HCG is BAD!!!
Replies
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I agree, horrors stories to EVERY THING! I know many who have had great success this way! 40 days of 500 calories is not going to kill you, the idea is when done you resume adding to that in healthy amounts! People do cleanses all the time which are even more restrictive! Bottom line is it is 40 days! Not a life time of low calories!0
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My friend started taking it which made her sick so she stopped taking it!!!!
It makes you sick for the same reason that pregnant women get morning sickness. At least that's theory of morning sickness, the spike in HCG causes it.
I have trouble believing that it did all the other things (kidney damage) being claimed, since pregnant women walk around with a lot of it in their system. But, it shouldn't be used for weight loss. It has a specific purpose.
That being said, most people who take HCG aren't losing weight because of the HCG, it's because of the 500 calorie diet.
Pregnant woman have natural hcg in their bodies. The artificial hormone taken by mouth or by injection is not quite the same.0 -
Just an fyi for all of you who want a 'quick fix' with HCG injections. My niece has been using it, with her Dr's blessing, has lost a lot of weight, looks awful and is now in the hospital, seriously ill. She is peeing 'black stuff' and may have kidney damage!
Your health and your life is more important than getting a quick fix. Please, please, do not use this stuff or any other 'fad' diets. You won't be able to maintain your weightloss and learn the right way to be healthy unless you do it right, with MYFITNESSPAL!
What about the liquid drops they sell at drug stores? Is it the same thing?0 -
My friend started taking it which made her sick so she stopped taking it!!!!
It makes you sick for the same reason that pregnant women get morning sickness. At least that's theory of morning sickness, the spike in HCG causes it.
I have trouble believing that it did all the other things (kidney damage) being claimed, since pregnant women walk around with a lot of it in their system. But, it shouldn't be used for weight loss. It has a specific purpose.
That being said, most people who take HCG aren't losing weight because of the HCG, it's because of the 500 calorie diet.
Pregnant woman have natural hcg in their bodies. The artificial hormone taken by mouth or by injection is not quite the same.
Pretty much it's exactly the same thing. Just like insulin diabetics take is made in a lab and not exactly the same as the insulin created in your body.0 -
I agree, horrors stories to EVERY THING! I know many who have had great success this way! 40 days of 500 calories is not going to kill you, the idea is when done you resume adding to that in healthy amounts! People do cleanses all the time which are even more restrictive! Bottom line is it is 40 days! Not a life time of low calories!
You know what you don't hear many horror stories about? A balanced diet with proper nutrition while getting a moderate amount of exercise! How novel!
The HCG diet is designed to make money off of people who are frustrated with weight loss by promising them fast results through a synthesized hormone that the consumer doesn't actually understand. When these people finally see results (mostly from the fact that they've lost more muscle than fat through the 500-calorie diet) they think they've discovered the magic cure. Then they go back to eating normally and their metabolism is now slower, so they gain it back. Then they have to do the HCG diet again, and the vicious cycle begins.
40 days of this CAN do serious harm to your body, not only because of the hormone itself but because a 500-calorie diet does not give a human being the nutrients it needs to function, especially if said human being is also exercising. It also causes your metabolism to slow, making your maintenance level of calories even lower when you go back to trying to eat normally. And starting the HCG diet once often leads to repeat use, causing more and more harm.
Eat good clean food, get plenty of protein, consume naturally-occuring vitamins and minerals, drink water, and move your body from time to time. These things will make you feel good and look good. The HCG diet just makes you feel like crap and then you've wasted all your money on a fad diet.0 -
This is old news0
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Yes. We know . I'm sorry about your niece.0
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Sending Love, Light and Prayers to her and your family.0
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Just an fyi for all of you who want a 'quick fix' with HCG injections. My niece has been using it, with her Dr's blessing, has lost a lot of weight, looks awful and is now in the hospital, seriously ill. She is peeing 'black stuff' and may have kidney damage!
Your health and your life is more important than getting a quick fix. Please, please, do not use this stuff or any other 'fad' diets. You won't be able to maintain your weightloss and learn the right way to be healthy unless you do it right, with MYFITNESSPAL!
What about the liquid drops they sell at drug stores? Is it the same thing?
No those are homeopathic and not the same as shots you'd get from a doc. HCG shots have been shown to be not at all effective for weight loss and the drops even less so0 -
If I'm not mistaken one form of HCG has been banned by the FDA, but I don't recall which...0
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I dont actually believe that it was the injections that caused your niece to get so sick but the actual starvation. While she failed to take in a suitable amount of calories her body was burnning fat including the fat around her vital organs causing the damage. I'm not condoning HCG as with this comes the strict calorie intake, however I'm just pointing out that it was the starvation itself that caused her problems and not necessarily the HCG.0
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It is sad that we have to go to injections and pills to lose weight/fat. It is a shame that our food industry cannot be overhauled instead. We should be eating a majority of our diet with whole foods and minimal processed foods. Yet, it is the reverse. Processed foods are killing us slowly...0
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Not too surprised...I'm sure many more stories are going to be popping up. So sad!! Praying for your niece.
