11 months post

Hey guys, Its been a LONG time since I've posted on this forum. I am finally back from Antarctica (yea that crazy guy) and I actually spent 22 days in the MN Boundary waters dog sledding. My weight loss is overing at roughly 165. I am sitting right at 205 pds right now give or take. My question is this. Right now I feel "off". Granted I spent 22 days eatting dehydrated foods and such and now I am back home eating regular foods again I just feel tired. I have not really been taking my multi-vitiman as I should and I just started again. I ran out in Antarctica like at the last few days and I couldn't get them in the boundary waters. Here are some stats. My vitiman B-12 level was 230 (range is 180-850) so I am at the low end and my folic was at like 38 (middle of the road) as of Jan. Is it possible that these levels have dipped with the random diet changes? I am making an appt with my PCP for next week as I need him to sign some physical forms anyways for my job application. Just curious as to what you guys think it might be. Iron? When I say off I mean like tired, and just not my self. Depression?? My resting heart rate is roughly 68 or so. I was checked by a cardiologist a few months before Antarctica because of rapid heart rates and stuff and those where cleared by an ECHO and a holter. Any insight?

Glad to see you back!!  Was wondering how you would handle the rapid weightloss and trying to grab for energy that may not have been there...A couple of things come to mind.  In the last few 6-12 months at least 2 RNY patients have died from a lack of B-1...Beri Beri.  Be sure you are getting some B-complex in once in a while.  My thoughts go to iron, potassium, sodium, and dehydration.  Drink water, have some spinach or oranges (potassium), add a little salt to your diet and take your iron.  Another vitamin that is coming up short sometimes...Vitamin D.  I would have your PCP run all the test since you've been away so long.  Glad to have you back.  Brian  

Hey, thanks for the info. I was taking a liquid b-complex for a while but than I lost the bottle and getting stuff to Antarctica is like an act of God. I have this week taken 2 B-50 complexes which has B-12 of like 8000% and Thianmine of like 3333% so we'll see. Its a capsule but I just break it up and choke it down in water...makes me gag at times...but it stays down and the gagging is due to the taste...=) Do you have any insight on to where is a good place to get chewable iron???

Just a thought - how much sun light are you missing, if any, compared to your time in Antarctica?  I agree with boosting B complex, couldn't hurt. CB

Hey, I'm not really missing any sunlight. There was tons in Antarctica but I just went dog sledding in the boundary waters and was outside seriously 24/7 for 22 days so I got A LOT of sun. But now I am home so that could be it. I do have an apt with my PCP on Monday (was going for today but I had to buy my COBRA) so I'll be there Monday at 1pm. He's an internist so problem solving is his forte. He's been my doc for 6 years and is probably one of the few docs in the area that actually takes the time to listen and problem solve and follows up on the simplest things too. My B-12 levels were normal low on the test done in New Zealand meaning that it was 230 and the range is 180 to 900 so I was in the range but low.