HCG Diet

[balance]

Does anyone know whether the HCG diet is safe to do when your on MS therapy medication, medication for depression, bladder, cholesterol, and ampyra?

[willowford]

hcg diet

Does anyone know whether the HCG diet is safe to do when your on MS therapy medication, medication for depression, bladder, cholesterol, and ampyra?

Hey, good question. I can't comment on the MS meds part of it - but if weight loss is the goal here (I'm assuming), what I know about this diet is that it also requires an extremely low caloric intake, so it's not just the hcg injections. my problem with this is that if anyone, including those not receiving the injection, cuts down their caloric intake to 600 kcal/day (when the MINIMUM amount to "function" and still lose weight for a typical woman is 1200 kcal!), they will for sure lose tons of weight! (I did this as an unknowing teenager before and lost tons). The problem? After a while, as soon as you eat anything extra, even a little, you gain all of it right back and MORE! (happened to me). I guess cause the body is in starvation mode for so long that it grabs onto everything you take in more than before. And no one can sustain a 600 kcal/day diet for the rest of their lives without major health problems and fatigue...etc. So, I question the value of the diet itself. The logic is strange and the scientific data are mixed at best.

[LilacBruze]

You should never begin ANY diet without informing your doctor. HCG is not a medication and I have heard of plenty of people on a vast array of meds who can safely and effectively do the diet.

Having said that, the logic is not strange once you do some thorough research. I was also one who thought it ridiculous and even dangerous at first, until I armed myself with knowledge. Now I am about to embark on a round of homeopathic drops shortly.

Yes, it is the 500 calories a day that causes the quick and extreme weight loss, however, where the HCG comes into play is the resetting of your hypothalamus (when followed correctly) and that is what (supposedly) KEEPS it off. The diet is not for everyone, but it can be a miracle for those who have battled weight issues for many years and have tried everything else.

Truth be told, I have not heard of one single person who has tried HCG, followed the diet, and NOT been happy with the results. Many even state that certain health issues have improved (such as diabetes) after it.

[Sequoia]

You should never begin ANY diet without informing your doctor. HCG is not a medication and I have heard of plenty of people on a vast array of meds who can safely and effectively do the diet....

Truth be told, I have not heard of one single person who has tried HCG, followed the diet, and NOT been happy with the results. Many even state that certain health issues have improved (such as diabetes) after it.

Talking with one's doctor before beginning a diet is good advice.

However, how many people have you heard of, on which medications, who can safely and effectively do the HCG diet? Where did you hear of these people?

How many stated that their health issues had improved, and which issues other than diabetes? And again, where did you hear of these people?

Please provide your sources for these statements, so we may understand how large a sampling we're talking about and where the information came from.

[LilacBruze]

I'm referring to a forum similar to this one, with many hundreds of members, all citing their personal stories. There are several, an internet search should come up with plenty to choose from.

I would much rather take the advice of someone who has experienced something, than someone who has only read about something. But that should not be a substitute for your own research either.

[Sequoia]

Forums like this one can certainly be good sources of personal experiences. Hopefully the forum you're talking about has a disclaimer similar to ours, indicating that none of the posts should be taken as expert medical advice.

Feel free to post a link to the forum here. I'm sure our members who are interested in this subject would like to check it out for themselves.

[LilacBruze]

Yes, they do have a disclaimer.

I don't know about posting a link, whether it is violating a TOS or not (especially since this is another message board on another server). But as I stated, there are several, and an internet search of "hcg forum" will turn them up. I don't think one is any better than the other, they pretty much all share similar stories.

I am not an endorsed advocate by any means, nor can I cite any personal experience yet. But I have done enough research, gotten the clearance from my doctor, and am confident enough to embark on the journey. Go me!

[Sequoia]

Yes, they do have a disclaimer.

I don't know about posting a link, whether it is violating a TOS or not (especially since this is another message board on another server). But as I stated, there are several, and an internet search of "hcg forum" will turn them up. I don't think one is any better than the other, they pretty much all share similar stories.

I am not an endorsed advocate by any means, nor can I cite any personal experience yet. But I have done enough research, gotten the clearance from my doctor, and am confident enough to embark on the journey. Go me!

Posting links to reputable sources, providing they're not links to personal sites such as blogs, does not violate the MSWorld TOS. I'm a moderator...I would know.

