hcg diet

idahogirl71
idahogirl71 Posts: 1,110 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone done the hcg diet? I have lost 26 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks and my doctor is not satisfied with that. He wants me to do the hcg diet, but I am skeptical as I have been on nearly every diet under the sun. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Replies

  • snerk
    snerk Posts: 51
    There was a segment on Dr Oz about that today. 26 lbs in 5.5 weeks is amazing!!! I dont know what the heck your dr is thinking, you seem to be doing great.!! I say stick with what your doing now...looks like its working for you! Good luck!!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    You doctor is prescribing it? Did he say why? Of all the diets out there, HGC is one that is most dubious to me- its so restrictive. 26lbs in 5 1/2 weeks is incredible! You should be proud!
  • chiliflea
    chiliflea Posts: 695 Member
    I just googled it and I would be EXTREMELY concerned about a diet like that.... You're losing weight at a steady rate, in a healthy and controlled way - changing your whole lifestyle...

    How much weight does your doctor want you to lose in a week?!
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    There is lots of threads on this. But if your certified doctor is saying that it is a good idea I would go for it. My mother did it, and had amazing results. Its not a lifetime thing. Which most people will tell you that you will just gain the weight back, but after you do phase one there is a phase two and phase three that helps you learn how to eat correctly and stuff.

    My mom loved it. But she didn't do the OTC bottled kind. She went to a clinic and was monitered for it.... find out exactly why your doctor wants you to do it, and why he thinks it would be a good idea.

    26 lbs is great in 5 weeks, he may just be concerned about your health if you have lots of weight to lose, he may want you to get it off quickly just to fix other dire health issues. I would talk with him about it.
  • HoopFire5602
    HoopFire5602 Posts: 423 Member
    my mom is actually on the hcg and she has lost a lot of weight. You take these drips under the tounge (or other method if preffered). But at the same time you would be starving yourself every day at first- 500 cals. As a former anorexic, I don't reccomened starvation diets.
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
    snerk, I saw it on Dr Oz as well...........hes not too excited about anyone eating or consuming only 500 calories......matter of fact, they had another dr on , and he was worried about cardio problems, as well as gall bladder problems, and not enough fat for the body, good fat, for the liver .

    Also, he said that most people will put it back on, once the return to eating normally......Dr Oz mentioned starvation mode and at least consuming 1200 calories daily..........Lloyd
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    He wants you to lose weight even faster???!!! Sounds to me like you're doing just fine on your own. I say stick with the way you are doing it and don't listen to the doctors. Sure doctors (certified or not) know a lot but they don't know a lot about nutrition. That is not a focus in med school.

    500 calories per day can also be called a "starvation diet". I say find yourself a nutritionist and get that person's view on it, not a doctor's view.
  • nisharae
    nisharae Posts: 204 Member
    I know many that have done it and seen results... But in the process they are also moody and miserable. Just and honest response ;)
  • caysea
    caysea Posts: 16 Member
    My friend did the HCG diet and her Doctor has since told her that he believes it caused her to get leisions on her liver. For awhile we thought it was cancer, thankfully it is not. I wouldn't recommend it at all!
  • StephanieBFree
    StephanieBFree Posts: 39 Member
    My husband is in the medical field and his philosophy is this ...."There are Dr.'s who graduate at the top of their class and their are Dr.'s who graduate the lowest of their class." If your Dr. ever says anything that makes you question him then it is time for a second opinion. It would not take much to request a copy of your medical file, and just get it looked at by another GP. If the second opinion is the same as your original Dr. then that is what I would go with. Even Dr.'s have bad days.

    Good Luck
  • ericdarr
    ericdarr Posts: 1 Member
    My wife and I both did the diet and we were very happy and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested. We both averaged 1lb+ per day of weight loss. I did the diet twice for about 25 days each time and lost 55 lbs and 7" in my stomach.

    As far as the diet is concerned it is both easy and hard. Your motivation during the diet is high so it makes the days on the diet pretty easy. Plus every day you look at the scale and there are big changes taking place. But during the maintenance you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the cravings are a little more intense.

