I just read my post operative report today and the doctor used a 40 in bougie! I am thinking...now that must be too large...Lord, please let me have significant weight loss (which hasnt happened yet) I am 9 days out and only 3 pounds lighter than the day of surgery! This doesn't sound good to me and I read on a post somewhere else that a larger bougie makes it harder to maintain weight loss down the line...HELP!!! Somebody please have statistics that are better than what I have seen...otherwise, I just spent thousands and had pain for nothing!

There's no such thing as a 40 INCH bougie. It's measured in millimeters and it's TINY. Your bougie size is not going to affect how much weight you lose, at least not significantly. The difference between a 32 and a 40 bougie is smaller than the lenghth of the word bougie on your screen!

Here's a picture that may help:

I still dont understand what a bougie is. Can someone explain pls?

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Lissa is absolutely correct.

I believe, if you look closer, your paperwork will say 40 fr, not 40 in, which stands for 40 French Bougie.

Bougie is the device they put into your stomach as a guide for the size of your sleeve when they sew it.

Do a search on this site for bougie ... you will get a ton of hits and explanations.

OMG!! My paperwork says 54 size bougie!! Maybe cause i was only 81 lbs overwiegh?

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Every time I see the word "bougie", I hear "Do the hustle!" I think I just dated myself horribly!

I still dont understand what a bougie is. Can someone explain pls?

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Bougie: A thin cylinder of rubber, plastic, metal or another material that a physician inserts into or though a body passageway, such as the esophagus, to diagnose or treat a condition. A bougie may be used to widen a passageway, guide another instrument into a passageway, or dislodge an object.

In our case the bougie is used as a guide for the cutting of the stomach.

Every time I see the word "bougie", I hear "Do the hustle!" I think I just dated myself horribly!

Lissa I really love your responses. You crack me up sometimes. Great sense of humor.

Enid, Are you short? Our height affects the size of our sleeve as much as, maybe more than, the bougie size. A tall person, like me at 5'8, is going to have more capacity in the long run than a 5'0" tall person. That's because I have a longer stomach than a shorter person would have.

If you're short, your doctor may have used a larger bougie in order to give you the same stomach capacity I get from a 32 bougie.

BTW, the bougie is more of a guide for the surgeon's tool than anything else. The anesthetist runs the bougie tube down through your stomach and the surgeon uses it as a cutting guide. There are a couple of good videos that have been posted that are NOT of actual surgery. I watched them post-op and they are very interesting as far as understanding what has been done to us. Search for the word bougie and video on the main page and it will hopefully show you those posts.

Storm, I'm the comic relief around here, I think. Besides, a little humor never hurt any of us... unless we're really early post-op!

Lissa you just made me laugh really hard...and sorry for the typo it does say 40fr. I was just concerned over what it means long term. I want to lose the weight but I also want to keep the restriction to be able to keep it off...just a little frustrated!

_{Thanks Lisa...I am 5 feet 1 and perhaps that is why he used a 40 fr...well just as long as I am able to be successful years out ---I am happy!}

DivaK, Your long-term success depends more on you than on the bougie. IF you're determined to keep the weight off, you will do it. The sleeve is an awesome tool, but it's just a tool. I love mine, don't get me wrong, but I know I have to do the head work and keep my head in the game in order to succeed long-term.

doo doo doo doodoo doodoo do do- do the hustle!

Enid' date=' Are you short? Our height affects the size of our sleeve as much as, maybe more than, the bougie size. A tall person, like me at 5'8, is going to have more capacity in the long run than a 5'0" tall person. That's because I have a longer stomach than a shorter person would have.

If you're short, your doctor may have used a larger bougie in order to give you the same stomach capacity I get from a 32 bougie.

BTW, the bougie is more of a guide for the surgeon's tool than anything else. The anesthetist runs the bougie tube down through your stomach and the surgeon uses it as a cutting guide. There are a couple of good videos that have been posted that are NOT of actual surgery. I watched them post-op and they are very interesting as far as understanding what has been done to us. Search for the word bougie and video on the main page and it will hopefully show you those posts. <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />[/quote']

Thank u lisa. By the way im 5'5

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9 days out and 3 pounds is very good. I had surgery June 4th, I weighed 229. On June 9, I was 235. Most people gain weight right after surgery due to swelling, the IV's, gas, etc. Follow your plan, drink your Water, take your Vitamins, and follow the plan, low carbs, high Protein and you will lose.

Congrats on being on this side, 3 pounds is nothing to sneeze at 9 days after surgery, you probably gained 5-6 after surgery.