Has anyone tried HCG drops?

rmdemattia
rmdemattia Posts: 26
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
I saw this advertisement for HCG drops that are supposed to supress the fat hormone in the brain and help you lose weight. The instructions are to put 1 dopper under your tongue before each meal for an allotted amount of time. Thus losing 1-3lbs PER DAY! Yes thats not a typo...PER DAY! Sooo my question is has anyone tried this?
I know it definitely sounds like a scam!
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Replies

  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    Yep, sounds too good to be true... And too unhealthy to be doable.


    But, omg, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't try it if it actually worked! The scale is NOT moving in the right direction lately. :explode:

    EDIT: Upon reading some information on the HCG website, these drops are coupled with a diet of 500 calories a day. Whoops. I take back what I said earlier. I definitely wouldn't try this.
  • BECav0602
    BECav0602 Posts: 200 Member
    I know someone that has but the whole lifestyle is unrealistic. I think you only eat 500-700 calories a day while taking them and the weight will pretty much come back once you start your regular eating habits again (or even modified). IMO, there can't be anything healthy about 500 calories a day.
  • rmdemattia
    rmdemattia Posts: 26
    RIght!? My scale isn't moving either and this ad just sounded tempting...but I wanted some opinions. :)
  • mhig011975
    mhig011975 Posts: 181
    Dr. Oz did a show about this. Sounds to good to be true.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    If gimmicks like this worked and were healthy, would anyone still be fat and unhealthy?
  • risefromruin
    risefromruin Posts: 483 Member
    You also have to only eat 500 calories a day... All of these fad diets really concern me. This absolutely could not be healthy. I have lost 98 lbs through pure diet and exercise and I am so proud because of that. I say you should lose weight the old fashioned way, it is healthier and you'll feel much better about it!
  • aferbet
    aferbet Posts: 124
    One of my friends did this and lost quite a bit of weight right away, but she wasn't eating hardly anything. The diet that goes with those drops is brutal...you can only have 500 cals a day! Talk about NOT healthy. And then what happens when you stop taking the drops? You begin eating more and the weight comes back! Also...they are expensive. You're better off watching your calories, sodium, protein, etc. and working out daily.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    Yay! Magic beans!
  • rmdemattia
    rmdemattia Posts: 26
    Yeah all great points! Thanks everyone. I have been losing weight the old fashioned way with good diet and exerise. I just wanted feedback on thoughts about this new "fad".
  • remembertheharddrive
    remembertheharddrive Posts: 133 Member
    A couple of my friends who are now on MFP did it. Both lost weight, but I'm not sure if they stuck with it at this stage. If you're interested I can have them send you a message on their opinions.
  • idream2bgwen
    idream2bgwen Posts: 424 Member
    There is a reason people keep going back to eating right and exercising. This diet is the scariest for me. I would not and cannot even think about messing with my hormones. I hate to see what the long term side effects are going to be. And I really believe that when people stop taking the drops that the weight will come back on. I am very against it. I know that some people have great success but messing with my hormones is not one thing I am willing to do. And the other thing...eating 500 calories. We should all know from being on MFP that we need at least 1200 cal to operate. Crazy.
  • amandakay3000
    amandakay3000 Posts: 22
    .
  • Angela4Health
    Angela4Health Posts: 1,319 Member
    aye aye aye... don't do it!
  • SteffiLatta
    SteffiLatta Posts: 31 Member
    From what I understood, it's supposed to reset your hypothalmus (sp?), but from what I've seen, once you stop the 500 cal/day you gain it back. Had three friends on it and one felt like she was PMSing the whole time because she was so moody. All gained back a large portion of the weight.
  • Whatchuwant
    Whatchuwant Posts: 8
    My friend is doing it right now with a bunch of co-workers (it's not just the drops, there's a metabolism booster as well). She can't eat anything! I told her no wonder she's lost that much that fast, who needs the drops? She says she's not starving, but her co-workers are. They've made it a competition between themselves- see who can lose the most in 30 days. They mess with each other- throw boxes of chocolates on each others desk and send emails with pictures of food.

    Even the modification after the 30 days seems very unrealistic.
  • rmdemattia
    rmdemattia Posts: 26
    Ok just to let you know...I wasn't thinking of doing it. I just wanted thoughts! lol No worries people! I love MFP and have been succesfully using it! :)
  • 37mom
    37mom Posts: 74
    I think the old fashioned way sounds much better......imagine what would happen once you stop taking those drops.
  • ufuentes84
    ufuentes84 Posts: 3
    My mom is 52 years old and has her thyroid removed, has to take medicine to sort of act as her thyroid...
    So she has had trouble losing weight no matter how great she does with healthy eating and exercising.
    She decided to try the HCG drops and so far in 9 days, she has lost 7 lbs...which is amazing! Because with the diet and exercise
    before, she would maybe maybe maybe lose 2 lbs in a month, if that.
    It is a harsh 500 calorie diet, but she is using it as a boost to get down to her goal weight (only 13 lbs away now).
    You have to keep in mind that after you are done, you have to stay healthy eating and exercising to maintain.
    Most who gain all of the weight back do so because they eat the same way they did before losing the weight....
    they recommended a well rounded weight watchers or low carb, high protein, high veggies diet but eating to maintain.
    I have heard that a lot of the drops on the internet might not be legitimate, but I don't know which ones...
    Mom is taking the ones from Oak Hill Health Company. She got them through our local health/homeopathic/natural vitamin store. The owner of the store was super helpful in guiding mom in the right direction and so far so good!
  • mericksmom
    mericksmom Posts: 222 Member
    Put it this way, you eat very little, of certain foods, there is a very VERY strick regimine, on top of all that some sites say you can't use face cream, lotions, make up. There are reports of skin, hair and nails being brittle, dry, etc. And there is a possibility of causing hormone issues since you are ingesting hormone.

