Hi all. This is my 2nd post...yay!!!

OK, I've read posts where people claim that, for the most part, bougie size doesn't matter. However, I wonder if that is still true for a patient with over 200lbs to lose?

I've searched this forum to find people with over 200+ lbs to lose, but not many people list what bougie size was used on them. I am wondering if their success was at least in part due to bougie size.

Here's my personal dilemma: I am about 99% sure of the surgeon I want to use for my upcoming VSG. He uses 36 fr and oversews (Dr. Ramos-Kelly). However, there is a user on here who's lost well over 200 lbs that went to Dr. Almanza, who uses 32 fr. So I started wondering if perhaps the 32 fr was a better choice. Now, that's not to discount the fact that a lot of hard work weighs heavily into the equation as well. But I'd just like to hear other's thoughts on the differences in bougie size (specifically, 32 vs 36) and those of us with hundreds of pounds to lose. Thanks!

Carla (aka CJ_Redux)

Well, I'm 6'1" and have a 30" inseam (short stubly legs), so, my stomach, in theory, should be longer than all y'all. I have crazy restriction 11 months out. As long as you follow the rules of not drinking with your meal and eating your Protein first, you will feel the restriction, too.

Don't follow the rules ... your results will vary. It is up to you, not your sleeve.

As pointed out, the size of the bougie really doesn't matter. I can see where a person with the largest size and a longer stomach might be able to eat 6 small bites of dinner where a person with the smallest size could eat 5 bites ... do you really think that 1 additional bite is going to make THAT big of a difference?

If you think so, then walk 10 additional minutes each day and there you go.

CJ, I wasn't going to post to this one because everyone else has answered your question very thoroughly. However, I'm 5'8 and my bougie is a 36 (I think). I have the same surgeon as LML above and he didn't even mention bougie until I asked about it. I've lost, so far, over 100 pounds in 9 months and a week. I have no doubt that I will get to goal. I still have great restriction on the amount of food I can eat, even though I suspect I have a longer stomach than many women.

I can eat ONE taco, if I remove most of the lettuce. I assume that I'm completely healed from my surgery with no swelling left, so this should be my capacity from here on out.

I don't think the bougie size will make a difference to your long-term weight loss. Exercise and eating right will make a bigger difference. Even more important is your Water intake, IMO. My unofficial observation is that those who stick primarily to water for their drinks seem to lose faster and larger amounts of weight.

good luck!!

Pdxman: You always put a smile on my face!

Pdxman: You always put a smile on my face!

That is just ONE of my jobs here.

I just want to suggest that taller people do not have longer stomachs and may not allow for more food. There is a thread here somewhere with information about this topic. A study was done of stomach sizes in deceased people, and even though people had some organs that were different sizes than other people and proportionate to their overall size, there was not a lot of variation in stomach size. Maybe the esophagus is longer? I don't know, but I do think that the theory that taller people can eat more isn't correct.

I also believe that the sleeved stomach will not stretch much as it is not made with the fundus, the stretchy part of the stomach. JMHO.

Oh geez, CamarilloCA! I was using my height as the reason for why I eat so much. Thanks a lot for debunking my reasoning!

Ok, I'm gonna ask this:

Surgery last July 2011, lost 120lbs since 6month supervised until now. I have at least 200 to lose overall at least! My husband also has pretty much the same stats (surgery Aug 2011). We both have a 34bougie. We can eat alot....we can eat a piece of chicken, veggies and part of baked pototoe to give you an idea...of course we are full...but no reprecussions at all...never have thrown up....if feeling full...it is brief...like 10mins....of course we can eat slider stuff....but even when we eat protein first....I am sad to say I'm shocked to see people can only eat 4oz...really???? I can eat a turkey burger on a bun with fries(if i chose to). I was so happy that neither of us suffered any problems, sickness or complications....I won't say it has been easy but not overall a challenge. We are so glad to have done this but I'm still over 300lbs and I'm beginning to wonder if dieting(which I could have done without the surgery) is all my future holds because it looks like we can eat pretty much anything we want. I thought maybe it was the bougie size, we are both tall or did our surgeon leave too much stomach....or are we just doomed to suffering forever with this? Ah well....I've done this since I was 5...it's all I've ever known.

Thanks for listening, Tracy

I have no repercussions when I eat more, and I can eat more than before at 9 months post op. But only on some days. I just choose not to eat that much more because of my fear of gaining weight and going back into my old habits. I am so fortunate because i really don't like bread that much and I try to avoid it. I have chosen not to eat pasta's and rice also. I am working on fighting my head hunger. I really don't need that much food to survive. It's just a habit that I have and an irrational thoughts that I want more food, even when i am full sitting with the plate in front of me. Now when I have a small portion in front of me, I am now stopping when I'm full and discarding the left overs. Fighting the belief that I have to clean my plate. It is a battle but with developing new habits, I will over come that.

