One of the things that helped me to be honest with myself about my weight and obesity was watching My 600 Pound Life on TLC.

The new season started last night and I just finished watching the new episode that I recorded last night.

It was preceded by a compilation episode that I did see last night. Since that one included a segment on Penny I needed to take a break before seeing the new episode.

Some random thoughts:

I thought it was sobering and heart wrenching as usual.

I HATE the obligatory shower scenes. We get the idea. They could spend a lot less time on them or eliminate them entirely and spend time on other aspects of obesity, the surgery process, or the post-surgery segment.

Nikki (I think that was her name) is a beautiful girl with a lot of style. I noticed the drawings on her walls before they revealed she is a costume designer. It was great to see her get her MOJO back.

With a disabled brother and two older sisters, it was obvious to me she was starved for affection and attention.

Dr. Now mentioned when doing the sleeve instead of the bypass something that the sleeve can be just as effective even though the bypass is more aggressive.

Watching this post-sleeve, watching her eat the volumes and types of foods (donuts) she was eating pre-op looked really gross and unappealing. (Thank, God!)

I started at a lower weight than she did and I would never dream of trying to sit on one of those balance balls or on the ground. What a difference being 20 years younger than me makes!

It is heartbreaking how young so many of these patients are who are on this show. Nikki isn't the youngest by far, but she was still really young to have reached over 650 pounds. That is an awful lot of donuts.

It was interesting to see the rate of her weight loss pick up again after she started seeing a therapist and addressing her emotional issues.

I liked the analogy that the therapist used of not being able to look at and address issues until you physically put them down/let them go.

I wanted to slap her sister until they had their talk. I know we only get one side of the story, but to not allow NIKKI to be around her nieces and nephews is outright cruel.

I think her mom has a lot of food issues and is also probably dealing with a lot of stress due to both her son and daughter.

Her dad was sweet if clueless.

I am looking forward to seeing a follow-up on her in a year. I really liked her.

I know it's January and every other advertisement and commercial on TV is about diet or exercise, but still find it jarring to see those commercials on during this show. It just seems so transparent.

Did anyone else watch it? What did you think?

Okay tonight's episode with Chad:

Did anyone else get annoyed with Dr Now for getting mad at Chad for not wanting to take TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR A MONTH MEDICATION??

I mean, really? I wouldn't take it, either! I'm sorry!

I am watching this now on my DVR and it sounded to me like Dr. Now was mad/aggravated at Chad for not telling him he wasn't taking the medicine because he couldn't afford it. He said Chad had to take it and if he had told them they could figure something out. (As a note, if anyone is reading this please be upfront with your doctors about everything. They can't help of you keep them

In the dark.)

When Chad was first talking about not wanting to tell Dr, Now he couldn't keep his food down I knew he was in trouble.

Why in the world folks don't call their surgeon when they are having difficulties is beyond me. That is the first person you should be talking to. (I see that too often on here, too.)

My grandmother used to try to avoid taking some of her meds because of the expense (even after she had paid for them). As I used to tell her, it's still cheaper than going to the ER or being admitted into the hospital.

Ok, I watched the Chad part. While Dr. Now did not refer to it this way, what Chad had was a stricture. (Trust me. I saw the pics on tv and it is identical to the procedure and pics I had from mine.) Dr. Now called it "swelling". What my dr told me (my bariatric surgeon and the GI dr that did my second balloon dilation) is that it is an overgrowth of scar tissue. (So technically swelling? I don't know.) Not sure which med Dr. Now was talking about but yes @@Babbs I did think he was quite rude about it. I know that when I asked my surgeon if I did something to cause the stricture, she said no. 2% of people get it. She just asked if I had taken NSAIDs (nope - well twice) and if I was taking my PPI/reflux med (yep). What I wondered is if the med Dr. Now was talking about was a PPI? I hope that I do not have to be on it forever. When I asked at my 6 months followup, she said I could start cutting back to once per day instead of twice per day but she didn't say anything further than that. I am still taking it and I am still taking my cholesterol med (which I had hoped to be off by now). I will ask at my 9 month follow-up.

So other than that, I actually thought that Chad story was very inspirational! I enjoyed this one so much more than any of the others I have seen. So proud of him for sticking to it and for keeping at it until he got a job! I sure hope he is a true success story long term!

I would like to see more of the journey after surgery. Wasn't it like that in earlier seasons? Now it just seems like it's all about the before and just after. I wanna see real results they have.

I would like to see more of the journey after surgery. Wasn't it like that in earlier seasons? Now it just seems like it's all about the before and just after. I wanna see real results they have.

This season and the last few they cover a year which usually starts when they first seek help and not when they have the surgery. The first season or so covered longer periods (maybe five years?). They have gone back and done updates on some of the folks.

