My 600-lb Life season 12: Shakyia Jackson's journey and surgery update

TLC's popular reality TV show My 600-lb Life has followed numerous individuals battling extreme obesity as they work to regain control of their lives with the guidance of Dr. Younan Nowzaradan. Among the standout stories from season 12 is that of Shakyia Jackson, who made her appearance in an episode that aired on April 10, 2024.

She weighed 655 pounds at the age of 26, making her one of the youngest cast on the show. Shakyia, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, had serious health problems, such as asthma and lymphedema, which made it more difficult for her to lose weight.

She was committed to changing her life despite major mental and physical obstacles, and she kept fans updated on her progress online. Read on to learn more about her recent surgery update and her rough past.

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My 600-lb Life: Shakyia Jackson's surgery update

After her journey on My 600-lb Life, Shakyia Jackson recently made headlines with an update regarding her health. In a Facebook post uploaded on January 2, 2025, she shared an image of her surgery schedule, captioning it:

“Who can’t get the surgery 👀👀👀. Ohkay That’s What I Thought.”

Although she didn't say what kind of surgery she had, many admirers speculated it has something to do with her weight loss experience and fans online encouraged her to take this important step.

Shakyia also addressed rumors suggesting she had abandoned her commitments to Dr. Now. According to TV Shows Ace report, released on January 24, 2025, she shared screenshots of her conversations with producers to counter the claims. The screenshots seemingly hinted that delays in her progress were due to external circumstances beyond her control.

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Shakyia's weight loss journey, family, and career

My 600-lb Life was a challenging path for Shakyia Jackson from the beginning. She had a history of trauma going into the show, including being raised in foster care and experiencing s*xual abuse.

She developed an unhealthy relationship with food as a result of these experiences, which ultimately led to severe obesity. Shakyia resided with her sister Shaniqua, her stepfather, her mother, Natasha, and Shaniqua's three kids at the start of her episode.

Shaniqua and a friend named Delilah even accompanied Shakyia on the three-day drive to Houston, Texas, to see Dr. Now. However, unanticipated issues hampered her early progress. In order to be eligible for bariatric surgery, Shakyia needed to lose 50 pounds, but she only succeeded in losing 21 pounds.

She suffered from respiratory failure during this period, necessitating the use of a walker and a ventilator to maintain her mobility. After being admitted to hospice care due to her health issue, she moved into an extended-stay hotel and faced her difficulties mostly alone.

Despite her setbacks in My 600-Lb Life, Shakyia remained determined to improve her life. By the end of her episode, Dr. Now removed her from his program due to her inability to meet the required weight loss goal.

He did, however, leave the door open for her return if she managed to lose the additional weight. Shakyia expressed her intention to move to Houston and reconnect with Dr. Now’s program, though the path forward proved challenging.

Since her time on My 600-lb Life, Shakyia has shifted her focus to building a life beyond the show. As seen on her Facebook account, she now operates a crafting business, creating beaded tumblers, phone cases, snow globes, and other decorative items.

While she has not shared significant updates about her weight loss, her social media presence suggests she is working on her business. In a post uploaded on Friday, March 1, 2024, Shakyia wrote:

"This smile holds a thousand words that I can't even explain. Just know I am [at] peace within myself, and this smile can confirm that."

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My 600-Lb Life season 13 episode 5 will air on Wednesday, January 2, 2025, on TLC.