsefulAirport 121 points122 points  (40 children)

A few plus size influencers have been up front about the show attempting to recruit them.

[–]goon_goompa 94 points95 points  (32 children)

Are there more than a few 600 pound influencers in this world?

[–]UsefulAirport 81 points82 points  (0 children)

Surprisingly, yes.

Edited to add: I won’t name names but if you look up the hashtag “infinifat” on Instagram you can find some of them there.

[–]thenewhost 153 points154 points  (30 children)

Amberlynn Reid comes to mind. She claims her highest weight is 574.2 (don't forget the .2) but there are speculations that she had reached the low 600s at one point. She says the show reached out to her but decided to go in a different direction because "I just wasn't enough of a trainwreck" which is code for "I don't want to admit to the literal world that being as tall as I am wide hinders me a great deal".

[–]redspike 106 points107 points  (23 children)

I hate that I know this, but her claim is actually 572.4 for the highest.

[–]thenewhost 98 points99 points  (7 children)

One of us! One of us!

[–]Byxqtz 18 points19 points  (6 children)

Is there a new sub for her? The old sub went away.

[–]enbyloser 19 points20 points  (2 children)

they keep getting nuked

[–]flippermodeWho puts wood on a hotel room floor? 8 points9 points  (1 child)

The alr sub reddits were thee best!!! I miss them so much. Now I only have Twitter.

[–]GucciPantsMotorcycle 9 points10 points  (0 children)

The only sub still around that discusses her (sometimes) is YDHBsnark, as far as I know.

[–]FullyActiveHippo 7 points8 points  (0 children)

r/ambbabies (I think) is very new.

[–]Nailkita 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Gotta say while I miss the sub I don’t miss opening Reddit to her face

[–]jooonbug-13 20 points21 points  (1 child)

I hate that I immediately knew it was 572.4 too 😂😭

[–]tequilaanddonut 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I know, I’m, at times fuzzy on my own zip code, but can cite ALR’s top reported weight on demand.

[–]epidemicsaints 20 points21 points  (2 children)

the only figure that really matters is 80lbs

[–]bakermillerfloyd 21 points22 points  (1 child)

89lbs!

[–]wellhiddenhotmess 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Ah the infamous 89 elbees 😂

[–]flippermodeWho puts wood on a hotel room floor? 9 points10 points  (9 children)

Yeah she now she's 520 ell bees. :/

[–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (8 children)

She's a lah. She looks pretty close to 572.4 but she also uses filters. She was well-over that at her highest weight but refuses to admit it. She thinks we're all dumb and blind yet we're the ones accused of gaslighting her.

edit for clarity

[–]flippermodeWho puts wood on a hotel room floor? 11 points12 points  (7 children)

No cause wifey is the best thing that happened to her. Remember she didn't even feel the need to binge because of wifey. Wifey also made her say daily affirmations. So the scale may say 520 but it's only cause of her lymphedema molment and she ate a lot of sodiums so she's just swolleen, gorl. She's really like 275 ell bees. Max.

[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (6 children)

She's so lucky that she found a champion supporter and motivational partner. Stupid Becky just waited on her hand and foot for years and catered to her every need while ignoring her dying mother. Thank goodness for Wifey. She's the best and totally not a shady grifter with a feeding/ddlg/ssbbw kink who's staying until the money dries up.

[–]flippermodeWho puts wood on a hotel room floor? 3 points4 points  (5 children)

Out of everything you said, that Daddy kink is the worst! Two dysfunctional people together acting like teenaged love story. I miss discussing the gorl on reddit. :(

[–][deleted] 34 points35 points  (1 child)

One of her "vlogs" really, really felt like an audition piece for the show. It went up shortly after the Slatons announced they were getting a TLC show and Amber tried to play it off like a producer had reached out to her to do her own TLC series and then rescinded and said 'nah, girly, you're not trainwreck enough for us'

[–]beaconposher1De surgery went very well 23 points24 points  (0 children)

The lah detector determined that was a lah.

[–]mmmdonuts107Bye fatty two shoes! 21 points22 points  (0 children)

A producer has said in a 600 Lb life group where they were asking for people to nominate for the show that yes, they looked into her but her social media presence is what ended their relationship with her (it takes a simple Google for the things she's done and said. Steven Assantinti I'm pretty sure wiped everything awful he did, and the Slatons did 50% of the awful things she has like fake GoFundMes and animal abuse).

[–]MoonLightStorm001 12 points13 points  (1 child)

X to doubt Amberlynn Reid being contacted by the show.

100% of everything she says is lies. All you have to do is watch her YT channel to see that.

[–]flippermodeWho puts wood on a hotel room floor? 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Alr: you're a lah.

[–]SmoothDragonfruit445 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Tea is that they started filming but TLC backed out as they found her to be "too problematic".. imagine being too problematic for TLC.. my guess is, if the tea is true, ALR did boundary violations. There was a dietitian who eventually blocked ALR because ALR lacked boundaries with her and would blow up her phone and ask to hangout.. she might have done the same with producers too

[–]Phreakydeke27 2 points3 points  (5 children)

I think that is different though. Influencers are kind of celebrities today sadly. So the show could get a big boost in numbers if they 600+ influencer.

But I don’t think the show needs to recruit anyone now. I mean Dr Now is a bariatric doctor. So he gets patients all the time. I would be surprised if that is how they got some of the people on the show.

[–]violetdeirdre 2 points3 points  (3 children)

The vast majority of Dr. Now’s patients are normal people who just happen to be fighting mental health issues and obesity and/or typically prefer more privacy than showering naked on TLC. People want to see more Laceys, Dollys and Samanthas- not just a normal person struggling with an addiction. The people who are going to make good TV have to be recruited.

