HCG Injections???

bethany · 10-04-2004, 06:16 PM

Have any of you tried HCG (some hormone secreted during pregnancy) pills or injections for weight loss?

My sister has a friend who was very successful with this, and she keeps insisting that I give it a try.

I did some research and determined that 1) it did not pass FDA approval becasue there were no clear results and 2) there still appear to be a number of clinics who offer it.

I thought I would also get some first hand information from you, as I know she will be sure to mention it to me AGAIN in the next day or 2, and I would really like to be prepared.

Thanks!!

jlc2874 · 10-04-2004, 08:56 PM

I took the HCG injections a long, long time ago. I weighed 140 and got down to 126. I am 5'7" I didn't look very good in retrospect. I think it was more the diet they put you on. It started out mostly liquids. Eventually you could eat some foods but not much. No fats. You were not even allowed to use hand lotions. I think the injections made it easier to stick to. Plus you have to go in once a day for the injection and weight check. Accountability may have been another incentive. I also had a positive pregnancy test while getting the injections and I wasn't pregnant. I don't think it is worth the money. I also don't think it is healthy or well balanced. What happens when you stop the injections? I didn't get a chance to find out, inspite of the one false pregnancy test I did become pregnant 3 months after the false test and I was still getting the injections. I gained 100 lbs the last 5 months of my pregnancy and I am still trying to get rid of it plus. I wouldn't do it again. Lo Carb is healthy, easy to stick with and even though the results may seem slow at times eventually it will come off and you don't have to worry about the regain comming off the injections, or any other diet aide. If you get the weight off eating healthy then you should be able to keep it off eating healthy. Just my opinion.

bethany · 10-04-2004, 09:54 PM

Jamie,

Just telling my sister NO hasn't worked thus far, so it will help to have this real-life perspective to share with her.

I know she means well (she is a die-hard low-fat, low-cal, size 2), but she needs to accept that I am doing LC and move on.

Thanks for the insight!

Mickey Lou · 10-04-2004, 09:59 PM

well, personally, the hcg hormone makes me feel like ca-ca when I'm pregnant, so why would I willfully make myself feel that way? Sure, because you feel so sick you don't want to eat, but the flip side is, many women GAIN huge amounts of weight while pregnant, even from week one!

Kimmer · 10-04-2004, 10:03 PM

It's definitely due to the diet they put you on ... low fat, low calorie.

Don't they derive the HCG from the urine of pregnant women or animals?
HCG injections have been going on for 30+ years! You figure if it worked great, everyone would do it and no one would ever have a weight problem.

And, let's say it does work (uh, OK), what will you do when you get to goal? Pay for urine injections the rest of your life???

Mickey Lou · 10-04-2004, 10:04 PM

I likea you..... :-)

bethany · 10-04-2004, 10:06 PM

jr_mickey and kimmer - EXACTLY!! That is what I have been telling her for a month now!

The last thing I need is to be injected with someone's pee! Sheesh, with my luck, I would probably get morning sickness or start lactating, or who knows what else????

Blech....I am emailing her this thread right now!

Mickey Lou · 10-04-2004, 10:09 PM

This is true...I have PCOS...and even though it's totally controlled by diet...I do tend to have "leaks" in 'the girls'. That's all I need....to go around spraying people.

TaiwanTeacher · 10-04-2004, 10:14 PM

In the first one of my infertility drug cycles many years ago I remember getting the HCG shot. It made me feel nauseaus, just like the hormone does when I'm pregnant. I'm not a big fan of the way medicine these days just throws hormones around like it's nothing. Because I have PCOS I know the havoc caused by hormones out of balance, I wouldn't mess around with your endocrine system if you don't have to.

Transplant · 10-04-2004, 10:35 PM

I also did this about a hundred years ago (ok, well I was 18 at the time and I'm 42 now, but it's early for math). The diet was less than 750 calories, it was intended to produce ketosis (didn't know what it was then, but they described getting very bad breath). It didn't matter what you ate as long as it was below the calorie limit, so some days I ate that amount in ice cream and nothing more

I felt nauseous and horrible the whole time (about 3 months). Lost about 30 lbs. but then got pregnant (wondering now if the shots increased my fertility).

With what I know now, I wouldn't touch that stuff with a ten foot pole. THere is no learning of new behaviors (even if they do now put you on a reasonable diet, your hunger disappears mostly because you feel to sick to eat much more than popsicles). And with all the bad long term effects of hormone therapy being reported, I'd have to wonder about that too...

Guess I'd say SIS and her size 2 self should MHOB, but I guess that would be ruder than explaining the dangers and stupidity of changing to that kind of diet.

10-04-2004, 06:16 PM	#1
bethany Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ponte Vedra, FL Posts: 4,443 Gallery: bethany Stats: 5'3" 180/166/120 WOE: Carb/Calorie Cycling Start Date: Restarted 09/15/04	HCG Injections??? Have any of you tried HCG (some hormone secreted during pregnancy) pills or injections for weight loss? My sister has a friend who was very successful with this, and she keeps insisting that I give it a try. I did some research and determined that 1) it did not pass FDA approval becasue there were no clear results and 2) there still appear to be a number of clinics who offer it. I thought I would also get some first hand information from you, as I know she will be sure to mention it to me AGAIN in the next day or 2, and I would really like to be prepared. Thanks!!

