Cost of HCG

[ShellyLynn3630]

Any one buy the HCG shots or drops to lose weight? Do they help and how much do they cost?

 

[hlkeck]

my mom did that. she paid i think under $200 but you also had to do a diet that was only 500 calories. she claimed that with the shots she wasn't hungry, but it wasn't safe. she made it a week. I think she lost 5 lbs, but it was all gained right back as soon as she ate normal again.

 

[bumbershoot]

There's another very recent thread about this (though not about cost). It's pretty well determined that the Dis isn't all that great a place to get info on the diet/shots. However, there are plenty of very specialized message boards where you can get all the info your heart desires, from people doing it who believe in it.

500 kcal? That's just not safe.

But anyway, just to specifically answer your question, if it weren't covered by insurance (to help with the effects of a pituitary tumor), DH's monthly shipment would be about $258.

I'd rather join Weight Watchers with that amount of money! Plus, you don't have to give yourself shots with WW.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Check out Mamaclok on youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/mamaclok#g/u ~ she had great success with HCG! My mom's doing it right now, just starting ~ my sister's MIL had great success with it....

 

[vacamomma]

DH and I are doing the diet now. It cost about $125 a piece for a 3 week supply. DH has lost 29 lbs and Ive lost 14lbs. Men lose alot quicker than women it seems. We are both about 10lbs away from our goal. We have Been on it a little over 2 weeks. It's not easy by any means but definatley doable.

 

[jodim]

I'm doing a HCG program called Smart Body right now & I've lost 24lbs in 3 weeks.
I paid $350 for drops & pills (take 3 daily) for Phase 1 (1st month).
It is 800 calories per day. I do not feel hungry when taking the medicine, but still fight cravings (though rarely now).
I have to eat 3oz meat, 3.5oz of veg & 1 fruit two times a day during Phase 1. There is a small list of approved fruits, meats & veggies that I am allowed during the 1st 30 days. I am also required to drink 60oz of water & 1 lemon daily.
The plan I'm on gives me a full menu of ideas, the recipes aren't that bad, surprisingly.

If you have any questions, or want to know my dr's info, pm me.

 

[badblackpug]

By HCG do you mean human chorionic gonadatropin? The pregnancy hormone? People are injecting themselves with pregnancy hormone to lose weight? That can't be safe. You would lose weight on a 500-800 calories diet anyway, without the added risk of hormones.

 

[MickeyMom:)]

By HCG do you mean human chorionic gonadatropin? The pregnancy hormone? People are injecting themselves with pregnancy hormone to lose weight? That can't be safe. You would lose weight on a 500-800 calories diet anyway, without the added risk of hormones.

Actually you are partly correct. If you went on a long term 500 to 800 calorie diet a day your body would eventually start to realize that it is starving and will stall. The HCG injections allow for the adipose fat to be released into your blood and confuses your body cause technically you still have loads of fat in your blood for your body to run on. This fat is the stored fat Vs. the one that your intaking daily. That is why people on this diet loose so much fat especially in the heavy storage areas like the abs area. My husband and myself are now entering the 4th week on it and then will transition into the maintenance phase which is another 3 weeks. he has lost 20 pounds so far and myself not so much. I have only lost about 13 pounds. That's only because the less you have to loose the slower it will come off. So far no side effects and no hunger......I am so glad that we found this diet. The daily injections into the abd are really are a small price to pay for the results that we see daily. The maintenance plan allows for you to re-introduce foods at different intervals allowing you to keep int the habit of consuming much less. Any questions ask away

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

Actually you are partly correct. If you went on a long term 500 to 800 calorie diet a day your body would eventually start to realize that it is starving and will stall. The HCG injections allow for the adipose fat to be released into your blood and confuses your body cause technically you still have loads of fat in your blood for your body to run on. This fat is the stored fat Vs. the one that your intaking daily. That is why people on this diet loose so much fat especially in the heavy storage areas like the abs area. My husband and myself are now entering the 4th week on it and then will transition into the maintenance phase which is another 3 weeks. he has lost 20 pounds so far and myself not so much. I have only lost about 13 pounds. That's only because the less you have to loose the slower it will come off. So far no side effects and no hunger......I am so glad that we found this diet. The daily injections into the abd are really are a small price to pay for the results that we see daily. The maintenance plan allows for you to re-introduce foods at different intervals allowing you to keep int the habit of consuming much less. Any questions ask away

but still you are introducing a pregnancy hormone into your body?