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      [–]C_WEST88 49 points50 points  (7 children)

      Pretty accurate. I notice they edit a lot of those “patient visits” with Dr Now too. He does “re-shoots” without the patient there but they try to make it seem like he’s talking to the patient…Fun tip: if you’re ever watching a movie or a tv show with two people talking and all the sudden the camera just cuts to a close shot of one person talking and stays there for a while it’s usually because they reshot it and the other person/actor isn’t even there so they can’t pan out and show the exchange. Sometimes it’s done seamlessly so you can barely even tell, other times it’s horribly noticeable that some weird editing is happening. This show does not do it well at all lol.

      [–]celebritystar2011 13 points14 points  (5 children)

      Really? I never noticed! But I did notice that he says the same thing every time he comes in....hi how y'all doing today? I'm dr nowvraski....what is the problem with your eating habits? How much exercise can you do now? Who is doing the cooking? Who is doing shopping? I'm going to put you on 1200 calorie a day diet. No carbs. High protein. No sweet drink. No snack between meal. With this diet you should easily be able to lose 50 pounds in one month. You think you can stick to that?

      [–]flashlightbugs 17 points18 points  (1 child)

      Nowzaradan.

      [–]jjjigglypuffNew pants! New pants! 15 points16 points  (0 children)

      one munt

      [–]cajuncats 11 points12 points  (1 child)

      Nowvraski 😂😂

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        [–][deleted] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

        I asked one of them on tiktok and he said he was approached via social media about being on the show.

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          [–]Lobocop714[S] 137 points138 points  (3 children)

          BREAKING NEWS: The Pizza was Freddy's. 🍕🍕🍕

          [–]kpete101Put gravy all over the top 12 points13 points  (0 children)

          ☠️

          [–]soapymeatwaterEat death, Lindsey! 11 points12 points  (0 children)

          Ohhhhh, Schenee.

          [–]Kooky-Topic-9168His body doesn't burn calories 3 points4 points  (0 children)

          😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

          [–]Anna-Bee-1984 223 points224 points  (81 children)

          I strongly feel that Sean Milken was intellectually disabled and the man was never given the proper support and care he needed APS should have stepped in. RIP Sean.

          [–]Kooky-Topic-9168His body doesn't burn calories 75 points76 points  (35 children)

          Absolutely, he was abused his entire life by his mother and was not fit to care for himself in any way. I believe his young death could have been avoided had he been given the correct intensive psychological care that he needed. This might sound callous, but when I heard his mother died I was hopeful he would be placed in a psychiatric facility to deprogram him from the years of abuse he suffered from her. I thought he had a chance at having a more normal life with her gone, if he was given the proper help. I have no idea why APS didn’t intervene, it’s not like his home life was a secret. It was on cable television. Honestly, I feel Dr. Now should have done more to help him get more psychiatric help.

          [–]Anna-Bee-1984 38 points39 points  (29 children)

          They may have and made the ultimate decision to put him in the nursing home. However Munchies such as his mom are really good about getting people to believe that everything is wrong, yet they have it under control.

          [–]Kooky-Topic-9168His body doesn't burn calories 20 points21 points  (27 children)

          You’re right, and that’s really frightening. I’m not sure what it takes for APS to intervene, they did nothing when Dr. Now called about James K.

          [–]act2373 42 points43 points  (7 children)

          i think that james k dude was murdered 👀🙈 i think dr. now was spot on by accusing his wife of his demise.

          [–]Lobocop714[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

          Makes you wonder if there was any physical abuse going on as well.

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                [–]GotYourGooch 80 points81 points  (2 children)

                I know this is an awful thing to say out loud, but Sean is better off having died when he did. He was mentally disabled and his mother, who was all Sean had, screwed him up even worse by turning him into a giant, helpless baby. No amount of psychological deprogramming was going to fix that and APS wouldn't have done shit for him except throw him in an assisted living facility. Spending the rest of his life in a nursing home with no family or friends to love him would have been miserable. His own father didn't even pick up the phone when it was time to notify the next of kin that he'd died. Sean's story is sad, and in his case death was a mercy.

                [–]faux_plastic_trees 35 points36 points  (0 children)

                Yup. I normally absolutely detest when people say “they’re in a better place now” after someone dies, but I truly feel that Sean is in a better place now, wherever that may be.

                [–]Kooky-Topic-9168His body doesn't burn calories 26 points27 points  (0 children)

                That’s a good point. His mother’s abuse was SO destructive and rendered him SO helpless, he may not have been able to be rehabilitated. But I wish he would have at least had a chance at this kind of help.

                I do think, as horrible as it is to say, he’s better off having passed away than living the way he was. And that’s why his story is just so, so tragic.

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                  [–]thenewhost 28 points29 points  (2 children)

                  In his 1st episode his Munchausen's Mom said he had a behavioral impairment. I feel like she took that diagnosis, ran with it, and literally coddled him to death. To the point where he was almost 30 and didn't know how to use the washer and dryer- something most of us learn around 9 years old.

                  [–]Lobocop714[S] 19 points20 points  (2 children)

                  Do you remember if he said he finished traditional schooling? Did he drop out early because of his size? Or did his mom home-school him for all or part of his education? If she had true munchausens by proxy, she may of pulled him not only for health reasons but to fly under the radar. After working with DD adults I got my license to teach special education and it wasn't uncommon to see over-parented students get pulled so they are no longer with mandatory reporters all day.

