Looking for peeps who did HCG diet...with bad results
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MrsRipdizzle
Posts: 490 Member
I'm curious to others who did this diet and what their experiences were AFTER all the phases were complete. So many people say if you do it according to protocol, you will be happy. Well, I DID do it according to protocol (last year in October I did it)...and sorry to be a debbie-downer, but I wasn't happy once all was said and done.
This is not a thread for people who've never tried it and want to add their two cents to how bad it is. I already know how bad it is and believe me, I'm on "your side". But I want to hear from real people who did it and had bad results (side effects?). There are some folks on these boards who are all PRO-HCG right now because they are in the phases of it and seeing quick results...but I'd like to show them that these results don't come for cheap...and don't always last.
I was really "happy" while doing HCG...I never felt like I was starving...I loved the instant results...I loved dropping jean sizes every two weeks. My tummy got flatter (no carbs will do that for ya). I felt like I could conquer the world. I told everyone they were wrong...I'd lost the weight and keep it off and I was doing it in a "homeopathic" way. Ohhhh boy. How disillusioned you get when you are looking for a quick fix. *sigh*
Here is my experience:
I lost 23 lbs (did a 40 day course of sublingual drops). Along with those pounds I lost a few other things:
**1. My immune system. It was SHOT. Completely. In fact, a month after getting off the diet the dreaded "flu season" hit and I picked up every virus over the course of four months. I was sick every week or every other week. Couldn't exercise. Could barely breathe because I was so mucus-filled from all the congestion. And when I am swallowing snot cocktails all day, I like to follow them with tasty food. Which leads to....you guessed it...WEIGHT GAIN! 17 lbs of it to be exact (probably would've gained more but this summer I said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!). And no, I didn't need to eat like a cow to gain this weight...even after going through maintenance and being good, it crept right back on. Your fat cells don't disappear...they are always with you...they may empty, but they can refill again.
**2. Hair. I lost a LOT of hair. I was clogging the drain in my shower every day or every other day. Yes, clumps of hair just fell out. My hairdresser commented on my hair shedding when I went in for my 3 month follow-up trim. As a woman, losing your beautiful, healthy hair when you are only 30 years old SUCKS. It still hasn't filled in and I'm left with thin, fine hair. Blah.
**3. Money. It was expensive to buy those drops and filet mignon and super lean, organic meat all the time.
**4. My digestive system. I was constipated all the time and only had a BM once or maybe (if I was lucky or used something to help it along) twice a week.
**5. Lean muscle mass. It didn't just "eat up" the fat...it ate up lean muscle mass. I am now 35% body fat. Awesome.
**6. And the biggie that trumps all of them...my metabolism. I'm having to work my *kitten* off now to make any great progress in my weight loss. It's my fault. I know this. It's frustrating...but I'm determined to turn this around now with healthy eating and regular exercise.
<<<<<The point here is: DON'T BE A VICTIM TO THE HCG SCAM!>>>>> Learn from other's mistakes. I'm one of those people ~ been there, done that, bought the book, and now I need to write a book! It was the single most stoopid thing I've done in an effort to improve my health.
This is not a thread for people who've never tried it and want to add their two cents to how bad it is. I already know how bad it is and believe me, I'm on "your side". But I want to hear from real people who did it and had bad results (side effects?). There are some folks on these boards who are all PRO-HCG right now because they are in the phases of it and seeing quick results...but I'd like to show them that these results don't come for cheap...and don't always last.
I was really "happy" while doing HCG...I never felt like I was starving...I loved the instant results...I loved dropping jean sizes every two weeks. My tummy got flatter (no carbs will do that for ya). I felt like I could conquer the world. I told everyone they were wrong...I'd lost the weight and keep it off and I was doing it in a "homeopathic" way. Ohhhh boy. How disillusioned you get when you are looking for a quick fix. *sigh*
Here is my experience:
I lost 23 lbs (did a 40 day course of sublingual drops). Along with those pounds I lost a few other things:
**1. My immune system. It was SHOT. Completely. In fact, a month after getting off the diet the dreaded "flu season" hit and I picked up every virus over the course of four months. I was sick every week or every other week. Couldn't exercise. Could barely breathe because I was so mucus-filled from all the congestion. And when I am swallowing snot cocktails all day, I like to follow them with tasty food. Which leads to....you guessed it...WEIGHT GAIN! 17 lbs of it to be exact (probably would've gained more but this summer I said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!). And no, I didn't need to eat like a cow to gain this weight...even after going through maintenance and being good, it crept right back on. Your fat cells don't disappear...they are always with you...they may empty, but they can refill again.
**2. Hair. I lost a LOT of hair. I was clogging the drain in my shower every day or every other day. Yes, clumps of hair just fell out. My hairdresser commented on my hair shedding when I went in for my 3 month follow-up trim. As a woman, losing your beautiful, healthy hair when you are only 30 years old SUCKS. It still hasn't filled in and I'm left with thin, fine hair. Blah.
