I had gastric bypass surgery and GAINED 5lbs: Morbidly obese mother fails to lose weight after 'live-saving' operation



A morbidly obese woman who was transferred to a hospital for potentially life-saving gastric bypass surgery on the newest episode of TLC's My 600lb Life has failed to lose any weight.



Maryland native Penny, a 46-year-old mother-of-one, has been bedridden for the past four years after a lifetime of overeating led to her tipping the scales at more than 600lbs.

In last night's episode, seven months after a team of medics moved her from her bed into a van, which brought her to Houston, Texas, for the procedure, it was revealed Penny had actually put on 5lbs.



Scroll down for video

After Penny, a morbidly obese mother, was transferred to a hospital for potentially life-saving gastric bypass surgery on the newest episode of TLC's My 600lb Life, she has failed to lose any weight

In the lead up to surgery, Penny lost 40lbs in three months under the supervision of Dr Jonathan Nowzaradan.



Before her long journey to hospital, her son Liam is seen crawling onto her bed to say goodbye. Penny chokes back tears as she asks the boy: 'What can we say besides goodbye? See you later?'

Her husband Edgar is seen outside explaining to the medics how he plans on getting his wife into the van for the road trip. He then backs the car up to the front door and opens the trunk, awaiting her arrival.

WATCH: Penny goes to hospital for gastric bypass surgery in My 600lb Life

In last night's episode of TLC's my 600lb Life, Maryland native Penny, who has been bed-ridden for four years, was transported to hospital for gastric bypass that she hopes was hoped to save her life A group of medics had to push bedridden Penny through the house and outside, where she was transferred to a van driven by her husband Edgar Husband Edgar explains to the medics how he plans on getting his wife into the van for the road trip. He then backed the car up to the front door and opens the trunk, awaiting her arrival

Her son Liam crawled onto her bed. Penny choked back tears as she asked the boy: 'What can we say besides goodbye? See you later?' 'No, I don't want to see you crying,' he says

Meanwhile, in the house, it takes three people to push Penny on her mattress up to the bedroom doorway. 'This is it, girl!' one of them says optimistically.



Once she reaches the doorway, Penny has to lift herself up off the bed and through the doorway to a gurney in the hall, which she does with much exertion. 'Take your time,' says one of the workers. 'You got it?'

'I think I do,' says Penny before collapsing onto the gurney out of breath. The workers then roll her through the kitchen, out the front door and into the open trunk.

Once the medic pushed her to the door, Penny had to lift herself up off the bed and through the doorway, which she did with much exertion

Penny then collapses on a gurney, and the workers rolled her through the kitchen, out the front door and into the open trunk

Once she's in the van, Penny holds her husband's hand and begins to pray.

'This is not a journey of one person,' she says. 'This is a journey of a family, of a child who loves his mother. You are the one who will lay out this journey safely for all of us.'

At the end of the clip, one of Penny's family members says to the camera: 'This is it, this is her last chance. I don't give her five years at this point. Her health is just getting worse and worse.'

Another admits: 'Ultimately I think it comes down to if Penny chooses if she's going to live or die.'

After the family had spent four years saving up for the procedure, u ndergoing gastric bypass surgery to slim down was Penny's last bid to turn her life around and be an actively supportive parent.

Once in the van, Penny says: 'This is not a journey of one person. This is a journey of a family, of a child who loves his mother'

One of Penny's family members says: 'This is it, this is her last chance. I don't give her five years at this point. Her health is just getting worse and worse' But following the surgery Penny fails to lose any weight at all, despite being put on a 1,200 calorie a day diet.

One month after the surgery, Penny was sent home from the hospital - but quickly reverted back to her bad eating habits and was soon missing hospital appointments and weigh-ins.

By month six, she still hadn't lost any weight and still could not stand up or walk.

Dr Nowzaradan finally asked Penny to return to hospital in month seven and finds that she has actually put on 5lbs, taking her weight back up to 495lbs.

The family spent four years saving up for the procedure, which costs on average $22,000

Undergoing gastric bypass surgery to slim down was Penny's last bid to turn her life around and be an actively supportive parent

In an emotional scene, he tells her after a year, there is nothing more he can do her for - and Penny and husband Edgar, along with Liam return to Maryland.

According to her bio on the TLC website, Penny's weight troubles began during childhood, when she was abused by her father.

She began eating more and getting heavier and heavier, viewing her body as a defense tool and using it to protect herself and her sisters.

Shortly after she and Edgar had their son, Penny's weight had escalated so far that she became bedridden. Consequently, she has been unable to walk independently for the majority of Liam's life.

One month after the surgery, Penny was sent home from the hospital - but quickly reverted back to her bad eating habits and was soon missing hospital appointments and weigh-ins

By month six, she still hadn't lost any weight and still could not stand up or walk. Dr Nowzaradan finally asked Penny to return to hospital in month seven and finds that she has actually put on 5lbs

Also featured on this season is 43-year-old Zsalynn from San Antonio, Texas, who is so heavy that she is essentially immobile and spends most of her days watching seven to eight hours of TV.

After embracing her larger body for much of her life, she has finally decided to lose weight in order to be a better mother to her nine-year-old daughter.

Texas native Chuck, a 45-year-old tow truck driver, also stars in an upcoming episode of the show.

Chuck's weight spiraled out of control after a string of tragic incidents in his life: in 2006, his wife was murdered, and shortly after that both his mother and stepfather passed away.

According to her bio on the TLC website, Penny's weight troubles began during childhood, when she was abused by her father

Penny began eating more and getting heavier and heavier, viewing her body as a defense tool and using it to protect herself and her sisters

Shortly after she and Edgar had their son, Penny's weight had escalated so far that she became bedridden. Consequently, she has been unable to walk independently for the majority of Liam's life

Confined to the couch most of the time, Chuck has decided now is the time to get healthy so that he can live to see his son grow up.

And 38-year-old James from Frankston, Texas, still lives with his mother, who cooks him dinners every day even though he gets fast food on his way home from work.

Both James' father and older sister have passed away due to obesity-related issues, and he knows that he needs to take action if he doesn't want to succumb to the same fate.