                  [–]Anna-Bee-1984 26 points27 points  (1 child)

                  He said he hurt his ankle and never went back

                  [–]Additional-Race2030 18 points19 points  (7 children)

                  In his final where are they now episode it was mentioned that they had been trying to find a permanent assisted living facility that could handle someone both of Sean's limited mental capacity and size. He needed a place that would both handle his severe food addiction issues, and also his lack of ability or desire to care for himself. They had finally found a facility towards the end of the episode, but it was just too late. Dr. Now could not keep him in the hospital indefinitely. All he could do was keep admitting him when his health deemed it necessary and he had no choice to discharge him when he was at a point that his health no longer made him need to keep a room and services that others needed more.

                  It was an unfortunate situation all around, but let's not forget that Sean's own father gave him $10,000 knowing full well that Sean was not capable of taking care of himself and that he would spend all of that on food as fast as he could. His grandfather at least was still alive as well as he took the call that Sean had died. No one in his family even showed up to help him after the hurricane destroyed his home.

                  [–]IAmSeabiscuit61 16 points17 points  (2 children)

                  I thought that $10,000 came from his mother's life insurance?

                  [–]Additional-Race2030 3 points4 points  (1 child)

                  I thought it was from his dad but I can't say with evidence, just memory. I would have to watch the show again to be absolutely sure or spend time googling it to see if there's a story about it or something. I thought it said something about when his dad came down briefly to help him pack se.ofnhis stuff from the apartment he and his mom shared up and move him to the smaller less expensive place that's when his dad cut him a check and bailed again. Maybe it was from his mom's life insurance🤷‍♀️ I wouldn't put it past his dad to only have that reason for it that's for darn sure.

                  [–]Jenmeme 10 points11 points  (3 children)

                  Was he the one who spent the whole $10,000 on food and it was gone in a month?

                  [–]Additional-Race2030 6 points7 points  (2 children)

                  Yes. I believe that was the month he gained the 278lbs too 😕

                  [–][deleted] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

                  I get the feeling several of the cast have intellectual disabilities that go undiagnosed or ignored.

                  [–]PhantomStrangeSolitu 11 points12 points  (0 children)

                  In Sean Millikens case i got the impression (correct me if I’m wrong) his mother overfed him to make him dependent on her and maybe to antagonise Sean’s father. To me it felt so sad. He was a young man He should have been able to enjoy his life but his mother was so overbearing.

                  [–]act2373 11 points12 points  (2 children)

                  i agree with this 💯i dont feel dr now helped him as much as he could of! there is no reason why he was sent home to care for himself when he NEVER cared for himself before! this was the most heartbreaking 💔 episode to watch! i always had tears watchin it his move to texas his mom dying the hurricane he lost everything then moved again then his dad left him! the "caregiver" who didnt gaf! his last move you could tell he was on a serious decline! just a terrible story!

                  [–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

                  His life was so depressing. I have my own problems in life just like everyone else, but overall I live so good and I’m really grateful. He didn’t deserve what he had, he seemed like he was a really nice guy and ended up with horrible parents.

                  [–]psnugbootybug 4 points5 points  (1 child)

                  I wonder if APS couldn’t step in due to the requirements they follow. In my area, APS will only work with people that are over a certain age (like 65 or something) OR who are so developmentally delayed/mentally ill that they have a legal guardian. I don’t think Sean or the people around him completed the necessary paperwork that would qualify him under their services.

                  [–]IAmSeabiscuit61 3 points4 points  (0 children)

                  Also, I'm certain monster mommy would have resisted any attempt by APS to step in and take away or help her baby boy. And he was so isolated, I wonder how many people knew how bad his situation really was. I also wonder if she told anyone who was concerned that he was bedbound, etc, because of illness, and not because she deliberately overfed him. I think OP are probably right that she had Munchausen by proxy.

                  [–]benibigboi 2 points3 points  (1 child)

                  Did he pass away? I just watched a rerun of his epi yesterday.

                  [–]violetdeirdre 2 points3 points  (0 children)

                  Yes, Sean had two WATNs and passed away at the end of his second one.

                  [–]SmoothDragonfruit445 2 points3 points  (1 child)

                  Dr. Now was adamant to not let him live in a facility.. but he really didnt have the ability to survive in the real world.. he needed a place where stuff is done for him.. In Canada they have facilities for people like Sean, I think you have to be late teenager to join, and you do age out of places along the way, but there is a bridge so you are never without a facility and people live in the facility for life

                  [–]IAmSeabiscuit61 2 points3 points  (0 children)

                  I always suspected that dr. Now refused to send him to a care facility because he thought Sean would stay in bed, refuse to do anything whatsoever for himself, and basically eat himself to death. I don't know; are there places that could have restricted his food and forced him to get up and do physical therapy, see a therapist, etc., if he consented to it? And even if he had, if it was voluntarily, he could've left at any time. As I recall, he did lose weight when he was hospitalized, but he couldn't stay in a hospital for the rest of his life.

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                    [–]Kooky-Topic-9168His body doesn't burn calories 243 points244 points  (3 children)

                    Steven Assanti is actually a Harvard graduate psychologist in a fat suit conducting a social experiment on the devastating effects of Big Pharma

                    [–]nameunconnected 47 points48 points  (0 children)

                    I want to be in the version of reality where this is a thing.

                    [–]jensinoutaspace 26 points27 points  (0 children)

                    My friend was an EMT in state where he's from. Assanti would purposly try and get them to drop him so "he'd get more pills."

