First week on the HCG diet!!!

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  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    Please be careful being on this diet. I have a girlfriend who started it 3 months ago and we buried her last week. She got a huge embolism (blood clot) that killed her. She was 26 and the mother of two. The doctors say that there is nothing else that could have killed her. The clots were formed after she started the HCG injections. Yeah, it helps you lose weight fast but the detriment it does to your body takes years off your life. The FDA is in the process of getting the drug banned in the United States. My friend now makes the 34th person to die from taking these injections so please, just be careful because the weight that you want to lose could end your life. Just a healthy warning.

    OMG! I'm so sorry for your loss Shanna:flowerforyou:

    How heartbreaking to lose a friend and how scary that must have been for not only you but her family as well and in such a senseless way. We try so many fads diets and ways to drop the weight quick, some are simply unhealthy, some are lethal and we don't know until it's far too late, which one's which. I had no idea there were so many deaths involved, this scares me even more about this fad diet now. It's hard to watch so many begin it and not see any long term studies on the dangers of it made public.

    This is something that will stay in my head forever, the dangers of it have made it far more real to me now. I have two ppl I now know that have tried it and perhaps that's why I'm so concerned about others on it as well. Both have gotten very ill (no previous medical history, one was 15 lbs. overweight, the other 60 lbs), one is hospitalized and has been for 2 weeks. The other continues to take the shots through her doctor even though they continue to make her very ill. She's losing weight so ......she continues the diet.

    Wow, what risks we take to drop our weight... so scary:cry:

    Again, I'm so very sorry you've lost your friend due to something that could have been avoided if only the FDA had acted sooner by removing this dangerous drug from the market.:huh: They can't act fast enough for me!:glasses:
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,710 Member
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    Please be careful being on this diet. I have a girlfriend who started it 3 months ago and we buried her last week. She got a huge embolism (blood clot) that killed her. She was 26 and the mother of two. The doctors say that there is nothing else that could have killed her. The clots were formed after she started the HCG injections. Yeah, it helps you lose weight fast but the detriment it does to your body takes years off your life. The FDA is in the process of getting the drug banned in the United States. My friend now makes the 34th person to die from taking these injections so please, just be careful because the weight that you want to lose could end your life. Just a healthy warning.
    My condolences. I hope people think long and hard about their overall health and well-being before they decide how they choose to lose weight. I understand the reasons for wanting as much loss as fast as possible, but things like HCG and weight-loss surgery scare the crud out of me. They go against what in my mind seems to be a safe and reasonable way to lose weight. My thinking is that, for most of us, our bodies work exactly the way they're supposed to. They just respond to what we do to them. I think it makes more sense to alter our behavior than alter our bodies to respond in an abnormal way. I understand that people do weigh the risks and decide that being overweight is more risky than whatever procedure they're contemplating, but I have to wonder if they're really making the right decision... :frown:
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    Please be careful being on this diet. I have a girlfriend who started it 3 months ago and we buried her last week. She got a huge embolism (blood clot) that killed her. She was 26 and the mother of two. The doctors say that there is nothing else that could have killed her. The clots were formed after she started the HCG injections. Yeah, it helps you lose weight fast but the detriment it does to your body takes years off your life. The FDA is in the process of getting the drug banned in the United States. My friend now makes the 34th person to die from taking these injections so please, just be careful because the weight that you want to lose could end your life. Just a healthy warning.
    My condolences. I hope people think long and hard about their overall health and well-being before they decide how they choose to lose weight. I understand the reasons for wanting as much loss as fast as possible, but things like HCG and weight-loss surgery scare the crud out of me. They go against what in my mind seems to be a safe and reasonable way to lose weight. My thinking is that, for most of us, our bodies work exactly the way they're supposed to. They just respond to what we do to them. I think it makes more sense to alter our behavior than alter our bodies to respond in an abnormal way. I understand that people do weigh the risks and decide that being overweight is more risky than whatever procedure they're contemplating, but I have to wonder if they're really making the right decision... :frown:
    This is a very thought provoking post and I appreciate you taking time to share. I think what stood out to me most and stayed on my mind all day was the following:

    "...our bodies work exactly the way they're supposed to. They just respond to what we do to them. I think it makes more sense to alter our behavior than alter our bodies to respond in an abnormal way."