 

[MickeyMom:)]

but still you are introducing a pregnancy hormone into your body?

Okay............

 

[tikilyn]

You can also do Hcg sublingually too. No way to get me to stick myself with a needle! LOL I bought my hcg online; eventhough my doctor prescribed it for me. It's cheaper online than at the pharmacy! I bought 3 vials of hcg 5000iu's for 33.00 (well I actually ordered six vials for 66.00 plus shipping).

There are four phases but most people do phase 2 through 4 only.

Phase 1 is a cleansing phase
Phase 2 is 40 days of hcg and 500 cal diet
Phase 3 is Stabilization No starches and no sugar for three weeks. This phase is when you start adding back in dairy, and other veggies and fruits. Your goal in this phase is to reintroduce the foods without gaining or losing over 2lbs. You're setting your bodies weight set point.
Phase 4 you very slowly start to add in good starches and good sugars.

I just started phase 3 the other day and in Phase 2 I lost 18.6lbs in 40 days! It was hard giving up my starbucks but I did it. After our Disney trip in June I going to do another round and try to lose 15 - 20 more pounds. A good message board to visit is 4hcgsuccess.com. The naysayers will be popping in to tell you to get off your butt and exercise and eat healtly pretty soon, so get your popcorn ready

 

[poohfriend]

but still you are introducing a pregnancy hormone into your body?

I have a feeling this for me would mean a lot of nausea. With baby #1 I lost 24 lbs and wasn't hungry. Does this make it the vomit diet for me!?!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Oh no ~ my poor mom! Last night I took a look at her HCG and realized it's Homeopathic ~ this won't release fat, just muscle : ( I wish I would've researched this for her earlier, she ordered the real stuff today *but it'll take weeks to get here* from the website recommended by mamaclok on youtube ~ people before you doubt this research it, it can work and safely. I might try it with her, I don't have much to lose but I wouldn't mine dropping 10 lbs or so.

 

[badblackpug]

Actually you are partly correct. If you went on a long term 500 to 800 calorie diet a day your body would eventually start to realize that it is starving and will stall. The HCG injections allow for the adipose fat to be released into your blood and confuses your body cause technically you still have loads of fat in your blood for your body to run on. This fat is the stored fat Vs. the one that your intaking daily. That is why people on this diet loose so much fat especially in the heavy storage areas like the abs area. My husband and myself are now entering the 4th week on it and then will transition into the maintenance phase which is another 3 weeks. he has lost 20 pounds so far and myself not so much. I have only lost about 13 pounds. That's only because the less you have to loose the slower it will come off. So far no side effects and no hunger......I am so glad that we found this diet. The daily injections into the abd are really are a small price to pay for the results that we see daily. The maintenance plan allows for you to re-introduce foods at different intervals allowing you to keep int the habit of consuming much less. Any questions ask away

Quite wrong. You will lose weight on 500-800 calorie diet regardless. Your body will burn your fat stores because you are eating WAAAAY fewer calories than your body needs to function. There is no way it is healthy to inject or otherwise introduce HCG or any other hormone that is not needed into your body. I think that portion control and learning to eat healthy foods is a much safer method for long term weight loss.

Whatever happened to plain old diet and exercise?

