I went to my 1 month check up today with a list of questions for my doctor! The most important question I wanted answered is whether my sleeve is bigger than it should be Because from day 1 I have felt like I can drink and eat way more than every other sleeved patient I know or have read about here on this web sight. And guess what the answer was....YES. He said that because I was a band to sleeve revision he had to cut around instead of through the scar tissue on my stomach from my former lap band leaving me a larger than usual sleeve! I am so glad to know that I am not losing my mind but now I am incredibly disappointed. And I am a bit upset with my surgeon for not telling me this was a possibility before I ever had the surgery and most of all not telling me afterwards. It has been such an emotional month for me knowing I can eat way to much but trying my hardest to stop eating before I ever reach satiety. I never feel full when I follow my NUT's diet plan. I feel so cheated. Now I know why I am a slow loser compared to others.

I can certainly understand your worries BUT YOU ARE STILL LOSING! Please try to not get discouraged. I have been a slow loser too and my sleeve was a medium size bougie. I can eat an 8 oz steak, 1/2 baked potato and even some salad before I get full. It's still less than what I could eat pre-VSG but it's a lot more than what most people can eat that have had a VSG. Keep your eye on the end result. You will lose the weight you want to...so what if it takes a bit longer...you will still get there!!!

It sounds like your surgeon made the safest decision for your health. That is a good thing.

Now you're armed with knowledge and can taylor your sleeved life accordingly.

Now I am sooo curious " How big is it " 36, 38 , 40 French bougie ???? In the first couple of weeks after my surgery, I was feeling hungry and for the life of me could not figure why since I just had surgery..... one day I cried and raised my hands and yelled ??? Why ??? am I soooo hungry ??? Why ??? I thought that they got rid of the hunger producing hormone ghrenlin during surgery. then I thought my surgeon sabotaged me because he kept trying to talk me into the RNY even as I was on the stretcher going into surgery......The you know what I just started eating small meals through out the day instead of 3 main meals.... so , I found a way to stop my constant hunger. maybe you will find a way to adjust things to where they work for you. I think you will do great.... look on the bright side at least your stomach has a smaller capacity then before.....

Now I am sooo curious " How big is it " 36' date=' 38 , 40 French bougie ???? In the first couple of weeks after my surgery, I was feeling hungry and for the life of me could not figure why since I just had surgery..... one day I cried and raised my hands and yelled ??? Why ??? am I soooo hungry ??? Why ??? I thought that they got rid of the hunger producing hormone ghrenlin during surgery. then I thought my surgeon sabotaged me because he kept trying to talk me into the RNY even as I was on the stretcher going into surgery......The you know what I just started eating small meals through out the day instead of 3 main meals.... so , I found a way to stop my constant hunger. maybe you will find a way to adjust things to where they work for you. I think you will do great.... look on the bright side at least your stomach has a smaller capacity then before.....

He used a 40 inch bougie but he said he had to cut out a little larger in one section of my stomach that had the scar tissue. What would you consider a 40 inch bougie to be? A median or large bougie. He told me he uses tat size on all his patients to prevent possible leaks.

That would be a 40 French bougie - that's how they're measured. That means it was just over half an inch in diameter! It's not huge. The difference between that and a 32 french bougie is 2-3 millimeters in diameter!

Give it time. I feel more restriction now, 11 weeks out, than I did during the first month.

This is all I have. If you look at the size difference between then you'll see its not a staggering leap.

band to sleeve revision- leaving me a larger than usual sleeve!

tannak

as Chris R. mentioned from "above" the difference in bougie size is teeny, teeny, teeny

hopefully you will feel that restriction

"famous" saying here is "just because you can, doesn't mean you should"

in other words even if you feel like you could eat more - STOP

i'm sure you measure your food - only eat that!!!!

my surgeon told me his favorite saying......

eat til you are full, then stop 2 bites earlier

take care

good luck

Thank you all. I am trying to follow my NUT's instructions and I am tracking all my calories. The good news is that I don't ever feel hungry so that part of this surgery is working just the way it should! I will definitely use this to my advantage as much as possible. I definitely need to beef up the exercising! I am determined to make this work even with the cards i have been dealt... my large sleeve!

I completely understand the frustration. I was reading my chart when I returned to work (because I have that kind of time lol) and it was documented that my surgeon used a 50 fr. bougie. Yup, 50. I was wondering why I was actually feeling hungry every 3-ish hours and still craving all the unhealthy/naughty foods. I was super mad when I found that out. I can eat more than I should be able to, and I'm only a month and a week out. So when I read that other people get full after such small quantities of food, I get so jealous. It's not fair that I went through all the B.S. for seemingly nothing. My surgeon kept pushing me for RNY too; I feel like this is some kind of sick revenge to get an "I-told-you-so" or something. So my NUT and family are just like, "oh you just have to practice more self control...". Are you kidding me? If I had that, I wouldn't have needed the damn surgery in the first place.

I completely understand the frustration. I was reading my chart when I returned to work (because I have that kind of time lol) and it was documented that my surgeon used a 50 fr. bougie. Yup' date=' 50. I was wondering why I was actually feeling hungry every 3-ish hours and still craving all the unhealthy/naughty foods. I was super mad when I found that out. I can eat more than I should be able to, and I'm only a month and a week out. So when I read that other people get full after such small quantities of food, I get so jealous. It's not fair that I went through all the B.S. for seemingly nothing. My surgeon kept pushing me for RNY too; I feel like this is some kind of sick revenge to get an "I-told-you-so" or something. So my NUT and family are just like, "oh you just have to practice more self control...". Are you kidding me? If I had that, I wouldn't have needed the damn surgery in the first place. [/quote']

Does he use a sz 50 on everyone?

I think people put way too much stock in the bougie size. Consider your stomach size preop compared to now....

And hunger isn't magically gone. It may be reduced. Plus head hunger is real and powerful.

Here is a pic that likens bougie size to pens and highlighters.

Okay....I'm stumped....what is a boogie and why do we care what size it is?

Okay....I'm stumped....what is a bougie and why do we care what size it is?

Okay....I'm stumped....what is a boogie and why do we care what size it is?

A bougie is a guide used by many surgeons when creating our sleeves. There is very little difference in the most commonly used sizes.

People tend to put way too much emphasis on bougie size making a major difference in weight loss.

Medical studies show is doesn't.

As you can see, the difference is minimal.

Okay...thanks, Amanda!