    The maintenance is the most important part of the diet. This is when your body settles into being at your new weight. Once the maintenance is completed you will stay at your new weight pretty easily. However, if you don't do the maintenance correctly you will gain back all of the weight in a very short time. I cannot stress enough how important the maintenance is.

    Eric
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    26 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks is AMAZING! Keep up the good work. If it were me, I'd find a new doctor because any doctor that told me 26 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks wasn't good enough isn't someone I'm interested in working with. At the very least, I'd get a 2nd opinion from someone not associated with the original doctor.
  • annabelmartinez
    annabelmartinez Posts: 63 Member
    I'm curious to this answer coz I went to Vitamin World today and that's what they lady suggested. I wonder how it works??? I don't think eating 500 calories a day is healthy... So I too would like to hear from people who have used it too...

    Bump
  • I did HCG up until last week. I lost 13 pounds in 12 days and was miserable and starving the whole time. I did the drops though. I would reccommend monitoring with injections by a certified Dr if you do do it. It can be too easily done incorrectly and affect your health being so restrictive. I found I was showing signs of anmeia due to lack of protein and without a Dr.'s supervision you might risk greater health issues by trying something still so unproven.
  • Hey! I'm on the HCG diet right now. I take the drops and I lost about 15 pounds in 2 weeks. I cheated some...a lot... But I'm back on track. It's great, the only tips I have is make sure you drink at least 2 liters of water a day and try hard not to take medicine for the headaches that come the first week. So far, I've found that it's safe. My mom is doing it as well and it works for her. I wish you the best of luck. If you want to know where I got the drops or anything else, just message me!
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    I know many that have done it and seen results... But in the process they are also moody and miserable. Just and honest response ;)

    Not to mention all the adverse health effects of such a low calorie diet. Gosh, the damage that could do and some of it could be permanent damage.
  • I can tell you that my DR just put me on the HCG Injections last Thursday. And I had to sit with a nutritionist for almost an hour. They completely go over Proteins and fats. But I am not quite sure about the full blown HCG Diet. She told me that the shots are to get rid of inches around my weist line " in my stomach". And it only works in 80% of people and the other 20% it does nothing for them. Everyone is going to have different opinions, but I can tell you my DR does not like diets. She likes to educate you on nutrition because all in all thats the most important and good excercise for your heart. And over all health. I am really not sure if this has worked for me or not. I only do the shots 1 time a week. Some people do them every other day. So I have just started myself. I do eat very clean and excercise every day. I have a hormonal problem that we are trying to get back on track. Good luck !!! CONGRATS !!! on the weight loss. Thats Fantastic.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    Hey! I'm on the HCG diet right now. I take the drops and I lost about 15 pounds in 2 weeks. I cheated some...a lot... But I'm back on track. It's great, the only tips I have is make sure you drink at least 2 liters of water a day and try hard not to take medicine for the headaches that come the first week. So far, I've found that it's safe. My mom is doing it as well and it works for her. I wish you the best of luck. If you want to know where I got the drops or anything else, just message me!

    Sorry but anything that consists of 500 calories per day is not safe at all. You might think it's safe but you don't know what it is doing to your body inside.
  • 2bfitforever
    2bfitforever Posts: 87 Member
    Has anyone done the hcg diet? I have lost 26 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks and my doctor is not satisfied with that. He wants me to do the hcg diet, but I am skeptical as I have been on nearly every diet under the sun. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

