Twin sisters Kandi and Brandi Dreier were included in Season 5 of TLC’s show My 600-lb Life.
At the time, Brandi weighed in at 588lbs, and Kandi weighed in at 604lbs. They were both mortified at the numbers on the scale and vowed to get themselves on track.
Dr. Nowzaradan explained that since the two were so bound to one another, that would make their journey more complicated.
Kandi and Brandi struggled when they received separate operations
Because Kandi’s heart wasn’t functioning to full capacity, she had to wait for surgery approval.
However, Brandi was given the green light to receive the surgery ahead of time and this caused immense guilt for her.
Shortly after her surgery, Brandi said, “I’m so thankful for my sister and how she’s taking care of me. The hardest part, though, is feeling disconnected from her. I feel like I left her behind. And part of me feels like I shouldn’t have had the surgery without her.”
Kandi managed to continue making progress on her own and was eventually approved for surgery as well.
However, Kandi’s surgery didn’t go as well as her sister’s. Her blood pressure dropped and both her breathing and heart had stopped due to a pulmonary embolism.
Dr. Nowzaradin and his team placed Kandi in a medically induced coma to lessen the strain on her body.
The twins’ family was worried that if Kandi died, Brandi wouldn’t know how to live without her.
After a full week in the medically induced coma, Kandi was brought out to assess if she had any brain damage.
Luckily, she made a full recovery and she and Brandi were able to continue their weight-loss journey together.
Where are Kandi and Brandi now?
Since their time on the show in 2017, both sisters have managed to maintain their weight loss.
According to their Facebook pages, both have committed to the long-term success of their weight-loss surgery.
In 2019, Kandi shared a full-body snap confirming that she’s maintained her weight loss.
Posted by Kandi Dreier on Friday, March 29, 2019
And in August 2020, Kandi updated her relationship status, confirming that she’s officially off the market.
Brandi has also moved on with her life. She’s now married and the mother of two young children.
Posted by Brandi Ejioye on Thursday, October 24, 2019
Although the sisters have become more independent, they’re still incredibly close.
A new season of My 600-lb Life comes to TLC on Wednesday, December 30 at 8/7c.