What is even sadder though, are the people that don't have an issue with only eating 500 calories and putting some "magic" hormone in their body.
Eat at a deficit
Eat better quality foods (not a bunch of processed crap)
Exercise, do both cardio and weight training and you should lose weight.
But too many people are lazy...they eat good for a week and then go back to old habits. Or they work out for a week, realize that it is work and that it does cause some soreness and they quit and old habits sneak back in....so then they say "Well nothing works...I need a magic pill to fix it"
STICK TO IT!! Stop quitting and stop whining!
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It is sad that we have to go to injections and pills to lose weight/fat. It is a shame that our food industry cannot be overhauled instead. We should be eating a majority of our diet with whole foods and minimal processed foods. Yet, it is the reverse. Processed foods are killing us slowly...
Yes, the food industry needs to be overhauled because they are forcing people to buy processed foods. Pfft0 -
If I'm not mistaken one form of HCG has been banned by the FDA, but I don't recall which...
The FDA does not allow it to be sold over the counter as a weight loss supplement any more because it doesn't aid in weight loss. It's the 500 calorie diet that causes the weight loss. The FDA also said the 500 calorie diet can lead to health problems such as gallstones, heart arrhythmias and electrolyte imbalances. It's the diet, not the supplement that's dangerous. The supplement is just useless.
You can still get it prescribed to you by your doctor, but it's supposed to be used for infertility (because it's what your body should produce when pregnant), not for weight loss. There are side effects (most are like pregnancy symptoms) from taking the prescription form, but some women (1-2%) can develop severe Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. It sounds like the OP's niece may have developed severe OHSS. Her doctor should have warned her to tell him/her immediately if she had any mild symptoms, so she could stop the treatment before it became severe. It's generally not fatal, but can lead to life-threatening conditions.0 -
Please do not attempt the HCG diet. It is a dangerous starvation diet, as scientists have repeatedly proven that HCG does NOTHING to make it safe to eat so little food.
The HCG diet has done nothing but HARM to people I know that used it.
The only reason people lose weight on that plan is you are only allowed to eat 500 calories a day. HCG has been scientifically proven to do NOTHING to help with weight loss or to make it safe to eat only 500 calories a day. It will not protect muscle, reset your metabolism or do anything else the snake oil salesmen that sell it claim. Dr. Simeons was a quack doctor. His "HCG protocol" has absolutely NO scientific backing and is not worth risking your health on.
You will most likely get that weight back, as that is what happens to almost everyone that does that dangerous HCG starvation diet
Any doctor that pushes the HCG diet plan should be stripped of their license to practice medicine because they are being totally unethical and giving advice that goes against the conclusions of all reliable scientific research on the subject.
The HCG diet has been studied by many scientific organizations, and they all concluded that HCG, even the "real" injectable version, is no more effective than a placebo, and eating only 500 calories a day for weeks, as recommended by that plan, can cause more health problems than it solves.
I know some people that put their faith in the HCG diet, and became very ill from malnutrition as a result. Then they regained more weight than they lost. Now they wish they never heard of HCG.
The Government is now in the process of getting all that fraudulent stuff off the market, and it's about time!
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm
http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/hcg-diet-dangerous-1428
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/AN02091
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-hcg-for-weight-loss
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/weight-loss-cure-dont-want-you-to-know
http://www.dietscam.org/reports/hcg.shtml0 -
I personally do not feel that HCG is bad. I had tried it about 1.5 years ago after trying a strict low-fat diet with exercise and appropriate nutrition. I even used the calorie guidelines that were recommended for me, ate the foods I was supposed to, exercised regularly, drank water...the whole thing. I did not really lose anything. And I tried this method for many, many months yet I saw no improvement, felt really low (my self-esteem was at rock bottom) and I kept out-growing clothes and went up in pant sizes instead of down
I thought it was maybe hereditary or that I had some kind of hormonal imbalance or something wrong with my thyroid. Had that all checked and I was fine, my cholesterol was good...I just do not lose weight at all no matter what I do.
