HCG is killing my loved one.
fbmandy55
Posts: 5,263 Member
To start from the beginning, my best friend since childhood/cousin got a job at a weight loss clinic as a medical assistant about two years ago. When she started there, they got her on the HCG diet. She is very petite, built like a gymnast and has never been more that 20lbs overweight in her life. She then convinced my mom, who has always been a yo-yo dieter, to start HCG as well. My mom wanted to lose about 30lbs thought she too was not that overweight.
The first round my mom did of HCG, she had to be taken to the hospital for severe vertigo, loss of vision, nausea. It was a 2 day stay for her to get her vision back and for her to be able to stand without falling over. Last year, after gaining back what she lost the first round (shocker) my mom was feeling very faint and was diagnosed with high blood pressure and is now on medication. She is now on round 3 and is now having energy problems. She's started paying me to clear her house because she doesn't have the energy and is now wearing braces on her wrists because they hurt and she struggles to lift even a glass of water.
I went to the pool with my son and my mom this week and I couldn't help but notice how much she has aged in two years. She complained that she looked skinny-fat and she does. Her skin hangs a bit but she still looks thin. Laying on beach chairs next to each other, I noticed her forearm and how tiny it was. I reached over and could literally touch my thumb and middle fingers together around the middle of my mom's forearm. She has NO muscle left. I began to tear up and told her wrong that was and how she needed to stop this diet. Still she is convinced she has always had small bones and looks healthy for her age and size...
I don't know what to do. My cousin and I no longer have a relationship. This clinic is writing illegal prescriptions with no doctor on site and prescribing HCG to people who are at most 20-30lbs overweight. My cousin will defend her job to no end. My mom is equally brain-washed. She and my cousin will both team up to defend what they are doing. My mom has since told me to do my thing and let her do hers. :noway: I have used all the knowledge I have gained on my 3 years of MFP and nothing will convince them how stupid and unhealthy this diet is. I really want to make a sign and picket in front of this 'clinic' that they are slowly killing people to make money off their insecurities. Any suggestions on how to get this to stop when they just won't listen?
The first round my mom did of HCG, she had to be taken to the hospital for severe vertigo, loss of vision, nausea. It was a 2 day stay for her to get her vision back and for her to be able to stand without falling over. Last year, after gaining back what she lost the first round (shocker) my mom was feeling very faint and was diagnosed with high blood pressure and is now on medication. She is now on round 3 and is now having energy problems. She's started paying me to clear her house because she doesn't have the energy and is now wearing braces on her wrists because they hurt and she struggles to lift even a glass of water.
I went to the pool with my son and my mom this week and I couldn't help but notice how much she has aged in two years. She complained that she looked skinny-fat and she does. Her skin hangs a bit but she still looks thin. Laying on beach chairs next to each other, I noticed her forearm and how tiny it was. I reached over and could literally touch my thumb and middle fingers together around the middle of my mom's forearm. She has NO muscle left. I began to tear up and told her wrong that was and how she needed to stop this diet. Still she is convinced she has always had small bones and looks healthy for her age and size...
I don't know what to do. My cousin and I no longer have a relationship. This clinic is writing illegal prescriptions with no doctor on site and prescribing HCG to people who are at most 20-30lbs overweight. My cousin will defend her job to no end. My mom is equally brain-washed. She and my cousin will both team up to defend what they are doing. My mom has since told me to do my thing and let her do hers. :noway: I have used all the knowledge I have gained on my 3 years of MFP and nothing will convince them how stupid and unhealthy this diet is. I really want to make a sign and picket in front of this 'clinic' that they are slowly killing people to make money off their insecurities. Any suggestions on how to get this to stop when they just won't listen?
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if it were me and my mother was at that much risk I would call ANY state agency ,medical or what ever to check this clinic out and complain about what Is happening. Like any addict you Mom and or cousin cannot see what is happening and have lost perspective. They need an intervention and that clinic needs to be shut down... no doctor= no prescriptions to me!0
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if it were me and my mother was at that much risk I would call ANY state agency ,medical or what ever to check this clinic out and complain about what Is happening. Like any addict you Mom and or cousin cannot see what is happening and have lost perspective. They need an intervention and that clinic needs to be shut down... no doctor= no prescriptions to me!
When I worked in a medical facility, we had to have a doctor on site. I would think if there was not one on site, they would not be allowed to write scripts.
They lady who owns it has no medical training whatsoever!0 -
Yeah I would be reporting that clinic, sounds very dodgy!!
Its hard when loved ones do these kind of things, my sister is starting the Cambridge diet (less than 500 cals a day). I tried to gently talk her around, offered to go to the gym with her, baby sit her kids so she can cook up batches of healthy foods.... but no.... it has to be Cambridge diet because it's so fast to lose weight with
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OMG, I have no further advice that other's haven't share, but I will be praying for you. I can understand your pain. Mother's are precious and gone too soon.0
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Yeah I would be reporting that clinic, sounds very dodgy!!