Ok' date=' I'm gonna ask this:

Surgery last July 2011, lost 120lbs since 6month supervised until now. I have at least 200 to lose overall at least! My husband also has pretty much the same stats (surgery Aug 2011). We both have a 34bougie. We can eat alot....we can eat a piece of chicken, veggies and part of baked pototoe to give you an idea...of course we are full...but no reprecussions at all...never have thrown up....if feeling full...it is brief...like 10mins....of course we can eat slider stuff....but even when we eat Protein first....I am sad to say I'm shocked to see people can only eat 4oz...really???? I can eat a turkey burger on a bun with fries(if i chose to). I was so happy that neither of us suffered any problems, sickness or complications....I won't say it has been easy but not overall a challenge. We are so glad to have done this but I'm still over 300lbs and I'm beginning to wonder if dieting(which I could have done without the surgery) is all my future holds because it looks like we can eat pretty much anything we want. I thought maybe it was the bougie size, we are both tall or did our surgeon leave too much stomach....or are we just doomed to suffering forever with this? Ah well....I've done this since I was 5...it's all I've ever known.

Thanks for listening, Tracy[/quote']

I think you kinda missed something. Let me tell you what I see here, you open talking about how much you can eat in one setting, then move on to empty carbs & fried starches then moved on to how you could have done this w/o the surgery.

I have to say, my opinion differs. If you are filling your stomach to capacity on a regular basis, it will expand to accomidate more. Also if you evaluated your diet I bet you'd find a bunch of excess calories (breads & potatoes) that aren't providing any nourishment & are hindering your loss.

Your journey is yours to control. But I will say, if you choose to fill your sleeve to capacity with high carb options, YES, you're journey is gonna be a long one.

And to keep it real, if you could have done this w/o WLS, why didn't you?

Doctor used a 28/30 F for me. . and at 3 years out I still have tons of restriction and can't eat more then 6oz at a meal. . . I still have to chew, chew, chew and eat slowly, sometimes takes me 45 minutes to finish a meal, depending on what it is. . I still get the slimies, I still have the gurgling tummy, and still have to sip my drinks. . . actually I've become quite the lady! hahaha. . .it's easier for me to "watch" what i'm doing and it's not hard to maintain my weight. . .I've surpassed my doctors goal for me and am livin' life to the fullest now. . .

I hear what you are saying and you are right in many ways...but one clarification....I said I COULD eat this at a setting to show capacity...not that I do this every meal or every day. Most meals on most days I do exactly what I'm supposed to down to liquid, exercise etc....I'm just saying I thought I wouldn't be able to and I thought I'd just be able to be like a normal person/eater but it appears like I will have to be more like a dieter to get futher. Hope that makes more sense! Thanks, Tracy

Bemabound: I had similar thoughts also. But then I asked myself this question, "how do normal people eat?" Who is to clarify normal? So i look at my family and they all eat really fast, and way too much food. I look at people in restaurants, and wow, they eat way tooooooo much! I was at souplantation and 2 guys around the age of 30 had a table full of plates of food that they had consumed. I was totally shocked by how much they ate! Plus they wasted a lot of food also. One guy had at least 12 bowls of soups and pastas. I look at friends eating and they eat a lot too. So what is normal. I try to eat slow but struggle with slowing down. I have never gotten sick from eating too fast, at times I have been uncomfortably full. But that's it. I can eat more now, and that really scares the hell out of me. Anyways, sorry for the rant. But what is your normal?

Hum...well, that is a great question! I used to be able to eat two fully loaded cheeseburgers, fries and dessert or several pieces of chicken, full baked potatoe and veggies so......because I have the CAPACITY to eat one piece of chicken, half a baked pototoe and a few brocolli spears seems "normal" to me... overall I can eat about a third of what I could before which has gotten me 120lbs down....I guess I'm trying to redefine what "normal" should be now because my version is still to much and that is hard for my "chubby" brain to grasp! Thanks,T

I think you answered your own question there - what you describe as being able to eat (CAPACITY to eat one piece of chicken, half a baked potato and a few broccoli spears) and feel "normal" - that sounds very normal to me - at goal, maintenance. So for now you have to follow a "diet" to lose, but when you get to goal you will be able to eat "normal" and maintain!

Hum...well, that is a great question! I used to be able to eat two fully loaded cheeseburgers, fries and dessert or several pieces of chicken, full baked potatoe and veggies so......because I have the CAPACITY to eat one piece of chicken, half a baked pototoe and a few brocolli spears seems "normal" to me... overall I can eat about a third of what I could before which has gotten me 120lbs down....I guess I'm trying to redefine what "normal" should be now because my version is still to much and that is hard for my "chubby" brain to grasp! Thanks,T

But if even if your boogie's big don't you have no gremlins in there anymore?

(I bet someone gets that).