DeepSummary
Bea Amma, a 26-year-old social media creator, received vitamin B12 and fat dissolving injections at a med spa in California, which led to her getting infected with a rare, drug-resistant, flesh-eating mycobacterium. She spent years battling the infection, undergoing multiple surgeries, and accumulating millions of dollars in medical debt.
Throughout her ordeal, Bea experienced excruciating pain, mental anguish, and a constant struggle to find the will to live. However, she also gained wisdom, gratitude, and a newfound appreciation for life. She openly shares her story to raise awareness about the lack of regulation in the cosmetic industry and advocate for change.
Despite the immense challenges she faced, Bea remained determined to love her body and focus on self-acceptance. She found solace in her faith, visualization techniques, and the support of healthcare workers who treated her with kindness and compassion.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The cosmetic and med spa industry is largely unregulated, leading to dangerous and potentially life-threatening practices.
- Seeking unnecessary cosmetic treatments or supplements can have severe consequences, and it's crucial to prioritize self-acceptance over unrealistic beauty standards.
- Bea's experience highlights the importance of advocating for stricter regulations and accountability within the cosmetic industry.
- Battling a rare, drug-resistant infection can have profound physical, emotional, and financial implications, requiring immense resilience and support.
- Despite the immense challenges, Bea's story exemplifies the power of post-traumatic growth, self-love, and finding purpose in suffering.
- Healthcare workers' compassion and kindness can significantly impact a patient's journey and ability to cope with adversity.
- Maintaining a positive mindset, practicing self-care techniques, and relying on faith or personal beliefs can aid in the healing process.
- Transparency and open discussions about medical traumas can raise awareness, challenge societal norms, and inspire others facing similar struggles.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “There was so, like, so many days in the hospital, I was like, don't save me. I would rather die. So many days on independent treatment, I was. Finding the will to live was very difficult for me.“ by Bea Amma
- “Those are the things that, like, I don't talk about super openly because I don't want to focus on that. I want to focus on how can I love my body more and how can I finally beat this once and for all.“ by Bea Amma
- “Yeah, it still doesn't feel real to me because I'm still struggling, too, you know, like, I'm struggling with the rest of the world.“ by Bea Amma
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Episode Information
The Checkup with Doctor Mike
DM Operations Inc.
2/25/24
Bea Amma went to a med spa a few years ago to receive a Vitamin B12 injection, and it nearly took her life. Since that fateful day, Bea has been battling a debilitating case of mycobacterium which has been eating her skin. It's forced Bea out of jobs and caused her to build up millions of dollars of medical debt. Today Bea is here to tell her story, but not just to garner sympathy, rather Bea is an advocate for systemic change, saying we must hold the currently unregulated med spa industry accountable for their spread of misinformation and dangerous, unproven health treatments that can ruin the lives of people they claim to treat.
Follow Bea:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf6G6HMFtsms0cmTsQg6KSw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatriz.amma/?hl=en
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beatriz.amma
00:00 Intro
01:25 How Vitamin B12 Shots Ruined Her Life
09:50 Brazilian Butt Lift
12:35 The Injection Responsible
18:07 The Hospital
29:35 Replacing Her Doctor
35:57 Posting On TikTok
40:30 Mycobacterium / Antibiotics
45:07 How Is This Legal? / The Cost
57:40 IV Drips / Recurring Infections
1:01:45 Her Scars / Dating
1:06:00 Faith / Happiness
1:14:52 Talking About It With Me
1:22:45 Botched and Treatments
1:25:00 Bad Advice She's Received
1:35:00 What Advice Would You Give Yourself?
1:40:43 My Opinion
1:44:42 Call To Action
Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski
Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers
Art by Caroline Weigum