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.

Love this thread. From what I gather bougie size does make a difference... Especially 5+months out from surgery.

See below:

Bougie size totally depends on age' date=' 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.[/quote']

You were sleeved 2x? Could you please share more about your experience?

See below:

LOL. please explain the correlation with Bic pens because I am not getting it

See below:

Can anyone tell me who made this and how accurate it is??

Sorry if the pics of the pens was confusing. Google Bougie images, and it comes up. The pens are roughly the circumference of the various bougie sizes. I am a registered nurse with surgery experience, and I can tell you we used bougies to stretch the esophagus. While a real bougie is made of dense rubber (or at least they used to be made of rubber), is longer in size, and tapered at one end, the circumference of those pens is a pretty good approximation.

yea, but the time you were posting the pen thing, I had gone to Google and found www.airwaycam.com and clicked on "Bougie"

thank you for explaining the correlation

My sleeve date is April 25th ... I asked my Dr. @ pre-op just because I was curious ... 34fr for me.

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..

What is a boogie

I don't know the exact size of my bought. I'll have to ask next time. But my surgeon did say they started using a larger one because there's less of a chance if developing acid reflux with the larger.

Forgot to say I don't know what size bougie they used on me, but that pen visualization is pretty revealing....I think I could be successful even with the highlighter (54 fr.) size, lol! Because I'm pretty sure I had football size before

I had my surgery in Mexico and have a 32F bougie and have had absolutely no complications. Over 7 months out I can eat 4 ounces of dense protein. I have yet to try steak.

I have a 36. That's plenty small IMO. Plus, the smaller the bougie the greater potential for leaks and whatnot.

My surgeon Never said anything to me about bougies and it's never come upon my support groups so in totally in the dark about that one. 6 months out, 101 down and almost at goal so it really doesn't matter at this point.

I am pretty sure my doctor used a 36. I am 10 weeks tomorrow, and can eat 1oz of Protein to be full, 1.5 oz and I am stuffed. I have a lot of restriction still.

I was able to eat more but around week 7 my restriction changed. I think my nerves healed and I can tell when I am full sooner. I use to be able to drink an 11oz shake with no issues. Now I have to split it a couple hours apart.

I really think it all depends on your stomach and individual healing.