man weighs over 700 lbs needs help

I met a  man yesterday that weighs over 700 lbs.. He is not sure just how much because he can not find a scale to weight him. He has weighed at truck stops on the truck scales but that is not very accurate.. and was a long time ago.. he has gained more now. He is in need of gastric bypass surgery very bad,, He has lost his truck driving job to the weight gain.. He is now on disability but his wife makes too much money for him to qualify for medicad... he has over a year wait before he will qualify for medicare insurance.. if he makes it that long.. He was in the process of getting the bypass surgery with the Dr in southern Illinois that lost his license and now of course with him loosing his job he has NO insurance.. He needs help.. If anyone knows of any clinic or any doctor that will do the surgery on him for teaching methods, like at a university or such please let me know.. I feel for him as he is wanting to change his life and now can't... If any one has any suggestions  please tell me.. I met him by chance.. He is having his wife pick up old bikes and he is restoring them to give him something to do as he sits in his home on a loveseat for a chair. . I went there to purchase a bike and met him.. We talked for over an hour about surgery. My heart is just breaking for him.. I know the pain and suffering he is going through is horrible.. He has a wonderful personality and I would love to find a way to help him before it is too late..
I have invited him to jaoin this web site for information and encouragement.. I hope that he does..

You know, if this man weighs 700 pounds, he is probably not very mobile. Someone is most likely BRINGING him enough food to keep him at that weight--at least 7,000 calories per day.

One of the biggest issues I have with mega-obesity is the co-dependence and enabling of the nearby family and friends in helping to make the obesity worse. That part of the problem is never addressed. Any doctor is going to want him to lose a certain percentage of his excess weight to prove his commitment to the program. How can he do that if his family is sabotaging him?

      My heart go out him and you.  My brother died weighing close to 550 pounds.  He was not eating a lot of food at the time he died. His problem that he could not get around to burn the little food he did eat.  You body becomes your prison.  He even had gastric -by-pass.  But, He just gained the weight back,    His over eating got  the best of him and died of congestive heat failure at age 45.  I feel at time I was an enabler at times.  Even though my brother did not live with me and I was younger.  Their a harsh really to face.   My brother is dead could have done more to help him.  I know I tried.  But, Have to try to help themselve first.
   Even the ridcule we recieved at the funeral home was awful. Because , my brother was so heavy.   He had to a supersized casket.  That was such a burden for funeral home.  It did not come in.  Til minutes before the funeral.  They did not even touch him up.  Be for the funeral.   Just other like having ask to have extra people to carry the casket. Some people say no becuse of back problems.  People asking how he died.

    I and battling my own weight and health problems.  We both grew with a very over weight father.  We learned very bad eating habits.   I still trying to save my own life.  I my self weigh 365 pounds now.  I did weigh 395 pounds and still need help losing the weight .   The doctor, said he would do surgery if I got down to 320 pounds.  I hoping I can do it.
It,s is 45 pounds.  With might not seem alot.  I,m had no luck get rid of it.

I am so sorry about your brother.. I am sure he knew how much you loved him.. No one ever understands unless they have been in the prison of thier own body. All of us with BMI over 50 do understand. I can imagine the problems with the funeral were so heart breaking. I am sorry you had to go through that..
You remember all that heart ache when you are trying to stay on course with your own weight.. Early deaths are so heart breaking for the families..
I will say a prayer fro you that you will find your goal and remain there.

keep this man in your prayers too.. I am so afraid that he will die before getting to have the surgery..

Waterwench:  Your compassion is overwhelming. 

I'm sorry, Teresa, I don't know of any programs. Hopefully he can find someone to help him get started on the weight loss so that eventually he can have surgery. I'm sure he appreciated being treated with respect by you when you bought the bike.

Doris, please use your brother's death to inspire you to keep on with the 45 lb weight loss. You can DO it, then you can get a surgery that will help you the rest of your life. If you are on the internet, you can read articles and learn how to break the cycle of obesity that your family is in. Just change how you do things in your life: a little more activity and little more fresh food and fewer carbs. Lots of water. You don't have to change everything at once, but one change will make you FEEL better and give you the strength to make another one.

I'm sorry your brother wasn't treated with respect even at his funeral. I read today that people over 500 lbs might have to pay more for an ambulance in the future. We need to have compassion for ourselves and others who are so heavy, yet know for sure that we (they) are killing ourselves with food. It's a fine line to walk to respect someone and show kindness, but not let them continue in denial that what they are doing is OK,

Take care, Ronda

I have no idea if they ever do any free or reduced charge cases, but Dr. Henry Buchwald at the University of MN has performed DS successfully on people that size.  It is a teaching hospital and he is a great teacher, so  it's worth investigating.

Poor man, I hope he can get the help he needs.

thanks for your responce.. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers

I too have a real problem with feeders but we don't know this guy's situation...lets not make him feel unwelcome if he should happpen upon these posts.   I was megafat and got all my own food.

My Dr (new Dr, my surgeon left after my RNY) was going to do someone OVER 700lbs last I heard.  Dr. Posner at Buffalo General Hospital.  I heard that about a yr ago, I don't know how it turned out though.  It's a very strict program.  I had to lose alot pre op with their help, took ten months of re learning EVERYTHING.

Hello Stella-Blue  Congratulations on your weight loss.  I'm hoping you will give me some advice.  I'v been overweight since I was a child.  I have tried many diets and weight loss programs with very little success on them.  I am currently over 600 and unsure what else to do.  You can email me at [email protected]    Thanks Marlon