                    [–]Madame_CheshireYou buncha bastards! 21 points22 points  (0 children)

                    Gonna add on that he’s married to Princess and they have 3 children.

                    [–]violetdeirdre 83 points84 points  (2 children)

                    The show will end, not for lack of participants or Dr. Now retiring, but because it will become financially prohibitive to offer enough incentives now that there are so many bariatric doctors out there that work with 600+ patients. Only real reason will be for your 15 minutes of fame and only a really specific kind of person would want this kind of fame.

                    Other one is that Karina ordered all that food but maybe ate a quarter of it or less. There’s a reason we didn’t see her eat more of the two pizzas, wings etc than we did but they got the shock shot of it.

                    Most of the romance in the show is faked.

                    [–]Aggressive-Might875 2 points3 points  (1 child)

                    Isn't Karina with Gilbert now? Dr. Now was asking him about Lupe, and he was trying to skirt the question because they were not together anymore.

                    [–]LionelHutz313 76 points77 points  (7 children)

                    Penny was obviously high as shit (she tells the EMT she lost 300 lbs or whatever) they just didn't bring it up on the show. That's not a conspiracy IMO.

                    [–]i_am_a_baby_kangaroo 12 points13 points  (1 child)

                    I always thought she said that because she was trying to feign being sick. But this makes sense!

                    [–]LionelHutz313 5 points6 points  (0 children)

                    I honestly didn’t catch it until someone here mentioned it. Watch it again (particularly the first one). It all makes sense very quickly lol.

                    [–]thenearblindassassinEat death, Lindsey! 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                    Vocal fry, delusional thinking, obvious nodding off, and speech occasionally bordering on slurred.

                    Checks out

                    [–]Lobocop714[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

                    I feel I mistitled my post, its more about personal theories. Proven or not, just your favorite ones.

                    [–]PhantomStrangeSolitu 13 points14 points  (2 children)

                    When Penny started to wail on the show because Dr Now ripped her a new one (because she deserved it) it reminded me of Lisa Fleming when she screeched and wailed when Dr Now ripped Lisa a well deserved new one. Best moment with Lisa was when she said to her partner:“Dr Now can’t talk to me like that, I’m a lady.“

                    [–]LionelHutz313 18 points19 points  (1 child)

                    Don't get me wrong, Penny was fucking nuts and a narcissist of the highest order. She as also high as balls. It can be two things lol.

                    [–]Brooklynista2 148 points149 points  (7 children)

                    Season 9 Episode 4? Cindy. Cindy's friend that moved her into her home planned to fleece Cindy for her disability check til she kicked. She never had any intention in helping Cindy lose weight to get surgery.

                    [–]AceSpadeofVentura 56 points57 points  (0 children)

                    I don't think that's a conspiracy theory. I've seen a few people think something similar since she never got Cindy proper help like with her bed.

                    [–]Lobocop714[S] 37 points38 points  (1 child)

                    Weren't a couple of people fighting over her to remain her caregiver? I bet whoever her caregiver was was likely her apartment neighbor that's familiar with the system. There is never a shortage of jobs as caregivers, but its way more easy to manipulate it by collecting it from the state goverment. Former caregiver/rep payee to adults with DD. Edit: and to it

                    [–]Lobocop714[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

                    Note: you can get a check from Social Services for being someone's "Caregiver" a certain amount of hours a week, its not audited very well so its very easy to exploit. Also a great way to get your foot in the door and gain further access to the persons disability and SS.

                    [–]morosco 14 points15 points  (0 children)

                    I feel like that dynamic has been hinted at in a few different episodes.

                    [–]Jenmeme 12 points13 points  (1 child)

                    Lmk find my previous comment about her.

                    Found it!

                    I know that people want to tear her down for not working the program at all but she never wanted to! She had been emotionally manipulated into the first phone call to Dr. Now from word go. Yes, she was doing horrible things to her body but that was her choice. Her choice. Then she gets manipulated some more when her "friend" shows up. The time she stood up for herself she was ignored. And as i always point out that g-d bed never showed up. I think the lies about the bed set me off. I don't know why. All she really wanted was to live her life her way. Not the best way and she was eating her own grave but her way. Now because agreeing to this show she is a laughing stock for the rest of her life. And after most likely.

                    My addition for today: She stalled them with taking a shower and when the paramedic and her "friend" came in and told her this was the last time they would ask her and she said "then it's a no." They came back and pushed her some more. She asked at least twice for a picture of the bed and all that b!tch would do is say it was there.

                    As you can see this episode made me angry. They bullied that poor woman into doing things she didn't want to.

                    [–]Brooklynista2 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                    Exactly this! I got into a big fuss with my hubby over this one. I stand by what I said. People have the right to make the wrong decisions about THEIR LIFE. For reasons we may never understand Cindy was done and she was ready to end her life one bite at a time. No amount of prodding was going to get her to change her mind. Her "friend" only had interest in prolonging Cindy's life so she could get that careraker check.

                    [–]Jodette345 11 points12 points  (0 children)

                    Came here to say exactly this. I think you hit the nail on the head 💯

                    [–]LeadVitamin13 61 points62 points  (5 children)

                    I think seeing a therapist should be mandatory, and probably a dietitian/nutritionist as well. But not having them probably stirs up the drama of not losing or gaining weight, plus it probably just cheaper for TLC. The idea that a 600 lbs person should lose 30-40 lbs in a month or two with nothing but a short talk with Dr Now and his booklet is just stupid on its face.