    My SIL did it and she lost crazy amount of weight in 6 months time, this then left TON of lose skin. So yes it could work, but then why mess up your body. This is your decision but do your research and do it safely with a DR, (there are tons of scams of fake HCG out there so buyer beware)
  • ufuentes84
    ufuentes84 Posts: 3
    oh and yes usually 500 calories is way too low!!!
    That is the whole purpose of the HCG Drops, to allow you to be at such a low level without the
    headaches or starving feeling, etc....
    I'm too chicken to try it, but I think it CAN be a good thing if you understand that its like a boost, not a lifelong thing...the lifelong thing is eating healthy and exercising when off of the drops as well :)
  • ufuentes84
    ufuentes84 Posts: 3
    Put it this way, you eat very little, of certain foods, there is a very VERY strick regimine, on top of all that some sites say you can't use face cream, lotions, make up. There are reports of skin, hair and nails being brittle, dry, etc. And there is a possibility of causing hormone issues since you are ingesting hormone.

    My SIL did it and she lost crazy amount of weight in 6 months time, this then left TON of lose skin. So yes it could work, but then why mess up your body. This is your decision but do your research and do it safely with a DR, (there are tons of scams of fake HCG out there so buyer beware)

    I totally agree!!! You have to go through a Dr. or at least a reliable natural health care establishment! Hadn't heard that about the skin, thanks for sharing that bit!
  • rmdemattia
    rmdemattia Posts: 26
    Put it this way, you eat very little, of certain foods, there is a very VERY strick regimine, on top of all that some sites say you can't use face cream, lotions, make up. There are reports of skin, hair and nails being brittle, dry, etc. And there is a possibility of causing hormone issues since you are ingesting hormone.

    My SIL did it and she lost crazy amount of weight in 6 months time, this then left TON of lose skin. So yes it could work, but then why mess up your body. This is your decision but do your research and do it safely with a DR, (there are tons of scams of fake HCG out there so buyer beware)


    Yes thanks for the info. I wasn't seriously considering it, I was more interested in what people thought and if anyone had tried it. I have heard a lot of stories of ppl losing weight quickly, but then being miserable with how their body's looked. I definitely believe that the old fashioned way of diet and daily exercise are the best and safest options.

    Thanks everyone for your thoughts and insights!
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    It's a crock. You're not losing weight from the drops, you're losing weight from being on a ****ing 500 calorie diet.
  • bdmom3
    bdmom3 Posts: 21
    Well from my own personal experience it DOES work. I tried doing a 500 calorie diet for 2 months and only lost 10 pounds but I started the hcg and lost 23 pounds in 1 month and it was obvious that it had come out of my problem areas. I'm not trying to argue but this was just my own experience. It takes a lot of personal mind strength to stick to it but if you want it bad enough it makes it a lot easier. oh, my hunger and energy were incredibly different with the hcg than without. better i mean.
  • klabeau
    klabeau Posts: 261 Member
    bdmom3, i'm glad you tried it to see the difference. I've done it and lost 30lbs. The diet tells you how to reintroduce regular food into your diet so your body can handle it. All i know is after two weeks of the drops, I visited my doctor and my blood pressure was normal. I had been on the BP meds for 11yrs. After you take the drops for the alotted time, there is a whole six week process of slowly eating regular food. At the end of the fourth week you are back up to eating 1500 - 2000 calories. As with any diet, if you return to eating fat, tons of sugar & carbs, and not working out, you will gain the weight back.
  • klabeau
    klabeau Posts: 261 Member
    Do some research on it. I read and researched for months before I decided to try it.
  • sent4rmabove23
    sent4rmabove23 Posts: 148
    I did the diet 3 times! and you know what, I don't think I would be able to do it ever again. Yes, I lost weight but if I ate one thing not on the protocol, I was risking to 1) gain weight and 2) stall my weight loss up to a week which is a big deal in this diet since EVERYDAY you're suppose to lose weight. Just do things naturally, it takes longer but its best. Whats the point of losing weight fast to only gain it faster.
  • sent4rmabove23
    sent4rmabove23 Posts: 148
    Do some research on it. I read and researched for months before I decided to try it.

    The foods approved by Dr. Simeons are healthy - I'm just against the calorie restriction and the constant weighing; I was losing weight but felt fustrated all the time. In regards to my eating now, I eat fruit, veggies, leans meats and complex carbs and I'm a happy person - I'm just taking lonnnnggggeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr to get there but I'll get there. I do credit the hcg for the boost.
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
    If gimmicks like this worked and were healthy, would anyone still be fat and unhealthy?


    well said!
  • tinamwilson
    tinamwilson Posts: 32
    OK...no one come to hunt me down after reading this....I did do the HCG through my physician and under a weekly management program with him. I drove 120 miles round trip every week and paid for the protocol out of pocket because insurance did not cover it. I stuck to the program like glue because I really needed for SOMETHING to work...everytime I had been pregnant I lost weight during my pregnancy so I knew I would be a good candidate. I lost 25# in 6 weeks and felt great!!! I has tons of energy even on the restrictive 500 calorie diet. It was the "jump start" I needed to get me going.

    Now...before you all start looking for my address or send me hate mail let me say this... I would NEVER have done this via the internet or some kind of "fly by night" means. ONLY because it was with a reputable physician who I trusted and still see for my care that I proceeded with this protocol.
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