I was wondering if anyone here has tried HCG drops, or if they are currently taking them, if so- what do you think of them?

At the moment, I am morbidly obese, I'm not ashamed to admit it anymore since I am currently working on getting to a healthier weight. Which I know will take time, however at the same time I want to lose the weight quickly, but in a healthy way.

A grocery store near my home, is now selling HCG drops for a affordable price(twenty two dollars). I have heard some good things about this weight loss tool, and have done research on it. But I am still very hesitant to take anything that aids in weight loss.

The reason why is, I have struggled with my weight for a long time, since I was twelve I have actually taken various diet pills which in the end ended up messing up my stomach badly. To the point that it is now very sensitive, I can't eat any food with added things to it, so I can eat fast food or any 'junk' food without getting extremely sick.

Not to mention I have also had other medical problems in the past that have caused me to gain weight and have a hard time losing it.

Right now I am currently taking a seaweed supplement and am on a very strict diet(Morning and afternoon meals are liquid and my dinner is usually 300 calories) I am also fast walking six miles a day(I can't run because my knees are bad) but I am still not losing weight as much as I'd like. I just honestly want to lose forty pounds by the end of this year.

My doctor actually has mentioned the HCG drops to me before, but as I said I'm hesitant to things that are suppose to help me lose weight such as pills or what have you, especially if they say 'You don't have to change your current lifestyle!' Because I know in order to lose weight and keep it off I will have to change my current lifestyle especially food and exercise wise.

After talking to the pharmacist at the grocery store more, I started thinking about these drops, but I wanted to get the opinions of people that may have tried it before or are currently taking them and see what they think of them.

Or if anyone else here has heard of them, what is your opinion on them, do you think they would be good or not?

I don't want to become super skinny or anything like that, I just want to become healthy, and I know right now I will need as much help as I can get(I am currently one hundred pounds over my 'healthy' weight)

I don't know anything about HCG drops, but have you looked into having your thyroid tested?

Yeah, and I've been thinking about it a lot lately, since a few weeks ago my young sibling got tested and it ended up that she had a problem with her thyroid.

So I may do that before I do anything. But, I read that seaweed helps those who have thyroid problems to lose weight(which is why I'm taking the seaweed supplements until I can get to the doctor for it)

I'm with Lady B on this one, sweetie ( unfortunately, i havent heard of these drops, either :/ ). Get checked for a thyroid problem before making the decision to take any sort of weight loss aid. This way it may be easier for your doctor to work with you, in light of that information, to find the healthiest and most potentially successful method of weight loss. *hugs* best of luck on reaching your goal!

Thank you both for replying ^^ I will call to make a doctors appointment either tomorrow or the day after to get my thyroids tested.

Also here is the website to the HCG drops:
hcgdropsonline.org/

It provides some information of the drops and what they do.

I'm a health nut guru! I always appreciate alternative medicine but in this case I would be remiss in not suggesting you talk to your doctor. They will do a series of tests - mostly blood work - and ask several questions about your lifestyle. They will be able to determine if your weight is the result of an underlying health or emotional issue. They can also offer prescription medications to help you on your journey to a healthier you.

I do NOT believe in weight loss fixes. There are Rx meds that can help you along the way, but it really comes down to hard work, patience and descipline. And you CAN do it! Get medical guidance and thrive in the support of all of us who know you will get there.

I'm huge on eating right and healthy excersize. If you'd like some recipes or would like me to help you develope a workout plan (something catored to YOUR comfort level) then let me know and I'd love to help. Just send me a PM hun.

most "instant fixes" may seem to work in the short term, but as soon as you discontinue use of the medication it all comes back tenfold. Definitely talk to a dr. before doing anything Good luck!

This is kind of funny since my mother and I were just talking about this last night. We work at a clinical trial center and a few of the office ladies have started on these things, from what my mother has said. I don't know much about them but you need to take them either 30 minutes before you eat or after (I wasn't paying much attention, thinking about food since we were in the drive through XD) with every meal, you can't brush with mint tooth-paste because it does something weird to the drops, you can only drink water, and you don't intake as much food (like a 3 oz chicken breast and a apple for one meal). I think she talked to some of the doctors we have on staff as well, but I'm not sure. From what she told me, a friend of her's has already lost 11 lbs during the first two weeks of usage.

Personally, I think the drops are just silly. Not to mention, what a hassle to remember how and when to take them. Of course, I don't know the facts on them, just what I heard. I just don't like taking chemical substances drugs, either.

From what you've said, I believe you are on the right track, even without the aid of such things. It just takes time and dedication. As long as you stay on track, I think you'll notice a respectable improvement before the year is out. It might not be what you want, but it'll be a start and after New Year's you'll be well on your way with a new healthy habit which will bring you closer to your intended goal. I wish you the absolute best and I hope your doctor's appointment goes well. I'll be cheering for you! : ]

Thank you all so much for the feedback and positive advice, I really appreciate it and it helps clear my mind and ease my thoughts to know that at least here I have people to talk to.