                    [–][deleted] 38 points39 points  (3 children)

                    Every legit bariatric clinic I've ever heard of has an outline for their clients from application date to surgery date of appointments, therapy, seminars, milemarkers, etc -- that have to be met before they go on the table. It's not as simple as walk in, slap down your card, and you're on the books.

                    The first season was much better at explaining and showing the process because it was a documentary that followed these people for what, seven years? Then it took off as a show and they had to streamline a lot of it to keep up the momentum.

                    Even prefaced as "show me you have the ability to follow this extremely narrow diet regimen for 30 days and I'll let you into the program to do the real work" seems disingenuous, but makes for good TV.

                    [–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (2 children)

                    Yea, my mom kept saying she was getting gastric surgery and the doctor required her to go to therapy. She was not happy about that despite her needing it (molested by her mother’s boyfriend and physically/mentally abused by her mother and starved. Cabinets and fridge chained shut.). I’m pretty sure she stopped going to therapy after like two sessions and that’s why she never got her surgery.

                    [–][deleted] 6 points7 points  (1 child)

                    I know a few people that thought they could just scrape up the 7k and get surgery as simply as they could go for a nose job -- it's too huge of a lifestyle change.

                    Then again, at the height of LuLaRoe, I knew an entire family that took a trip to Mexico to have it done after their daughter had it done because she was a "brand ambassador" and it was almost a requirement that she be thin.

                    I guess there were fewer constraints with that route, or they'd all been in therapy and just never talked about it.

                    [–]MozzarellaFitzgeraldI have to go potty 12 points13 points  (0 children)

                    Watching LuLaRich, the whole "Tijuana Skinnies" thing was one of the most disturbing parts.

                    [–]perfect_fifths 13 points14 points  (0 children)

                    The show does mandate therapy and nutritionist, they used to film that on the show in earlier seasons. The show is edited to make it look like the therapy happens later than it does.

                    [–]dream-shell 145 points146 points  (25 children)

                    they always open with them getting out of bed and having a shower, that routine probably only happens about once a month. and also every house would fucking stink like shit

                    [–]Local_Roach 49 points50 points  (2 children)

                    Ikr? You know they eating that meal before they wash up

                    [–]Socialbutterfinger 22 points23 points  (1 child)

                    I can’t imagine they would really shower before breakfast. I wouldn’t either if I had nowhere in particular to be - I’d have a leisurely breakfast and then a mid-morning shower - and my showers are not massive, exhausting undertakings.

                    [–]reduces 42 points43 points  (21 children)

                    Lol my partner and I always make a comment about the shower scene. The producers must ask them to take a shower for every intro. Why do I need to see all of them naked!?

                    [–]Wild_flamingoo 46 points47 points  (1 child)

                    I think it’s for “shock and awe” for the audience.. they want us to get a real look at how extremely obese their body’s have become

                    [–]celebritystar2011 12 points13 points  (0 children)

                    That is exactly what it's for. Always has been since the first episode. So you can see how much of a struggle it is for them to even fit in the tub, doorway to the bathroom, usually they show they need help from a partner or family member to reach the spots they can't reach, and show how exhausted they are by the time they towel off. And we can never forget Ashley who could not fit in her bathroom at all so her dad hooked up a water hose to the washing machine spout so it could be warm and her husband used it to hose her off while she bathed outside in the back yard. After they bathe, they are always so hungry. And you know damn well that bathing is not part of their daily routine. It should be with their size, but I don't believe for one minute that every one if them does it every day. Maybe some of them do , but not all. Tammy and Amy? No frickin way. And I am so glad we haven't been subjected to seeing them take a shower.

                    [–]thenewhost 37 points38 points  (2 children)

                    Justin (red-headed one) said that the shower scenes aren't mandatory, but they do offer a nice pay incentive for them.

                    [–]celebritystar2011 6 points7 points  (1 child)

                    And they do blur out their private parts.

                    [–]thenewhost 13 points14 points  (0 children)

                    The thing is, unless it's their backside or the women's breast, their frontal privates aren't even visible. They blur what would be conceived as genitals (thigh folds that look suspiciously like a labia and such).

                    [–]dream-shell 48 points49 points  (13 children)

                    you know there is some poor cameraman out there who is in active therapy after seeing some horrific shit to make those scenes lol, plus the poor editor who has to sit through the hours of footage to blur out their privates

                    [–]reduces 21 points22 points  (2 children)

                    They will make them all go to Lola because that’s the only therapist they have on staff LOL. I actually live in Houston and considered her for therapy before I started watching the show. Would have been wild to have her as a therapist and then see her on TV

                    [–]Kit_Marlow 11 points12 points  (1 child)

                    Friend of mine has taken his daughter to Dr. Paradise. :)

                    [–]readheaded 18 points19 points  (0 children)

                    I love Dr. Paradise and would get counseling from him if I lived in the area.

                    [–]Realistic_Ad_8023 16 points17 points  (1 child)

                    I've noticed that many of them don't need editing because the abdominal apron (thankfully) hangs down far enough to obscure everything.

                    [–]celebritystar2011 4 points5 points  (0 children)

                    But not when they have to pull it up to wash their privates...or have someone else do it. 😅 or the ladies' boobies and all their butt cracks.😅

                    [–]celebritystar2011 7 points8 points  (7 children)

                    And can you imagine the smells? And not just in the shower scenes either? Alot of people that size do not have the best hygiene.

                    [–]irish-unicorn 15 points16 points  (1 child)

                    My theory is that it’s to break them. Once the production manages to get them naked then they know they’re desperate enough and will do as they’re told, even if that doesnt reflect reality 100%

                    [–]AndISoundLikeThis 40 points41 points  (4 children)

                    My theory is that the purposefully go out and pick people they know are never going to follow "the program." They know that the audience loves a good train wreck.

