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I'm pre op so I can't answer from experience but I did ask my surgeon he said he used a 40f and stayed tight against it. He said a 40 is the smallest Lighted Bougie they have and with it being lighted he can see exactly where to staple. He said he has heard of surgeons actually stapling into the Bougie and it being a mess to deal with and he would rather be safe than sorry.

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Bogie size doesn't really matter. You could have a 32 loose or a 40 tight that are the same size. It is just a guide for the surgeons. It depends how tight they pull the skin around it. Mine did a 36 tight.

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Bougie size doesn't matter- don't get all caught up with it. Doctors may pull loosely or tightly around one- Yada Yada. Just focus on eating what your NUT says and exercising!

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I like this post a lot. It's very informative. I was wondering if a 38 was one of the bigger ones, but if he pulls tight then it may not be much. And I like what Lissa said about it being very minimal. If it's sized by millimeters just remember how tiny a millimeter really is. You can look on a ruler and they are the 2nd smallest lines on there, right? So not much difference really.

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I just went to his seminar and he said he always uses a 32 now because it is better in his opinion and you get better restriction.

I have a 32 and still after almost 27 months since surgery, I still have good restriction!!

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My doc used a 34

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Dr. Kelly uses a 36 but then he sews over the staple line, so I guess it would be about a 34

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I have no idea what mine is -- my surgeon was already annoyed that I didn't speak German, so I didn't push it on the questions I wasn't that fussed about. And bougie size fell within that category. So, whatever I got, it's worked out well for me. I can eat relatively a lot to what most people seem to be able to eat, but I like it that way.

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I had a 32 and I like the amount of restriction. I don't think it's too much especially being 7 months out. I can eat around 2.5-3 ounces of Protein and a few bites of veggies. I personally do think that the way the surgeon does it is important. Also. Dr. Cirangle did a study that the larger sleeves (over 40F I believe) resulted in the same excess weight loss but resulted in a bigger weight regain. So he started doing 32F sleeves and the weight regain is less than with the larger bougies.

However, I think anything between a 32F and a 40F should be absolutely fine for long term weight loss and maintenance.

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Well you got me to thinking so I called the dr. office and found out.. My doctor uses a 40, unless there are other issues involved. Mine will be a 40.. and I am 5'6", long torso female. He also staples, cuts, and cauterizes the "seam" to lessen the possibility of leakage.. I am less worried about the surgery itself than I am what life would be like if I don't have it.

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I had mine 8 days ago with size 40f and no problem whatsoever, the only issue is I am not losing any weight and I feel like having a T-bone steak :0(

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I just had mine 7 days ago. Follow me on utube. Look up 39 hours before my gastric sleeve surgery. You will be able to see all the stages I went through

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Hello everyone....i'm still pre-op and hoping for a Jan 2013 date......

I was actually thinking of asking the surgeon if he could give me a 'larger sleeve'......this is my thinking....I wuold love to eat the amount a naturally thin person eats and be full....but i wouldnt love to eat 1-2 tablespoons and be full.....i mean that would be ok for the first month or so in recovery but i wouldnt love that for the rest of my life.....

i know many women who r tiny and eat slice of pizza either alone or maybe with a salad and are full...menawhile i need several slices..usually 4...sometimes 5....and i have many times eaten the entire pie in one sitting...(but only when i order it delivered---if i eat out i get 2 slices and sometimes go back for a 3rd).....9i mention this so u all can see the carn moster i am dealing with)...

having said that.....i would love to be able to eat 1 slice---or 1 slice with a side salad and be done.......so is asking for a larger sleeve a reality? is my thinking flawed?

will a larger sleev slow my wt loss?

I see you all have stressed that there isnt much difference in the bougie size and it depends on if its a tight stitch etc......i understand that.....but having said that....and correct me if i'm wrong....but wouldnt those extra mm left behind allow for more stretching whie eating so maybe while not allowing for stretching its only 2tsp or 2tb difference---once food is ingested is it accurate that those few mm would allow for say 1/3 or 1/2 more of a sandwich?

i don't want to overeat anymore but i dont want to et like a cancer patient either......i there ny way of adjuting the pouch so i can eat less but normal???

any insight would be appreciated...thx

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I have a larger sleeve I think -- though I don't know the actual size. I've been able to eat more than most right from the start. It hasn't hindered my weight-loss, and I specifically didn't want to get down to very low-cal eating; rather, to be at 1200+ asap after surgery. I also never lost my appetite, which has helped in terms of keeping calories up. I lost fairly steadily and not so fast, but I lost nearly everything, still hovering a few pounds above my 'goal' -- which was arbitrary and completely random. :D

So yeah, I definitely think it can be done with a bigger sleeve. FWIW.

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My Doctor used a size 34. It seems as if the size 34 is the most used size according to the searches that I did.

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    • Doughgurl

      2 days until I fly out to San Diego to have my Bypass Surg. in Tiajuana Mexico. Not gonna lie, the nerves are starting to surface. I don't fear the surgery itself, or the fact that I'm traveling alone, but its the aftermath that I'm stressing about the most, after this 8 week wait. I'm excited to finally be here, but I am really dreading the post surgical chapter. I know its going to be tough, real tough and I think I'm just in my head to much now that the day i here. Wish me luck, Hopefully I'm one of the lucky ones, and everything goes smoothly. Cant wait to give an exciting update,. If there is anyone else have a June bypass or even a recent one, Id love to have someone to compare war stories with. Also, anyone near San Antonio Tx? See ya soon with the future me. 💜
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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