I have noticed a difference(emotional wise) since I have begun to eat healthier and get more exercise. I just feel better..I'm not as depressed and just mentally I feel better. It just kind of sucks because, I try and fix healthy meals for my family but my dad, who is french, believes that everything is bland and doesn't taste good unless it has heaps of butter and salt on it(and he has had two heart attacks and a lot of other health problems) So it's kind of hard to eat healthy when I don't have any help in the house I'm living in ^^; but ah well. I need to work on my self control anyways(laughs)

To be honest, since I have been fighting my weight for so long. Food is no longer anything to me, I hate it actually. I usually have to force myself to eat, but then I worry so much about my calorie intake that it's all food has become to me: calories.

It kind of well... sucks

Have you ever noticed with these diet things, that in order to follow the use instructions, you have to do all the things you would have to do to lose weight WITHOUT buying or using the product? It doesn't seem worth it, given the cost involved and the frequency with which diet aids are found to cause harmful side effects, after people have been taking them for months or years.

I totally understand about your family making it difficult to do what you need to do. My metabolism is screwed up through bad eating habits as well (anorexia which I have overcome, I don't have a scale and not eating is no longer a religious experience), and if I ate the same as other people, I would gain ten pounds a week. Drastic dieting is a big mistake, a fact that I think will become universally acknowledged given the recent popularity of gastric bypass surgery or lap bands, which only allow people to eat an abnormally tiny amount, and leads to very rapid weight loss. People who go through this almost always manage to stretch their stomach back out, and gain back the weight lost.

A lot of times, I prepare something for my husband that he likes, but I dislike. Then, I eat soup. A lot of the prepared soups, especially the tasty ones, have a lot of sodium, but in the whole pantheon of fat, carbs, and calories, sodium is the thing I let skate. Soup is easy to tolerate, contains good things like lean meat and veggies, and really fills you up (I pick out the pasta or potatoes and feed them to my dogs). A lot of days, I eat a couple cans of soup. Most kinds of soup, I can sneak an avocado into. Avocados are creamy-tasting and add richness. While not low in fat or calories, the fat in them is very beneficial. I pop a few borage oil pills a day, and put flax oil, lime juice, and avacado on my salads. I use olive oil whenever possible when cooking. I think that by using highly beneficial oils, I have less interest in the bad ones.

Exercise has to be a kind that you enjoy, as well, not punishment. Everyone likes something different. If you love nature, try to walk in a park. If you like to shop, try to walk in a mall. If you like to interact with others, and need support, the right gym is really good. Music is my friend when I am working out. I put together a playlist of you tube videos that has a techno beat. It is important to do your own thing.

I know if you concentrate on living your own life, and don't let your family interfere with what you are doing, you will continue to do great!

Food is calories yes.

But there are good and bad calories, just like there are good and bad foods. Sodium is a killer, because it starts a chain reaction in the body with your blood pressure (which leads to heart attacks and whatnot) I suffer from high blood pressure because of my mass sodium intake in my youth. (Ramen noodles are bad.) Now I take garlic, watch what I eat, and work out daily for AT LEAST an hour. I cannot really eat processed foods anymore. Everything is hand made so I can keep the salt out whenever possible.

This thread is giving you a lot of good advice, but the BEST THING YOU CAN DO is talk to a doctor or a nutritionist. They can put you on a diet that will make you feel full, and won't be so drastic that you end up getting the negative sides of dieting. (They pimp Oatmeal. Its pretty darn good for you. The plain stuff anyway)

I am going to say this though, you won't lose weight fast. There is no fast way to do it. Right now, just focus on getting your metabolism up. Once you get that under control, the weight will work itself off in time. People who lose drastically suffer form anemia a lot, or go through a loss of muscle-- which is what SHOULD be burning your fat. Your body, when it is hungry doesn't go for the fat. It goes for the muscle because there is more protein in muscle, and that is what it needs to keep going.

It sounds like you are on the right track. Are you taking a multi-vite? (not a diet aid, just a plain old vitamin) I find that I recover better form my work outs if I am taking one.

As for the drops... Look. I was taking Hydroxycut for half a year because I wanted to bring out my lean muscle. I was determined and I didn't let the fact that I felt sick after taking them get in my way. It wasn't until I was curled up on the bathroom floor with my husband yelling at me for taking them (he is a fitness buff, so he knew what was going on) that I realized that it was a bad idea. A week later Hydroxycut had a mass recall because people were suffering from liver damage (or kidney. It was one of those important insidey parts.) I know at least one kid died. You can google it and find out info.

