Vitamins, minerals and energy.

 I had been living a very active life since I was in my late 30’s. I started road biking, and then mountain biking and loved it. Mountain biking became my to go to exercise, and I loved peddling up the longest hills I could find. I took part in many races, single and multi day events, never really too win but to see what I was capable of doing, to see new wilderness areas and meet good people. Living with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) gave me a reason to take care of myself and keep pushing myself, I figured if I was able to ride a bike as much as I did there wasn’t anything wrong with me. In July 2023 polyps in my duodenum started to show signs  of change, and a large flat adenoma was un able to be removed, so I decided to have the Whipple Surgery in Nov 2023. The surgery went okay, biopsies of the large adenoma showed high grade dysplasia and I had a lot of complications after. As a result of the complications I was put on TNP feeding, then transitioned to a Nasal Gastric Feeding tube. I lost 13 kgs and it took me a long time to get back to a healthy weight. 

What I found help me get back to a active life, and healthy weight( 62kgs) was eating smaller amounts more frequently each day. I have 8 to 9 small meals or snacks a day and take 1Viokace ( Pancreatic enzymes) pill each time. At first I really focused on high protein and calories. Insure and Boost meal replacement drinks helped. As soon as the Doctor and Dietitian gave me the okay I started adding vitamins and minerals to my daily intake. After the first blood work it showed low Ferritin, Vitamin D, Zinc and Selenium. I added more of these Vitamins and Minerals to my daily intake, along with a diet of chicken, fish, pasta, eggs, fruit, some vegetables, nuts, yogurt, cereal, etc. I know my diet is low in vegetables but I have had digestive issues in the past, causing partial bowel obstructions as a result of scar tissue from my Subtotal Colectomy surgery in 1980, but for some reason my blood works is relatively good.  I have had to work hard, stay focused and be consistent with my intake but it has got me back to a level of activity I wasn’t sure would be possible.

As of Aug 2025 blood work still shows low vitamin D and A so I will increase my intake and have things checked again in 3 months.

Here is a list of what I take each day:
I drink 2 Boost meal replacement drinks a day.

Vitamin D3/K2 softgel ( D3 1000iu, K2 120mcg) 1 a day
Tsp Liquid Calcium/Vitamin D 1 a day. ( Calcium 1000 mg, Vitamin D 400 iu)
1drop liquid Vitamin D ( 1000 iu) 2 time a day 

1drop liquid Vitamin A (A 10000 iu) 1 time a day
Soft gel  Vitamin A (A 10000 iu) 1 time a day
Iron tablet and Chewable Vitamin C pill 1 a day.( Iron 300 mg, Vitamin C 500 mg)
Tbs Vitamin Tonic ( Iron 5 mg, Vit B3 6.6mg, B2 0.9mg, B1 0.6mg)
Potassium Tablet ( aprox 30 mg) 1 a day
Magnesium Tablet ( aprox 150 mg) 1 a day
Vitamin B12 tablet ( 500 mcg) 1 a day
Zinc tablet ( 25 mg) 2 times a week
Selenium tablet ( 25 mcg) once a week, but eat 2 Brazil nuts each day)

Aug 2024, celebrating returning to one of my Happy Places.