    Wow, that sentence simply makes so much sense....we try for the easy route when all the time it's right there in front of us. Working WITH our bodies instead of against them..:heart:
  • patti626
    patti626 Posts: 31 Member
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    wow...I'm shocked. I can't imagine a MD supporting such a restrictive diet...and injecting hormones into your body??? Reminds me of people who eat tape worms to lose weight.....horrid. Wake up people...there is no quick fix here. Healthy eating and exercise. If you over eat to the point that you can't lose weight, get help through therapy to help change your behaviors.
  • patti626
    patti626 Posts: 31 Member
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    wow...I'm shocked. I can't imagine a MD supporting such a restrictive diet...and injecting hormones into your body??? Reminds me of people who eat tape worms to lose weight.....horrid. Wake up people...there is no quick fix here. Healthy eating and exercise. If you over eat to the point that you can't lose weight, get help through therapy to help change your behaviors.
  • fivefatcats
    fivefatcats Posts: 368
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    sgtlordswife - I sent you a pm asking for more information on your friend. Awaiting your response.

    I have read nothing and can find nothing about HCG related embolism and have read nothing indicating that blood clots are a risk with HCG.

    That said, and acknowledging that I am an advocate of the HCG protocol, I have this to say again:

    It doesn't matter how you get there. Its what you do when you get there that matters. ALL diets fail when we don't learn to follow healthy eating and exercise habits once goal weight is reached.

    I am confident that my health is NOT in danger using this plan, and could not be more pleased with the results. I encourage anyone with an opinion on one side of the fence or the other to read up before making any extreme comments.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,710 Member
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    I have read nothing and can find nothing about HCG related embolism and have read nothing indicating that blood clots are a risk with HCG.
    http://www.ehow.com/facts_5008933_hcg-shot-side-effects.html
  • kalyrra
    kalyrra Posts: 672 Member
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    First, let me say I am sorry for your loss.

    Second, I'll say this: car accidents kill people. Boat accidents kill people. Plane crashes, swimming accidents, heck, walking down the street, things can happen. My point is this: Everything a person chooses to do carries with it a measured risk. The person either rejects or accepts that risk.

    I have read that blood clots are a possibility on this diet. I also have not read of any deaths that are officially confirmed due to HCG. Is there a possible risk? Sure. But that is the person's own decision to accept.

    Now, I think it's great that people are concerned enough to say something... as long as it's done politely. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but be careful when addressing others on it. Hurt feelings last a long time too.

    That being said, I will re-instate what I've said all along. Before you try ANY diet, always do your research first. Talk to people who've done it, read reports, do all you can to find out everything about it. Then, when you make your decision, it's YOU making that decision to accept or reject the risk.
  • fivefatcats
    fivefatcats Posts: 368
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    I have read nothing and can find nothing about HCG related embolism and have read nothing indicating that blood clots are a risk with HCG.
    http://www.ehow.com/facts_5008933_hcg-shot-side-effects.html

    Okay - it says there is a risk but gives absolutely no substantiation or details about the risk . . I mean I could write anything on a website an not back it up - that doesn't make it accurate. Where are the facts?

    I concede that it is POSSIBLE that there MAY be a risk - but until evidence arises, don't believe that it is any more dangerous than hormone contraceptives or smoking. I would like to see some case studies where otherwise healthy individuals suffered ill health from the use of HCG.

    I am an intelligent adult and as such feel competent researching and forming my own opinion.
  • yomairaA
    yomairaA Posts: 32 Member
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    Congrats on your 17 lbs...this is so hard...the urges are driving me crazy...i'm doing the injections too....have you had any hairloss..i've heard that happens...


