So, has anyone *not* done well on the hcg diet?

[Julie in CA]

:bigear:

(just wondering...)

[Negin]

Julie, can you be more specific?

 

Not done well, as in not lost any weight during P2?

 

or

 

Not felt well - as in unable to function or whatever?

 

or

 

Regained the weight in P3 or P4?

 

For me - it's been the last one - regaining the weight, although certainly not all of it. But that is all my fault and I take full responsibility. That's because I have not stuck to protocol on P3 and P4. I only did P2.

 

Other than that, hcg is my absolute favorite thing ever. Love it, love it, love it. :) I look forward to hopefully going back on it in several months' time.

[SeekingSimplicity]

I tried the homeopathic and starved to death the whole time. I was so shaky I couldn't function. But I think it was because it was the homeopathic instead of the Rx. If I do it again I'll go with Rx

[Cassy]

I tried the homeopathic drops to lose 10 lbs max. I felt truly awful and gave up after a week. I suspect I didn't actually have enough 'fat' to lose for it to work successfully. It was a very bad experience for me, and I wasn't impressed, but I have heard of a lot of people who've had excellent results with it.

 

Best wishes

 

Cassy

[Negin]

Wanted to add that I did homeopathic.

What really, really was key for me for not feeling weak, shaky, etc. - was loading, loading, loading - lots and lots of healthy fats - that is essential. If you don't load properly, you'll feel awful.

[Julie in CA]

Julie, can you be more specific?

 

Not done well, as in not lost any weight during P2?

 

or

 

Not felt well - as in unable to function or whatever?

 

or

 

Regained the weight in P3 or P4?

 

For me - it's been the last one - regaining the weight, although certainly not all of it. But that is all my fault and I take full responsibility. That's because I have not stuck to protocol on P3 and P4. I only did P2.

 

Other than that, hcg is my absolute favorite thing ever. Love it, love it, love it. :) I look forward to hopefully going back on it in several months' time.

Any and all of the things mentioned.

Not feeling well, not losing weight, gaining all the weight back, strange side effects...anything at all that wasn't completely positive.

 

Sometimes only the people with glowing reviews post, and the ones who didn't do well simply stay quiet, thinking that it was only them, or that they personally were to blame. I've read the wonderful reviews/comments, and I'm fishing to see if anyone feels differently about their experience.

[MrsBasil]

Two of my family members tried and said they felt like they were starving. They both lost weight, but had no energy, racing hearts, and nausea. they followed the instructions to the letter.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I had (controlled) high blood pressure that shot up out of control on HCG. (As in "could no longer be controlled on medication.)

 

I thought that I had researched it fully, but apparently that particular side effect escaped my research. (Maybe I thought it wouldn't affect me since it was controlled at the time.) My father died of a stroke and my brother has had 12 strokes (still living), so I take it pretty seriously.

 

I wasn't hungry, though! I was doing the injections.

[Momling]

I was chatting with an MD who worked in a wellness clinic whose patients regularly wanted to go on the HCG diet. He would prescribe the hcg for them. He said his patients generally liked it and it worked well, but that it was the ultra low calories that caused weight loss. He said the hcg was just a placebo.... that it wouldn't hurt you but truly was snake oil.

[Negin]

Sometimes only the people with glowing reviews post, and the ones who didn't do well simply stay quiet, thinking that it was only them, or that they personally were to blame. I've read the wonderful reviews/comments, and I'm fishing to see if anyone feels differently about their experience.

Julie, that's really smart of you to do so.

You sound like me when I was doing all my research. I spent months researching hcg. I'm a bit of a research nut. I do tend to take things to extreme when it comes to research.

 

I was chatting with an MD who worked in a wellness clinic whose patients regularly wanted to go on the HCG diet. He would prescribe the hcg for them. He said his patients generally liked it and it worked well, but that it was the ultra low calories that caused weight loss. He said the hcg was just a placebo.... that it wouldn't hurt you but truly was snake oil.

This is possible. My dh believes this. But I don't. There's no way that I would have had such energy and almost no hunger on 500 calories a day.

All I can say is, if it is a placebo effect, it is worth every cent to me because it worked and I was very seldom hungry. No other diet has ever done that to me. None. Nada. I was not hungry, I had tons of energy, and if it was all in my head, well, I don't really care because it worked :D. This is not to say that there weren't days that were difficult. There were. But not nearly as hard as on other diets.

 

My first round: homeopathic drops - worked like a charm. Followed the hcg diet to a t.

2nd round - homeopathic pellets - and lots and lots of life disruptions/stressors - did not do as well, but still did okay considering.

 

I never went on P3 and P4. Wish I had. Those phases are like being a detective. If done properly, you know what causes YOU to gain weight. I would love to know, say, that mangoes are the reason my weight gain, or whatever. You find out what your own personal food sensitivities are.

 

I hope to start another round in a few months' time. Hope to. We'll see.

