Peerless67 "Newcastle diet"

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I think I was diagnosed in 2014, my vision had deteriorated very quickly, literally over a couple of days and initially I thought I had, had another stroke because the blurring of my vision was pretty much the same as that following the stroke.
Over the following few days I was getting up all through the night needing to pee and drink. Unaware I had diabetes I was drinking anything and everything, milk, fruit juice, soda and occasionally water. My voice had changed too, and it has continued to change every now and then, I have never been able to explain it. It is as if my vocal chords have been altered and it only tends to last a couple of days or so then goes, and of course it is always when my blood sugar is elevated.
Anyhow over the course of a couple of weeks the need to pee through the night and the uncontrollable thirst got worse, I had not noticed myself but I had started to lose weight even though I was eating as normal. I was with my daughter one day and she insisted I go with her to the hospital and get checked out.

I saw the tri-age nurse who did a blood test, “You must be feeling quite unwell your blood sugar is sky high” She had also said it was 960, which meant absolutely nothing to me but it got me seen by the Doctor pretty quick. So that was it, I was now diabetic.

I was given some advice on do’s and don’ts and prescribed Metformin 1 x twice a day after a while this was increased to 2 x twice a day and my blood sugar was coming down, but not as the nurse would have liked so I was prescribed Gliclazide at first ½ a tablet twice a day.
After my second or third long range blood test in 2015 my long range blood sugar was down to 48.
I was told I had done well to get such high numbers down so quick and there was a concern that I might get to low so the Gliclazide was taken away.
That’s where it all went pear shaped, my next long range blood was over 180. I was frustrated to put it mildly, I was put back on the Gliclazide which over the following few months was doubled to 2 a day and then again to 4 a day. I was also given Sitagliptin.
My last 2 long range blood tests have come back at 120 and 102. My past couple of visit’s the nurse has mentioned injecting, I am not keen.

I hope I can turn my frustration to determination.


August 1st 2017

Today I am starting the Newcastle diet, well as close as I can get to it since the food supplements used in the original study are not available in the UK without a prescription.
I plan on using Heinz soups and to also use the vegetables suggested in the Newcastle trial.
I may try some of the other meal supplements that are available but the nutritional values compared to Heinz soups do not seem greatly different. My one luxury will be black coffee in the mornings.

After dinner yesterday I took my last lot of diabetes medicine. I was taking 9 tablets a day just for my type 2 diabetes which consisted of 4 x 500mg Metformin, 4 x 80mg Gliclazide and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin.
On top of those I also take 75mg Clopidogrel and 40mg Simvastatin, I also take up to 8 x 50mg Tramadol when I need to for pain.
The Clopidogrel I was prescribed following a stroke in 2012 and the Statin I was prescribed a fair while before that for Cholesterol. I will continue to take both of these daily along with a multivitamin tablet. I have Centrum Advance 50+ food supplement multivitamin/multimineral tablets, (Complete from A to Zinc) I may change these if I find something better or more suitable.


I have lost 20 kilos over the past 2 years from 104 KG to 84 KG however this has not translated into low BG numbers. I am 6’3” 50 years old.

My last long range blood test was 102 my next one will be at the start of November.

My blood this morning after 12 hours fasting was 17.8

My blood at 3.30pm today was 13.4 just before my first meal which was Tomato Soup (134 calories), apparently no added sugar and reduced salt. I shall take readings and keep a note of my food intake on this thread as regularly as possible.
 

Bluetit1802

Legend
Messages
25,216
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi and welcome,

I wish you success with your diet, but you do need a plan of action for when you finish this or you may end up back where you started..

Before deciding on a Newcastle style diet, did you try a low carb diet? Most of the T2 members here that post regularly have found wonderful success just by cutting carbs down and using their meters to discover which carbs are the major culprits for them. Many have managed to have non-diabetic levels, and many have managed to either reduce or come off their medication.
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi Bluetit, I have not formulated any kind of plan yet. I do not want to bog the thread down with all the details but I just do not retain stuff as I did before the stroke, I am also a full time carer for someone who can not afford to lose weight so I have not done anything in the way of carb counting,. To be honest I am winging it and thats about as much as I can do right now.
If I manage to stick this diet out I will have to come up with a plan for the future, which I will toward the end of the diet.
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
My last 2 tests yesterday were 2 hours after dinner 12.2 and just before bed 12.4

My BG this AM was 11.1, although that is still high, for me it is low. I ate roughly 350 calories yesterday in soup and roasted vegetables.
I have a bit of a headache which I hope passes quick, I will definitely take in more calories today. I also need to step up my water intake, I only did about 1.5 ltrs yesterday and about 1 ltr of soda (zero)

I was at 17.8 first thing yesterday and 11.1 first thing today so I am happy with that, Since I managed that on no medications. Looking through my record cards I seem to hover around 15-18 first thing.
I don't want to jump the gun but maybe I will hit a single digit tomorrow.
 
