160 Pounds Lighter and Feeling Great: Daryl Stuart's Duodenal Switch Story
June 17, 2024
Daryl Stuart has dreams of one day walking his daughter down the aisle for her wedding.
Suffering years of ailing health while raising his now 11-year-old daughter, he feared that this was an unlikely dream — unless he could gain control of his health.
At 390 pounds, with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar as well as a hernia, low oxygen and sleep apnea, he knew he was a ticking time bomb.
Daryl had been encouraged by many he knew who underwent bariatric surgery, and, in the process, lost weight and improved their health. Curious if he, too, could benefit, he reached out to Bariatric Surgery & Medical Weight Loss - Cary.
"Word of mouth from other people who had undergone it and had a positive experience made me feel like I could try it," says Daryl.
A Garner Connection
Upon going to his appointment, Daryl was surprised to find a familiar face — a person who had brought cheer to him over the years he went to Garner Senior High School football games back in the 1980s. It happened to be Parrish Hartgrove, RN, a WakeMed Bariatric Surgery & Medical Weight Loss program coordinator, who reviews the patient's program and follows the patient throughout the journey.
Hartgrove shares, "We met back in 1987 when I was a cheerleader for Garner Senior High School. Daryl's dad would bring him to the games, so Daryl and his dad recognized me. That year, they won the championship, and this is a celebrated accomplishment to this day."
Hartgrove worked with Daryl preoperatively, and their Garner connection put him at ease.
"Right from the start of our second meeting 35 years later, I could see his dedication to his health," recalls Hartgrove. "He wanted to live a full life for his daughter and family. I followed him throughout the journey, including post-operative care."
Daryl became fast friends with Hartgrove and relied on her for information and encouragement.
Prep Work for Surgery
He met with WakeMed bariatric surgeon, David Pilati, MD, FACS, and he felt confident that this physician would take good care of him. Dr. Pilati counseled him on the steps and what to expect from surgery. They agreed to a duodenal switch — which results in up to an 80 percent reduction in excess body weight, so Daryl began to prepare for surgery.
He was put on a liver-reduction diet. He also met with a psychiatrist, an anesthesiologist, a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and had his vital signs taken at their office.
"It was a lot of prep work involved. I lost 20 pounds before I even had surgery. The psychiatrist helped me understand the mindset I would need to go through this process. He also made sure I didn't have any eating disorders that would set me back after surgery. He really dug deep. The anesthesiologist talked me through what to expect with anesthesia. Other doctors conducted a sleep study, checked my heart for abnormalities through a stress test and made sure my vital signs were in range to endure the surgery."
Daryl had surgery on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at WakeMed Cary Hospital — right before his 42nd birthday. It took about two and a half hours and included a hiatal hernia repair.
The Duodenal Switch
In the world of bariatric surgery, the duodenal switch offers one of the greatest weight loss potentials for patients. When compared to other procedures, it also offers health benefits, including minimal risk of dumping syndrome, improved diabetes control and reduced risk for developing ulcer disease following surgery.
The duodenal switch works by creating a sleeve gastrectomy for restriction and hunger control. After the sleeve, the intestines are rerouted similar to a gastric bypass.
"I was nervous about being put under, but they reassured me. When I woke up, I was in a bit of pain, but I knew that would be the case, so I pressed through it."
Daryl found that any movement involving his abdominal muscles caused some pain — from coughing and laughing to standing and walking. He was encouraged by Hartgrove's regular visits during his hospital stay.
"I also had my wife by me the entire time, and since I'm kind of hardheaded, I didn't use a lot of the pain medications they gave me. I got right to work in doing what I had to do to get better. I told Dr. Pilati I was an overachiever."
He began walking right away, pushing himself to walk despite the pain to aid in his recovery, and two days after surgery, he was discharged home. For the next eight weeks, Daryl had to follow a dietary course that involved a liquid and soft foods diet.
"I remember when I finally got to eat scrambled eggs after two months. Those were the best scrambled eggs I ever had in my life."
Daryl joined WakeMed Bariatric Surgery Support Group, led by Hartgrove. She and other patients helped him discuss his experience and stay motivated when he would plateau in his weight loss.
Daryl's Life Today
Today, Daryl is 230 pounds. He has more energy and no longer has sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. He works out regularly and aims to eat a healthy diet. Most recently, he was able to do 16 assisted pull-ups.
He is also grateful for little things he can now do that were once impossible.
"I can tie my shoe. I can lift my leg up to bend it at 90 degrees. I can go upstairs. I can play outside in the yard with my daughter. I can get up off of the floor. I can cut my toenails. I'll tell anybody thinking about bariatric surgery to do it. It's probably the best thing I've ever done and comes with a lot of rewards. If I can do it, anyone can do it."
About WakeMed Bariatric Surgery and Medical Weight Loss
Weight Loss is a journey that starts with a single step and ends with better health. If you want to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, the team of experts at WakeMed is here for you.
From our board-certified physicians with expertise in medically-directed weight loss, to bariatric surgery and non-surgical weight loss procedures, to our multidisciplinary team of diet and exercise specialists, we enjoy working closely with our patients to determine the best path to good health. Because, in the end, it’s not just what you lose; it’s the health, confidence – and all the other good things – that you gain.
Offering a full continuum of services, WakeMed is committed to supporting patients on their journey to losing weight – or simply maintaining a weight that’s healthy for you.