Hello, I was sleeved yesterday. I'm so excited to finally be on the other side. I was just told this morning that my surgeon used a size 40 bougie! I'm so scared that my surgery won't work. I'm thinking a 40 holds about 4 to 6 ounces of food. That sounds like so much! What size bougie did your surgeon use, when was your surgery, and how much weight have you lost? I'm so scared that my sleeve is to big!

Hello, I was sleeved yesterday. I'm so excited to finally be on the other side. I was just told this morning that my surgeon used a size 40 bougie! I'm so scared that my surgery won't work. I'm thinking a 40 holds about 4 to 6 ounces of food. That sounds like so much! What size bougie did your surgeon use, when was your surgery, and how much weight have you lost? I'm so scared that my sleeve is to big!

My Dr told me he is using a 38 on me. He said it was because smaller bougie's can lead to strictures?!?! Well, like you, I worried that it wouldn't be enough restriction BUT hey 85% of the tummy is gone. There has to be a good deal of restriction with that. Don't stress the things we cannot change. Try to relax, enjoy your pain meds (LOL) and take one day at a time.

Big Hugs!!!

:hugs:

Congrats on your surgery! Hope you have a quick recovery. My surgeon uses a 34 french and does not oversew the staple line. The bougie is just a guide for the surgeon. It doesn't tell you exactly how large your sleeve will be because it is dependent on how the surgeon sews and staples.

2 months postop and that's a good question for me to ask my doc. By the way "what size bougie did you use on me""

I'm down <50lbs> so it's all good!

My surgeon used a 34F bougie. And at 9 1/2 months out I can eat for example one small chilli from Wendys in about 30 minutes. I have lost about 140 pounds, but most of that was in my "Honeymoon Phase". the first six months. I have been struggling of late trying to lose the last 40 to 50 pounds.

Deb

When I asked my surgeon pre surgery he really didn't fully answer the question. What he did tell me is that the experience of the surgical team together makes quite a difference. For instance, some use a 32 and it works well, while another uses a 38, but if the surgical assistant is pulling too tight at the stomach during the procedure, you could end up with a tight spot after stapling. I'm not explaining it as well as he did, sorry. Anyways, I need to ask him again. So Kara, I think it is just a guide and technique accounts for size quite a bit too. Don't worry about all of that. I'd much rather have some room than deal with strictures or having a sleeve so tight that you can barely choke down a whole egg 2 years post op (read a post about that on here last week).

Take care!

32fr bougie, lost 138lbs in 10.5 months, and maintained my loss for a year until pregnancy weight hit.

As for bougie size, the difference between a 32fr and 40fr is a mere 2.3mm in diameter so there is minimal difference in bougie size. Surgical technique, and your own stomach length/size will determine final sleeve capacity. People with 48fr and higher bougie sizes do report a higher incidence of regain, and that is why the standard size 32-40fr was established for the sleeve procedure. 4-6oz is only 1/2-3/4 of a cup of food, get out a measuring cup and look at how little that really is compared to what you ate pre-op. Now choosing what food to take up that 4-6oz is what will help determine your ultimate long term success.

I'm almost 2 years out(on Friday will be my 2 years post-op), I have never had a stricture, nor do I have problems eating any food. Everything goes down fine, some foods settle heavy such as pork chops and scrambled eggs. Other foods like medium cooked steaks, and scallops go down just fabulous. I can eat tons of salad, and slider foods go right down without issue.

34F, oversewn to reinforce the staple line. I also have had zero complications. :thumb: <BR><BR>(My ticker says the rest!)

I am completely agree with most everybody. I had a 34F, but that is just a guide. He is the sie he prefers and he does a loose double stable line. I take in about 4 to 6 ounces at a 3 week period and I am down 33.5 lbs. His reasoning is, if it is too tight and you over eat too early, you are more at risk for busted staple lines. And you will realize soon after you start wighing out your food, 4-6 oz is absolutely nothing compared to what we use to eat. You will loose weight and you will keep it of if you follow the rules and work the plan. I know it is scary, but it is just the start of a great new life.

Best,

Steven

My surgeon will be using a 36 on me. I told him 32 seems common from what I've read here, he explained the 36 has been proven to have same weight loss result as a 32, with slightly fewer complications such as stricture but the differences are essentially negligible. He said like others posted, it's also dependent on the technique & how tight the stomach is pulled at time of stapling. Also he is going to a conference 6/13 (the week before my surgery) and if he hears any new research pointing to another size we'd discuss it pre-op.

Size 32 and I am 9 months out and have lost 54,8 (so far ),,,my surgeon did say there is not a big difference, he just uses 32.

Thanks for all the replies everyone. After speaking with the second surgeon in the room, I was assured that they do a very tight 40. Right along the bougie. This is so I have less swallowing issues and less foamies. Things of that nature. I have faith that I will lose the weight and I can use this tool and get amazing results. It's just when I heard 40 I got so scared that it was way bigger then a 32. According to my surgeon and the second surgeon in the room, they both said my sleeve looks like the best the ever performed. My insides were clean and easy to work with. If that's the case, I hope I heal fast and start losing like crazy! LOL... thank you all for your support!

Thanks for all the replies everyone. After speaking with the second surgeon in the room, I was assured that they do a very tight 40. Right along the bougie. This is so I have less swallowing issues and less foamies. Things of that nature. I have faith that I will lose the weight and I can use this tool and get amazing results. It's just when I heard 40 I got so scared that it was way bigger then a 32. According to my surgeon and the second surgeon in the room, they both said my sleeve looks like the best the ever performed. My insides were clean and easy to work with. If that's the case, I hope I heal fast and start losing like crazy! LOL... thank you all for your support!

I know this about you- you are so good at following a program girl you are going to ROCK your sleeve- I can tell. This tool will do it for you- I know from getting to know you!

For what its worth my doctor uses a 34 but truly from seeing some of the hard times people have eating here I think you will be in great shape since I know you will follow all the rules and your sleeve is nice and small yet not so small as to have possible problems.

I LOVED seeing your hospital vid yesterday! xoxo

Hey Kara, I just had my sleeve done in Austria, where they use a bigger bougie than US/Mexico. Don't know mine exactly, but it's probably between 36 and 40 -- pretty sure my surgeon would scoff at telling me and I decided I don't want to know because I don't want to use it as an excuse.

A larger bougie PROBABLY means we could eventually eat more than some... but it also means potentially fewer side effects! At first, I was worried about it too... like you. I have decided NOT to worry, because NO size sleeve can stop you from cheating or screwing it up if you're determined

My advice for myself (and you is: Don't worry about it. Don't even think about it. Don't invent problems where there aren't any. Eat small portions of 2-3oz, like everybody else says. If you ever think it's making you hungrier than some, then figure out which foods fill you up better and last longer, and follow all the rules about liquids.

Welcome to the other side

34f then oversewn. I'm going on 3 wks -25 lbs and no problems so far!!