Its hard when loved ones do these kind of things, my sister is starting the Cambridge diet (less than 500 cals a day). I tried to gently talk her around, offered to go to the gym with her, baby sit her kids so she can cook up batches of healthy foods.... but no.... it has to be Cambridge diet because it's so fast to lose weight with
My mom CAN do it the right way. She worked out with a trainer when I was in high school and looked great. She got down to a very low body fat %, lifted heavy and looked the best of her life. I think now, she wants that 'fast result" and not the healthy one.0 -
I would try and get that clinic shut down (after you verify there is illegal activity going on). I wouldn't know how to go about that, so I would research research research! What about if you contacted a local news station?0
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No help here but it is so sad. I hope you can help your mom0
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I started a post about this very same thing today - a friend of mine has started this diet and I am VERY concerned about her.0
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Um, take her to a clinic specializing in eating disorders? I realize this isn't necessarily what people think of when they hear of a situation like that but this kind of thing would be right up their alley. Oh, and the health department is probably the bunch you will get the most progress by calling about the sketchy one.0
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Um, take her to a clinic specializing in eating disorders? I realize this isn't necessarily what people think of when they hear of a situation like that but this kind of thing would be right up their alley. Oh, and the health department is probably the bunch you will get the most progress by calling about the sketchy one.
I don't necessarily think she has an eating disorder, I honestly think she is receiving terrible advice and treatment from someone she trusts.. She eats like a normal person when she is not on this supervised diet. The problem being, they have her convinced that they are experts and that she needs to follow their plain.. In the eyes of their patients, it is a medical facility that specializes in doctor supervised diets. When it comes down to who is right, they are going to go with the clinic as opposed to someone like me with no medical training. The clinic itself is misleading the people who go there. There is no doctor on site, and they are illegally coding HCG scripts for a weight loss diagnosis.
I will try health department, already wrote the state attorney general.0 -
I would try and get that clinic shut down (after you verify there is illegal activity going on). I wouldn't know how to go about that, so I would research research research! What about if you contacted a local news station?
I'm not even sure you need to verify anything. Just call in your suspicions and let them investigate.0 -
:noway: :flowerforyou:0
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your state medical licensing board is the place to start your work, but first you have to find out what doctor is writing the Rx0
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I have a friend whose mom was extremely unhealthy. For years, her mom wouldn't listen to her begging her to get healthy. Finally one day my friend lost it- got angry, cried, and told her mom "you're not just hurting yourself, you're hurting me. I want you to be around to see my getting married and see your grandkids." I'm sure different people have different rock bottom triggers but that's what worked for her. I hope everything works out okay for you and your mom :flowerforyou:0
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I'm so sorry :frown: -- I would definitely go the television station route. They will dig deep into it once they see they have a story -- I've seen them chase business owners around demanding answers. I had never heard of this before and just read about it online. It sounds terrible to be so brainwashed by the product.
I will pray for you and your loved ones.:flowerforyou: 0 -
i would call your mom's PCP if she has one. even though the doctor wont be able to tell you anything your mom has told him/her, you are allowed to voice concern's about your mother's health.
if mom's PCP realizes she is on an extremely dangerous diet he will call her, especially given the documented health issues she'd had. maybe hearing it from a "real" medical professional will help.0 -
I would try and get that clinic shut down (after you verify there is illegal activity going on). I wouldn't know how to go about that, so I would research research research! What about if you contacted a local news station?
I'm not even sure you need to verify anything. Just call in your suspicions and let them investigate.
Bingo. Also realize, just because there isn't a doctor there, doesn't mean they can't write scripts. Nurse Practitioners are also allowed to write scripts. But definitely report anything to the county or state.0 -
This is so sad...I would totally agree to see what you can do to report this clinic to the authorities and maybe try TV/radio. Depending on the state nurse practioners and in some cases nurses can write prescriptions but they still have to be appropriate and legal.
Have others in your family noticed what it going on/agree with you? Perhaps you could try an intervention?0 -
i would call your mom's PCP if she has one. even though the doctor wont be able to tell you anything your mom has told him/her, you are allowed to voice concern's about your mother's health.
if mom's PCP realizes she is on an extremely dangerous diet he will call her, especially given the documented health issues she'd had. maybe hearing it from a "real" medical professional will help.