**3. Money. It was expensive to buy those drops and filet mignon and super lean, organic meat all the time.
**4. My digestive system. I was constipated all the time and only had a BM once or maybe (if I was lucky or used something to help it along) twice a week.
**5. Lean muscle mass. It didn't just "eat up" the fat...it ate up lean muscle mass. I am now 35% body fat. Awesome.
**6. And the biggie that trumps all of them...my metabolism. I'm having to work my *kitten* off now to make any great progress in my weight loss. It's my fault. I know this. It's frustrating...but I'm determined to turn this around now with healthy eating and regular exercise.
<<<<<The point here is: DON'T BE A VICTIM TO THE HCG SCAM!>>>>> Learn from other's mistakes. I'm one of those people ~ been there, done that, bought the book, and now I need to write a book! It was the single most stoopid thing I've done in an effort to improve my health.
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ive only heard bad things about rubbish ''diets'' like this. the only healthy way to lose weight and tone up is to eat healthily, less, and to exercise regularly.
forget HCG and all the other stupid pills, potions and ridiculous programmes and concentrate on finding out about proper nutrition and how to look after your body PROPERLY
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Thank you for posting this. I really hope some of the people on this diet or thinking about going on it read about your experience.0
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And I want to add...I had posted about this before here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/326233-measurement-comparison-from-when-i-was-on-hcg-versus-now
I did measurements a couple weeks back and while I was 10 lbs HEAVIER than I was at my lowest from HCG....I was smaller or the same in almost all of my measurements. That darn diet helped catabolize my muscle!!!!0 -
I'm really glad I read this because a friend of mine was trying to convince me to try it. I'm already struggling with hypothyroidism right now, so I'm pretty positive now that the HCG diet will not help.0
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I have two co-workers who had great success with the HCG diet over two years ago, and they have kept off the weight. I tried it, had great success with it for the 1st extended round that I did... went to the maintain phase and ate a few almonds and I felt like I was having a gall bladder attack!!! Every time for the next two weeks that I ate almonds. It was miserable.
I have since gained back the 30 pounds I lost, and them some more (almost 20 more)... so I am currently making better food choices, and exercising. I've lost almost 30 pounds again, and this time, I am taking it slow, working out, eating what I want and all around, just feeling healthier and more satisfied. It was a hard diet to do with my family around. While I loved the quick loss.. I wasn't diligent enough once I was finished with that round to keep it off. That was my fault, not the fault of the diet.
I hope you are feeling better now. Its definitely not a diet for everyone.0 -
Wow, thanks for sharing that.0
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... went to the maintain phase and ate a few almonds and I felt like I was having a gall bladder attack!!! Every time for the next two weeks that I ate almonds. It was miserable.
ME TOOOO (well not the gallbladder part)! I can't eat almonds now!! Are you able to eat them now? Anytime I eat almonds my stomach goes crazy and it hurts. I tried almond milk for the first time this week and while it tasted sooo good, I was in the bathroom 20 mins later and in pain.
( I don't recall EVER having that problem from almonds. Very strange. Big bummer too because I like that almond milk has almost half the sugar that milk has and it's great for mixing in protein shakes. 0 -
Hey, so I haven't ever done HCG and am personally against it. BUT I have many friends who did who are not a part of MFP so thought I would share...
My friend lost almost all of her hair. She ended up shaving her head. NO JOKE! At first, it was just a little, but by the end of the 40 days it was CONSIDERABLY thinner... at about day 60 she looked like a chemo patient. She shaved her head now, wears a lot of scarves and it's slowly growing back. SLOWLY.
She was sick all the time. And depressed. She would come over and cry and cry and cry. Sometimes about the loss of hair or her being sick, most of the time she had no idea why... She was sick on and off for about 9-11 months AFTER HCG, during she was just crying, but happy to be losing weight...
that is the other thing. She is a bigger girl and she only lost 9-10 pounds in 40 days. I lost that amount in 20 days from just eating right....
This was about two years ago, but now she has constant headaches that NEVER happened before and she also has problems wth her teeth. Not sure if it's related, but her ND thinks so.
All in all- the girflriend I have that works as a receptionist at a HCG only weight loss clinic says that it's their biggest money maker. All of the "nurses" that give the shot "claim" to use it. BUT I know those girls, two are black belts and the other did Bikram yoga with me every day for some 4 years! LOL Also, they don't eat processed foods... Soooo- beware. It's a scam!
Now that's not to say the placebo effect isn't real. But damn, it's not healthy. As a person who has researched drugs for the state of Arizona for two years, let me say that we have NO IDEA what/how this will interrupt the body 10-20-30+ years down the line if you do it in a continual basis!0 -
Thank you so much for posting this. This "diet" is dangerous.0
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My friend lost almost all of her hair. She ended up shaving her head. NO JOKE! At first, it was just a little, but by the end of the 40 days it was CONSIDERABLY thinner... at about day 60 she looked like a chemo patient. She shaved her head now, wears a lot of scarves and it's slowly growing back. SLOWLY.