There is a give and take when it comes to diet pills, drops, etc. There haven't been long term studies done on them, and when it comes to diet pills, they aren't regulated by the FDA (If I recall correctly). The FDA only steps in when complaints are made and people get sick. By then it is usually too late. As long as it isn't ILLEGAL, they can put whatever they want into supplements, and they do not have to prove that they work.

For years I have dealt with people mostly my own family talking about my weight...
Between 18-20 all I seemed to eat was ramen and pasta, and actually dropped 4 pant sizes but when I had my eldest at 21 and my youngest at 24...my body has went to hell.
Instead of the drops try Acai pills or juice, I have been on a V8-Fusion w/Green Tea and Acai pill kick for the last month. And well lets just say I walked almost two miles, and even though I complained and was winded...I felt great afterwards.

And like the others have said get your thyroid check almost every female on my mom's side has thyroid problems, I have had mine checked but could not come up with anything.

@Terri-Tots--- I remember my ex-husband taking hydroxycut and he went through the same symptoms though he refused/is still refusing to listen to me about it and has been taking them 4yrs as of now...he is from last time we talked already showing signs of problems with his kidneys.

Indeed, you are correct Terri. There are good and bad calories, which is what I am trying to tell my mind right now. Because how I view or think of things is all food and calories are just bad right now. My mind is completely messed up at the moment, it's just like my thoughts are that basically because I am so overweight I don't deserve anything because I let myself get this way.

Which is what I'm tired of, mentally that is, because I'm kind of my own worst enemy right now. Which doesn't help in the process of losing weight, since I have heard a lot of times that stress will actually retain water or fat( not one hundred percent on that)

Anyways, for exercise wise. I usually talk to my brother about that. I hate gyms, I honestly feel like one has to be in shape in order to go in the first place. Not only that but they are very expensive. Right now I have a Gazelle, which helps with my cardio and I usually fast walk on that for three miles(about forty minutes) in the morning and three at night.

My brother(the one in the air force and is a total health nut) said right now the best thing to do is to focus on cardio. To wait to do weights because I have so much extra fat that if I do weight training right now there is good chance I will hurt myself. So that is why I am mainly focusing on cardio, I usually work out before I have my breakfast and dinner. I also make sure to get a lot of protein in my diet, because protein helps muscle.

The reason why I haven't talked to my doctor about my diet and exercise is because just to schedule an appointment for that, it is about fifty dollars, which I know doesn't seem like a lot but at the moment I still do not have a job so anything I spend money on is coming from working around the house and my savings from back when I had a job. Which doesn't leave a lot, and I hate asking for money from family members because they tend to hold it over my head and keep rubbing it in my face. But right now I'm at wits end and just want to get to a healthy weight(which I know will take awhile, I'm hoping to get in a healthy weight range by this upcoming summer-A healthy weight for my bone size and height is between 130-170, I personally want to get around 150)

When I did sneak my weight and weight loss into a doctors appointment, my doctor told me the healthiest amount of weight to loss a week is up to five pounds. Any more than that is not healthy.

@knifethrower- I actually have noticed that,which is strange and which is also why I kind of scoff and shake my head at weight loss aids that say 'you won't have to change anything about your current lifestyle' when in order to lose weight, and keep it off, that is what one needs to do, change their current lifestyle completely which really isn't a bad thing.

I want to try to get into dancing, but I feel so awkward doing it right now(laughs) because I keep thinking about how it looks. But when I listen to music I have pace around my room anyways, but I do enjoy walking just not outside at the moment(it's snowing and cold!)

Once Miyavi gets all of her shots and is leash trained I am going to start taking her on long walks around my neighborhood and to the park nearby. Sadly that won't be for another two months, so until then I will just continue to use my gazelle.

Also I forgot to mention, but I am taking vitamins since I hate drinking milk and orange juice(though I love all of the V8 splash) I take women's once a day vitamin(the one you mix into a water bottle)

Thank you all again for the advice ^^ I really do appreciate it and am taking it all in right now. So thank you very much!

I have a gazelle too! I love my gazelle. That's what I do to my you tube play list! And I agree, it is especially great when the weather is bad. And walking your dog companion is a great motivator as well. It sounds like you have a great attitude, and walking and using the gazelle are both great forms of exercise. Maybe you should pick out a pair of jeans that fits snuggly, and then try it on once a week to see how it fits. That will tell you a lot more about your progress than weighing yourself on a scale. You might lose no weight, but be making excellent progress fitness-wise, which would be shown by the jeans fitting looser...

I love my gazelle too! The only thing I don't like is it squeaks quite a lot lately, so I need to check that out XD

That's a good idea, I do remember a long time ago that when getting in shape one should look at the weight they are losing and instead go by inches? I can't remember exactly, but that's a good idea, I might do that. Thanks!