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Chook

Expert
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Good luck @Peerless67 - I will read this thread with a lot of interest. I would never have thought about using Heinz soups instead of diet shakes. :)

As @Bluetit1802 says you should start formulating a plan for when you finish your similar to Newcastle Diet as a great many people fall down at that point and put the weight back on again (me included).

Once again, good luck. :)
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
First thing yesterday I was 11.1, two hours after midday meal (soup) I was 13.9
Before my evening meal (roasted veg) 10.8 and 2 hours after 12.8.

Before bed 10.1 and at 1am 8.5 (yes not a typo eight point five)

This am 8.6 <<<<<

I have hit single figures for the second time in 2 years.

I do feel hungry but no where near as bad as I expected, I have no headache today as of yet.
 
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Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
The devil is in the detail, 2 hours after midday meal 13.0. Although this is low for me it is quite a hike from the 8.4 I was prior to eating. So on investigation the tomato soup I had for dinner was not the no added sugar / low salt type I started out with.
I should also make it clear that I do not eat at breakfast at all, nothing to do with this diet it is just what I have always done.

So I have just black coffee in the morning, I estimate 400-500 ml

The "full fat" soup although only 204 calories a tin, has 27.2g of carbs (13.2g per 200ml serving) But I am having my breakfast and dinner in one sitting so I have the 400ml for dinner.
Something else I should have taken more care in choosing is the varieties of soups I purchased, I had vegetable yesterday and it contained potato and carrot, it was only 168 calories but 28.6g carbs.

The no added sugar / reduced salt tomato soup 400ml only has 20.2g of carbs and is only 136 calories for the whole can.
That is more inline with the brand used for the NC diet trial, although the protein is way lower. The Heinz soups do not have all the vitamins and minerals that are added to the Optifast but I take a multivitamin/ multimineral to compensate.

So I need to shop again and pick up the right varieties, I made the mistake of picking up chicken, minestrone, carrot and coriander and vegetable. When I originally shopped for my soups I was concentrating to much on calories, since it is meant to be a very low calorie diet. I shall now read the labels for the carbs.

I also did a calorie count for each day:

Tuesday Black coffee 1-5 Cal Tomato soup 136 Cal Roasted veg approx 200 Cal (ball park 350 cal)
Wednesday Black coffee 1-5 Cal Veg soup 168 Cal Roasted veg approx 200 Cal (Ball park 400 cal)

Today Black coffee 1-5 Cal "full fat" tomato soup 204 Cal
Later I will have roasted veg, just for a change :) So I will be a bit over 400 Cal today.

Its hard to know whether the calories or the carbs are most important as the Optifast has similar levels of carbs per serving as the Heinz, but the NC diet says no meat no root veg bread or pasta yada yada yada.

I will continue on as previously as my BG is trending downward daily, but I will shop for lower carb soup. I did note that Optifast do chicken soup so maybe I do not have to exclude it and the increase protein may actually be of benefit.
 

Chook

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Oh dear - picking up the wrong thing is so easily done - my husband once came home with eight cans of Lidl meatballs instead of baked beans because they were in the wrong place on the shelf.

Its great that your BG is trending downwards - its lovely to see those numbers get lower - makes the rumbling tummy worthwhile. :)

Have you thought about making your own soup? That way you can control the carb content.
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you all for the kind words, I tested my blood again before evening meal and it was 7.7, that is 4 hours after the soup, and 2 hours after the 13.0 BG test.
To most these numbers are high but these are just incredible for me.
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Just before bed BG was 7.0 and this morning is 7.8
Headache is back after easing yesterday. I feel less hungry than I have the past 2 days.
I have increased my water intake but I am struggling to drink much more than 2.5 litres, I may increase my fluids with Zero soda.

So its day 4 and I have gone from 17.8 to 7.8 fasting without a single T2 pill, I do understand that the drop is down to the low calorie/carb intake but it is encouraging considering I was on 9 tablets a day and my BG was high teens to high twenties.

Maybe this should be called the Heinz diet, not just because the soup but (57) days is 8 weeks and a day :)
 

Chook

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Have you cut down on caffeine as well?

Those numbers are looking excellent. Is it affecting you in other ways- tiredness, irritability, concentration?
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I have one black coffee in the morning no more than about 500ml, I would usually have 1 or 2 during the day but not always, I have no idea what the effect would be on this diet drinking more coffee that is why I am only having the one.
Last night I had a slightly restless night but that is not unusual as I am a full time carer and often don't get to sleep until 1-2am
No more irritable than any other time, and my concentration is no worse than it has been since the stroke (thats another story).
I woke with an annoying headache and that has eased considerably.
 

