Testimonial
If you've read the other patient testimonials, then you've got a pretty good idea of my history. I gained gradually, over time. Tried all sorts of diets and gained it all back. I had decided that I didn't ever want weight-loss surgery (not that anyone actually WANTS it) because I knew several people who had it and were still very overweight. Then I met Diane. She told me about her Duodenal Switch (by a surgeon in Atlanta). She was happy and looking great. She was also a Nurse Practitioner, so I knew she made an informed decision. And the DS surgery sounded like the trade-offs were more bearable for me. So I researched and found Dr. Husted. It was perfect because while I live in St. Louis, I'm from Nashville and my family is still there.

Everything went great. There were a couple of small hiccups in the hospital: 1) My gallbladder was tucked too far into my liver to be removed, so I'm hanging onto it for a while. 2) I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes in the hospital (But I am off insulin at only 6 weeks post-surgery and my sugar is normal!). 3) I was wrongly diagnosed by the hospital staff (Not Dr. Husted's staff) with high blood pressure and put on a Nitroglycerin patch -- which was miserable. It turned out they were taking my blood pressure in the wrong place with the wrong cuff. But other than those little setbacks, everything went great. I felt much better than expected and thanks to a little pain pump called a Cueball, I had virtually no incision pain.

Dr. Husted and his staff (This means you, Jennifer!) have been incredibly good to me. I got an infection in the incision about 3 weeks post-op and they were right on top of it. And they have made this process better than I ever thought possible. I am only about 9 weeks out, but I feel great and my energy is getting back to normal. Actually, better than it was before the surgery. The weight is coming off and I do not for one minute regret doing this. It's been amazing. And the fact that the weight loss is real and permanent is slowly sinking in.

UPDATE March, 2005 - I am now just over seven months out and feeling amazing. I have lost almost 200 pounds and my energy is way up. I find that I move differently, go up and down stairs differently, have more confidence and am even starting to date some! Luckily, the weight continues to
come off pretty quickly, but if it stopped tomorrow, it would have been worth it a hundred times over. And it's all thanks to Dr. Husted and his staff.