# Newcastle/VLCD Advice Please



## KayAnne (Feb 2, 2022)

Hello, 

I'm still unsure about using forums so please bare with me if I waffle unnecessarily!

I began following the 'Newcastle Diet' on my own (it's not offered in my area on the NHS) on the 3rd January. I have so far been doing well and not feeling hungry, losing 15lbs in my first 4 works. 

However, I have recently started to have a constant feeling of nausea and have been unable to eat my veg for the day and even sometimes my 3rd shake. I do have other things going on, so I'm not sure if its stress related, but I was just wondering if anyone else who has followed the diet has also felt this way? 

I'm really struggling to concentrate on anything with this constant nausea but don't want to give up as I'm desperate to lose this weight and hopefully reverse my diabetes. I still have a stone and a half to lose before I reach a healthy BMI for my height and I'm worried that quoting now would ruin all this hard work that I've done so far.


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## travellor (Feb 3, 2022)

I did it originally a few years ago, successfully, and started again to lose weight for a new year resolution.
I've had no issues.
Is there any chance you could have some other bug?
What meds are you taking, and are you testing your BG?


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## KayAnne (Feb 3, 2022)

travellor said:


> I did it originally a few years ago, successfully, and started again to lose weight for a new year resolution.
> I've had no issues.
> Is there any chance you could have some other bug?
> What meds are you taking, and are you testing your BG?


Hi travellor, 
I may have some other bug, or it is potentially stress-related. My other thinking is that I've always had issues with certain textures of food (e.g. overly creamy mash, bananas, rice pudding, avocado etc) and I'm unsure if the texture of the shakes might be an issue?
I was on 1 metformin a day before I started but have since stopped taking these as I believe that's what's recommended for the diet.
I test my blood sugar in the morning and other than the first week or two when it was between 6-7, it is now always in the 5-6 range. 
I am also worried that my blood sugar hasn't dropped enough in the morning for me to ever reach remission, as well as the fact that I worry I won't lose enough weight in the 8 weeks of shakes as I've only lost about a third of what I need to lose


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## Mrs Mimoo (Feb 3, 2022)

My doc told me it's ok to do vlcd and low dose of Metformin. Sounds like your blood glucose levels are getting better. I have been on newcastle diet for 12 weeks and lost 10.5kg - want to lose another 10 so will carry on but with more solid food at 800 a day. You sound stressed, this can cause all sorts of physical symptoms. How about checking in with your GP to go over things? I think you are doing ok. Some GPs don't believe in remission or the diet, but you may strike it lucky. Kind thoughts and hugs.

PS are you eating nice shakes? i have tried most and Exante taste the nicest and have the nicest texture. The also do 200cal pot meals which are a nice change for lunch with a plain salad.


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## KayAnne (Feb 3, 2022)

Mrs Mimoo said:


> My doc told me it's ok to do vlcd and low dose of Metformin. Sounds like your blood glucose levels are getting better. I have been on newcastle diet for 12 weeks and lost 10.5kg - want to lose another 10 so will carry on but with more solid food at 800 a day. You sound stressed, this can cause all sorts of physical symptoms. How about checking in with your GP to go over things? I think you are doing ok. Some GPs don't believe in remission or the diet, but you may strike it lucky. Kind thoughts and hugs.
> 
> PS are you eating nice shakes? i have tried most and Exante taste the nicest and have the nicest texture. The also do 200cal pot meals which are a nice change for lunch with a plain salad.


Well done on your weight loss, it sounds like you are doing really well! And thank you for your advice, it's very much appreciated. 

I may contact my GP but I'm dubious. When I mentioned the Newcastle Diet to the nurse on my last annual review, she had never heard of it and said I couldn't get access to a dietician for support but maybe a doctor will have more pull with these things. 

I was only going to do 8 weeks of shakes and then move onto reintroducing food but with only losing about a third of what I want to so far I'm not sure whether to extend the 8 weeks to 12. Do you think that the 12 weeks was of more benefit to you? 

I am using a mix of the Exante shakes and the Superdrug shakes. I wasn't sure about trying some of Exante's other meal replacement products to maybe shake things up a bit (pardon the pun).


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## trophywench (Feb 5, 2022)

Dunno where in the country you happen to be @KayAnne but I read yesterday that GP surgeries in the West Midlands will be offering the low carb diet shakes and soups free to their overweight patients shortly.


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## KayAnne (Feb 5, 2022)

trophywench said:


> Dunno where in the country you happen to be @KayAnne but I read yesterday that GP surgeries in the West Midlands will be offering the low carb diet shakes and soups free to their overweight patients shortly.


Unfortunately slightly north of there. I was really excited to see that they were extending the scheme to other areas but unfortunately still not I live in just yet. Thanks anyway!


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## KayAnne (Feb 27, 2022)

Just to update, it's my last day of the '3 shakes and veg' part of the plan. Looking forward to eating a wider variety of food and have been trawling the internet to find healthy low calorie recipes to keep me on the right track.

