Has anyone tried HCG drops?

I've considered it also but I'm just not sure about it. I think it's one of those too good to be true kinda things. Personal opinion, love.

A friend of mine used it (monitored by a doctor). She had good success, but she stickly followed the 550 calorie a day diet required by the program. I think anyone would loose weight if they starved themselves like that.

I'm on HCG drops right now and I'll be honest, I'm SUPER hungry all the time. But, instead of eating, I try to drink water to fill my belly up. It's true, you'll lose lbs on the VLCD, but without the drops, anything you eat will be stored as fat. Your metabolism will actually slow down without em, making you actually gain weight....

My advice, go ahead and try it. Why not? If it works, awesome! If not, well, that's okay too. At least then you'll know instead of wondering!

Good luck!

I've lost 3 lbs in 3 days

Actually, when your body goes into starvation mode, it holds on to every last calorie it possible can to survive, so you don't actually lose weight. Eventually, you might, but that's when you're getting into eating disorder territory.

Which is where the HCG comes in. It's a hormone that burns off fat instead of muscle mass.
Without it, in starvation mode, your body burns muscle mass before it burns fat.
I've had wonderful results so far, and I'm only on day 3.

My wife is taking them now. She's dropped about 9.5 lbs in 23 days. I'll admit, she initially complained of hunger pains all the time, but once she increased her water intake, that subsided. You must be strict in your diet. Cheating causes your system to store nutrients and water weight. She's taking an HCG supplement for $100/mo, but I've seen and heard of others that can be as cheap as $30-50. I'd say it's worth a shot if you have the discipline to follow through with the diet that comes with it. Good luck!

bump

The HCG diet isn't available in the UK - I wonder how long it will be before it is? I have read up quite a bit on this, having seen it mentioned on here a few times. There are a lot of conflicting reports - but if it works, and the person using the drops becomes healthy because of it, then surely that's a good thing?
But is the weight loss sustainable once the drops are no longer used?

The hCG diet 'reset's your metabolism, so to speak. One of the main focus points of the diet is the 500 cal diet. Depending on how much you want to lose, the program is either for 23 or 43 days. During that time, you teach yourself to pay attention to portion sizes...most people don't realize that the potion sizes they're eating are WAY out of control. That being said, if you continue to eat right and pay attention to what's going in your mouth, the weight will not come back.

Of course, if you go right back to your old eating habits, you'll go right back to your old weight.

Just something to think about

After a bit your stomach will shrink, so the 500 calories should fill you up. I've lost 7lbs on it, and I started last thursday. If you're considering it, I suggest you try it out. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

I'm on the hHCG pellets. In 18 days, I've dropped 17.5 pounds. I'm not hungry at all now, but the first few days were a challenge since my body craves sweets. I don't stick to protocol 100% (I've eaten up to 800 per day) and have still had great losses. I'm hoping to do 2 long rounds in order to reach my pre-baby weight before he starts 1st grade in the fall.

Ihave 2 people whom have done it and had awesome results. Im ready to start this friday but need a book or resource that maps out the poortion sizes and meal plan can some one tell me where to go with this?/ I have the drops and all just need a good plan! Dont want to waste tiem want to do this right!

