Chime in if you know yours...

I'm 3 months and a week out. I can eat 4 oz of a sirloin steak - I feel full but its not a "stuffed" feeling - like I could hold more if i ate it, but I cut myself off. My surgeon used a 40fr. bougie (pulled my records for other reasons and saw that). What size was yours? How is your restriction? At first I felt restriction much more so than now, but the swelling went away pretty quick... Im eating 900-1100 calories a day....

curious about everyone else and their experience.

No bougie my doctor used the scope I have a smallish sleeve. I can put down about 4 oz of steak if I work at it. Normally I only allow about 15 to 20 minutes per meal time and so I only get about 3 in..

I have a 56 boogie due to achalasia. I can eat a cup of dense protein. Lost 60 lbs at 6 months out

36fr bougie. Almost nine weeks post op, surgery was 2/04/2013. I cannot eat 4 oz of sirloin steak in one sitting but I could probably eat 2 oz at a time of dense protein.

Bougie size totally depends on age, gender, health issues, etc. My surgeon did not give me a choice on bougie size the first time in late 2008 (he said he used the "standard size" 36 he uses on most of his otherwise healthy patients) and I always thought it was too big because ALL weight loss was VERY slow and difficult, so I went back to him this last December and had him re-sleeve me for a 32 bougie, which is pretty much the norm for a small bougie...some people like larger bougies for more comfortable eating, but I don't really care about food (it interrupts my day), so this was not an issue to me. I think being a still young man, you will do just fine with the size bougie you have.

My surgeon used a 34 bougie on me and I have great restriction. I eat about 1200 calories a day. I can eat about 3 ozs of a dense protein. I am at goal right now. I love my sleeve....

36fr. Plenty of restriction 3 weeks out. Eating and drinking is still an all day event.

Mine was a 32 and I'm 3 weeks out. I can't get much down at all.

Also to those who are preop and concerned about bougie size. There is very little difference on size and the smaller the bougie the higher risk for leaks.

38 here! My surgeon does the 38 standard. Through his experience this size provides the greatest weight loss with least complications.

I thought it was big when I heard other people's sizes, but when you see pictures between the sizes it is such a small difference.

I have great restriction. I am 10 weeks post op and feel very happy with my size.

Honestly even if I had like a size 60 I still think I would be eating far less than I did before and i probably still would lose weight...maybe just not as quickly.

32 and the doctor did an oversew of the staple line... Remember also the length of your stomach affects how much you can eat. My stomach is a bit longer than average so I will be able to consume more than many... I am exactly one month out and I've never had much inflammation and was drinking relatively normally even in the hospital. Currently I can eat 1/4 cup of diced chicken and 1/4 cup of beans.. That's a half cup of very heavy food.. I could eat more if I wanted.. but this leaves me satisfied without being "full" At a year out I should be eating 6-8 ounces or a cup to a cup and a half of "fluffier" food.. Less restriction than some, but a far cry from the enormous portions I used to eat.

can someone explain exactly what a Bougie is? I think I understand the size thing, but not sure how it correlates. I have asked the four coordinators of Drs I have been researching and not one will respond with an answer.

A Bougie is the tube the surgeon places in the stomache (through the esophagus). They then stretch the stomach around it and it guides the staple line. If you google the sleeve surgery, you can watch it being done and see how the bougie is used.

can someone explain exactly what a Bougie is? I think I understand the size thing' date=' but not sure how it correlates. I have asked the four coordinators of Drs I have been researching and not one will respond with an answer.[/quote']

It's a guess you call it a guide that the surgeon puts down your throat to help size your stomach to a certain size 36fr or 40fr. Fr stands for French do a google search and you will see examples of Bougies.

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Thank You!!

My standard answer....

The bougie sizes are used as a guide for the doctor when removing your stomach. As far as getting a "bigger" or "smaller" sleeve the difference between the ALL bougies sizes are really very small..

Your doctor will know what is right for you!

Everyone's stomachs are different some are small, some are long so even two people using the same size bougie can have different capacities after..

And as far as "getting one as small as you can"

If your stomach is made to small there is a greater chance of long term problems.