    The HCG diet claims you will lose 1 lb a day --- they say 40 lbs in 40 days. You have lost 26 lbs in 28-29 days?! I would say you don't need to do the HCG diet since you already have the same results. I just hope you are doing this without having to go down to 500 calories. Unless you have had to put off a life-saving procedure/surgery due to your weight, I would seek a second opinion. Good luck and congrats on the 26 lbs!
  • CelesteENelson
    CelesteENelson Posts: 89 Member
    There is another option. I am on a medication called Phentermine. It is 1 pill every morning ( can go up to two times a day i think) take it half hour before you eat. It reduces your hunger and I have found that since I dont think I am starving I make better choices in what I eat. The first 4 weeks I dropped 17 lbs. Thats when I joined a gym. I wanted a new lifestyle. Not have to rely on pills or anything else. From what I have read and heard from people you fall off the wagon when you get off the HCG diet because you refused yourself so many things that you eat them all once you are off the diet. Good luck and congrats to those who are going to or who have done the diet. in 6 1/2 months I have lost 77 lbs. So I think my medication is helping me so I will stick with it.

    Dr only put me on Phentermine to assist me in weight loss since I have a medical problem that causes problems with me losing weight.
  • Lizzie08
    Lizzie08 Posts: 15 Member
    What a coincidence! I typically DVR The Dr. Oz show runs on Fox TV at 3pm (MTS) the topic for today is the HCG diet and if it really works...They show the rerun tomorrow at 10am this may help you :)
  • idahogirl71
    idahogirl71 Posts: 1,110 Member
    Thank you all for your responses. I so badly want to do this as a life-style change this time around without pills or gimmicks that will just let me down later. I do have a LOT of weight to lose and a hormonal imbalance that I take Progesterone for, but still. I have done Phentermine in the past and was not successful with it because of intense migraines and inability to sleep. I have decided to wait and get a second opinion on this. I will visit a nutrionist that I used to see and get her opinon. I just honestly do not think only consuming 500 calories a day is safe or healthy. Thanks again for your responses!
  • I think you are right to get a second opinion. I wish I could lose 26 lbs in 5 weeks!! That's great!! You are doing wonderful. I don't think you need a pill or gimmick!
  • Second opinion is right!! You have to remember, most doctors are just general practice doctors. They are NOT nutritionists. I don't trust a doctor that recommends you get on a "diet" that is that restrictive because it's short term. Sure, you may lose the weight rather quickly in those 40 days, but what about when you're not on it.

    I watched my mom do it. She struggled big time. She was forced to give up a lot of foods. She did lose the weight, but it didn't teach her how to keep the weight off once she got off the drops, and yep, she gained a lot of the weight back. And the diet also doesn't want you to exercise. Well, that's fine, but part of a regular healthy lifestyle is to exercise.
  • deanie0515
    deanie0515 Posts: 85 Member
    I am on the drops now. I am 4 days in and have lost 6lbs. 500 calories sucks!!! I am going to stick with it because I promised my brother who is also doing it. He is on day 19 and has lost 34lbs. I too am concerned about re-gaining because seriously I want some cheese enchiladas right now, lots and lots of enchiladas!! lol I also have a good friend who did the injections route...she has had great results and seems to have maintained for about a year and a half.
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
    It sounds like your doctor is a quack! Youve lost an average of 5lbs a week! thats awesome!!! Just keep doing what your doing and look for a new PCP!! (I am also on progesterone, and that can slow the weight loss IMO). GOod luck
  • ChassityGetsFit
    ChassityGetsFit Posts: 173 Member
    You definitely need a new doctor! No doctor should be unhappy with an average of 5lbs a week, and they definitely should not be telling you to do the hcg diet! It's rediculous! Be happy with what you're doing, and definitely get a new doctor! You're doing great!!!!!
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
    You definitely need a new doctor! No doctor should be unhappy with an average of 5lbs a week, and they definitely should not be telling you to do the hcg diet! It's rediculous! Be happy with what you're doing, and definitely get a new doctor! You're doing great!!!!!

    Yes!!!
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
    FOR EVERYONE OUT THERE:


    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-hcg-for-weight-loss


    You lose because of the 500 calorie diet, not the hormone. Save your money....those drops and all are expensive!
  • FOR EVERYONE OUT THERE:


    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-hcg-for-weight-loss


    You lose because of the 500 calorie diet, not the hormone. Save your money....those drops and all are expensive!

    I've always wondered if the drops were merely a placebo...
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