    Thank you. i have not experienced hairloss or anything just some headaches the first few day and some stinging at shot site but my own fault for not letting alcohol fri completly. This is the best thing that ever happened to me and this site of course. Next Thurday is my 1 month weigh in and i have a strong feeling I will be at 20+ lbs the first month. I also started the B12 shot which helps alot Im gonna be getting that once a week from the doctor.
  • amandadaisylotus
    amandadaisylotus Posts: 311
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    Just a note. There is the risk of blood clotting using birth control as well.

    Everything has it's risks. Research, consult your doctor, be aware of your own body, and make your own educated decisions.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,710 Member
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    Okay - it says there is a risk but gives absolutely no substantiation or details about the risk . . I mean I could write anything on a website an not back it up - that doesn't make it accurate. Where are the facts?

    I concede that it is POSSIBLE that there MAY be a risk - but until evidence arises, don't believe that it is any more dangerous than hormone contraceptives or smoking. I would like to see some case studies where otherwise healthy individuals suffered ill health from the use of HCG.

    I am an intelligent adult and as such feel competent researching and forming my own opinion.
    I agree that just because something is written on a website doesn't make it accurate, and I agree that we should each do research and form our own opinions. I think we need to read as much as we can, run it through our own filters as to whether we think what we read sounds reasonable or not and, using that (along with our own experiences, beliefs and observations), come to a conclusion about what we think makes sense. My philosophy remains that the safest and most prudent way to lose fat (not just weight) is to feed our bodies the proper amount of nutrients to fuel them without overfeeding them, not to introduce substances or procedures that disrupt the normal functioning of our bodies or to follow what I consider to be extreme diets. I truly hope you're right that you're not endangering your health. I don't personally know anyone who has tried HCG, so I don't have any firsthand anecdotal evidence, but I know several people who have had weight-loss surgery, most with pretty detrimental results. That doesn't mean I don't still support my friends if I don't support their methods. If they ask me what I think, I tell them honestly, but I'll always be there for them whatever they choose to do.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    Wow, I just can't be more shocked at those that wrote how this couldn't have happened. Seems it DID happen! ALL extreme diets have risks that's simply how they work, it's how ppl are able to drop weight so quickly by taking those extreme risks.

    Someone brand new to the site shares she just lost a close friend and all you are focusing on is defending your diet. Not even any respect given.:noway: Why so much defense over a diet? Seems if someone truly believes what they are doing is right for them, there would be no reason in the world to be defensive about it. Why would it need to be defended???????

    Please, can you simply let her be, she only buried her friend such a short time ago why even PM her asking for details, that just seems so wrong on so many levels:noway:

    We all have our thoughts on eating healthy and seems some prefer dieting, there seem to be two camps on MFP, dieters and non-dieters, I don't know that either camp will ever agree. We all find our way at some point...hopefully sooner than later. I stopped dieting when I came here. Some still diet on the site, so be it, but get someone back to 'dieting' when they finally gave it up? It makes no sense at all.....:frown:
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    I have read nothing and can find nothing about HCG related embolism and have read nothing indicating that blood clots are a risk with HCG.
    http://www.ehow.com/facts_5008933_hcg-shot-side-effects.html

    Okay - it says there is a risk but gives absolutely no substantiation or details about the risk . . I mean I could write anything on a website an not back it up - that doesn't make it accurate. Where are the facts?

    I concede that it is POSSIBLE that there MAY be a risk - but until evidence arises, don't believe that it is any more dangerous than hormone contraceptives or smoking. I would like to see some case studies where otherwise healthy individuals suffered ill health from the use of HCG.

    I am an intelligent adult and as such feel competent researching and forming my own opinion.
    Death is not evidence enough???????
  • reneeot
    reneeot Posts: 773 Member
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    This post turned up the heat on HCG diet. I myself was disturbed when I found out my sister was doing this diet. But she is doing good, as far as I know, no adverse reactions.

