Are any of your centers starting to talk about "losing 30 lbs in 30 days" for 500.00 or such? It has to do with injections?? Mine is...and it concerns me.

is it HCG?

I'm thinking it might be. I called and left a message asking if that was what it was.

wow I can't imagine the center I go to going to that, cause I have done it before not through them and I got pregnant while doing it. Anyway I told them about it and they were so apaulled by the diet. Weird let me know!

what is this? i've never heard of it, what does it do.

Yes, they confirmed it is HCG. It costs $449 for the month, and includes a 500 calorie per day diet. Everything online says it's not safe and can be life threatening, but can also be effective. It would make you get pregnant if you arent careful, because it increases fertility (it is a human hormone...the one that is present when you are pregnant...the one that pregnancy tests check for.) I'm unsure about this. But with my wedding coming, and little to no success on the regular plan.. I don't know, I don't think I'm thinking straight.

HCG - absolutely zero indication for taking this drug for weight loss. MRC is pushing a medication that is NOT APPROVED and has never been clinically proven as an effective method for weight loss. I could find exactly one scientific paper since the 70's (and this was published in 1995 - ancient in terms of medical research) regarding human studies of HCG and weight loss. The abstract is below. You use a 500 calorie diet and you'll lose weight alright, which has zippo to do with injections of HCG.

Google the possible side effects of HCG in women.

This is poor science and beyond crappy medicine. But I don't have a strong opinion on this at all...

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1995 Sep;40(3):237-43.
The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis.

Lijesen GK, Theeuwen I, Assendelft WJ, Van Der Wal G.

Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

1. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess if there is scientific ground for the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. 2. Published papers relating to eight controlled and 16 uncontrolled trials that measured the effect of HCG in the treatment of obesity were traced by computer-aided search and citation tracking. 3. The trials were scored for the quality of the methods (based on four main categories: study population, interventions, measurement of effect, and data presentation and analysis) and the main conclusion of author(s) with regard to weight-loss, fat-redistribution, hunger, and feeling of well-being. 4. Methodological scores ranged from 16 to 73 points (maximum score 100), suggesting that most studies were of poor methodological quality. Of the 12 studies scoring 50 or more points, one reported that HCG was a useful adjunct. The studies scoring 50 or more points were all controlled. 5. We conclude that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss of fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being.

I am blown away!!! Just can't imagine MRC offering this. Their diet works, so why? Interesting.

I find it odd that MRC would be supporting any other diets other than MRC itself...especially a diet of injections and starvation!

Me too. I know they are all individually owned and operated. I wonder if it is because this particular center isn't making enough to sustain itself? IDK

$$$$$$

I will give you my experience and that is only mine.

The first time I did it was FABULOUS mentally challenging but I lost 34lbs in 40 days then found out I was pregnant and couldnt stay on the maintenace portions gained 15lbs back and ended up losing the baby. I will tell you though it is VERY VERY VERY Strict I mean VERY and you cant deviate AT ALL or you wont lose or you will gain. YOU ARE NOT HUNGRY AT ALL its all 100 % MENTAL so that being said I tried to do it again and I just couldnt do it its so hard to do if you have a family! and have to cook diff meals for you then for them but just my experience You also Lose a TON of inches also.

This may be an inappropriate question, but do you think it caused your miscarriage? I am not married yet so for me personally, getting pregnant isn't an issue (I'm oldfashioned) or I'd be on Dateline, but I do want children in the future...

I Honestly don't know the answer to that! They don't know what caused it but they didnt say the HCG did i would think not since it is something you take to get pregnant.

HCG used in fertility is used very specifically and has to be timed correctly. Extremely Low calorie diets can mess with your body and your hormones.

We do not support weight loss plans associated with HCG here at 3FC. Here is a link explaining our stance:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/gene...ons-plans.html

I'm concerned that a valid franchise of MRC would use HCG. I think a call to the corporate offices may be in order if it isn't corporate approved. If it is corporate approved, I'd be very concerned about those who go to MRC centers.