My 600 lb Life- Penny

Is anyone else incredibly frustrated with this episode on TLC tonight?

Ummm yeah, for to many reasons to list. I think we all agree she needed more than just a restrictive procedure. I think we "all" think that anyway. That's what I believe to be true. He said her sleeve was now the size of a banana??? I would like to know if that is why she still can "have" an appitite like that? Or maybe he didn't remove enough of the fundus. I was just amazed that she could eat the way she was eating, that early out... I also think, Wow this woman could have been rid of the whole insulin taking, if she just would have had the right surgery. So much more to say, but I don't want to come off as judgmental. This was a bad situation from the start....

Last season the doctor did RNY's on patients... this season sleeve gastrectomies.... her BMI was in the 80s, I think!     I'm yelling DUODENAL SWITCH at the TV!

It just seems INCONCEIVABLE that the studies proving the DS to be the best in these situations can be ignored.

The procedure is failing the patient!

I did see one episode last year where a high school boy was given a DS.  He was eating pizza, pasta, cookies and total junk food and didn't lose what he was supposed to.  Maybe because he was so young he was given a really long common channel?  If I ate 1/10th of what he was eating I'd be sick for a month!  It was not a very good portrayal of what a wonderful tool the DS really is.

Not sure, but I think last season was actually filmed a few years ago. 

I don't know that I would trust that Doc myself, but he seems to take a lot of high risk patients and not sure if TLC is paying for the procedure or if the doc donates them to those who agree to be on the show. 

 

Naturally, the night before my last surgery was when they had the Henry episode, then at the end it said. In memoriam of Henry.

I can't understand why Dr. Nowardan continues to do just RNY and Gastric sleeve when the weight regain percentage is so high compared to the DS.  There are only 2 reasons I can think of...

1. He only does RNY.  This is unthinkable that he would rather put his patients' lives at risk rather than refer them to another surgeon.  He does state that in the beginning of the show that the success rate is less than 5%.  Those are really lousy odds! Or...

2.  They are so big he is concerned about the radical nature of the DS, which is clearly a far superior procedure for long term success.

In either case I agree Penny needed something more than the Gastric Sleeve, however with her (and her husband's) attitude I don't know if she would have been successful at all.  She clearly is in total denial about her situation and her own accountability.

That was a really tragic story.

I saw this on the homepage and had to comment on it!  I was sooo baffled by the episode.  It wasn't the type of surgery that I was concerned about; I also have the sleeve only and I had a very high BMI and I've been very successful with the sleeve.  Actually, a lot of doctors will do the sleeve first on patients like Penny and then add the DS part later.  Any kind of small surgery is a very high risk one with patients that large. Performing the DS may be too much at once for them. 

What had me completely confused was how this woman could not lose any weight! Even if her husband was sneaking in milkshakes and ice cream to her, which would not fill you up and is empty calories, how could she have consumed enough while in the hospital to not lose a pound?? I am still really shocked.  Also, her attitude was horrible.  The way she was scoffing and making snide comments while the nutritionist was there had me really angry.  That's not the kind of example she should be setting for her child at all. When you have let your eating habits and weight get so out of control that you cant stand up or get out of the bed without the help of firemen, you need to humble yourself and accept the help that's given to you!! Grrrr, she made me angry!

Someone on another forum said the doctor said, when he was talking about her continued non-compliance and the failure to loose even any weight, that she showed she was "invested in" being exactly how she was. I watched it again to get more of what he said & I think he said invested in her disability.

It was in that time talking to us that he said that because of her resistance, he was not going to do "the next surgery" which could only be tbe DS.

yes, it seemed evident that her sleeve was a heck larger than any new one I've heard spoken of here.

I have a classmate, on disability because of a bmi over 60 & overweight. I told her that her Medicare would pay for wls, but she was afraid of losing her disability rating. Sad, but not anyone else's choice... But I tried, telling her that her other independent conditions were enough in themselves.

If she had lost a hundred pounds, she could have least gotten out of the scooter & chair that distinguished her days & nights and actually walked again.

I am sorry your friend won't take advantage of the WLS option. Disability won't rush in and disqualify her. I am sure that she has other things that contribute to her disability. 

Penny needs to shed a large pile of weight(her husband) then work on her self, As long as that jerk is around she will not be successful,

I understand there are guys that prefer large women, but if you love someone, I would think you would rather they improve their health,  rather than going off to a possibly early death.

Wow interesting - I was always baffled as to why people waited until they were at such a high BMI before doing anything and disability benefits hadn't crossed my mind... now that episode where Homer Simpson realizes he's heavy enough to get disability suddenly comes flooding back, he he