Chook

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I asked about the coffee because thirty years ago when I gave up caffeine (and I used to drink lots of coffee) I had a monumental headache that lasted ten days - and I know many people who fast also restrict or give up caffeinated drinks. But it doesn't sound like that's your headache problem.

You're doing great!!
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
The NC diet page warns that a headache is possible and will pass, I suspect there are a few possible reasons for the headache.

I went from 9 pills a day to none on Tuesday.
I am drinking less coffee than I average normally.
I am possibly dehydrating a little, I suspect that's why a high fluid intake is advised.

I do not know if it has or if it will kick in yet but I wondered if ketosis could be the reason, I have no way of knowing until I see my DN which is not until Monday.
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
With the talk about coffee curiosity got the better of me so I just took a BG test and it is 6.6 I literally finished my coffee 30 minutes ago. I wonder if I could drink more black coffee during the course of the day without any adverse effects on the diet.
Calorie wise its nothing but I wonder if the carbs would make a great difference.

6.6 <<<< I need to let that sink in !!!!
 

Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
2 Hours after my midday meal BG was 8.6
Before my evening meal 5.5 <<<<< checked it 3 times, I would have fell off my chair if I had one.
2 hours after evening meal 9.4 That was quite a rise and the only thing I had different with my roast veg was 2 slices of aubergine and a black coffee. I have been unable to find any advice concerning the coffee, except that it is low in both calories and carbs.
I shall look up the aubergine.

Any way when I started my written diary there are two questions at the top, basically what are my targets for pre meal and post meal BG range. I wrote in there "Single figures for both" and I have not quite hit double figures today, so I am happy with that since there are 11 rows on the page and expected it to take longer than 4 days.

5.5 was my low 9.4 was my high.

I had the no added sugar low salt chicken soup for midday meal, I decided that since Optifast have chicken soup the only likely difference is that the Heinz soup has pieces of chicken in it. But frankly you would not fill a table spoon with the small amount of chicken in the soup. It also has less carbs than the tomato soup I had yesterday and slightly more protein and was only 210 calories for the whole tin.

My hunger has subsided considerably and the hardest time I have found is the 1-2 hours before evening meal
 
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Pipp

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
10,622
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi @Peerless67
I have just come across this thread, and wondering how you are getting on. It is tough being a carer, and trying to care for yourself can be difficult when putting someone else first, so well done for making some decisions about your own health.

There are a few things I have noticed in your posts that have me curious... Is your GP aware of you stopping some of your meds, and is he / she being supportive and monitoring your blood pressure, blood glucose, ketones? With you having previously had a stroke, it would be wise to have that support.
You mention not being able to get Optifast, which is the meal replacement product used in the orginal Newcastle diet pilot study. It doesn't need to be Optifast, though. There are lots of supermarket own brands that are just as good. Also some that can be ordered online, such as Shake that Weight, which was recommended to me by a member here, @paulins, who was a successful Newcastle dieter. I used Lipotrim, which was only available at pharmacies, and the cost included regular checks at the pharmacy. If you want to use real food, should the tins of soup become tedious, there are some great examples of meals in the blood sugar diet.... https://thebloodsugardiet.com/how-it-works/

Good luck with it all, and remember to drink plenty of water. I found I wasn't feeling hungry after day 2, but the water also helped, as did peppermint tea and soda water.
 
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Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi, no I am not seeing my Doctor, thinking about it I don't think I have seen him for about a year. I do see my DN quite regularly though and will see her on Monday afternoon. The medications that I am taking at the moment I was taking prior to my diabetes diagnoses, so all I have done is stop taking the additional meds.
My DN will test my BP, BG weight and pee. I trust her and believe she is better informed regarding diabetes than my GP. any signs of feeling unwell I will seek medical advice as I am good at telling on myself.

I would have liked to see my DN in these first few days but she was on holiday, but I had set my date to start the NC diet for the 1st August, I have to stick with the plans I make or they go awry.
I looked at some of the brands other than Optifast, like Xante but honestly they are not so far removed from "Normal" soup except for the increased protein and added vitamins and minerals.


Having said that I would NOT advise anyone to take up any diet without consulting their Doctor or HCP.
 
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Peerless67

Well-Known Member
Messages
206
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Day 5

My BG this morning was 6.5 (a massive drop of 11.3 since day 1 from 17.8)

I woke with a mild headache that passed when I had my coffee, had a bit of a restless night for no apparent reason but I feel fine.
My eyesight has altered as it does when my BG rises and falls, I have 7 pairs of glasses of various strengths and I am guessing if this diet works out I may need to get another pair.

I want to give you all a full picture of just how bad my levels have been, so I will ask my DN if she will print all my test results off and I will post them here.

My plan for today is to have a couple of black coffees along with the water and zero soda and see if it makes any large changes to my BG tests. And my midday meal will remain soup and evening meal roast veg, I have to add I really love the roast veg.

I will report back this evening with my test results and any updates.