So, I was watching a video by dr Alvarez and he said that if you have a larger stomach he uses a larger bougie and smaller stomach =smaller bougie.

Them I see se surgeons say they use x size, always.

I've also heard people say " I think my sleeve is bigger than others, I can eat way more than other sleeve patients". I don't want that!!! Where can I read about drs success rates? Maybe that is what I need to be looking at?

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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.

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!

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.

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!!

My doc used a 34

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

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.

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.

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.

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(

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

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

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.

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

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.