 

[luvthatdisney]

I have been on a modified HCG diet since last October, I have lost 75 pounds in that time. I go to a physician's office that specializes in this diet. I give myself shots, but my doctor supplies them. I also take a weekly B12 shot and I also use Phentermine (diet pill). I use the pills on 2 months then off a month (I only take 10mg - half a pill). My diet is modified from the regular protocol, in that I eat way more than 500 calories a day. I do not count calories. I am on sort of an Atkins diet with extra fiber. I eat alot of double fiber bread - very good!! They have had way more success with this vs the 500 cal diet.

Cutting out sugar and artificial sweetners seem to be the main thing I have done. I also eat alot of beans!! I have drank only water since last October. It was hard at first, but now I really do not mind it. The main "diet" information I was given was the glycemic index - I was told to eat out of the "low" column and occasionally I can eat out of the next level.

I am no longer taking the shots, but it seems to have jump started my metabolism as I have added some sugars back to my diet (still only drink water) and I am still losing.

Good luck! I have to say I would be leary of ordering HCG off the internet. I guess I just feel more comfortable going to my doctor and knowing others using the same injections and knowing it is working for them (MIL and SIL).

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

Okay............

I mean for a woman, okay, but for a man? is it really safe?

 

[arihillfarm]

Quite wrong. You will lose weight on 500-800 calorie diet regardless. Your body will burn your fat stores because you are eating WAAAAY fewer calories than your body needs to function. There is no way it is healthy to inject or otherwise introduce HCG or any other hormone that is not needed into your body. I think that portion control and learning to eat healthy foods is a much safer method for long term weight loss.

Whatever happened to plain old diet and exercise?

I was wondering the same thing? Someone else quoted a loss of 18 lbs. in 40 days on the 500 calorie a day diet. I am able to do better than that on 1200 calories a day (strictly counted but I don't limit any foods) and simply walking and jogging (pretty slow jogging too, between 4.5-6 mph) in intervals for 2 miles a day on the treadmill. If I stick to this, I average about 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound loss per day. It's the sticking to it that's sometimes a problem, but seriously, before I got pregnant with my daughter, I lost 65 lbs. in about 6 months doing this. I hit plateaus which slowed me down, but you learn to just keep going through them.

-Astrid

 

[MickeyMom:)]

Quite wrong. You will lose weight on 500-800 calorie diet regardless. Your body will burn your fat stores because you are eating WAAAAY fewer calories than your body needs to function. There is no way it is healthy to inject or otherwise introduce HCG or any other hormone that is not needed into your body. I think that portion control and learning to eat healthy foods is a much safer method for long term weight loss.

Whatever happened to plain old diet and exercise?

You won't loose stored fat if you starve, think about it if it where that easy everyone would do it. If you starve you tap into MUSCLE....Thats what you loose lean muscle mass. The difference with doing the low cal diet while injecting HCG is that you won't loose lean muscle, you will only loose fat.

By the way there is nothing wrong with diet and exercise, please feel free....Some people choose to do things there own way, as long as they are comfortable with their choices, more power to them. My husband was over weight, I wasn't...I decided I wanted to loose a couple extra pounds and I was kinda wanting to take a break from the 4 miles I ran 4 times a week. Oh yeah thats right by the way you are encouraged NOT to work out while on the HCG diet. The most you are told you can do is a brief brisk walk for about 20 minutes, working out is not needed....

 

[luvthatdisney]

Quite wrong. You will lose weight on 500-800 calorie diet regardless. Your body will burn your fat stores because you are eating WAAAAY fewer calories than your body needs to function. There is no way it is healthy to inject or otherwise introduce HCG or any other hormone that is not needed into your body. I think that portion control and learning to eat healthy foods is a much safer method for long term weight loss.

Whatever happened to plain old diet and exercise?

Not trying to start an argument, but....