I managed to do the full 8 weeks with no cheating (bar a birthday buffet for my Dad's 60th which I thought was too special an occasion to not cheat for, especially as I put together all the food etc). My fasting blood sugars have been better, the occasional 6 popping up on days where I haven't slept well or feel stressed but they largely fall between 4 and 5.5 now, which I hope is enough to have lowered my HbA1c overall.

I have lost a total of 1st 10.5lbs which is roughly 11kgs. I still have 9.5lbs to lose to hit a normal BMI (11st 2lbs is the top end of normal for my height), and another 1st 4.5lbs to lose to hit my personal target weight. I just hope that I can keep losing as I start introducing food back into my diet. 

Thanks to everyone for their support!


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## rebrascora (Feb 27, 2022)

Many congratulations on sticking to it so resolutely and achieving a great weight loss. Good luck losing the rest but those morning fasting readings suggest a very good HbA1c result. I think you have every reason to be very optimistic. When is your next blood test?


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## KayAnne (Feb 27, 2022)

rebrascora said:


> Many congratulations on sticking to it so resolutely and achieving a great weight loss. Good luck losing the rest but those morning fasting readings suggest a very good HbA1c result. I think you have every reason to be very optimistic. When is your next blood test?



Thank you @rebrascora! They usually tell me to just have an annual check up but think I'll go for a 6 month check up this year to double check I'm on the right track so will be booking in for May. Fingers crossed it's a number I'm happy with


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## Windy (Feb 27, 2022)

Hi @KayAnne. You're doing really well, keep it going. I've also got my fingers crossed for when you see the doctor for your six month check.
I did my own version of the Newcastle diet (it's offered in two nearby health authorites, but not in the one I live in) and lost 16kg. I kept taking metformin during it. My HbA1c dropped from 82 at its highest to 42 a week or so ago. I've got no idea if I've got remission, as I'm eating a low carb diet of 1500 calories a day as I'm still 24kg over my target weight. 
Keep going, you can do it! Sarah


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## KayAnne (Mar 1, 2022)

Windy said:


> Hi @KayAnne. You're doing really well, keep it going. I've also got my fingers crossed for when you see the doctor for your six month check.
> I did my own version of the Newcastle diet (it's offered in two nearby health authorites, but not in the one I live in) and lost 16kg. I kept taking metformin during it. My HbA1c dropped from 82 at its highest to 42 a week or so ago. I've got no idea if I've got remission, as I'm eating a low carb diet of 1500 calories a day as I'm still 24kg over my target weight.
> Keep going, you can do it! Sarah


Congratulations on your huge HbA1c drop @Windy  
Thank you for the kind words of encouragement, I really hope we both get the results we want. Good luck on your low carb way of eating!


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## cockburn (May 4, 2022)

Hi Kayanne, I don't enjoy really viscous liquids and started to feel a bit repulsed by the shakes by week 3. I'm experimenting with the solid meal replacement bars. I can only tolerate the dry ones with grains (exante chocolate and orange and exante white chocolate and raspberry) rather than the mushy ones but they have helped break up the shakes for me. I have one at breakfast time with black coffee. I am finding they are not as filling though, personally. I'm also not sure they are a good idea as it was chocolate and sweet cakes that got me here! It feels like it's not really training me for the future? Best of luck with everything.


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## Leadinglights (May 4, 2022)

cockburn said:


> Hi Kayanne, I don't enjoy really viscous liquids and started to feel a bit repulsed by the shakes by week 3. I'm experimenting with the solid meal replacement bars. I can only tolerate the dry ones with grains (exante chocolate and orange and exante white chocolate and raspberry) rather than the mushy ones but they have helped break up the shakes for me. I have one at breakfast time with black coffee. I am finding they are not as filling though, personally. I'm also not sure they are a good idea as it was chocolate and sweet cakes that got me here! It feels like it's not really training me for the future? Best of luck with everything.


About 40 years ago I tried one of the liquid based diets and gave up after half a day as I was immediately sick after drinking it, It made me think Ah that's how it works then.
I now do low carb and have found it no effort whatsoever so it is sustainable and with foods I enjoy.


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## travellor (May 4, 2022)

cockburn said:


> Hi Kayanne, I don't enjoy really viscous liquids and started to feel a bit repulsed by the shakes by week 3. I'm experimenting with the solid meal replacement bars. I can only tolerate the dry ones with grains (exante chocolate and orange and exante white chocolate and raspberry) rather than the mushy ones but they have helped break up the shakes for me. I have one at breakfast time with black coffee. I am finding they are not as filling though, personally. I'm also not sure they are a good idea as it was chocolate and sweet cakes that got me here! It feels like it's not really training me for the future? Best of luck with everything.


To be honest, it may not be.
I did the diet shake, and found (apart from the weight loss) it did break my previous association with food, so left me a clean slate to start again with.
If you feel like you are just cutting down on the same foods, but just going hungry for a few weeks, maybe have a read through the forum and look at strategies for when you move back to food, to find food you will enjoy instead, as you know the chocolate and sweet things do have to change.


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