ProudGrammy 8,322 Posted January 24, 2012 How large was your bougie. I'm worried that mine might have been too large, and maybe my sleeve would allow more food. I don't want thant. I'm not really eating that much food yet, so i know i'm stopping early cuz i'm afraid of overeating. Please tell me your size? And if i should worry. Ok - here goes - mine was 36. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
circa 333 Posted January 24, 2012 The absolute smallest they use is a 32. The largest size that has been used is a 60 - the largest size NOW used is a 48. I think you're just fine Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lissa 2,631 Posted January 24, 2012 I have no clue what the size of my bougie is. I never asked because I don't care. Alex posted a study a couple of weeks ago that seems to suggest that a smaller size bougie may be a factor in sleeve leaks. Besides, the difference between a 36 bougie and a 40 bougie is literally millimeters. Maybe 4 millimeters times the length of my stomach might make a slight difference in how much food I can eat, but I somehow doubt that, for me, it would be enough to cause me to regain. I think maybe we get hung up on how much "restriction" we have rather than doing like you do and making sure we under eat the sleeve. That's the best way to do it anyway. 1 Amanda 3.0 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lissa 2,631 Posted January 24, 2012 Even 32 to 48 is less than the word millimeters. 1 Dooter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UXgrrl 29 Posted January 24, 2012 I asked my surgeon what size bougie he used and he didn't even let me finish asking the question before he started to answer. Clearly he got that question a lot. Anyway, he didn't use a bougie, he used a flexible endoscope as a guide; the logic being that he could look inside the stomach at the staple line as he withdrew it to check for seam integrity. They didn't do a leak test on me before allowing liquids or purees in the hospital before I was discharged. Sometimes I wonder what size bougie the endoscope would translate to, but we all have such variations in the LENGTH of our stomachs, that I think the millimeter differences between different bougie sizes is pretty inconsequential. I do felt left out of the the "mine's smaller than yours" comparisons though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hadouni 301 Posted January 24, 2012 I don't know either. All I know is he took 85%. When he said he was taking 85% my friend who drove me about fell off her chair! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ms skinniness 3,003 Posted January 24, 2012 my bougie size was 34. It doesn't make too much of a difference. You are doing great and that's all that counts. Keep up the good work and don't worry about the bougie size. It's just a guide, and not that much difference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ProudGrammy 8,322 Posted January 24, 2012 when you don't know something its good to ask. I appreciate you guys answering, i feel better now Kathy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dooter 1,457 Posted January 24, 2012 I asked my surgeon what size bougie he used and he didn't even let me finish asking the question before he started to answer. Clearly he got that question a lot. Anyway, he didn't use a bougie, he used a flexible endoscope as a guide; the logic being that he could look inside the stomach at the staple line as he withdrew it to check for seam integrity. They didn't do a leak test on me before allowing liquids or purees in the hospital before I was discharged. Sometimes I wonder what size bougie the endoscope would translate to, but we all have such variations in the LENGTH of our stomachs, that I think the millimeter differences between different bougie sizes is pretty inconsequential. I do felt left out of the the "mine's smaller than yours" comparisons though My surgeon will do the same with the endoscope. He says it's comparable to a 34fr. bougie. I don't think a 36 is any problem at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PdxMan 4,292 Posted January 24, 2012 My surgeon used a 34. The number is a measurement, in millimeters, of the circumference of the tube they place in your stomach to use as a guide for the staple line. So, a difference between a 34 and 36 is 2 millimeters in circumference. I believe the thickness of a dime is a bit more than 1 millimeter, so your sleeve is 2 dimes bigger than mine. But wait, that is circumference, so we actually have to divide that by pi squared to get the diameter ... well ... it isn't much of a difference ... 1 Steve Demko reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UXgrrl 29 Posted January 24, 2012 My surgeon will do the same with the endoscope. He says it's comparable to a 34fr. bougie. I don't think a 36 is any problem at all. Huh! Interesting, thanks for that info. I measured that length with a piece of paper and rolled it into a tube and almost fainted. That's f*&^#ing small! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aussiegirl 580 Posted January 25, 2012 Sizes dont vary much. When I was researching the procedure I found this helpful picture that put the width of the bougies in perspective to each other, using pens as references: http://images.obesityhelp.com/uploads/profile/868222/albums/77594/Bougie%20Size.jpg Hope the link works. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dooter 1,457 Posted January 25, 2012 Sizes dont vary much. When I was researching the procedure I found this helpful picture that put the width of the bougies in perspective to each other, using pens as references: http://images.obesit...ugie%20Size.jpg Hope the link works. WOW!!! Even that 54 is minuscule for a stomach!!! Can't pack much into that puppy! Even more so for a 34. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee 19 Posted January 25, 2012 I think you're fine with a 36. I am 23 months post op with a 40f and I've done ok. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sleeve 4 me 910 Posted January 26, 2012 I think I'm a 32, I can't believe I forgot lol, gotta love the 40's...anyhoo I just asked my hubby and he said it was the smallest size, so yeah I'm thinking 32.But like others have said not a big difference. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites