I was diagnosed on 02/01/2013, but may have been diabetic for up to 18 months before this without realising looking back at my symtoms, when first diagnosed my bg was 28 & cholestral 23 (a record I was told for the surgery!) Once diagnosed I trawled the internet for more info on diabetes & found reports on the ND, I first saw a consultant in mid January & raised the diet with him but he was not at all supportive of it & seemed happier to go down the drug route via metformin which went from 1 x 500 to 3 x 500mg over a few weeks & 1 200mg Fenofibrate a day, along with a recomendation to loose some weight.
On my second visit in early May, my Hba had fallen to 8.1 & my daily bg readings were generally between 6.5 & 9 with the occasional reading of over 11. However my blood tests showed a reduced renal function which he felt may be due to the metformin. I again asked about the Newcastle Diet & he agreed that I could try it if I wished but would need to contact my GP. I had previously spoken to the local dietician about ND on a DESMOND course & she was very keen to run trials. I contacted her but she was unable to provide any support or time due to lack of funding & time, other than send some information to my GP, after a couple of meetings with my GP I finally started the diet a fortnight ago, as recommended 3 optifast meals a day (although I have also used build up it's cheaper) & one meal a day of vegetables, I have lost 9lbs going down from 12st 7lbs to 11st 12lb(giving me a bmi of 26 fractionaly above a healthy weight) & my bg is now showing a 7 day average of 5.2 & 14 day average of 5.9, with readings going as low as 4.4, my morning readings which previously were regularly over 8 are now running under 6 & have gone under 5, I have just reduced my metformin from 3 to 2 tablets a day.
I have just had another blood test & will be visiting my consultant next week to get results & discuss my medication further & hope to be off metforfin in the near future!
I have found the diet quite hard, especially in social environments especially resturants etc, but to date the results seem very encouraging, with my bg now in normal ranges. I have tried to increase my exercise level with swimming & gym sessions, I have found the reduced calories have not hugely reduced my ability to exercise & can still manage 45mins to an hour of intensive work in the gym. My GP suggested a target weight at diagnosis of 11st 7lb but the ND papers I have read seem to suggest 20% weight loss which for me would be 2st 7lb, which is probably unrealistic but I am hoping to get as close to 10 stone as possible while maintaining fitness & muscle mass.
My hope is that I will go back to a pre diabetic state & will be capable of controlling the diabetes by diet & exercise alone long term.
I would be interested to hear of other peoples experience of the diet & how there body reacted long term & if they were able to maintain a pre diabetic state.