"Plain old diet and exerise" does not work for everyone. Plain and simple

I am in my forties and I will be the first to tell you that losing weight gets harder as you get older. I think in my case, menopause is a big culprit of that. I have always struggled with my weight, even as a young child. So being heavy is not anything new and did not happen due to having children. I have tried many diets and exercise programs (Formu 3, LA Weight Loss, Weight Watchers, The Firm, etc...). Each time I would lose, but I never could keep it off. Last October I was at 300 lbs, granted I am 5'11" so I might not look as heavy as my weight suggested, but I was very unhealthy.

I was looking into gastric bypass, but I thought I might try the HCG diet as my MIL and SIL had both had good results from it. Please note the clinic I go to does NOT use the 500 cal diet. No calorie counting!!! Please do not assume everyone that uses HCG is following the Simeons Protocol.

Please see my earlier post on this thread for the diet I am following.

I have found that restricting sugar helps me the most. I have tried Atkins alone a few years ago, but could seem to stick to it. I guess the combination of that and using half a diet pill a day helped me. I do not know if the HCG did anything, but I cannot question the results I have. Even in the months I did not use the diet pill (on 2 months then off 1 month) I still lost (average of 10 pounds a month). Oh BTW I have not exercised once, not once! Except for my regular daily activity, I do work at a school!!

I am just saying that not everyone will succeed with diet and exercise. I have changed the way I eat and it is something I have kept up with for the last 6.5 months. I have incorporated some sugars back into my diet, but nothing like I did before. Diet is a subjective thing and what works for one may not work for another. I just have to pray that I can keep off what I have lost and continue to eat better. I just ask that you not judge someone for trying certain diets. They might just find something that works for them!

 

[rie'smom]

Actually you are partly correct. If you went on a long term 500 to 800 calorie diet a day your body would eventually start to realize that it is starving and will stall. The HCG injections allow for the adipose fat to be released into your blood and confuses your body cause technically you still have loads of fat in your blood for your body to run on. This fat is the stored fat Vs. the one that your intaking daily. That is why people on this diet loose so much fat especially in the heavy storage areas like the abs area. My husband and myself are now entering the 4th week on it and then will transition into the maintenance phase which is another 3 weeks. he has lost 20 pounds so far and myself not so much. I have only lost about 13 pounds. That's only because the less you have to loose the slower it will come off. So far no side effects and no hunger......I am so glad that we found this diet. The daily injections into the abd are really are a small price to pay for the results that we see daily. The maintenance plan allows for you to re-introduce foods at different intervals allowing you to keep int the habit of consuming much less. Any questions ask away

You are partially correct. At death, maybe, the body weight will plateau on 500-800 calories/day. I was anorexic and lived on that amount of calories or fewer for more than a year. I was down in the 80 lb range and still losing weight until I went into an eating disorder clinic.

It's like when people say bulimics won't lose weight-duh, yes if you're getting rid of all of the food you eat, you will lose weight. I had women in my group who are almost as thin as I was and they ate lots of food but it came back up or out either through vomiting, laxatives, or excessive exercise.

You won't loose stored fat if you starve, think about it if it where that easy everyone would do it. If you starve you tap into MUSCLE....Thats what you loose lean muscle mass. The difference with doing the low cal diet while injecting HCG is that you won't loose lean muscle, you will only loose fat.

By the way there is nothing wrong with diet and exercise, please feel free....Some people choose to do things there own way, as long as they are comfortable with their choices, more power to them. My husband was over weight, I wasn't...I decided I wanted to loose a couple extra pounds and I was kinda wanting to take a break from the 4 miles I ran 4 times a week. Oh yeah thats right by the way you are encouraged NOT to work out while on the HCG diet. The most you are told you can do is a brief brisk walk for about 20 minutes, working out is not needed....

You will definitely lose stored fat and then your muscles will start to breakdown on a limited calorie diet.

I was so thin that when I talked, you could see the striations of my jaw muscles.

I was going to post pictures but they are very disturbing. If you Google anorexia or pictures of anorexia, you'll see what I mean. Think concentration camp. Those people didn't have any fat left on their bodies.