HCG & VSG

Hey OH!
So...i was stalled at 206 lbs for about 2 months. i was dieting and working out and the weight was just stuck!
a few of my friends and co-workers had tried the HCG diet and had great results so when i saw the drops on sale through groupon for i decided to give it a try. I am now on day 7 and have lost 11 lbs! Let me tell you, it is not easy! even with my tiny VSG tummy, the amount of food is very, very limited. Most of the time, however, I think im experiencing cravings and head hunger than actual, real hunger. But you know what? For the first since middle school, i am under 200 lbs. Thats right! I am currently residing in Onederland :)

I know that HCG is very controversial and alot of WLS patients are against it but its something i decided to try for myself and so far I've had great results. I have broken some of the rules on the protocol. I wear make-up and lotions. I mix vegetables and use about 3 limes a day instead of 1.

Also, I have gotten very creative with my meals using the allowed foods. if any of you are currently doing HCG and want some recipe suggestions, let me know.

I am currently 196.4 lbs from 307 pre-op :)

I don't know what the HCG diet is?  Could you give a brief description of the diet?

What is hCG?

hCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone naturally produced by the placenta in pregnant women and almost completely controls the metabolic function through the hypothalamus throughout the pregnancy.  Contrary to popular belief however, the hCG used in the Hcg diet protocols is a variation of the hCG form used for fertility treatments, and in a much smaller dose.  All hCG used for medical purposes   is natural, but created in laboratories from sterile cells.  It is NOT extracted from women or animal urine- a common misconception.

Breakfast:	Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or Stevia may be used.
Lunch:	1.    100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed. The chicken breast must be removed from the bird. 2.    One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage. 3.    One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast. 4.    An apple, orange, or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit.
Dinner :	The same four choices as lunch (above.)

  "What can I eat on the hCG Diet?"

 

  Drinks and Seasonings permitted on the hCG Diet based on Dr Simeons original hcg diet protocol as written in Pounds and Inches. The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes. Salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, majoram, etc., may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter or dressing. Tea, coffee, plain water, or mineral water (2 liters of water per day is recommended) are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times. The fruit or the breadstick may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal. No medicines or cosmetics other than lipstick, eyebrow pencil and powder may he used without special permission.   Portions and specially prepared unsweetened, low calorie foods "In many countries specially prepared unsweetened and low Calorie foods are freely available, and some of these can be tentatively used... the total daily intake must not exceed 500 Calories if the best possible results are to be obtained, that the daily ration should contain 200 grams of fat-free protein and a very small amount of starch."  From Dr Simeon's "Pounds and Inches."  The manuscript can be foundhere.    Important Highlights:

• The 500 calorie limit must always be maintained.
• 2 small apples are not an acceptable exchange for “1 apple."
• Very occasionally we allow egg - boiled, poached or raw - to patients who develop an aversion to meat, but in this case they must add the white of three eggs to the one they eat whole.
• Cottage cheese made from skimmed milk is available 100 grams may occasionally be used instead of the meat 

Personal Care and Beauty Products on the hCG Diet:

• We do permit the use of lipstick, powder and such lotions as are entirely free of fatty substances. We also allow brilliantine to be used on the hair but it must not be rubbed into the scalp. Obviously sun-tan oil is prohibited.
• Aspirin and birth control are allowed on the Simeons hCG Diet.
• No massage of any kind.

also, i am doing the sublingual drops, not the injections.

 I'm glad it's working for you.

I did see an episode of Dr. Oz that was about that HCG diet, and I hope you don't have any complications. Best of luck!

Just to share the negative drawbacks and medical stats on this drug:

From the Mayo clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/AN02091

 

Human chorionic gonadotropin, commonly known as HCG, is the hormone produced by the placenta in the early stages of pregnancy according to the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center. It is used by the pregnant mother's body to metabolize her own fat for usable energy; this sustains the needed nutrients for the growing fetus through the placenta. Although useful, HCG injections can present some complications.

Multiple Pregnancy

Multiple pregnancy is one of the most common side effect of fertility drugs such as HCG injection. In fact, one of out three women who successfully got pregnant using a fertility drug is most likely to have multiple pregnancy, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Multiple pregnancy is a risk for premature delivery. Premature delivery in turn can cause health problems to preterm babies such as lung immaturity and low birth weight. Multiple pregnancy is also a risk factor for difficult labor and delivery. It is also associated to the possible development of cerebral palsy and other brain development problems in the babies.