I will only do hcg if there are few stressors in my life. This diet is very, very mental. If you have too much stress, you are setting yourself up for failure.

[Negin]

I do want to add the following from my hcg notes that I wrote while on it a few months ago:

 

The hcg diet is not for everyone - nothing ever is - but so far I have had no side-effects and have found it to be safe and effective. In some ways, I have more energy, since my body is digesting much less food. The friends that I have known have experienced little or no side-effects – other than the occasional headache on the first few days. That’s a sign of the body getting rid of toxins. I have read that some experience hair loss AFTER hcg, but again, none of my online friends. Most who do experience hair loss get back to normal after a few months – with increased protein and certain supplements. I take those supplements all the time anyway.

 

Some experience headaches, itchy skin or a rash – these are probably toxins being released from the fat that’s being released. They will last as long as you don't provide other pathways for them to exit your body. One way to do this is to take a cleansing bath in the evening. Add 2 cups of Epson salts or one of baking soda and one of the Epsom salts to a tub with water as hot as you can stand it and get in for 20 minutes. Make sure it comes up to your belly button or higher.

For headaches, I like to take magnesium.

For releasing toxins, I also like to dry body brush daily.

 

In order to prevent hair loss, I take Biotin, Silica, and Biosil - some days, I take all 3; some days, just 1 or 2 of them. I vary my supplements a lot. I also plan on starting a protein powder (very few ingredients and a good quality one) either in P3 or P4. I've heard this helps with hair loss.

I've also heard that hair loss is less common with those on hhcg. I had huge issues with possible hair loss. It almost made me not want to go on hcg. But the more I read and thought about it, the more I realized:

* that not all experience it. Several of my online friends who've been on it (and their friends and family members) did not experience it

* my understanding is that any hair loss is temporary and generally returns to normal once protein levels are restored in P3 and P4

* it's not the hcg that causes hair loss, but the fact that the diet brings you to the brink of calorie and protein deficiency - but again, not all experience it.

[Julie in CA]

Thank you for the additional information.

I'm still thinking it over, but I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm not mentally ready to lose weight, and probably need to seek some counseling help to get there. :sad:

[DawnM]

I ended up with horrible runs. I am not 100% positive it was the HcG but nothing else was different in my diet.

 

I need to list the unopened bottle on CL.

 

Dawn

[Susan in TN]

Not really answering your question, but I'm now on my 2nd round of homeopathic hcg (pellets), and I've done very well. This round is actually going better than the first - mainly because I know what to expect and have a general meal routine down.

 

I am completely convinced that it is NOT a placebo. During R1 I experimented slightly with the dose for a few days and there was no question that the amount I was using had a huge effect on how I felt, although it was the opposite reaction that I was told to expect.

 

After my first round, I followed the protocol for P3 and P4 - and stabilized very well. In fact, my last 2 weeks of P4 were on vacation and I pretty much ate anything and still didn't gain. Of course, I was also doing a lot of walking, but still, I was happy and somewhat surprised considering what I'd been eating.

 

You do have to be careful about the homeopathic stuff you buy - I wouldn't try anything from a local drug store or health food/vitamin store, or from Amazon ;). You also may have to experiment with your dose - raising or lowering can have a huge effect on how you feel, and/or how it works with you.

 

Oh, and I wasn't 100% hunger free for a whole 6 weeks - I do get a little hungry before meals and sometimes in the morning, but it's really just like regular hunger - haven't eaten in a while and stomach gets a little rumbly.

[Negin]

I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm not mentally ready to lose weight, and probably need to seek some counseling help to get there. :sad:

Julie, I'm sorry that you're feeling this way. I hope that you feel better soon and that you can get relief from a good counselor. :grouphug:

 

You do have to be careful about the homeopathic stuff you buy - I wouldn't try anything from a local drug store or health food/vitamin store, or from Amazon ;).

Susan, great job. :D

Would you mind sharing where you got your hhcg drops/pellets from? Thank you.

[Susan in TN]

Julie, I'm sorry that you're feeling this way. I hope that you feel better soon and that you can get relief from a good counselor. :grouphug:

 

 

Susan, great job. :D

Would you mind sharing where you got your hhcg drops/pellets from? Thank you.

 

Sure - my first round I ordered from

http://yourdiscounthcg.com/buy-wholesale-hcg/ (got the Vit. B drops, etc "kit".

 

This round I ordered from Meridian Labs http://meridianhealthlabs.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=11&osCsid=vf9hqc7gratld91546ehdl2b94

[Mommy22alyns]

Two of my family members tried and said they felt like they were starving. They both lost weight, but had no energy, racing hearts, and nausea. they followed the instructions to the letter.

 

 

This is what I worry about. I react poorly to no carbohydrates or super low food levels. But I have a LOT to lose and going the old fashioned way is going to take forever.

[DB in NJ]

I was chatting with an MD who worked in a wellness clinic whose patients regularly wanted to go on the HCG diet. He would prescribe the hcg for them. He said his patients generally liked it and it worked well, but that it was the ultra low calories that caused weight loss. He said the hcg was just a placebo.... that it wouldn't hurt you but truly was snake oil.

