HCG shots for weight loss (lose weight, calorie, program, losing)

[las vegas drunk]

I tried the HCG diet about 2 years ago. I followed it correctly for a week. I was losing weight, but I was starving so bad it was painful. Needless to say, I quit, and never tried it again.

[DressageGirl]

Whoa, 500 Calories!!!!???

I just visited with a friend I haven't seen in a few months and she did this diet and she has lost alot of weight. She is now on the skinny side (she wasn't heavy before, just wanted to lose 10-15 pounds on her butt). We started talking about it but I didn't catch the bit about it being only 500 calories a day!! Anyone would lose weight if they only ate 500 calories a day. She was explaining to me how it targets your problem areas which is the problem she said she has had all along. She would lose the weight up top, ribs showing, skinny arms, but would still have the weight on her butt and thighs and she said it worked regarding that. Of course it did, now that I realize it. If you are only eating 500 calories a day!!!!! People just aren't patient enough to keep losing 1 - .5 lb a week!

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine how a doctor would say this is OK. I am sure there are people that are successful on the diet but for the vast majority of people . There are a small number of people that are successful on ANY diet!! Sounds like it is more about shrinking your stomach but you can always restretch it if you just go back to your eating habits!!!

WOW, 500 calories! I am shocked.

Edited to add: I would probably pass out on only 500 calories!!!

[susan42]

Originally Posted by margretdzn

thanks to the other supporters of HCG---it's nice to know this forum isn't just full of narrow minded souls...........
I hold to the fact that HCG changed my life---got rid of that hard to loose belly fat, got me off BP meds, and showed me a better quality of life.......I was also followed by my MD who fully endorsed it - I have another MD that was prescribing my BP meds and when she saw me 30 lbs. lighter, she said you look fantastic!!! How did you do it..? I told her HCG and she got so foul-mouthed about it, it's going to ruin your life. etc. etc.--- I just smiled and didn't say a word, knowing my other MD endorsed it and followed me all the way.........

I'm 61, and can remember a time when you would tell your MD you wanted to take vitamins and my doctors back then would say---what do you want to take vitamins for, you don't need extra vitamins, they will hurt you, too much will hurt you, you'll put yourself out of balance.........!!
bah-humbug.....
It's one thing to have a different opinion about something, but to go around bad-mouthing something you really don't know all the facts on---that's just plain narrow minded......like those people who ban books without having even read them, just on someone elses recommendation.....
HCG in the VERY SMALL DOSE that it is taken for weight loss CAN help people.....
Read Dr. Simeons free book and make an "informed" decision before you think negative about it...........

I have no intention of reading the book.I have read up on HCG on several medical/ob/gyn sites.Don't need to read something that is written by someone advocating the use of a drug in a way that isn't licensed.
So what is the dose?
What information were you given regarding side effects and how to respond to them?

[susan42]

Originally Posted by DressageGirl

Whoa, 500 Calories!!!!???

I just visited with a friend I haven't seen in a few months and she did this diet and she has lost alot of weight. She is now on the skinny side (she wasn't heavy before, just wanted to lose 10-15 pounds on her butt). We started talking about it but I didn't catch the bit about it being only 500 calories a day!! Anyone would lose weight if they only ate 500 calories a day. She was explaining to me how it targets your problem areas which is the problem she said she has had all along. She would lose the weight up top, ribs showing, skinny arms, but would still have the weight on her butt and thighs and she said it worked regarding that. Of course it did, now that I realize it. If you are only eating 500 calories a day!!!!! People just aren't patient enough to keep losing 1 - .5 lb a week!

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine how a doctor would say this is OK. I am sure there are people that are successful on the diet but for the vast majority of people . There are a small number of people that are successful on ANY diet!! Sounds like it is more about shrinking your stomach but you can always restretch it if you just go back to your eating habits!!!

WOW, 500 calories! I am shocked.

Edited to add: I would probably pass out on only 500 calories!!!

And no fat or oilsat all for (was it ) 2 weeks.We need essential fatty acids for healthy tissues and cells and also to absorb fat soluble vitamins.
Then no starch for 2 weeks after the diet so the hypothalamus resets itself!
Probably end up with osteoporosis and kidney and liver problems.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by susan42

He can't be that well respected as he is prescribing HCG outside it's FDA approved license.HCG is only licensed for fertility treatment and a few other hormonal problems.IT CAN HAVE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS such as blood clots.

I DO have hormonal probelms (that's what PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Hashimotos Thyroiditis are) and my doctor does know what he's doing, he's on the Arizona State Board of Naturopathic Examiners and is not into prescribing anything dangerous at all. As a matter of fact, the drug that they generally give for insulin resistance 'Metformin', has so many side effects (lactic acidosis causing death and so many others too numerous to mention) so if this diet eliminates my need for it, it could in fact save my life. Diabetes itself is a killer so prevention (which is what this diet does and is provable by blookdwork) is prudent. Also, I have been on synthroid since I was 8 (I'm now late 40's) and it has been proven to cause osteopperosis, and a researcher friend with breast cancer says there are studies to show that it causes brest cancer too if you really look into it so reducing these drugs (which the HCG diet does) is very much a health benefit.