I was wondering that myself. I had the sleeve...but knew a bunch of folks going through the bypass at the same time. Didn't hear anything about it. Maybe there's something he prescribes.

But as soon as they showed what he was going through I was yelling "stricture!" at the tv ????

Darn! I forgot to set the DVR and hate watching it online because the TLC site sucks on my iPad. I find Dr. Now to be an ass. Maybe it's the editing or he feels he has to be but his bed side manner wouldn't work with me.

My only grievance with my 600 pound life:

I feel like sometimes they emphasize the 'bad' so much, it's hard to see the good. Shower scenes are horrible. Showing them struggling to get out of bed, or how they can't walk down the stairs to get food. Showing the poor food choices post-surgery is tough. I appreciate that they are trying to show what it's truly like, because these are struggles that we all face. However, I have overheard many conversations where people make fun of the show. I think it propagates the 'this is the easy way out' mentality. I understand it's television and it's trying to get ratings. But I think at times it blurs the lines of is it showing someone working hard facing daily challenges after surgery, or is it making fun of someone who has such a food addiction that they gorge on fast food post surgery? I think the show could really help educate on wls, especially since it's becoming such a popular choice these days. But unfortunately seeing how they portray people in some of the episodes, it makes me more cautious discussing my surgery with people.

Again, just an opinion. I really love the show. I think it's a great wakeup call and reminder to why I made the choice to get surgery. I'm so happy for all the people on the show getting the help the need and deciding to better themselves. I would hate if the show sends the wrong message. People can be very cruel, we don't need to give them more fuel.

@@Daveo

That's what was odd to me. He had a bypass, and it seems it was to keep the swelling down in the opening in his pouch? So because he wasn't taking it, he couldn't keep anything down and Dr Now had to go in and widen the opening. My husband had a bypass, and I don't remember him taking any medication for that? Of course, his was almost 10 years ago, so maybe I don't remember?

The only prescription meds I was in post op was carafate, to avoid ulcer formation and pain meds. I thought Dr. now was stretching saying the "swelling" (aka stricture) was a result of not taking meds.

Last week's skin tight. I can't believe how had those young doctors are. They are never aggressive enough with skin removal. They leave a shelf on every tummy tuck and I don't even think they do muscle repair. They are so bad.

They are making Dr Now look like a magician.

Last week's skin tight. I can't believe how had those young doctors are. They are never aggressive enough with skin removal. They leave a shelf on every tummy tuck and I don't even think they do muscle repair. They are so bad.

They are making Dr Now look like a magician.

I agree. It's like they are scared to do some contouring. They only remove the skin and even then it's not enough. Do some lipo and sew up some muscles! The one woman at the end said she could finally see her progress at the gym and I felt bad for her because her arms still didn't look great...I couldn't see any muscle tone because they left too much skin. Or maybe she's still very swollen. What do I know?

Is it just me or has this show absolutely terrified anyone from having any surgery on their breasts? The fact that the nipple can DIE and they look so flat and unnatural really freaks me out.

@@KristenVSG2014 I'm not sure about the women in the episodes but when the guys get this done it looks freaking weird! it's like they are too close together and maybe too high? it just looks weird and yeah the thought of the nipple "dying" freaks me out.

@@Daveo

That's what was odd to me. He had a bypass, and it seems it was to keep the swelling down in the opening in his pouch? So because he wasn't taking it, he couldn't keep anything down and Dr Now had to go in and widen the opening. My husband had a bypass, and I don't remember him taking any medication for that? Of course, his was almost 10 years ago, so maybe I don't remember?

The only prescription meds I was in post op was carafate, to avoid ulcer formation and pain meds. I thought Dr. now was stretching saying the "swelling" (aka stricture) was a result of not taking meds.

Maybe he wasn't taking his PPI?

Anyone watch the video on here "All of Me"? it has that one woman from 600 pound life on it, I forgot her name but she was married to the guy who was a total butthole to her because he didn't want her losing weight. I think her name was "Zee" or something like that. Anyway at the end of the video it said she was trying out for a reality weightloss show that paid for the surgery. I'm thinking it was 600 pound life. Just thought it was an interesting video.

Anyone watch the video on here "All of Me"? it has that one woman from 600 pound life on it, I forgot her name but she was married to the guy who was a total butthole to her because he didn't want her losing weight. I think her name was "Zee" or something like that. Anyway at the end of the video it said she was trying out for a reality weightloss show that paid for the surgery. I'm thinking it was 600 pound life. Just thought it was an interesting video.

I haven't seen "All of Me" but are you talking about Zsalynn? She was one of my favorites on My 600 lb Life.