                    [–]readheaded 26 points27 points  (1 child)

                    I think in the beginning it was legit, but later on they went for many train wrecks knowing they weren’t likely to change.

                    [–]AndISoundLikeThis 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                    Yeah, those first episodes were pretty well done for a reality show. At least they were REAL and not the manufactured b.s. they started doing in later seasons.

                    [–]cajuncats 10 points11 points  (1 child)

                    Oh, absolutely! They choose a mix of patients who are serious and will succeed, and those who are just trainwrecks for the drama aspect.

                    [–]Ok-Weekend-2049 5 points6 points  (0 children)

                    And the odds of them succeeding is only 5%. That's why there's so many trainwrecks.

                    [–]readheaded 32 points33 points  (5 children)

                    My theory, and it isn’t exactly about a conspiracy, is that at least in the last few seasons, there’s a very terrible writer writing scripts for the show participants and Dr. Now. I think this because they all say this very unnatural phrase, “Like I need,” or in Dr. Now’s case, “Like he (or she) needs.”

                    For example, “I’m going to go to therapy like I need.” Or, “I’ll follow the diet like I need.”

                    While I know it’s grammatically incorrect to end a sentence with the preposition, “to,” most people don’t speak that way. It’s especially odd given the range of hometowns, ages, educations, races, etc. that they all say it.

                    [–]my606insI can clean my own vagina now! 31 points32 points  (0 children)

                    “No matter what it takes.”

                    [–]nopenope4567Bring da Robot 13 points14 points  (0 children)

                    Has someone hooked up this show to an AI? It’s so formulaic I’m sure you could get a coherent episode out of a bot.

                    [–]Tiktoktoker[🍰] 9 points10 points  (1 child)

                    I’ve noticed this too and thought the same thing!

                    [–]readheaded 6 points7 points  (0 children)

                    I’m glad I’m not the only one!!!

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                      [–]udar55Put it BACK! 37 points38 points  (0 children)

                      Conspiracy theory: Lisa E. does in fact fuck with white people.

                      [–][deleted] 24 points25 points  (2 children)

                      James K was high af a lot of the time. His pupils were always so big.

                      [–]Vettech1237 2 points3 points  (1 child)

                      Pain pills constrict your pupils, if that’s what you were referring to.

                      [–]spleenycat 26 points27 points  (2 children)

                      Dr. Now has a trophy room

                      [–]udar55Put it BACK! 35 points36 points  (1 child)

                      "Diss is biggest stomach I've seen...take it to my chambers."

                      [–]NightFox1988Put it BACK! 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                      Thank you. I almost spat out my coffee.

                      [–]awmalegOw mah leg! 23 points24 points  (0 children)

                      Conspiracy theory - the scale does lie. They pad it to add an extra 50 pound.

                      [–]LionelHutz313 25 points26 points  (1 child)

                      Joyce really had a heat attack in the office!

                      /s

                      [–]YvanehtNioj69 4 points5 points  (0 children)

                      Lol you don't look like Ur having a heart attack ...now u do. Just watched Joyce's episode followed by Lisa E's really need to watch a positive story next feel a bit depressed.

                      [–]UsefulAirport 65 points66 points  (2 children)

                      The show asked Gilbert to get romantically involved with Karina to manufacture drama.

                      [–]Cool_Ambassador_8844 12 points13 points  (1 child)

                      What?! Yikes! Was this on her WATN episode? 😳

                      [–]UsefulAirport 26 points27 points  (0 children)

                      Yep. The minute I heard it was Gilbert I knew she was doomed. Dr Now did too.

                      [–]caixing-sanren 42 points43 points  (15 children)

                      MANY of these individuals have intellectual disabilities, and while they should be granted all the dignity of a fellow adult, I don't think they can properly consent to this show (ie, the uprooting your life, showing your bare ass on television, the aftermath of being on a show like this) and thus are being exploited. Also, Dr. Nows plan isn't the only plan out there that works for super morbidly obese patients, and may be straight up ineffective for a large portion of his clientele. Even if they are very large people, the pressure of losing 50-100 lbs in just a month isn't healthy and sure as hell isn't building habits to sustainable weight loss.

                      [–]SomewhatHungover 25 points26 points  (3 children)

                      the pressure of losing 50-100 lbs in just a month isn't healthy

                      Dr Now just doesn’t see how hard I’m working…

                      [–]Corgiverse 15 points16 points  (1 child)

                      I’ve only cheated a few times.

                      [–]broknkittnDevil's playground 11 points12 points  (0 children)

                      I worked hard, I need to treat myself!

                      [–]ActualThinkingWoman 4 points5 points  (0 children)

                      You know, they always say that, and I just go bananas, they've done literally nothing.

                      [–]perfect_fifths 24 points25 points  (8 children)

                      50 lbs when you’re 600 lbs is actually not unhealthy.

                      [–]caixing-sanren 6 points7 points  (7 children)

                      Sorry, I meant to say mentally! You're right, taking that much weight off a person would be a relief to their body. But I don't think that the extremely abrupt change to everything they know about food, with nothing more than a diet guide and a book to use as support, and only one month to instill all these changes, are good for them mentally. Mentally it's much more akin to a crash diet and it's not teaching them anything they can use to maintain a healthy weight after their journey (seriously, no one except the extremely petite or those with certain disabilities can thrive with 1200 calories). What they're being asked to do doesn't even reflect what they'll hopefully be doing for the rest of their life.