So, 1.5 years ago I started the HCG diet and it worked. I wanted to lose 20 lbs and I did. I kept off the weight for over a year but with travel, I had poor eating habits so I gained 12.5 lbs back. I started exercise again, tried eating right...nothing. So, I am back on the HCG diet and I can attest that this diet really works for me. I have energy, I feel good, I am losing weight at a reasonable rate and I am not, contrary to what you all believe, "starving". Yes, I am on a strict low calorie diet but I eat good proteins (fish, chicken, seafood), vegetables (any leafy green or other green veggies), fruit (whatever I want) and one very small carb (like melba toast) and I drink a lot of water and take my vitamins. I want to only lose the 12 lbs and so far I've lost 2.0 and I feel better than I have with any other diet or exercise program I have ever tried before
Knock the diet if you want. But for those of us who kill ourselves with strenuous workouts and limit ourselves to our calorie intake in addition, this diet really works. I still work out, I eat minimally (yes, I know this is a "problem" for some people), but I am losing weight and I am feeling good.
I know that once I am done, I will need to eat right. It recommends slowly increasing your caloric intake. I did this the last time and I did not gain a pound back for a year and then over the last few months I have gained because I was eating fast food and very unhealthy things. HCG works for me. You just have to use it appropriately
Have you considered your weight loss is due to the extremely low calories and not actually taking the hormone?
THIS0 -
Just an fyi for all of you who want a 'quick fix' with HCG injections. My niece has been using it, with her Dr's blessing, has lost a lot of weight, looks awful and is now in the hospital, seriously ill. She is peeing 'black stuff' and may have kidney damage!
Your health and your life is more important than getting a quick fix. Please, please, do not use this stuff or any other 'fad' diets. You won't be able to maintain your weightloss and learn the right way to be healthy unless you do it right, with MYFITNESSPAL!
I did it on and off for a year yes I lost 80lbs. I had the same reaction and was told I had kidney damage and my liver was next. I stopped they put me on a protein diet for 3 months thing got better and my hair started to grow back. I had lost so much hair from it. I now find it so hard to lose weight now and any carbs i eat I will gain weight. I have to say it becomes and addiction, i have times when i think I would try it again. I thank god i have family and a boyfriend who would kill me if I did it again. Prayers are sent her way.
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I'm still in shock that any Dr. in the world would suggest this as a way to lose weight! They should lose their medical license.This girl is young, only 28 and has a life to live yet.
She should sue. Even Optifast gives you 800 calories a day. 500 is just... ugh, there are no words. It's beyond wrong.
Yes let's continue to sue doctors so they continue to fear diagnosing things and tend to go with the safest and least effective option as a result. OP was this the doctor's FIRST suggestion or did they try to put her on a diet/exercise regimen that she failed? Put down your pitch forks people.
EDIT: Actually OP states "with the doctor's blessing". Did the doctor say to do the injections or did he just not argue with the desire for the patient to take it upon herself to do it?0 -
OHS is what they think it is. She's still very sick and is taking strong pain meds to cope with the abdominal pain. She has to see a urologist for the black urine (whatever that was) and an endocrinologist.If I'm not mistaken one form of HCG has been banned by the FDA, but I don't recall which...
The FDA does not allow it to be sold over the counter as a weight loss supplement any more because it doesn't aid in weight loss. It's the 500 calorie diet that causes the weight loss. The FDA also said the 500 calorie diet can lead to health problems such as gallstones, heart arrhythmias and electrolyte imbalances. It's the diet, not the supplement that's dangerous. The supplement is just useless.
You can still get it prescribed to you by your doctor, but it's supposed to be used for infertility (because it's what your body should produce when pregnant), not for weight loss. There are side effects (most are like pregnancy symptoms) from taking the prescription form, but some women (1-2%) can develop severe Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. It sounds like the OP's niece may have developed severe OHSS. Her doctor should have warned her to tell him/her immediately if she had any mild symptoms, so she could stop the treatment before it became severe. It's generally not fatal, but can lead to life-threatening conditions.0 -
csdev, she is 28, has been overweight since grade school. She had tried all the the 'diets' and in my opinion, (after finding out on my own), she is too lazy to do it the right way. She has failed 'dieting' many times and now she is desperate for a quick fix. It takes WORK to be healthy, to eat right and to 'find the time' to exercise. I just pray she's finally done taking the stuff and that word gets out to people that they need to do 3 things to lose weight, not take 'magic' supplements, starve themselves or not EVER eat this or that or ONLY eat this or that. It's simple!I'm still in shock that any Dr. in the world would suggest this as a way to lose weight! They should lose their medical license.This girl is young, only 28 and has a life to live yet.
She should sue. Even Optifast gives you 800 calories a day. 500 is just... ugh, there are no words. It's beyond wrong.
Yes let's continue to sue doctors so they continue to fear diagnosing things and tend to go with the safest and least effective option as a result. OP was this the doctor's FIRST suggestion or did they try to put her on a diet/exercise regimen that she failed? Put down your pitch forks people.
Eat healthy food!
Eat the right portions of food!