    My concern overall with regards to ANY diet is this: is this just another diet you try and then you regain and find another to do. If you are rollercoaster dieter, then its just going to be another ride that when it ends you are back where you started.

    So EVERYONE please make sure you make DIETERY changes, so when you take the break from HCG injections you eat healthy. I know many regain several lbs once they stop injections. Is this to the norm for being off the injectioors but still eating healthy or is to not truley making a change to eating healthy.

    Much success to all!!!
  • dyorkesmile
    dyorkesmile Posts: 6
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    Please be careful of this diet, I know it gives you fast results and that is good, but in the long run you may gain it back plus some!, I am proud of you for trying it and give you applause for finishing it, however when you are done with the drops then remember to eat correctly, don't go back to your old habbits, and that is what happens so often becuase nothing is learned as to how to change your lifestyle.. So please be successfull in your journey to get you jump started, but then learn to change your life style! Good Luck!
  • ephay
    ephay Posts: 74
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    The FDA is in the process of getting the drug banned in the United States.

    First my condolences. :cry: My heart goes out to you for your loss.

    Second, can you post the link that indicates the FDA is in the process of banning HCG? I'd be interested in reading up. The reason for my skeptism is that millions of women (including myself) have used this drug in infertility treatments. It's one of the "stock" medication cocktails in the treatment of infertility and works with great success...I have twins to prove it. :heart:

    It seems unlikely that the FDA would ban something that works with such success for so many regarding such a sensitive and important part of people's lives...having a baby. Everytime I search for an article reflecting it, I keep coming up with ones that report on the lifting of the ban for use with weightloss (see below as an example). Perhaps they're trying to ban for weight loss purposes only? I know it's not approved for it, it's considered an "off-label" use much like Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) is prescribed to assist in people stopping smoking.

    But if you can provide the link, I'd appreciate it much! The more you know...you know?

    http://www.mynews3.com/story.php?id=12491&n=5037,5246
  • kmmschaefer
    kmmschaefer Posts: 82 Member
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    Just a note. There is the risk of blood clotting using birth control as well.

    Everything has it's risks. Research, consult your doctor, be aware of your own body, and make your own educated decisions.

    I was going to say that as well I know someone who had a stroke at 20 years old from taking birh control pills. She did not smoke or drink perfectly healthy. There are risks to just about everything.
  • fivefatcats
    fivefatcats Posts: 368
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    more complete response below
  • fivefatcats
    fivefatcats Posts: 368
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    Wow, I just can't be more shocked at those that wrote how this couldn't have happened. Seems it DID happen! ALL extreme diets have risks that's simply how they work, it's how ppl are able to drop weight so quickly by taking those extreme risks.

    Someone brand new to the site shares she just lost a close friend and all you are focusing on is defending your diet. Not even any respect given.:noway: Why so much defense over a diet? Seems if someone truly believes what they are doing is right for them, there would be no reason in the world to be defensive about it. Why would it need to be defended???????

    Please, can you simply let her be, she only buried her friend such a short time ago why even PM her asking for details, that just seems so wrong on so many levels:noway:

    We all have our thoughts on eating healthy and seems some prefer dieting, there seem to be two camps on MFP, dieters and non-dieters, I don't know that either camp will ever agree. We all find our way at some point...hopefully sooner than later. I stopped dieting when I came here. Some still diet on the site, so be it, but get someone back to 'dieting' when they finally gave it up? It makes no sense at all.....:frown:

    Becca - I respect your firm stand against the diet. Please understand that I am not asking for details to cause her distress, but if there is proof of a danger I want to be made aware of it from a source I feel is accurate. If she doesn't respond, I have no information on which to conduct any additional research.

    I don't endorse the diet any more strongly than you oppose it. Why do you so strongly oppose it? I will not manipulate the decisions of intelligent adults, only share my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with the method so that they may make their own decisions.

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