Hello everyone!

Last September I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I very soon after had surgery and ended up having a benign ependymoma of the 4th ventricle. I was really surprised because I am a 27 year old male in average shape with really no prior medical history but that doesn't matter anymore. Now I'm on the long road to recovery!

I mostly tried to stay organic and vegetarian beforehand. The only supplement I took was b12. Anyways, I use a peg tube for feeding at the moment so everything needs to be in liquid form or a tablet that can be crushed and dissolved.

I am currently on jevity 1.5 which does not provide adequate nutrition in my opinion. I am not supplementing currently. I am really just trying to find products so I can have an intelligent discussion with my doctor or dietician.

I'm allergic to seafood so fish oil is out of the picture unfortunately. So far I've come up with algae oil, something with omega 3s. Is there any thing else that would benefit me? I am considering soy or whey Protein as well.

Please let me know which vitamins / minerals / supplements you suggest looking in to and why.

Right now I have problems with:

Balance
Weakness in right side
Swallowing
Coordination
Muscle contraction
Lack of sunlight.


I have requested to receive a full report that will show if deficient in anything.

well lack of sunlight, vitamin D, or maybe u can get one of those morning lights they use for sadd. swallowing---dgl deglycherrized licorice.

another thing is if your having trouble swallowing due to inflammation or dry mouth, try one of the following remedies:

There are oral meds that stimulate saliva production like Salagen/pilocarpine, but I don't think Salagen mixes well with other MI meds. That would be a good question for your doc.



Biotene also has gum to help dry mouth. If you can't find it in the store, a pharmacist can order it for you. I think the biggest problem is dry mouth at night because we can't swallow while we're asleep, and swallowing can help stimulate saliva production.




Sugarfree chewing gum can also be helpful, it stimulates saliva production and may help with dental issues. There are some brands that allowed to make dental health claims so those might be the ones to pick.



I also think, no one mentioned this, but sticking an ice cube in your mouth and sloshing it around. also theres certain spots on your ear/ around your mouth, that you can apply ice to and supposedly helps xerostomia.

Hi Boosted, and welcome to the Vitamin forum.

Your case is quite complicated. The Jevity is a really good product. Have your discussed this with your doctor? Adding on things of your own?
http://abbottnutrition.com/products/...ts.aspx?pid=29

Flax oil would be one way to increase EFAs, is organic, and would provide more calories. I'd ask your doctor how much would be safe for you to use.

I'd also get some testing for Vit D levels, and B12.
Vitamin D in the Jevity is quite low.

Are you expected to get the tube feeding removed? or is it going to be a lifelong thing?

It is really hard separating effects from the brain surgery from nutritional deficits. So don't hesitate to ask the doctors, or consult a nutritionist on your own if you feel that is necessary.

Here is a link with information on nutrient content:
http://abbottnutrition.com/products/...ts.aspx?pid=29

One thing that is missing is antioxidants...flavinoids found in
fruits and veggies. You can ask your doctor if it ok to add in nutritional fruit juices...there are several powdered versions with high ORAC scores.

If you are experiencing loss of muscle mass, you can also ask if whey protein is allowed for you.

Thanks to both of you for the replies!


I probably should have been more clear but most of my problems are cranial nerve related or due to the cerebellum being operated on.

I have talked to my doctor and he agrees that I am not receiving enough protein but it is not his specialty. I am not exactly sure but I have read 1.2 to 2.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight. I just weighed in at 180 pounds so about 87 kg x 1.8 grams = 147ish grams of protein a day. Jevity 1.5 is only giving me 105.7 grams of protein a day provided that all of my data is correct.

I am in the middle of radiation as we speak but I gained 7.5 pounds this week alone since I exercise 3-5 hours a day. Out of fear mostly, as you can imagine.


I was down to about 150 after 4 months in the hospital. Its been just over 2 months since I was discharged but want to pack on as much muscle as quickly as possible. I also need something that is good for the brain as I have healing to do and cranial nerves that need repair.

I forgot to mention this earlier but I have problems sleeping. I seem to wake up in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep.

I expect to have the peg tube temporarily but atleast for the next couple of months.

Low B12 will impact sleep. B12 is needed to make melatonin.

I think the whey protein is best for building muscle.
But you can use what you want.

There is only a very little B12 in your Jevity... only the RDA.
If you have testing done, you will see if you need higher amounts.

Hi again everyone! I have been tested for multiple different things but I am still looking for advice. Now I'm taking:

a multivitamin
flax seed oil
aged garlic
vitamin d3 drops
bilberry extract
probiotics
~20 grams of whey protein
daily in organic carrot juice

I am still taking Jevity via a PEG tube. I had my blood tested and suprisingly my b12 level was normal but my d3 level was dangerously near the acceptable low level. I am now taking 10,000 IU's of d3 drops to return it to a more acceptable level. vitamind3council.org has good information.

Is there something else that you recommend researching or taking? Especially given the situation?

How are you feeling? Any better?

what was the actual B12 number, "normal" doesnt necessarily =good

I am feeling a lot better, thanks! still not the same person and have problems that I need to continue working on but better none the less.


I don't remember my actual b12 level off hand but I believe 1000mg was the recommended high level and my b12 was at 9xxmg.

if you are interested in knowing the level of something else I will gladly dig up the sheet.