I hate to bring this up, but TLC is having a 600lb life marathon and lo and behold the episode with Penny is on there. I feel so bad for this woman because she is clearly a food addict and not accepting her part in the failure of her surgery.

I can say that since my surgery 5 months ago I have fought many an inner battle when it comes to food. I try to convince myself that it wont be bad if I have a cookie or Pasta etc but in the end I know that I have been given such an incredible gift and no food is worth trading that.

What are your thoughts on this? Anyone else struggling with her episode?

love the show, its like my support group lol... Penny was a waste, I feel bad for her. But I def think of her mistakes when i feel like I might be slipping up.

Penny likes her life just how it is. She controls everything from her bed. Her husband is clearly a few cans shy of a 6 pack, and her poor little boy will be following in his dad's footsteps. I agree with the previous poster, her son should be taken to live with functioning family members. Her husband needs to leave her. She is abusive in her control. Everything is about her, even his trick or treating. It is about control for her, I do not believe for a minute she is a victim in any way, she knows exactly what she is doing, and exactly why she isn't losing weight. She is a manipulative, miserable human being.

It's a shame that counseling isn't provided to the whole family - and maybe when someone hits a size they can't maintain without someone enabling them, it should be a requirement.

If nothing else, it might give the enablers the ability to say no. And in cases like Pauline's, it might be enough to set her son free.

I want to say I saw this episode when I was 3-4 weeks post op and it seriously disgusted me to see how much she ate post op. Even now at 11 eats post op, I cannot eat what she was eating right after surgery. Above everything else, why would you want too? There are a few things like chicken and shrimp that are not agreeing with my new tummy and make me throw up within three bites, I could not image eating tons of it or pasta and other foods like she did.

I want to say I saw this episode when I was 3-4 weeks post op and it seriously disgusted me to see how much she ate post op. Even now at 11 eats post op, I cannot eat what she was eating right after surgery. Above everything else, why would you want too? There are a few things like chicken and shrimp that are not agreeing with my new tummy and make me throw up within three bites, I could not image eating tons of it or Pasta and other foods like she did.

Yes! This is what I cannot wrap my head around. Physically, how does someone 500+ lbs maintain (OR GAIN!) weight after having the VSG. HOW??? We saw the same thing with Paula last week and Bettie Jo this week (she lost nothing for the 1st 2 months...HOW?!?!) Bettie Jo and Paula both had the gastric bypass, which is different than Penny's surgery, but still! Dr. Now keeps saying these people have a low tolerance for pain, so how can they manage to eat enough to actually gain weight? Did the good Dr leave their pouch/sleeve too big?

Food addiction is a powerful thing. WLS doesn't operate between the ears. I've started watching some of these shows and I'm very humbled by the stories, the successes and the failures. I have no doubt my weight would have climbed until my early death had I not had WLS. Now I must stay vigilant and do my part. That means working on my brain. A day at a time.

Yes! This is what I cannot wrap my head around. Physically, how does someone 500+ lbs maintain (OR GAIN!) weight after having the VSG. HOW??? We saw the same thing with Paula last week and Bettie Jo this week (she lost nothing for the 1st 2 months...HOW?!?!) Bettie Jo and Paula both had the gastric bypass, which is different than Penny's surgery, but still! Dr. Now keeps saying these people have a low tolerance for pain, so how can they manage to eat enough to actually gain weight? Did the good Dr leave their pouch/sleeve too big?

I suspect they are drinking liquids to wash the food through. No matter how big their pouch is, if its getting flushed they can keep stuffing more in.

I just watched this episode on Hulu. I was a little frustrated at her denial. It's one thing to need to work on the mind stuff, I sure need to work on it and am by no means perfect. It's another thing to lie and manipulate others.

On a side note, I have watched a few other episodes and find this show really motivating. It's amazing to see people work so hard and change their lives. I think that's what draws me to this site, there are so many people here that have or are in the process of changing their lives and that really keeps my head in the game.

I have to agree w/others who are stating they cant understand how Penny is eating so much and actually gained weight after the surgery. I couldn't swallow even a smattering of Water for 4 days after the surgery much less food. I have stuck to the plan of not drinking during eating. I have lost 52 lbs in 9 weeks. I have craved food from the first day after surgery but the cravings are better. I cant stand anything fried and have found that foods I could eat before that were healthy, I cannot tolerate them now. I cannot get how she or anyone for that matter, can wolf down regular food after that surgery. You're risking major leakage and internal damage. Going on 10 weeks now and I still cant eat more than 4 oz without feeling I will throw up if I push it. So I too don't understand how she is doing that. But she is enabled by her husband and if he refused to assist her then guess what she would eat what she was suppose to or starve. And the therapy part is huge too. You have to get the right help or what's the point.

I'm going to say I totally get Penny, in fact I'd suggest she's the epitome of why we consider surgery and why surgery is only a tool. Weight problems are real complex, it's not just will power, it's not just a sedentary life, it's not just mood, it can be used to manipulate and control and Penny has mastered it. For most of us, the journey begins with facing our weaknesses and fears, then we make a decision to change which can be to diet and exercise or something more drastic. Penny isn't honest with herself, I know that for a fact because I've been there, too many years thinking I don't have a serious weight problem, or that I could do more about it or how to get help. Penny has control over her family, why would she risk losing that control? So, she doesn't think she has a big weight problem and she has control. No reason to change. Why did she bother with surgery? It eleiminates the last excuse to regain her health, she can claim she got the surgery and no one helped and it didn't work. In her mind the surgery was the magic pill. As a spectator its frustrating to watch, but it should also reinforce the power of the forces that drive our obesity. IMHO

I yelled at the tv watching this episode... And her follow up!

A friend of mine was on that show! Melissa! She is such an inspiration!

I suspect they are drinking liquids to wash the food through. No matter how big their pouch is, if its getting flushed they can keep stuffing more in.

I had a lap band before my sleeve. You can totally do this. I know people who did this.

NOTHING will change while he enables her. I thank god for a husband who can do better than that.

Edited March 1, 201511 yr by gal friday

A friend of mine was on that show! Melissa! She is such an inspiration!

I follow her on Facebook, she has a page just devoted to healthy eating. She is awesome!

How can Penny do that to her son?!!! I did this surgery in large part so that I could model good eating behavior for my son, who turns 5 this May. I was a thin woman for most of my life, but he's never known me as one, he's only seen that in pictures. I want him to grow up knowing that overweight/obese is NOT normal, is NOT healthy and is NOT the right option. I want him to see me trying hard to get healthy. I want him to learn to have a normal healthy relationship with food, because that is 100% a LEARNED behavior (trust me, I'm a therapist). I get being selfish, I do, but how can you have a child and model that kind of toxic behavior?!!!