Where is Margaret Johnson now? 'My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now' star lost 286lbs years after meeting Dr Now
BAYTOWN, TEXAS: Following her participation in 'My 600-lb Life', Season 10, Episode 10, Margaret Johnson attained the weight that Dr Younan Nowzaradan had prescribed for her to have surgery. However, viewers find out that Margaret began skipping visits in 'My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?', Season 9, Episode 5.
A year and a month after her first appointment with Dr Now, she gained 548 pounds. At that point, Margaret acknowledged that she was "physically here, but emotionally checked out," indicating that she was still having mental health issues.
Margaret persisted in her outbursts and fits, prompting Dr Now to keep her in the hospital to manage her nutrition. Her behavior made it challenging for physical therapists to support her in achieving her weight loss objectives.
Thankfully, Margaret's mother began enforcing stricter rules and stopped enabling her, which helped Margaret start improving her health. Margaret lost a remarkable 286 pounds, bringing her weight down to 463 pounds approximately a year and three months after she first saw Dr Now.
After leaving the hospital, Margaret began eating once a day and drinking significantly more water. She soon left Dr Now's therapy, with her mother attributing this decision to the substantial progress Margaret had made.
It's difficult to tell if Margaret has kept going in the right direction because it doesn't appear that she has a public social media account.
Who is Margaret Johnson in 'My 600-lb Life'?
While 'My 600-lb Life' episodes don't often feature bedridden individuals, Margaret is primarily dependent on a wheelchair or her bed in the episode from January 5, 2022. Although she can sit up if necessary, even with physical treatment, her range of motion in bed remains limited.
In this episode, Margaret explains her weight of over 700 pounds, sharing one of the most devastating stories on the show. She recounts how her eating troubles began in childhood, explaining that her father, who weighed a thousand pounds, consumed most of the food in their home when she was a young girl.
As a result, Margaret and her siblings nearly starved. To cope with her father's verbal abuse and the scarcity of food, Margaret turned to eating for comfort. By the time she was six years old, she weighed over 100 pounds. Margaret had some setbacks on the show, even though she was able to make some progress.
Margaret Johnson's mother had gastric bypass surgery before 'My 600-lb Life' star
In the episode, Margaret reveals that her mother, Millie, underwent gastric bypass surgery many years ago. However, despite the surgery, Millie eventually reverted to her unhealthy eating habits.
Additionally, Margaret's mother displays varying behavior throughout the episode, oscillating between moments of almost childlike interaction with Margaret and episodes of anger. Despite this, Margaret's mother faithfully attends all of her follow-up appointments and doctor's visits, serving as her primary caregiver, at least initially.
She told Dr Now that she would keep pushing Margaret to eat healthily, and appeared thrilled for Margaret as she proceeded to hit milestones in her weight reduction quest. Margaret stated she felt better psychologically and had grown more independent, even though she and her mother had reduced their contact with Dr Now.
How much does Dr Now charge in 'My 600-lb Life'?
For every patient that appears on the reality program, Dr Now performs the operations at no cost to the patient. The expenses spent during the life-saving surgery are covered by 'My 600-lb Life'.
The entire spectrum of medical visits, operations, and hospital stays is covered in the episode.
'My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?' Season 9 airs on TLC at 8 pm ET on Wednesdays
