Undoubtedly, “My 600-lb Life” is one of our time’s most dramatic and crude reality TV shows. Since premiering in 2012, the TLC’s show has featured dozens of morbidly obese patients as they undertake a weight-loss journey, usually facing many obstacles along the way.
It’s not hard to become disheartened by the many difficult situations with which “600-lb Life” patients struggle. Yet some of the dramatic stories are contrasted by the patients’ positive outcomes, often achieved under the guidance of Dr. Nowzaradan.
So what are the most dramatic but successful cases in “My 600-lb Life”, and where are those patients now? Keep watching to find out.
One of the most disheartening stories featured in “My 600-lb Life” was that of Tanisha Cleveland. From Silsbee, Texas, she appeared in the show’s fifth season, in which she revealed her tough story of developing a food addiction, which involved going through many childhood traumas and abuse.
Tanisha started with a weight of 588lbs, gaining more over time as she struggled to comply with Dr. Now’s instructions and medical advice. The show saw her quitting her weight and returning, only to leave the program again and return a third time before she could lose 119lbs in over two years. Though not much is known about Tanisha’s whereabouts and at what stage she’s at her weight loss path, it’s clear that she made an effort to keep going, even after deeming her goals impossible on several occasions.
When season 10 patient Lucas Higdon appeared in the show, he weighed 619lbs, and had a difficult life situation. He was 33 years old and on the verge of immobility due to his weight, having problems with simple tasks such as walking and showering. The first time we see him, he’s wearing tattered clothes, and struggling to get out of bed.
Though Lucas’ story wasn’t filled with intense drama compared to other patients, the sight of him fighting to regain control of his life, have a career, and accomplish his dreams led viewers to root for him.
Although Lucas keeps a low-profile social media presence these days, a report by The Daily Express shows that not only did Lucas have the resilience and willpower necessary to lose over 200lbs as he did, but also to keep up a healthy lifestyle even after the show.
The story of Lupe Samano from the show’s fourth season taught us a thing or two about resilience. Lupe’s mobility had been almost completely restricted by the time she appeared in the show, on top of suffering from other serious health issues such as diabetes.
When Lupe arrived at Dr. Now’s office, he was immediately worried about her condition, as she had scary breathing problems and her heart was functioning at around 35% of its capacity, according to the initial examination.
I miss you all so much! pic.twitter.com/dkWlsV0pv8
— LUPE SAMANO DONOVAN (@MzMIRACLE909) March 11, 2016
Nevertheless, her health and the struggles she was yet to face to accomplish her goals weren’t the only things which stood out from her story, as her husband Gilbert’s cheating was also a source of controversy throughout the episode. While this took a toll on Lupe’s emotional well-being, the most criticized part of the pair’s story came after Lupe had just recently undergone skin-removal surgery and Gilbert requested sex from her just the day after the procedure. This resulted in the infection of her sutures and added another layer of distress for Lupe.
Fortunately, by the end of the episode, the audience was relieved to see that not only was Lupe advancing in her weight loss journey, but had left Gilbert for good too.
The Washington-based sister-twins Brandi and Kandi Dreier had a dramatic story from the beginning. Growing up, the sisters lacked the support of their parents, who had anger issues and addictions, leaving the girls to find comfort only in their grandparents and with each other. Though their mom was able to quit drugs, her alcoholic tendencies made things very difficult and dangerous for the girls.
As the sisters recalled during their episode, they suffered from bullying at schoo,l and only found a sense of comfort in consuming food. The pair gained weight at the same pace and for the same reasons, with Brandi weighing 587lbs and Kandi 602lbs by the time they were 29 years old. As one of the sisters affirms in the introduction to their episode, it was difficult to fight not only for her own life, but for her sister’s too.
As Brandi and Kandi advanced in their weight loss journey, and received emotional and financial support from their grandmother, Kandi suffered from a pulmonary embolism during her weight loss surgery, leaving no option but to induce her into a coma for around a week.
Despite the setback, Kandi and Brandi achieved their weight loss goals. Nowadays, Brandi has two children and is married, while Kandi shows herself very happy on social media.
The surname Assanti doesn’t bring many good memories to loyal fans of “My 600-lb Life”. In the show’s fifth season, the brothers Steven and Justin became patients of Dr. Now, viewers were up to a wild time when the episode slowly uncovered the issues inside the family.
While Steven began the episode asking for forgiveness from his brother Justin for his misgivings in the past, it slowly became clear that the brothers weren’t easy interacting with each other. Nonetheless, the biggest source of controversy in the episode was Steven, as he not only disrespected Dr. Now, the clinic personnel, and even his family, but also unveiled his drug and mental issues.
Steven was eventually kicked out of Dr. Now’s program, but Justin continued on following the medical advice even when he went home, though it’s unclear how much weight he had before going back home. Justin’s journey was slightly sidetracked when Steven stole the painkillers he was given after his weight loss surgery, but that’s one of the many negative things Steven did in the show.
Even though it’s unclear whether Justin achieved his weight loss goals, these days he seems very content managing his store. He’s also reportedly not in contact with his brother anymore, which is an understandable and probably desirable outcome.