Me and hubby have just started this diet and I have a very serious autoimmune disease, I will be interested to see how it goes! Have just finished second fast day and unfortunately fatigue is worse on fast days so far, even hubby was tired today. We’re doing 24 hours, calorie allowance, 12 hours then feed day. As hubby has to work he may try 12 hours, half calories, 12 hours, rest of calories, 12 hours and feed day.

We will see!

Take care.

Hello Emerald

I am sorry it’s not working, you can’t say you didn’t give it a go. Hope you find something else that works for you.

Take care.

This is my first day on the diet. I started out with “hump day” as my first fast. I will try Mondays and Wednesdays and see how it goes. I too have autoimmune disease, RA which has become very aggressive this year. I just received my 2nd infusion with Rituxan and I am hopeful that this will work for me. I was a Remicade patient for 11 years when it stopped working. Felt like I was hit by a semi truck over and over!

I am hoping that this 2 day fast will help keep me focused on proper eating. I have been on the diet carousel for years, succeeding and then ultimately failing. All because I allow that failure to happen. I go haywire after I lose weight. I’m sure people shake their head when they see my weight gain.

I will try to consume no more than 500 calories today and I am hydrating like crazy.

My blood pressure is quite high so that needs to be my primary concern. It was an alarming 166/88 yesterday. May be related to treatment, but regardless I need to get that under control ASAP

I’ve never participating in a posting forum, so I apologize for my rambling.

Any advise would be appreciated and I will post my results hopefully all positive. I would like to lose 25 pounds which is a long term goal.

Wish me luck as I wish everyone embarking on their journeys

I have SLE(Lupus), Sjorgren’s, Type II diabetes. and high blood pressure. I am in my 8th week. Several of the weeks I have done 4:3 instead of 5:2. I have not experienced any adverse side effects from the fasting life style. I have lost 12 lbs, and several inches in various places. Buying new clothes may be an adverse, but welcome side effect. I do have mid-afternoon low blood sugar on some days, but I have experienced that fasting or not. Still need to lose about 70 lbs so I expect this life style change to be permanent. Any suggestions on the low blood sugar?

Helena, I generally have the low sugar about 4 hours after breakfast when I have eaten carbs. My solution is that generally I eat an omelette that has a minimum of carbs. Interestingly this year have have had a serious bout of shingles which was activated by infusions of the new lupus drug, Benlysta. My wife has lost 20 lbs in the same time that I lost the 12.

today was weight-in day. I was down 3 lbs, so last week was a success. That makes 15 lbs in 8 weeks. The breakfast with carbs and blood sugar problems is also connected with taking meds in the morning before breakfast.

Hi -I also have a from of lupus and did the 5:2 for about 16 months. I am now on maintenance. Although I am still on steroids I do not have the fluid retention I had on higher doses and have managed to go from about 95kg (which was my maximum after a long period of being very unwell and immobile and on high dose steroids) to 65kg. I did not find the diet difficult and certainly feel the weight loss and diet has contributed significantly to a general improvement in health. I have also begun meditation and therapeutic yoga as part of a lifestyle modification. So I would say, just go for it!! It will be worth it.

Hi hpearce – in response to your query re fliud retention. When I started the 5.2 about 18 months ago the first thing I noticed was loss of extra fluid. My face became less puffy, as well as my hands and feet/ankles. I found the 5.2 a bit too hard on me (I have dx of chronic fatigue, but am now getting RA type symptoms) so I changed to 8 hour diet and do it most days. I fast for 16 hrs a day and eat for 8. My weight is steady after an initial loss, but I don’t put any on – probably slowly coming off.

Hi Everyone,

I have an auto immune disease called ulcerative colitis, around the time i was diagnosed i put on alot of weight, this was not due to medication. Since being diagnosed in 2010, i have gone through lots of flares, but take no medication,,as i would rather suffer the disease than the cancer caused by medications. I have actually found in the week only, of doing the 5 and 2, i have lost three kilos, and am feeling quite good. I am wondering perhaps if the fasting benefits my intestines, by allowing them the opportunity to rest and heal. Anyway just thought i would share.

Hi everyone. I have several chronic illnesses including RA since youth, hyperthyroidism, and autoimmune ear issues. I’ve been on the 5:2 for about 4 weeks and appear to suffer increased fatigue at about the 15-17 hour mark on a fast day. Must be the body stress that signals repair. So I stop fasting at 24 rather than 36 hrs to recover faster the next day + have 2 days between fast days. My issue – my arthritis has flared badly this week – thinking it could be the diet – if my immune system is improving and counteracting my immunosuppressant medication then it makes sense… I’ve had other improvements that suggest my immunity may be higher. The balance is always so tough. Anyone have any updates or similar issues?? Hayley

Hi there everyone. I’m glad I’ve found this thread. I also have an auto immune condition. It’s called autoimmune neutropenia. No one has every heard of it! It means my neutrophils (white blood cell count) goes low sometimes.

A nutritionist recently told me that diet has a big impact on autoimmune conditions.

If you’re interested check out the film Fat Sick and Nearly Dead by Joe Cross. I know the title is a bit off putting, but he managed to cure his auto immune condition through his diet. It’s pretty amazing.

Very interested in this thread as I’m about to start this diet – switching from the 2 day diet – a low carb version as its no longer working for me.

I have 3 autoimmune disease’s – SLE (Lupus), Sjogrens & Coeliac disease (which most people don’t realise is auto immune and NOT an allergy. All OK at the moment so will be interesting to see how I feel as I want to do 4:3 from the off! I also have exceptionally low blood pressure together with a very slow metabolism and think my thyroid is starting to not work as last year I lost over 2 stone on The 2 Day Diet and this year in 6 weeks only lost 3 lbs!

Hello everyone, I’m 3-4 weeks in, have AI Thyroiditis and AI HLA B27 (it has another name but my doctor hasn’t furnished me with labels!) lost 10lbs, I find the only issue is diarrhoea after a fast day, with a few very close calls!!! I think this may be down to me not giving too much thought to what I eat on non fast days. I also have IBS and I’m sure this doesn’t help. I’m hoping it will settle, I’ve read to avoid carbs for breakfast… Any thoughts? Thank you

Matrika, I was most interested in your post and was wondering how you were getting on with 5:2 and low cortisol? I had been fasting regularly for 2 years and loved it until recently. I was admitted in May this year after a collapse. Subsequent tests showed low cortisol and am waiting for endocrine review. Have been thinking about restarting 5:2 and would be interested to know how you are getting on, or anyone else with low cortisol/addison’s disease. I also am hypothyroid but found 5:2 worked well with this and kept my weight well maintained and felt energized.

2 and a half months into this diet, I developed an auto-immune skin disease called Bullous pemphigoid. Otherwise I felt very well and lost 5 kgs. Also my blood levels improved (cholesterol, triglycerides). I just wonder whether the disease could have been triggered by the diet or is this just coincidence? Any similar experiences?