Another good suggestion. My mom is self employed and has no insurance so I don't even think she has a regular doctor.0 -
That is awful! I am sorry to hear of your troubles! I hope everything works out for the better:) Keep fighting!0
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Here is a link to the FDA concerning HCG http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm Might be a place to start. This stuff is illegal.0
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Its so hard to make sense to someone who is stuck so deep into such a diet. I have a good friend that started out very overweight and lost 40 kgs in a very short time using drastic measures. To this day, she hardly eats anything, looks like a coat hanger, falls sick all the time. She knows that is all caused because of her dying immune system, but she does not care as long as she is "Skinny". She does not/cant do any decent workouts. Plus she is so young and laughs off all concerns saying.."When i get pregnant, i am going to die delivering the baby, but i dont care, i wont eat".
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The professionals at an eating disorder clinic specialize in helping people who have body image problems related to weight that result in self-harm. As you've said she's been to the hospital because of it, you're able to wrap your fingers around her forearm, and has trouble picking up a cup of water because she has no energy... and continues to do this. While this probably isn't quite run of the mill for them, they probably either are or have the right people on speed dial.Um, take her to a clinic specializing in eating disorders? I realize this isn't necessarily what people think of when they hear of a situation like that but this kind of thing would be right up their alley. Oh, and the health department is probably the bunch you will get the most progress by calling about the sketchy one.
I don't necessarily think she has an eating disorder, I honestly think she is receiving terrible advice and treatment from someone she trusts.. She eats like a normal person when she is not on this supervised diet. The problem being, they have her convinced that they are experts and that she needs to follow their plain.. In the eyes of their patients, it is a medical facility that specializes in doctor supervised diets. When it comes down to who is right, they are going to go with the clinic as opposed to someone like me with no medical training. The clinic itself is misleading the people who go there. There is no doctor on site, and they are illegally coding HCG scripts for a weight loss diagnosis.
I will try health department, already wrote the state attorney general.0 -
I admit I had to google the HCG diet. :noway: Yikes.
I wish i had some advice for you. As my favorite cartoon fish says "Just keep swimming".0 -
I would be wearing my fingers, internet and printer out typing up and sending letters and going hoarse from being on the phone calling someone, anyone who can put me in touch with the right people to get that clinic shut down like yesterday.
Take pictures of your mum now and some from a while ago before she started this, get her to go to a real doctor for a physical evaluation and blood tests. She sounds very, very ill. If you can't get her to go to the doctor, the pictures might do. Send them to the agencies you can find and beg them for help. Someone, somewhere has to either have the authority to do something about it or know who can. Go to the police and ask them to point you in the right direction. Don't call, go down to the station and ask them for help. Bring the pictures with you and tell them this is dire and needs immediate attention. Bring the timeframes, whatever you can find on the place, including clinic name, any sort of info you can think of, especially anything on paper, tell them that you believe they are giving scripts without a doctor present (which is so illegal I can't even imagine it) and that you believe they're preying on your mum for money. This is serious and needs to be dealt with now. She could need therapy for an Eating Disorder or Body Dysmorphic Disorder or something else similar, and a place that sees what kind of condition she's in and continues to give her scripts for this is not only practicing unethically, but it's seriously endangering her life and undoubtedly the lives of others as well. This goes beyond 'I'm on a diet,' and could be extremely dangerous, and, yes, could be killing her.
Also bring info on the diet they have her on, anything you can find on it. You need to make it clear that they're encouraging her to DRASTICALLY under-eat and take weight loss drugs when she's in this condition and clearly underweight.
If you can't make it down there today, go tomorrow. Don't wait.0 -
I'm pretty sure prescribing HCG is illegal even with a doctor on site. Definitely call anyone you can think of.0
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I can only shed my point of view. I did the HCG diet, I bought into the hype. I did so even when my husband begged and pleaded with me not to do it. But, I did the research I knew people doing it and they were losing. How could that be wrong?
Then I woke up. Fortunately I only did one round. What woke me up was not wanting to stop losing weight for 3 weeks when you are suppose to "stabilize". Everyone told me you will gain, you can't skip that step. HA, I restarted MFP account and slowly increased my calories. I'm now eating 1400-1600 calories and losing.
Maybe when she is in the 3rd phase where she is suppose to stabilize you can ask her to try your way for a few weeks and see which one she feels better on. Oh, and definitely report that weight loss clinic if there isn't a Dr or NP on site.
Feel free to FR me if you have any questions or need advice. I now know HCG is so unhealthy.
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Sad, but true...you can get HCG in injectable form on the internet. If your mom wants it bad enough she will get it without the clinic. You have expressed your concerns and that's all you can do besides calling the state as one poster suggested.0
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Here is a link to the FDA concerning HCG http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm281333.htm Might be a place to start. This stuff is illegal.
Over the counter products containing HCG are illegal. There are many clinics that offer this program under their supervision. The difference between the one the poster's mother is going to and a reputable on is this....They will tell you not to do more than one round. It is meant to reset your hypothamlus. It is meant for a certain type of patient. We have these clinics here in AZ and they keep the HCG in stock. Not even sure the individual patient has to have a prescription.0
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