                      [–]Ok-Weekend-2049 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                      They have to drop weight quickly to receive the surgery to save their lives. They are already on borrowed time.

                      [–]mmmdonuts107Bye fatty two shoes! 2 points3 points  (0 children)

                      Yes, I thought that with the recent WATN where the brother had to actuallygain weight...also last week's WATN where the woman was mostly on track post op but he was yelling at her and telling her literally no carbs because I cannot fix you if you need a revision. His diet in his mind is a fix all but from what was shown on a few episodes it's closer to the original post WLS diet (my Mother had WLS and has slowly stretched her stomach)...you started with baby food, but now it's broth and onto tiny portions and no carbonation or anything.

                      [–]notnotaginger 59 points60 points  (4 children)

                      Dr Now isn’t an angel. Don’t get me wrong, I love him, but I think there’s a lot of hero worship when he’s just a dude who’s great at his job.

                      [–]readheaded 38 points39 points  (1 child)

                      Yep. His divorce case doesn’t really paint him as a great guy in his personal life.

                      Divorce article

                      Divorce case

                      [–]AndISoundLikeThis 22 points23 points  (0 children)

                      Wow. He sounds like a piece of shit.

                      Related: While I do watch the show, I never liked Dr Now. I think he's a creep and exploiting the people on this show to line his own pockets.

                      [–]mental_dissonanceMommmmmm! 23 points24 points  (0 children)

                      This dude really does not know how to bedside manner with the patients who are visibly mentally disabled. As a mandated reporter, he should've at least said something regarding Seana. I can't even bring myself to watch her episode cause of how delayed people say she is.

                      [–]MoonLightStorm001 9 points10 points  (0 children)

                      Exactly

                      [–]tom_c 19 points20 points  (1 child)

                      I think they deliberately stretch out and cut My600PoundLife episodes to fill another WhereAreTheyNow episode.

                      [–]mmmdonuts107Bye fatty two shoes! 4 points5 points  (0 children)

                      100%, I was watching Jeanne and I noticed at where it cut off and had started it was definitely cut off from where the first episode ended, but I've noted that for years. They really need to let a few years pass, not a few months. I've noticed that with last seasons participants claiming to film WATN (Dolly) there wasn't that much time in between, and for the aforementioned patient they put everything on social media so we know no weight is lost.

                      [–]DownFromHere 92 points93 points  (17 children)

                      That one sister who had a mentally disabled brother who was taking care of a 600 lb-er planned to leave the 600 lb-er stranded and without possessions the whole time.

                      All the questions she asked that got her upset at the answers could have been asked before they all got in the car with a UHaul. I detested the sister. What she did was basically theft.

                      [–]Lobocop714[S] 46 points47 points  (4 children)

                      She was definitely waiting for her moment that entire trip. They already reached Texas, she would of been happy to drop her at the apartment, but there was no way she was leaving without Ricky.

                      [–]DownFromHere 16 points17 points  (3 children)

                      Exactly. She could have gotten her brother to go back with her and taken her to the apartment in Texas at least instead of stranding her at a gas station.

                      [–]Lobocop714[S] 23 points24 points  (2 children)

                      They still offered to take her, even after she called the cops. Not that it was practical, given the situation, but I dont thinking big sis expected her to bail.

                      [–]DownFromHere 6 points7 points  (1 child)

                      They still offered to take her

                      After Sharon screamed at her and threatened to beat her up. It wasn't in good faith.

                      [–]TartofDarkness 41 points42 points  (10 children)

                      I just watched Lacey’s episode and it shocked me how many people liked Sharon and were cool with what she did. From the moment she came on screen I was cringing. She cussed so much you could barely understand what she was saying, she was unnecessarily cruel, and she could’ve just refused to take them. Lots of people were saying they thought Ricky had some kind of learning disability or neurological disorder, but I felt the same way about Lacey. Her backstory was heartbreaking to me and although I know she lied and may have used people I think having people feel sorry for her was the only way she thought she could have friends/support.

                      [–]SEND_TOAST 22 points23 points  (1 child)

                      I feel all three of them had some kind of intellectual disability going on at different levels.

                      [–]TartofDarkness 9 points10 points  (0 children)

                      Yes. I agree with that statement.

                      [–]DownFromHere 7 points8 points  (0 children)

                      Yes! I don't like Lacey. I think she tried to bluff her way through the program but Sharon definitely could have asked those questions before she agreed to drive them down there. Plus she randomly gave her possessions away which was insane. She could have dropped the UHaul in front of Lacey's apartment or at a UHaul station. Neither one of them are genuine.

                      [–]Realistic_Ad_8023 12 points13 points  (3 children)

                      From what I've seen on this sub, it seems like Lacey's use of sob stories and lies is effective in getting people on her side.

                      [–]TartofDarkness 12 points13 points  (0 children)

                      I mean I’m not “on her side.” However, I was in the minority on that thread in thinking that someone that lies doesn’t deserve being abandoned and all their possessions thrown away. I also didn’t care for Sharon and I would feel that was regardless of Lacey. I have a feeling she cusses and yells her opinion in any situation.

                      [–]DownFromHere 8 points9 points  (0 children)

                      Cap. Most people on the sub think Sharon was justified. Which is crazy to me. There were better ways of handling it. Especially yelling in the car with her brother who gets seizures when stressed.

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                        [–]violetdeirdre 19 points20 points  (1 child)

                        Personally I’m shocked that people like Sharon because Sharon outright said that her brother has severe seizures brought on by stress immediately before putting him in an extremely stressful situation in the car. There was no place for him to go to to rest or escape the stressors to protect himself.

