Bougie size

I have an excellent surgeon & have absolute faith in him. However....we had a slight disagreement on bougie size. I wanted a 32 & he wanted bigger. He agreed to go as small as he felt comfortable with during the surgery. I ended up with a 38.

As I said before, I have absolute faith in him and am ok with the size. I would like to know if there are any vsgers out there (long term - a few years or more) with a size 38 sleeve who has made weight (like down to 130-150 range) and maintained.

Thanks!

 whats a bougie? It sounds like you can opt for a bigger sleeve?

I have a 38 bougie and am 152 lbs.  I'm a size 8.  Personally, I've never been 130 in my adult life so I wouldn't want to be that weight now.  I pretty much maintain effortlessly now, but volume has always been my problem and since the sleeve keeps my volume under control, I'm doing well.  I'm almost 2.5 years out.  All I can tell you is that if you want to go down to 130, YOU need to be willing to work your sleeve during the first year.  Eat right, exercise, minimal snacking, etc.  I would have preferred a  34 bougie but my surgeon only does 38's.   Best of luck to ya!

Im not a few years out.....only a couple months. But, I will tell you I have a 42 and serious restriction. My doc explained the size is relative. If the surgeon leaves extra room around the sides on a 32, its not an actual 32. It really depends on the technique of the doctor using the bougie. I completely freaked when I learned my doctor was using the 42, but the weight is falling off and my restriction is impressive.

I just had surgery on 11/11...so I can't comment on the long term impact. However, my surgeon used a 34 Bougie. He said that he did not pull the stomach tight around the Bougie, he used it more as a guide (making the stomach pouch probably slightly bigger than a normal 34 Bougie). It seems that a lot of us place a lot of focus on the Bougie size. It seems that the surgical technique also has a significant impact. I would suggest asking your surgeon why he chose that size. It is always good to be informed. However, I have to say,because I was very confident in the surgeon that I chose, I would have trusted his judgement on the size of the Bougie. I don't think that smaller is necessarily better. Good luck!

 I am scheduled for my sleeve on aug. 13. I've been trying various protein drinks ahead of time and have found out that I am allergic to whey protein, so looks  like I'll be using soy. Anyone else have this problem? Other suggestions?

I am only 10 days out. It is hard to tell how much restriction I have, because I am on pureed foods, but it seems like I can eat about 1/4 cup before I just stop. I don't stop because of a "full" feeling or uncomfortable.....it just feels like that's where I need to stop - hard to explain. I am eating protein rich foods (or trying to) - chili or low fat corned beef hash....just trying to get my protein in & having a heck of a time! Can't wait until I can just eat meat and be lower carb, but it's hard at this stage to get anything you can really eat and have it be low carb too.

I just worry that if I can have 1/4 now, does that mean 1/2 or a full cup by the time my swelling goes down? I have lost very little weight so far. I am not concerned because I am sooooo early still, but just mentally preparing myself for what's in store.

I have never weighed 130 in my adult life either. I know that when I was 150 I felt very heavy, but I was a teenager too. It's hard to even know what weight I should get down to!

I had a size 38 Bougie. I have very good restriction and great weight loss.

Don't get hung up on the Bougie size. The differences between sizes is insignificant. I pasted a reference pic that's been floating around.

Many factors determine the capacity that the stomach holds ie. Length of the stomach, Bougie Size, Does the doctor over sew the staple line. how snug the doctor pulls against the Bougie.

Many successful sleevers practice not eating until you are full. You should strive to eat until you are satisfied.

 

Yep, what he said. Even though my surgeon used a 32fr bougie, I can eat twice as much as I could at 2-3 months out, and that's perfectly normal. I'm 18 months and have the same restriction I had at 7-8 months when my surgeon told me my sleeve was probably at max capacity. The difference between a 32 and 38fr is less than 2mm. For reference here is a PDF file that shows you the size of the bougies.

http://www.medovations.com/pdf/Esophageal_Dilatation.pdf

Bougie size is just part of the equation. The surgeon's technique and your own anatomy will determine final sleeve capacity. Choosing what to put in your mouth will ultimately determine your long term success, not the size of your remaining stomach tissue.

THANK YOU for posting that link to the PDF. I have a friend who had VSG and told her that my Dr. told me he used a 28fr bougie and she said she didn't think they made them that small. I was beginning to think I had heard him wrong because I haven't heard of anyone having that size, but it's listed in that pdf. Maybe i'm not crazy after all!