 

:iagree: fwiw

[Susan in TN]

I was chatting with an MD who worked in a wellness clinic whose patients regularly wanted to go on the HCG diet. He would prescribe the hcg for them. He said his patients generally liked it and it worked well, but that it was the ultra low calories that caused weight loss. He said the hcg was just a placebo.... that it wouldn't hurt you but truly was snake oil.

 

And we can hope he was telling his patients that he was giving them a placebo. I'm sorry, but I find that kind of behavior completely unprofessional. Why would he prescribe something to his patients with the belief that they were simply going on a starvation diet? What kind of health and wellness is that?

Edited September 21, 2011 by Susan in TN

[Negin]

Sure - my first round I ordered from

http://yourdiscounthcg.com/buy-wholesale-hcg/ (got the Vit. B drops, etc "kit".

This round I ordered from Meridian Labs http://meridianhealthlabs.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=11&osCsid=vf9hqc7gratld91546ehdl2b94

Thanks, Susan. :)

I've ordered from Meridian before.

I'm on the lookout for any good company with some really great special offers. :) Fil is visiting soon and I want to place an order. I'd like to start another round right after Christmas or so. Can't wait! :D

 

This is what I worry about. I react poorly to no carbohydrates or super low food levels. But I have a LOT to lose and going the old fashioned way is going to take forever.

If you load, load, load, and load some more - on healthy fats - and if you read up on it - and snack on sliced cucumbers, you should be fine. I had the same exact worries.

 

People think that hcg is a fad diet. I don't think it is. If done correctly, it's a lifestyle change. If one goes through with P3 and P4.

[mom2abcd]

If done according to Dr. Simeons' protocol, you WILL lose weight.

 

If you're wondering about how you feel during P2, my first round I did feel weak, shaky, tired often. The second round was a lot better.

 

I lost 44# in two rounds and months later, have gained back only six. For some reason, I can take it off during correction days, but it comes right back.

 

It does take a lot of commitment.... time... focus... You want to choose the first 3-6-9 weeks carefully. Choose weeks when you don't have a lot of social food events, when you can rest, don't have a lot of stress, etc.

 

Since seeing dh's and my success, many people have asked about it and started the protocol. It is really interesting to see the variety of turnouts. Many decide they can't commit to it and put it off. Some do P2 and lose, but don't do P3 and P4 and gain it all back (and more sometimes!) Our best success story is a gal who has lost 60# and counting in the past 9 months.

 

It definitely works. You just have to follow Pounds & Inches. (Easier said than done:o)

[Frontier Mom]

Sure - my first round I ordered from

http://yourdiscounthcg.com/buy-wholesale-hcg/ (got the Vit. B drops, etc "kit".

 

This round I ordered from Meridian Labs http://meridianhealthlabs.com/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=11&osCsid=vf9hqc7gratld91546ehdl2b94

 

Thanks for the info. I bit the bullet and ordered it last night. I have to get some weight off quickly to get in all my clothes. I think I'm ready!!

[Negin]

Thanks for the info. I bit the bullet and ordered it last night. I have to get some weight off quickly to get in all my clothes. I think I'm ready!!

Good for you :D.

 

My suggestions:

 

Do make sure to load properly, Very, very important.

Read, read, read.

 

Those who have not done the above have not done very well on hcg.

Best of luck to you. :)

[southwind]

My sister is an N.D. who has studied the science behind the hcg diet and has now overseen quite a few people on it, including myself. I do believe that it works. The first time I did it, I lost 35 pounds and kept them off for about a year, then gained 15 back. I’m on it a second time and have lost 8 so far, only looking to lose about 15 this time.

 

Here’s the thing about the very low calorie diet. No one can eat like this and be healthy without the support of the hcg. The hcg burns the belly fat, which makes the body be able to function. Without the hcg, it’s a starvation diet which will slow down the metabolism, resulting in NO weight loss, and simply will not work.

 

Changing my diet long-term to eliminate most white flour and sugar is the challenge. Being ON the diet is pretty easy actually. I know ahead of time what and when I will eat, and I do experience more energy. Although on this second time around, I have more stress in my life, so it’s not quite the same as the first time.

 

The trickiest thing I have to deal with is that I get light-headed when I get up from a sitting position, and I’’m not sure why that happens, but I could probably ask my sister.

 

The mental piece of hcg is truly huge. It has worked for me very well, but I have followed the diet exactly, and have fat-loaded on the front end exactly as I was directed. The reason I went on it this time is that I allowed my stress over the past couple of months to result in emotional eating and hence a weight gain, and it wasn’t until I felt ready to stop that I could start hcg again.

 

I am currently trying to decide how I am going to handle going off of it and how I am going to eat after this is over. But I know for a fact that it did reset my setpoint and i truly lost fat and inches and that hcg was more than a placebo in my case.