The Grim Reality Of Life At 800+ Pounds
TLC continues to produce shows with titles that I am not a big fan of. Previously we reacted to Family By The Ton featuring Casey, a man who overcame being 800 pounds and continues to lose weight now into the 200s. Today we look at the very popular My 600 Pound Life with Dr. Now, specifically the story of Marla McCants, a fast food addict who weighed over 800 pounds. Marla drove to see Dr. Now in Houston and almost didn't survive the journey. Today we look at her medical experiences receiving bariatric surgery, battling blood clots, and finding the will to walk on her journey to actually losing over 600 pounds. I'm so proud of Marla for taking control of her health and improving her quality of life not just for herself, but her children and grandchildren as well. As always, please lead with empathy in the comments and recognize you should never judge a book by its cover or attribute value to a person based on their size. We're all a work in progress, myself included!
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** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **
I honestly can't believe there are people who think Mike is fatfobic. I rarely see people aproach this subject with so much sympathy and understanding.
as a therapist, i’d like to thank you for not shaming her. plus also talking about how a mental health specialist would’ve been useful in her case. you’re doing good work!!
I love that Marla advocated for herself and got herself a caring and compassionate medial team to help get her to the finish line! Also love how kind and empathetic Dr. Mike was, especially when Dr. Now wasn't.
Amazing video, but goddamn just have to appreciate Marla for a sec. The fact she was able to lose all of that weight and overcome those issues is insane. That's not strength or willpower everyone has, big kudos to her.
I’m tearing up watching Dr. Mike’s response to this. I’ve gained weight due to trauma. I wish every doctor was as empathetic and trauma informed as him.
As a Psychiatrist, I am really surprised that a Physiatrist and Psychiatrist were not called in on her outpatient rehab. We usually have to come in with a mixture of mental health counseling along with treatments for mental health challenges like dysthymia that influence eating habits. Plus, when we use confrontational therapy, there is a “flow chart” in the care process. We also have a really high POSITIVE therapeutic relationship. This was done all wrong and that is why she is thriving under a different physician.
Something I truly appreciate being inserted into this conversation is the costs. Too often doctors don't take these issues into consideration at all.
Dr. Now: "from what I can tell, you're not making much effort to get better"
This made me emotional. It’s like that hostage experience is still holding her hostage. I’m so glad she got the surgery, and maybe therapy would help her realize that the last experience doesn’t deserve her entire future.
it is so sad that people are calling him “fatfobic” when he literally says don’t be quick to judge someone who is overweight. there is a deference between “being overweight is not healthy.” and calling people rude names and using put-downs.
As a therapist I agree with everything you said about the way to deal with her behavior. They pushed her very hard and very fast without much compassion. I can see why she was resisting. Dr. Now is way to invested emotionally to continue treating her. You should never get to the point where you want to « win » against the patient.
I love how she went from talking like " I have no life... " to seeing a doctor getting proper help standing up to a terrible doctor and getting her life back! WE LOVE YOU MARLA FOR EVEYTHING YOU WENT THROUGH AND STILL BOUNCED BACK!!!!
A year ago I joined the gym and I've been losing weight. When my doctor saw that I lost more than 5 kilos (I'm a little overweight) she was very happy and put the progress in her notes. Weight loss is as much mental as it is physical and having a kind doctor who gives good advice is super helpful
The fact that this woman didn't give up even after her surgeon left her is a true strength of character! Huge props to her!
It’s an addiction that comes from trauma. I can relate to this and I started making myself sick to purge and eventually went to alcohol.. I was miserable and I really want anyone with any addiction or people who suffer with anything like this or this addiction itself to remember you’re not alone. We love you ❤ I wish this doctor would have been mine during my issues, he cares. I’d just be the same as him with any patients I would have. A genuine heart of gold
he is truly so respectful while talking about their conditions. still humanizing while analyzing the situation. dr mike is the opposite of fat phobic
I’m glad that you brought the psychological aspect aswell. Often we judge people very quickly, even tho we don’t what the person has experienced before the weight started to fold.
I had a friend who was morbidly obese. She got that way after an abusive relationship decades previous. She was so traumatized by her situation, when she finally was out and safe, she overate. She didn't want to be attractive to a man fearing she would fall for the same type of man.
I’m surprised I don’t see more comments about Dr Now. He was awful! All he did was yell at her and get frustrated. She was clearly REALLY struggling and it wasn’t fair of him to treat her that way.
I am a recovering binge eater who used to eat 20,000 calories a day or more. At one time, I was close to 400 pounds and thought I would not live to see 40. I am so lucky to have received support from a close friend who gave me life changing advice, and from my mom who went to Weight Watchers meetings with me (and I also attended OA by myself). I think that what happens is that people reach a tipping point where they decide that they won't have a long lifespan, or they decide they will have a transformation in their life. Sometimes the transformation is prompted by medical issues that may or may not be immediately life threatening. I pray for all those suffering from binge eating issues, and happy to help in any way I can. I had such a strong addiction to refined sugar and flour that I thought it was not possible for me to stop eating those things. But I did, and I went from 380 pounds to 230, quit sugar and flour, which are strongly addictive for some people, and got my life back. It cost me all of my 20's and about half of my 30's, and also caused me to drop out of law school. But I got my life back, and I am lucky not to have relapsed since quitting sugar and flour at the start of 2006. If my partner and I can do anything to help someone in need we are happy to, reflecting our belief that everyone in the world is our family. Most Sincerely, Chris and Pie, Norwell Thai Spa, Norwell, MA