Small bougie

[ASUgrad 61]

I asked my doctor at my pre-op appointment (surgery Monday 10/19) if he could oversew the staple line for more restriction. He told me that I'll be very restricted with him using a 26 French bougie. I did some research and found that the bougie is what they place around the stomach to measure the size to staple shut, so the smaller the bougie the smaller the stomach. Which I'm very happy about!

I've been reading a few other threads, but the smallest I've seen is a 32 bougie. I'm curious as to what bougie size everyone else is getting?

[sbg224 318]

I don't have a clue, I think I will ask next doc visit. All I know is he said he removed 85% of my stomach.

[Key Tones 5]

I would ask how many surgeries he has done and complication rate for mid stomach stenosis. That sounds too small from what my surgeon said. I would ask what he does when he gets to the mid stomach to keep from taking the turn too tight.

[bikrchk 1,313]

I remember asking that question but given that surgical technique can have a greater effect than bougie size, it was answered this way...

"Dr. does an 85%-90% sleeve, which is smaller than most (typically 80%-85%). In his experience, patients have better long term success with a slightly smaller pouch". I like this answer better as it communicates better what the size will be. I had zero complications. I'm 2 year out this month, maintaining my goal for a year and 1/2 and still have excellent restriction while being able to eat pretty much whatever I like in very small quantities.

[Babbs 14,681]

No idea and don't care. I work what I have.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

I am skeptical about this subject. Mine was 38 and I have been maintaining 150# loss for a few years. I have never heard of them going under 32 BUT I am also not sure how important the bougie size vs technique.

What you should investigate is long term, over 3 years incidence of bad reflux and if that is associated with sleeve size. I honestly don't know because when I was sleeved 4 years ago there was a "theory" that smaller sleeves might have higher incidence of this long term complication. Serious reflux upticks at about 3 years post op....knock on wood I am still okay no reflux.

[liannatx 897]

Mine is 32. I think i have read that statistically it doesn't make much difference over the long term in regards to % of weight loss. The difference in diameter of the bougie is a matter of mere millimeters.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

Bougie size makes little difference. See attached.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

Don't know - he said he took 80%.

[theother_onefoot 122]

I was actually curious about this and I asked my doctor what size bougie he'd be using during my Pre-Op appointment and he said, "a size 34 bougie, which is pretty standard". After hearing that, a 26 does sound small..but hopefully you feel you can trust your doctor!

[ASUgrad 61]

I wasn't asking whether or not I should trust my surgeon. He does this day in and day out for many years at a center of excellence, and he is also the chief bariatric surgeon at the children's hospital.

I wasn't asking for the "I don't care" response or for the "stomach size doesn't matter." So please, negative Nancy's, comment on someone else's thread.

My question is simply what size bougie do you have and I've only gotten a couple of real responses.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I wasn't asking whether or not I should trust my surgeon. He does this day in and day out for many years at a center of excellence, and he is also the chief bariatric surgeon at the children's hospital.

I wasn't asking for the "I don't care" response or for the "stomach size doesn't matter." So please, negative Nancy's, comment on someone else's thread.

My question is simply what size bougie do you have and I've only gotten a couple of real responses.

It always amuses me when someone asks a question on a PUBLIC message board and then gets bossy and rude about and to the people who took the time to answer.

[ASUgrad 61]

I wasn't asking whether or not I should trust my surgeon. He does this day in and day out for many years at a center of excellence, and he is also the chief bariatric surgeon at the children's hospital.

I wasn't asking for the "I don't care" response or for the "stomach size doesn't matter." So please, negative Nancy's, comment on someone else's thread.

My question is simply what size bougie do you have and I've only gotten a couple of real responses.

It always amuses me when someone asks a question on a PUBLIC message board and then gets bossy and rude about and to the people who took the time to answer.

It always amuses me when someone asks a question on a PUBLIC message board and doesn't get their question answered.

Edited October 16, 2015 by ASUgrad

[Babbs 14,681]

I wasn't asking whether or not I should trust my surgeon. He does this day in and day out for many years at a center of excellence, and he is also the chief bariatric surgeon at the children's hospital.

I wasn't asking for the "I don't care" response or for the "stomach size doesn't matter." So please, negative Nancy's, comment on someone else's thread.

My question is simply what size bougie do you have and I've only gotten a couple of real responses.

I told you I didn't know and didn't care. Is that not a real response?

I got news for you. You can still eat around the smallest stomach in the world and gain weight. So it doesn't make one bit of difference what size Bougie is used. You still will have to do the work with your 26 or whatever the fuck size Bougie you're going to have.

See? I can get pissy, too.

[ASUgrad 61]

I told you I didn't know and didn't care. Is that not a real response?

I got news for you. You can still eat around the smallest stomach in the world and gain weight. So it doesn't make one bit of difference what size Bougie is used. You still will have to do the work with your 26 or whatever the f**k size Bougie you're going to have.

See? I can get pissy, too.

Classy.

I've been following the sleeve threads for a few months now and noticed that YOU seem to have a problem with most people on this forum and only respond in a condescending tone, while ignoring the question asked.

Again, my question was asking what size bougie you have. If you don't care about what I'm asking, why did you respond? I don't get it. You comment on so many threads that I read with irrelevant eye-rolling responses or you're either attacking someone in each thread. Just like you're doing now.