My concern here is that you, and presumably the HCG forum(s) you mention, seem to be creating an overwhelmingly positive impression that is not supported by the medical and research communities.

[LilacBruze]

I wasn't referring the TOS here but to THEIR site.

I am not sure why you are stating the overwhelmingly positive impression. A diet that restricts caloric intake to 500 a day is hardly an overwhelmingly positive thing, wouldn't you agree? That alone probably would make 99% of people run for the hills, lol.

All I am stating is to do research before condemning something, even if your logical mind may initially proclaim it nonsense.

Again, the information is readily available to anyone who wants to research it. A great place to start is "Pounds and Inches" by Dr. ATW Simeon. The manuscript is also readily available on the internet. The HCG diet is hardly new, he wrote this back in 1954.

[Sequoia]

It's a good idea to do research before condemning something...and it's also a good idea to do research before promoting something. I've done both; have you?

Here's another thread on the subject of the HCG diet from a different forum on MSWorld:

http://www.msworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=110840

I suggest that anyone wanting to make an informed decision about the healthiness of the diet &/or its compatibility with medications do an Internet search on "HCG Diet" and read a variety of articles by doctors and researchers. Reading forums is fine too...just weigh the comparative reliability of all the sources.

[LilacBruze]

Ah, I understand your position on this now, thanks.

Yes, I have done both, as previously stated. I have done a lot of research and my doctor even has as well. He went from admittedly knowing nothing to, "Wow, so much I didn't know, thank you for opening my eyes to this."

I understand something that challenges previous beliefs is a tough sell. Take Gary Taubes' and everything he has written. No one wants to believe that what we've been sold is a lie. How's the food pyramid working for America's obesity problem, by the way? Yet people still stubbornly cling to the belief that we need more carbs than fat.

I get it, I do.

[LilacBruze]

My previous post comes across a little more harshly then intended, my apologies. Sounded good in my head.

Like you, I also encourage anyone to research, ask their doctors, do everything but just take one person's word for it.

As mentioned, I am no expert. I started out thinking this was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard of.

I read and researched and asked a lot of questions. Through knowledge, my opinions changed. I'm not too proud to admit that I was wrong in my initial bias. More importantly, I actually look forward to it being proved wrong!

My apologies if I sounded more witchy than intended. Many people said (and continue to say) the same thing about low carb dieting for example. They once said the medical data was not there, and that Dr. Atkins was a quack. So much of that is being re-written now. I have had several health issues improve by adopting a low carb eating style - not just weight. My doctor was floored as my cholesterol and glucose numbers improved. I had more energy. I was happier, and even had less MS-related symptoms. Imagine how frustrating it is to want to celebrate something that is nothing short of life changing, yet to be poo poo'd at every turn by people who were not well informed, or worse yet - people who refused to even read or educate themselves.

The first thing I said in my first response was to check with your doc before starting ANY diet. But that holds true for anything really - starting a med, stopping a med, etc. Then again, as many of us know from experience with MS, doctors don't know everything anyway!

I'll be sure to let you know my results when I complete my HCG round. I have a doctor checkup almost right after that includes a complete blood work up.

[balance]

to LilacBruze

I read your comments with interest. My daughter swears by the HCG diet.. It sounds as though you plan to embark on this plan. If you do please update me on your progress.
good luck

[Craige]

Hi Balance,
Thanks for making this threat and very informative commenting by other members make this threat very useful for those who recently started hcg diet. Hcg helps you lose only fat, not your precious muscle as hcg targets the flabby fatty areas on the stomach, buttocks, thighs, arms and chest.

[SNOOPY]

Hi Balance,
Thanks for making this threat and very informative commenting by other members make this threat very useful for those who recently started hcg diet. Hcg helps you lose only fat, not your precious muscle as hcg targets the flabby fatty areas on the stomach, buttocks, thighs, arms and chest.

HCG injections are used in the treatment of infertility.

There are side effects and from my experience HCG does not help with weight loss but does help if you are trying to conceive (it's intended purpose).

There has been FDA warnings out on OTC HCG:

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesFo.../ucm281834.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hcg-diet/an02091

HCG is not what causes weight loss but the restrictive 500 calorie diet. If you are only consuming 500 calories you will lose weight It's considered a starvation diet.