I don't want to make anyone mad, but some red flags...
Firstly, you will definitely lose weight on this diet. Eating so few calories a day will cause the weight to fall off. Especially if your body goes into starvation mode. In the 20 some odd days you do this, your body quickly gives up trying to store it for long periods of time and quickly mobilizes it as energy that it desperately needs. Dangerous and unhealthy? Absolutely.
HCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy. In fact, that is exactly what a pregnancy test detects in your urine. And that is exactly where they get the legitimate stuff, pregnant woman's pee. The drops are usually hogwash. Test it yourself. Place a few drops on a pregnancy test to see if it actually contains HCG. Chances are, someone is making a lot of money on your foolishness. Hey, but if that makes you feel good...
Secondly, this sort of starvation and fat mobilization leads to the release of free radicals which destroy anything and everything they come in contact to in your body. So maybe you'll be skinny for a few months, but you'll be dying of something else in a few years because you attacked your own body from the inside out. You only have one body and you have to make the tissues you have last. I especially would raise flags against it the older you are.
Thirdly, it has been thoroughly researched? Not quite. It has been researched for a couple of decades by only a few (mainly one individual). And even if it had, things that work like Zicam are approved and on shelves for months before they realize that, "Oh no, it causes people to permanently lose their sense of smell!" No biggy, right?
Fourthly, the only people preaching it are those who have just lost the weight. I know several people who have tried it and gained all of the weight back in less than 6 months. Others preaching it are individuals and doctors who are making a killing on it. And other doctors don't have a choice. They write scrips for anything nowadays because if they don't, the patient complains and goes to another doctor who will. There are a few goods ones still out there though that hold their ground.
I researched it thoroughly when my older sister decided to take it. She lost a lot of weight, but was very ill afterwards, had nose bleeds, and severe dental issues that she swears had nothing to do with her period of deprivation. I don't believe it. They all happened a month after her first session with the drops. I am not a doctor or a nutritionist. I am a pharmacy school student with an undergrad in chemistry and biology.
I encourage you to educate yourself. Take a few classes or read a few books on subjects like nutrition, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and human physiology from legitimate, confirmed sources. Learn how your body works. Don't just assume that "they" are looking out for you. You have to look out for yourself and your family.
If you don't care how long you live or what quality of life you have, as long as you are thin, go on... go the HCG route. Please, for the sake of your loved ones, be careful about what you take into your body. Not just the pills and medicine, but all of it. I hope my sister gets to be around for along time and that no permanent damage was done. Don't be selfish and foolish. Go the proved, healthy route and utilize the support you have here! You can do it! Don't give up! Slow and steady wins the race! If you've forgotten that story about the tortoise and the hair, go back and read it! Okay, I'll shut up now. Good luck!

What many people don't realize is that the VLCD/Drops phase of the diet is for a limited time - a minimum of 23 days, and a maximum of about 43 days. Then for 3-6 weeks you work to maintain that weight loss - and if you need to lose more weight, after you complete the maintenance phases, you can do another round of the VLCD/drops - or pellets or injections, whatever you decide.

It's not eating 500 cals forever. In fact, I've lost almost 50 pounds in two rounds - I am in my 2nd maintenance phase right now - and I'm eating 1700 calories a day and maintaining my losses.....

I have tried every diet "fad"/product/program on God's green earth! I have not tried the hCG diet, simply because I have had friends try it and fail. While weight loss is rapid at first--it simply is not sustainable over the long haul. You can only live on drops and 500 calories/day for so long!
In August 2010 with my weight at an all time high, I started seeing a dietician and have come to realize the only true way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less (monitor portion size), keep a food diary to stay on track of what you are actually putting in your mouth on a daily basis, and exercise more. Since August 1, 2010 I am down 32 lbs. and feel great! There have been times when I have struggled, but over all my "lifestyle change" has been a positive experience!

Actually, the FDA has said that they have one case where a person doing HCG ended up with a pulmonary embolism - a blot clot in her lung. It does not say that the HCG caused the clot - and it also doesn't say what other risk factors she has or other medical conditions that might have caused a blot clot. You can get a clot in your legs from sitting in the car too long, or because you take birth control pills and smoke, or because you've smoked your whole life and you have poor circulation in your legs, which causes a clot which then travels up to your lungs.

The point I'm trying to make here is that the news articles and news shows never give you the WHOLE story on anything - they give you what they think you will be excited to read to draw you in. Think you got the whole story on HCG from that show? How about what's going on in Libya? If you think so, I've got a great bridge to sell you..........cheap.

I'm glad that I read you went to a dietician and are losing weight the right way. We have a weightloss competition at work and there is a girl I know that started the HCG drops. Anyone can lose weight if they are only taking in 500 calories a day! It's just crazy, and the latest report on Nightline showed a special featuring HCG and people having strokes from using it. There is not a miracle solution out there, you just have to dare I say "Control your eating with fresh nonprocessed foods with correct portions with 30 minutes of exercise daily."

Do not use these, it is a complete con. Yes you will lose weight but that is from following the very low calorie diet the same as you would lose weight on any low calorie diet. I started on my fitness plan and i am losing weight nicely but thought taking hcg would increase my weight loss as I need to go into hospital for surgery and need to lose weight for this.

Yes I lost weight but only because I was eating better and exercising and NOT because of these drops.

I ordered there so called trial and 3 days after receiving it they had deducted 2 payments from my bank account of £75.00 and £64.00 even though I had specifically stated i was not interested in signing up for anything monthly.

Trust me if you stick to using my fitness pal and be honest about what you are eating and combine with regular exercise you will lose weight and it wont cost you anything.

Please do not fall for this scam. We all want a quick fix and trust me I know, i am currently 274 lbs and would do anything to get the weight off but there is no quick fix just the good old fashion way. Eat less exercise more.