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Mercedes Cephas was featured in season 7 of My 600-lb Life. When she was introduced to Dr. Nowzaradan, she weighed 773 lbs and suffered from severe lymphedema. Bedridden and unable to perform basic activities, the 37-year-old mother of two from Ohio wished to get the weight-loss surgery and turn her life around mainly for her children.
However, she struggled to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. As a result, Dr. Nowzaradan refused to operate on her, warning her that her obesity could fatally damage her internal organs.
According to her official Facebook profile, Mercedes is currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is described as a stay-at-home mother, living with her children, Kimoriah and Kau'lin. However, details of her weight-loss journey remain unknown.
After Mercedes left My 600-lb Life, she started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her gastric bypass surgery, however, it was shut down soon after it failed to reach the target. Although she has not posted anything on her official Instagram account, she frequently shares different notes and videos on her Facebook page. However, none of them are photos or videos of herself.
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My 600-lb Life star Mercedes Cephas struggled with lymphedema
Mercedes' time on My 600-lb Life
When Mercedes first appeared on the TLC show, she revealed she struggled with lymphedema, a disease that affected her lymph glands, accumulating excess fluid in her body. The condition usually impacts the heart, liver, and other organs.
Mercedes was also bedridden like most other patients who previously appeared on the show. She could not take care of herself let alone her kids. She depended on a nurse who visited her residence to look after her hygiene. While speaking to the cameras, Mercedes shared that it felt "humiliating" to receive help from someone else to do everyday activities like using the toilet and bathing.
She regretted not being able to lead an eventful life with her children. As a result, Mercedes appeared on My 600-lb Life to give her life a complete makeover. Unfortunately, she could not meet the requirements needed to qualify for bariatric surgery. During her time on the show, Mercedes lost 81 lbs., which was insufficient for approval from Dr. Nowzaradan. She struggled to keep up with the strict weight-loss routine, often complaining about its difficulty.
Mercedes started a GoFundMe campaign
After her time on My 600-lb Life, Mercedes started a GoFundMe campaign, hoping to raise funds for the surgery. In the campaign's post, she wrote she was "tired of not being able to be a regular mom." Mercedes wanted to "have family time" and "go to school plays or parent-teacher conferences," events involving her children that she could not participate in.
The My 600-lb Life star added that she wanted to turn her life around and "start living again." However, the campaign was shut down after it raised $175 of the $10,000 target.
"My son wants to go to the beach and I want to be the one to take him," Mercedes wrote.
Mercedes struggled with finances
In a My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? episode, released on January 25, 2023, Mercedes reappeared with an update on her living status. She revealed she struggled financially and had to move into a hotel since she could not afford an apartment. In the episode, Mercedes said:
"I just want to be stable. I won't have to worry about getting put out or getting my stuff put out."
Unfortunately, even at that time, she continued to struggle with her weight.
Mercedes' activity on different social media platforms
Mercedes maintains a quiet life on social media. As a result, her weight-loss journey remains unknown. She recently became somewhat active on Facebook after a long period of absence since updating her cover photo in July 2020. Her latest post is a motivational quote, shared on October 5, 2024.
Due to Mercedes' silence on social media, many fans feared something terrible had happened to her. Only after she started posting on her Facebook page, the rumors subsided. However, since her posts never include a picture of herself or her family, it is difficult to decipher if she continued her weight-loss journey or strayed away from accepting a healthy life.
1000-lb Sisters season 6 is set to be released on October 8, 2024, only on TLC
