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Former 'Dance Moms' Star Abby Lee Miller Undergoes Weight Loss Surgery

PITTSBURGH – Penn Hills native and former reality TV star Abby Lee Miller recently had weight loss surgery.

The former "Dance Moms" star had gastric sleeve surgery last week. The procedure reduced her stomach's size by 80 percent. Miller's stomach went from from the size of a football to the size of a banana.

Now, fans of the show are questioning why Miller had the surgery in the first place. She is scheduled to be sentenced on fraud charges next month after pleading guilty to hiding her assets from federal authorities during a bankruptcy filing. She's facing prison time.

"I think this is the right time," says Miller. "People are saying, but your sentencing is coming up in a couple of weeks and that is true. I'm really nervous about that more than the surgery, but there's no right time. Whatever happens, you'll be a little bit healthier."

Miller says she has tried to lose weight before, but got no support from the "Dance Moms" production staff. She quit the show in March, saying the producers were treating her poorly.

"They would laugh in my face. They didn't care if I was trying to be vegan. They wouldn't get a special vegan meal or anything. They just laughed and handed me a hoagie sandwich," says Miller.

Miller says she hasn't heard from the network since she left the show, but would be open to returning to the series if things changed.

"There has to be a sense of respect, there has to be creative credit," says Miller.

She also says she would be open to doing other reality TV shows, including one about her weight loss journey.

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