Move more!0 -
Her Dr. suggested the HCD diet. She gets (or was) injections at a pharmacy.I'm still in shock that any Dr. in the world would suggest this as a way to lose weight! They should lose their medical license.This girl is young, only 28 and has a life to live yet.
She should sue. Even Optifast gives you 800 calories a day. 500 is just... ugh, there are no words. It's beyond wrong.
Yes let's continue to sue doctors so they continue to fear diagnosing things and tend to go with the safest and least effective option as a result. OP was this the doctor's FIRST suggestion or did they try to put her on a diet/exercise regimen that she failed? Put down your pitch forks people.
EDIT: Actually OP states "with the doctor's blessing". Did the doctor say to do the injections or did he just not argue with the desire for the patient to take it upon herself to do it?0 -
Sue the crap out of that doctor.0
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Just an fyi for all of you who want a 'quick fix' with HCG injections. My niece has been using it, with her Dr's blessing, has lost a lot of weight, looks awful and is now in the hospital, seriously ill. She is peeing 'black stuff' and may have kidney damage!
Your health and your life is more important than getting a quick fix. Please, please, do not use this stuff or any other 'fad' diets. You won't be able to maintain your weightloss and learn the right way to be healthy unless you do it right, with MYFITNESSPAL!
I did it on and off for a year yes I lost 80lbs. I had the same reaction and was told I had kidney damage and my liver was next. I stopped they put me on a protein diet for 3 months thing got better and my hair started to grow back. I had lost so much hair from it. I now find it so hard to lose weight now and any carbs i eat I will gain weight. I have to say it becomes and addiction, i have times when i think I would try it again. I thank god i have family and a boyfriend who would kill me if I did it again. Prayers are sent her way.
re: the hair thing, I know someone that was an ardent HCG disciple (even worked for them), lost 50 lbs or so on it, and it RUINED her hair. I mean ruined. She had shoulder length hair and you could see her scalp it was so fine. Oh yeah, and then she started gaining back all the weight. He has since left HCG. I haven't heard much more about it (I don't even know if she can talk about it, HCG is like a friggin cult), but she's on a healthier path now.0 -
csdev, she is 28, has been overweight since grade school. She had tried all the the 'diets' and in my opinion, (after finding out on my own), she is too lazy to do it the right way. She has failed 'dieting' many times and now she is desperate for a quick fix. It takes WORK to be healthy, to eat right and to 'find the time' to exercise. I just pray she's finally done taking the stuff and that word gets out to people that they need to do 3 things to lose weight, not take 'magic' supplements, starve themselves or not EVER eat this or that or ONLY eat this or that. It's simple!I'm still in shock that any Dr. in the world would suggest this as a way to lose weight! They should lose their medical license.This girl is young, only 28 and has a life to live yet.
She should sue. Even Optifast gives you 800 calories a day. 500 is just... ugh, there are no words. It's beyond wrong.
Yes let's continue to sue doctors so they continue to fear diagnosing things and tend to go with the safest and least effective option as a result. OP was this the doctor's FIRST suggestion or did they try to put her on a diet/exercise regimen that she failed? Put down your pitch forks people.
Eat healthy food!
Eat the right portions of food!
Move more!
I agree. That's why I was ousting someone who was crying to sue the doctor...0 -
Sue the crap out of that doctor.
You can't sue the doctor for making a treatment suggestion to a patient that is completely legal... Sheesh and you wonder why they are so hesitant to actually help anyone.0 -
That HCG diet is so absolutely ridiculous. One of my former co-workers was writing on Facebook about how she started the HCG diet and complained all the time about how sick she felt with only eating 500 calories a day.. how the hell is that a healthy way to lose weight? She lost weight sure and then gained it all right back.0
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human chorionic gonadotropin ( hCG) is a hormone produced during pregnancy that is made by the developing placenta after conception. when a women gets pregnant its what is detected in a urine home pregnancy test or blood test.0
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i did take the oral drops from march til may 2011 with breaks in between and when i was on the breaks i walked 2-3 miles a day and added ate 1500 calores. I ended loosing about 30 pounds.
Never felt bad.0 -
Yes, I did actually. But I tried an extremely low calorie diet for a few weeks as well (almost 4 weeks) and I did not really lose much...2.5 pounds is all. In 4 weeks time, on a strict calorie diet, that just was not what I was hoping for. I walk briskly over 1 mile per day as well and I do strength exercises, so it isn't like I'm just doing a fad thing and not taking care of myself or exercising. HCG works for me. I'm not sick at all, I never got sick the first time I used it and I actually have more energy. I don't find it "dangerous"...I think it is just like any diet. It depends on the user and how responsible they are for it. Any diet & exercise program can be "bad" and "harmful" if the person doing it doesn't do it correctly or responsibly0
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