                        I get that she resents being his caretaker but there’s no reason to be so unkind to someone who is depending on you.

                        [–]TartofDarkness 19 points20 points  (0 children)

                        Exactly. And Sharon weighed at least 250 herself and smoked like a dang freight train through the entire episode. She didn’t have any right to bitch anyone out for being unhealthy.

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                            [–]leafairadayh 12 points13 points  (0 children)

                            Mine is minor - when the writers give the voiceover scripts to the participants, they purposefully put in “Me and my mom/brother/sister/etc.” to make the participants seem especially uneducated.

                            [–]AdEastern3223But I already moved to Houston! 36 points37 points  (7 children)

                            My theory is Dr Now hates doing the show but he has entitled kids who don’t work for a living and the show is how they have jobs.

                            [–]perfect_fifths 26 points27 points  (4 children)

                            Nah. His wife took a lot of money in the divorce (dr Now got in trouble for trying to hide assets) so I think that’s why he hasn’t retired yet.

                            [–]AdEastern3223But I already moved to Houston! 15 points16 points  (3 children)

                            I can see that. Poor dude. He’s looking OLD lately.

                            [–]broknkittnDevil's playground 7 points8 points  (1 child)

                            Had a WATN on the other day and there was a flashback to an older ep where he had dark hair and a lot of it. It was crazy to see and then go back to present time.

                            [–]my606insI can clean my own vagina now! 10 points11 points  (0 children)

                            I’m sure he dyes his hair. There’s just less hair as he aged.

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                              [–]rutheman4me2 9 points10 points  (1 child)

                              The kid (s) work on the show

                              [–]AdEastern3223But I already moved to Houston! 18 points19 points  (0 children)

                              Yes. The show was his son’s idea. I believe he’s the producer.

                              [–]RSTROMMEYour smell hasn't gotten any better 31 points32 points  (1 child)

                              Lola Clay never had official office spaces she paid for. She’d seek out and gain access to randomly empty spaces to film/counsel patients and dip out quietly. This is part of the reason for her ever-changing personal aesthetic - not being too recognizable.

                              [–]thenearblindassassinEat death, Lindsey! 28 points29 points  (0 children)

                              She did seem to have different spaces. If she was intentionally choosing places on a temporary basis maybe it could have been because she didn't want her actual office being shown on TV, to reduce the likelihood of people doing a pilgrimage to it like they do for Dr.Now's clinic lol

                              [–]mimimo33 6 points7 points  (0 children)

                              I don’t know if this is a given, but the production/crew definitely meet with Dr Now before patient visits, the first visit and all subsequent. He has a lot more info than the patients give him, even considering that what we see is edited down.

                              [–]EmotionalMycologist9 46 points47 points  (9 children)

                              You can't be on the show unless you've been sexually assaulted/molested as a child or teenager.

                              [–]LeadVitamin13 46 points47 points  (1 child)

                              I've heard Dr Drew say that 90% or more addicts have a trauma history. 600 lb people are obviously food addicts. Despite what many may think of Dr Drew he is probably right.

                              [–][deleted] 31 points32 points  (0 children)

                              Sexual abuse is one of the most common forms of childhood trauma.

                              I'd bet money even the people that don't admit to it have experienced it. It's not easy to talk about.

                              [–]thenewhost 25 points26 points  (0 children)

                              I mean most people don't get to be 600+ lbs without there being some sort of abuse/abandonment/neglect.

                              [–][deleted] 18 points19 points  (3 children)

                              I can't remember the episode but there was one person who had the beginning who said he knew he was different because at summer camp DIDN'T GET molested by the staff whereas his friends did.

                              [–]EmotionalMycologist9 5 points6 points  (0 children)

                              Oh, wow. I don't remember that one, but that's sad that he felt that way.

                              [–]x777x777x 2 points3 points  (0 children)

                              Mac?

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                                  [–]thenearblindassassinEat death, Lindsey! 13 points14 points  (3 children)

                                  It's been discussed before, but Lisa most likely played a significant role in James' death. While she never forced him to eat, she enabled him till his body finally gave out.

                                  [–]mmmdonuts107Bye fatty two shoes! 2 points3 points  (2 children)

                                  This goes for a few of the failed patients who have passed, not just Lisa and James. The one who recently passed at 30 whose Mom claimed rapid MS? Can't remember her name but the family was literally abusive to her wife, as was she.

                                  [–]thenearblindassassinEat death, Lindsey! 6 points7 points  (1 child)

                                  You're thinking of Gina. I disagree though. While they continually enabled Gina, I don't think it was explicitly malicious.

                                  Lisa, James' wife, kept sneaking him food in the hospital preventing him from losing weight. Dr. Now actually concocted a scenario to catch her doing this. However, idk what any of their personal lives are like.

                                  [–]mmmdonuts107Bye fatty two shoes! 4 points5 points  (0 children)

                                  Oh I'm saying her family, specifically Mother, enabled her up until she had to announce her passing and even the Facebook groups were buzzing with how suspicious her answer on it seemed after her episode. I think in scenarios like James, it's almost like the enabler has Munchausen's but also at the same time she wants to keep the peace and I bet if he was hungry, he got abusive to her.

                                  [–]CouchHam 5 points6 points  (0 children)

                                  The show props up Dr. Now’s old hateful, ass. He’d be retired by now but he loves the attention. He is not capable of the same work in his old age.

                                  [–]marandmars 2 points3 points  (0 children)

                                  X

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