 

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome can occur in women receiving HCG administration. The usual manifestation of this syndrome is swollen, painful ovaries. About 25 percent of women receiving fertility hormones develop mild forms of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, according to MayoClinic.com. About 2 percent of women receiving hormones can have a much more serious type of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome which can result to increased weight gain, pain in the abdomen and vomiting. This can complicate to electrolyte imbalance, which is the imbalance of sodium, potassium and calcium within the body resulting into serious and sometimes life-threatening emergency. Kidney failure or severe kidney malfunction can also occur as a result of severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance brought about by too much vomiting. Abnormal enlargement and possible twisting or torsion of the ovary can also happen, which if left without surgical intervention, can result into necrosis or premature cell death of the ovary. Blood clots especially in the large vessels of the legs can also possibly occur.

Complications in Men

According to the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center, HCG is sometimes used by weight builders in the belief that it can promote growth of skeletal muscles and reduce body fat. If used for sustained periods, however, this can cause gynecomastia, or breast enlargement in males. Enlargement of the prostate, the gland at the base of the bladder, can also occur causing difficulty in urination and other urinary symptoms such as pain in urination, dribbling of urine and sometimes incontinence or inability to control urination.

 

References

• MayoClinic.com: Does the HCG diet work --- and is it safe?
• Americal Society for Reproductive Medicine: PATIENT FACT SHEET: Fertility Drugs and the Risk of Multiple Births
• MayoClinic.com: Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
• "Oxford Journals"; Human Reproduction: Time interval from human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) injection to follicular rupture; Andersen, A.G. et al.; 1995"Oxford Journals"; Human Reproduction: Time interval from human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) injection to follicular rupture; Andersen, A.G. et al.; 1995
• NDARC Fact Sheet: Human Chorionic Gonadotropin

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/244176-complications-from- hcg-injections/#ixzz1V6hvzA2w

Thank you for the article. I've read this one in my research. It's definitely something women who are trying to conceive or planning to conceive in the near future should be aware of.

i have had pcos for years and I asked both my primary doctor and obgyn what their thoughts were concerning HCG & my personal health issues and both agrred that it was safe for me to take. They recommended the drops, not the injections.

I have not experienced any negative side effects like irritability, insomnia, upset stomach, headaches etc. If anything, i feel more energized and less slugginsh.  If I do experience any of these or any other adverse reaction i will discontinue use & consult my doctor. 

 

I spent close to $800 on 2 rounds of HCG. I did the protocol but if I cheated I gained immediately so cheating was not an option for me. I always felt deprived. That VLC diet was way too hard for me. I lost a lot of weight though and I was looking good too but once I stopped doing the HCG diet the weight came back on and then some. Now I'm seeking the VSG years later. I don't know if the HCG had anything to do with messing up my endocrine system or not but I often wondered and still do. HCG is supposed to reset the Hypothalamus gland. Well now my Pituitary gland and my Thyroid gland are messed up. They Hypothalamus is supposed to tell the Pit gland what to do and in return it is supposed to tell the Thyroid what to do. I can't say if the HCG had anything to do with the malfunction of the other two glands but my endocrine system is definitely out of whack now. Just thought I would share with you my story.

Thank you for your warning. I have read how important it Is to complete the program and transition to the maintenance phases in order to reset your body to the new lower weight. I have not cheated with any food not on the allowed list. Hopefully I stay strong. I can’t imagine doing this diet without the sleeve. It’s such a  little amount of  food !

I have tried it along with my VSG and it has worked for me as well.  The thing that attracted me most to this diet is the claim that the HCG helps with burning of stored fat within our bodies and it allows you to go on a very low cal diet (VLCD) and NOT trick our body into the 'starvation mode' that it would naturally do when we go on such low calories.  My restriction is really good with my sleeve and I tend to always be on a 'very low calorie' regimen naturally, and when it got frustrating when my body hung onto the fat or whatever, that's when I had personally turned to trying alternative methods.  I am not a proponent or believer of adding more calories or food to help with the weight loss, atleast for me, that doesn't work.. my body may react worse with that.. lol so that's what motivated me for HCG (atleast trying) and like i said, IT WORKED!! 

I have completed one cycle already, just got off the 6-week break cycle that you need to take in between the HCG 40 day cycles.  Just started the 2nd cycle this weekend and hope to have continued success.  I also use the sublingual drops and pellets.

I am no health expert so I can't tell if its the HCG or just my body giving in and losing the weight when I consistantly keep at the lower calories, but I don't knock anything out until I give it a try once and also do whatever works for me and me only.. and dont go by others! good luck!