She was sick all the time. And depressed. She would come over and cry and cry and cry. Sometimes about the loss of hair or her being sick, most of the time she had no idea why... She was sick on and off for about 9-11 months AFTER HCG, during she was just crying, but happy to be losing weight...
This is so sad. I'm sorry for your friend's experience, but thanks for sharing. I think the biggest danger comes from eating so little every day, but health somehow gets ignored when people are losing weight.
I am going to periodically bump this thread for more stories and to make sure people who are considering this diet read all of your experiences.0 -
Thanks for posting this; I've been tempted but the money was off putting. Now I'll just climb on the damned elliptical once again!
Just a FYI for anyone with thinning hair- add a Biotin supplement to your regiment. Check with your doctor for the dosage, but mine added 2500 mg; it stopped and reversed the loss. As we age we lose the ability to absorb some B vitamins from food and us ladies get to have that accelerated in menopause.0 -
I gotta give kudos to the OP since most people who have failed at this "diet" would have to eat crow after touting it's success while they are on it. I doubt many will step up to the plate because no one really wants to think they've been scammed, but sometimes it's good to admit it so that you will understand, THERE AIN'T NO SHORTCUTS. Losing weight today is DAMN HARD WORK. For those that do it with patience, the hard work will be worth the result. Plus you don't have to risk putting your body in jeopardy.0
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Biotin, eh? I will have to look that up. I could certainly use some extra hair growth at this point./
Yup, eating crow. It's all good. I just hope that my sharing will help others to see the "other" side when considering this dangerous diet. Did I even mention how much MONEY I spent?!?! Good grief, take the money you are going to spend a buy a stinkin' treadmill instead people.
COME ON MFPers...I KNOW THERE ARE MORE OUT THERE WHO SUFFERED NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS....don't be ashamed!! Come out and share your stories....confess it and then move on! It's rather healing to get it out...I promise!! And think of all the other dieting lives you'll "save"!!0 -
I was going to add that the people in which I do yoga with that work at the weight loss clinic... well they were kinda doing a WW or health workout plan type of thing and it just didn't pan out. So they did the HCG thing, put coupons to get people in at Living Social or Groupon and then they are where they are now... anyway, it's a money maker people!
The ONLY good thing about my friends working there is that I get free weigh-ins on GOOD scale!
Also, my friend has since talked to them and they recommended her to stop! LOL What a sham scam, no thank you mam!0 -
I knew this diet was bad but I didn't know it was THIS bad. Good to know. Thank you.
Just so you all know I am against this diet as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0 -
Looking at the actual chemical value, HCG drops and homeopathic HCG can't be real. The reason why is HCG is a drug. You can't distribute or sell real HCG without a prescription. The ones you get on the internet or over the counter are diluted with alcohol and water. With it not being a "drug" now, it can be sold as a "supplement" or "homeopathic medicine". Practically every hormone when diluted with alcohol becomes inert, so in reality you're taking a placebo. Don't take my word for it, look it up.
So for all these people taking the drops and thinking "hey I take HCG" and spend $50 to $150 on a bottle, they are just getting scammed. Hey for that amount of money, I'd say it worked too so that I wouldn't look like I got took.
People get taken by money grubbing predators all the time. I got scammed by a MLM that sounded great. It happens. Own up to it and move on.0 -
Wow! THANKS FOR POSTING This is really scary! good luck to you, Im glad you found MFP to support you, its a great site!0
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Seeing a couple HCG threads today, so bumping this. :flowerforyou:0
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Wow, your story is really eye-opening! Thanks for posting this.0
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ok wow.
SO GLAD AND THANKFUL FOR THIS ! ! !
I am on day 14 of hcg. I've lost 8lbs. I bet I could have done it on my own... no, I know i could have. I just didnt know what or howto eat. . now, I do.
I've posted a few other places, but I am continuing to day 21 for my own personal experiment, so that when i come back and say "man this sucked!" I will have a full round of experience put into it. I got the idea from a blog i found online on whether it works or not. I found that after finding a blog about a guy who has been doing round and round and round since 2008 and still going!! Insane. This particular guy, I wanna say his name is Dan, ended up with some stomach bacteria or something on a few occasions. I thought, gross!!!
I'm maintaining my vitamins, and like I posted elsewhere , I'm actually taking in about 1000 cal. daily and exercising, so I'm not following it to a Tee... I'm scared of going any lower in calories.
After reading this , I can say that whatever the outcome of my personal experiment, I will NOT go back to hcg (I do injections), but I will take the nutritional knowledge I've learned with me.
Thanks again for the post!! ((( ahh hthe thought of losing hair = scary as hell! )))
On further thought - do you think there is any harm in stopping NOW versus continuing anothe rweek..... really having second thoughts0
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