Hello

[Guest guest]

My name is Cunningham. I had my LAP RNY on June 5, 2002. I

always remember being the " big girl " in my life and had tried every

diet and diet aid known to man before my surgery. Nutra system,

Craig, Weight Watchers, merida, phen-pen, OA, you name it I had

been there. I am 5'4 " and the week before my surgery weighted in at

261, Im sure after my week of " last meals " that amount was higher,

but use 261 as my offical start weight. I was a size 24 in womans

clothes. I was on 5 different blood pressure meds and still my BP

was running high. I was also diagnosed as needing a hip replacement

due to a childhood injury in the growth plate of my left thigh.Two

years ago I was walking with a cane. Even though I was always on the

large size,I constantly tried to diet, worked out in a circuit

training gym 3 times a week and had a good self image (I thought) was

very successful at work was married to a man that loved me although

my weight was always an issue in our relationship.

Having hip replacement surgery at at close to 300 pounds scared the

life out of me. I had several friends that had RNY surgery and saw

how successful they were and decided that I now had the radical

reason to take control of my life.

This past year has been nothing but amazing! I have lost 103 pounds,

and now weigh 158 pounds, I went from a size 24W in womans clothes to

a size 6. I am totally off all BP meds and now have LOW BP without

any meds. I still need hip replacement surgery, but I am no longer

using a cane to get around, and the surgeon that will do the

replacement told me I should " Breeze right through recovery since I

was so little " I really did look behind me to see who he was talking

to.

I have gotten very involved in several different WLS support groups

here in Philadelphia and the burbs. I feel as if I can't keep my

success a secret and find myself talking to most anyone who will

listen. I have also started acting in a local dinner theater group

on the weekends, something I would have never even dreamed of doing

when I was size 24.

So here I am, hoping to make even more new friends on this wonderful

journey. I hope I have lots to share with all of you, and that I can

learn from you " old timers " ... so in advance, thanks for being there

and I look forward to getting to know you all.

Thanks for the support

Cunningham

LAP RNY 6.5.02

Dr Noel

Hospital University of Pennsylvania

start 261/ current 158

start size 24w/ current size 6