10-04-2004, 08:56 PM	#2
jlc2874 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Mexico Posts: 298 Gallery: jlc2874 Stats: 255/170/145 5'7" WOE: Atkins Start Date: 01/05/2004	I took the HCG injections a long, long time ago. I weighed 140 and got down to 126. I am 5'7" I didn't look very good in retrospect. I think it was more the diet they put you on. It started out mostly liquids. Eventually you could eat some foods but not much. No fats. You were not even allowed to use hand lotions. I think the injections made it easier to stick to. Plus you have to go in once a day for the injection and weight check. Accountability may have been another incentive. I also had a positive pregnancy test while getting the injections and I wasn't pregnant. I don't think it is worth the money. I also don't think it is healthy or well balanced. What happens when you stop the injections? I didn't get a chance to find out, inspite of the one false pregnancy test I did become pregnant 3 months after the false test and I was still getting the injections. I gained 100 lbs the last 5 months of my pregnancy and I am still trying to get rid of it plus. I wouldn't do it again. Lo Carb is healthy, easy to stick with and even though the results may seem slow at times eventually it will come off and you don't have to worry about the regain comming off the injections, or any other diet aide. If you get the weight off eating healthy then you should be able to keep it off eating healthy. Just my opinion. __________________ Jamie [COLOR="Purple"] Some pursue happiness, others create it.[/COLOR]

10-04-2004, 09:59 PM	#4
Mickey Lou Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Broomfield, Colorado Posts: 4,162 Gallery: Mickey Lou Stats: 267/>150<200/150 WOE: death to the marcupial pouch Start Date: Early Spring 2000; 100#off	hhhmmm hcg well, personally, the hcg hormone makes me feel like ca-ca when I'm pregnant, so why would I willfully make myself feel that way? Sure, because you feel so sick you don't want to eat, but the flip side is, many women GAIN huge amounts of weight while pregnant, even from week one!

10-04-2004, 10:04 PM	#6
Mickey Lou Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Broomfield, Colorado Posts: 4,162 Gallery: Mickey Lou Stats: 267/>150<200/150 WOE: death to the marcupial pouch Start Date: Early Spring 2000; 100#off	Kimmer.... I likea you..... :-)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

10-04-2004, 09:54 PM	#3
bethany Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ponte Vedra, FL Posts: 4,443 Gallery: bethany Stats: 5'3" 180/166/120 WOE: Carb/Calorie Cycling Start Date: Restarted 09/15/04	Jamie, Just telling my sister NO hasn't worked thus far, so it will help to have this real-life perspective to share with her. I know she means well (she is a die-hard low-fat, low-cal, size 2), but she needs to accept that I am doing LC and move on. Thanks for the insight!

10-04-2004, 10:03 PM	#5
Kimmer Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: California Posts: 19,133 Gallery: Kimmer Stats: 318/118/125 WOE: Kimkins	It's definitely due to the diet they put you on ... low fat, low calorie. Don't they derive the HCG from the urine of pregnant women or animals? HCG injections have been going on for 30+ years! You figure if it worked great, everyone would do it and no one would ever have a weight problem. And, let's say it does work (uh, OK), what will you do when you get to goal? Pay for urine injections the rest of your life???

10-04-2004, 10:06 PM	#7
bethany Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ponte Vedra, FL Posts: 4,443 Gallery: bethany Stats: 5'3" 180/166/120 WOE: Carb/Calorie Cycling Start Date: Restarted 09/15/04	jr_mickey and kimmer - EXACTLY!! That is what I have been telling her for a month now! The last thing I need is to be injected with someone's pee! Sheesh, with my luck, I would probably get morning sickness or start lactating, or who knows what else???? Blech....I am emailing her this thread right now!

10-04-2004, 10:09 PM	#8
Mickey Lou Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Broomfield, Colorado Posts: 4,162 Gallery: Mickey Lou Stats: 267/>150<200/150 WOE: death to the marcupial pouch Start Date: Early Spring 2000; 100#off	This is true...I have PCOS...and even though it's totally controlled by diet...I do tend to have "leaks" in 'the girls'. That's all I need....to go around spraying people.

10-04-2004, 10:14 PM	#9
TaiwanTeacher Senior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Taiwan Posts: 380 Gallery: TaiwanTeacher WOE: The Dr. Weston A. Price Diet, NO processed food!	In the first one of my infertility drug cycles many years ago I remember getting the HCG shot. It made me feel nauseaus, just like the hormone does when I'm pregnant. I'm not a big fan of the way medicine these days just throws hormones around like it's nothing. Because I have PCOS I know the havoc caused by hormones out of balance, I wouldn't mess around with your endocrine system if you don't have to.

10-04-2004, 10:35 PM	#10
Transplant MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Denmark Posts: 1,161 Gallery: Transplant	I also did this about a hundred years ago (ok, well I was 18 at the time and I'm 42 now, but it's early for math). The diet was less than 750 calories, it was intended to produce ketosis (didn't know what it was then, but they described getting very bad breath). It didn't matter what you ate as long as it was below the calorie limit, so some days I ate that amount in ice cream and nothing more I felt nauseous and horrible the whole time (about 3 months). Lost about 30 lbs. but then got pregnant (wondering now if the shots increased my fertility). With what I know now, I wouldn't touch that stuff with a ten foot pole. THere is no learning of new behaviors (even if they do now put you on a reasonable diet, your hunger disappears mostly because you feel to sick to eat much more than popsicles). And with all the bad long term effects of hormone therapy being reported, I'd have to wonder about that too... Guess I'd say SIS and her size 2 self should MHOB, but I guess that would be ruder than explaining the dangers and stupidity of changing to that kind of diet.