The dose of HCG that you take on the diet is no where near what you take for fertility (it's .15 ml per day), probably a tenth or less of what you would take for fertility and it's only for a few weeks. At this dose my doctor assures me that there are no side effects, he is in his 50's and has been doing this porogram for years with utmost success. He is more knowledgable about hormones than any doctor I have ever met (and believe me I have been to so many others with no success as PCOS is such a little know syndrome). Believe me, I have done my research here and this is my best option.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by susan42

And no fat or oilsat all for (was it ) 2 weeks.We need essential fatty acids for healthy tissues and cells and also to absorb fat soluble vitamins.
Then no starch for 2 weeks after the diet so the hypothalamus resets itself!
Probably end up with osteoporosis and kidney and liver problems.

Are you for real ?

There are people who fast for longer than that...the human body doesn't shut down in a couple of weeks eating greens, fish, low sugar fruits and chicken. You eat healthy fats right up until the time of the diet and then go right back to them afterwards as I mentioned before. You can live for a few weeks without them as you metabolize your body fat...that's what happens when pregnant women are in a famine.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by susan42

I have no intention of reading the book.I have read up on HCG on several medical/ob/gyn sites.Don't need to read something that is written by someone advocating the use of a drug in a way that isn't licensed.
So what is the dose?
What information were you given regarding side effects and how to respond to them?

I can call my doctor every day if I want to and see him every week (or more if necessary) but it's mostly to adjust the supplements to make the process more comfortable.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by DressageGirl

Whoa, 500 Calories!!!!???

I just visited with a friend I haven't seen in a few months and she did this diet and she has lost alot of weight. She is now on the skinny side (she wasn't heavy before, just wanted to lose 10-15 pounds on her butt). We started talking about it but I didn't catch the bit about it being only 500 calories a day!! Anyone would lose weight if they only ate 500 calories a day. She was explaining to me how it targets your problem areas which is the problem she said she has had all along. She would lose the weight up top, ribs showing, skinny arms, but would still have the weight on her butt and thighs and she said it worked regarding that. Of course it did, now that I realize it. If you are only eating 500 calories a day!!!!! People just aren't patient enough to keep losing 1 - .5 lb a week!

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine how a doctor would say this is OK. I am sure there are people that are successful on the diet but for the vast majority of people . There are a small number of people that are successful on ANY diet!! Sounds like it is more about shrinking your stomach but you can always restretch it if you just go back to your eating habits!!!

WOW, 500 calories! I am shocked.

Edited to add: I would probably pass out on only 500 calories!!!

You are commenting about a diet you seem to know nothing about...if you read my previous post:

"To comment on this diet it's important to understand how it works. Of course it's not safe to eat 500 calories a day unless you are getting calories elsewhere. HCG converts your system from burning glucose for fuel to burning fat for fuel so you are getting nourishment (calories) from your existing body fat in a way you couldn't without it. HCG was discovered in pregnant women and it was to feed and nourish them in case of a famine and has been used in weight loss since the 50's (nature wouldn't do something to pregnant women that is totally unsafe). Doing this for 28 days is totally safe according to my doctor. It reduces insulin resistance (to prevent diabetes), improves thyroid function and has many other good side effects."

You are eating 500 calories a day and getting the rest that you need from your own body fat...that's what the HCG does - that's it's only purpose. It also does this for pregnant women who encounter a famine and they survive just fine with healthy babies.

You probably 'can't in your wildest dreams understand' bercause you have done no research on this protocol and have no idea what you're talking about...you're just reacting to a low number of calories which is only a small part of the equation.

Also in my last post, I mentioned that I had been dieting very stricktly for over a year and exercising heavily and actually gaining weight (not muscle)...I would be thrilled to lose 1 lb a week but with thyroid issues, insulin resistance and PCOS that isn't happening.

What happened to compassion and understanding for others who may have different circumstances than yourself? If you don't need this diet and can lose weight through the normal route, be happy about it but don't make judgement on something you know nothing about.

I have this sneaking feeling that none of you on this post are even doctors and probably don't know much about the diet at all.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

I tried the HCG diet about 2 years ago. I followed it correctly for a week. I was losing weight, but I was starving so bad it was painful. Needless to say, I quit, and never tried it again.

Did you have a full blood work up, do the detox prior to it and take supplements to help with the process?

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by susan42

If you have PCOS you are increasing your risk.Ovarian cysyts are an absolute contraindication to HCG.
What did your well respected Dr tell you about the potential side effects, what to look out for and how to respond?
What's his name by the way?

I have PCOS which is a metabolic disorder, not just ovarian cysts...it has more to do with androgens. I don't currently have active large cysts (which I have had surgery for many times in my younger years) and I have found a way to keep them at bay....I am also late 40's so they may be slowing down naturally.

I am not going to share my doctor's name on this post, he didn't ask to be invovled in this. There are many doctors doing this protocol and each person who is interested can find their own doctor in their area. The last thing he needs as a busy professional is a pack of vultures who know nothing of what they are talking about complaining about his practices.