First of all - I do not reccomend this diet without proper supervision of a primary care physician. Secondly, I am not a medical doctor or specialist so information contained here is opinion only and does not substitute for your doctor's advice. Now...knowing that....here goes.
HCG is scientifically defined as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.
It is a natural accruing protein hormone that develops in the placenta during the first trimester of pregnancy shortly after conception. The drug you buy from the pharmacist is a variation of the hCG form that is 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.
If you choose to go to a clinic to partake in a monitored HCG program then do your research to ensure you're not overpaying. I have a few friends that have gone to Maturomedical in Tempe, Arizona and have been successful. I have received quotes in the thousands for a 40 day program, but you should be able to get a 40 day round for under $400 if you do your research.
If you choose not to go to a clinic and do HCG on your own (You can get enough supplies for 2 or more rounds at less than $75/round) I suggest doing the following:
1. Read Dr. Simmons manual called Pounds and Inches
2. Purchase this guide on Amazon HCG Weight Loss Cure Guide
3. Read up and ask questions on this forum HGC Diet Forum
4. Purchase your supplies*
*If you are doing this the first time, the easiest way to get started is to purchase a kit. You can purchase one from YourHCGDiet. There are many different types of HCG such as drops, pellets, creams, and shots. Some folks have success on the drops, while others have success with the shots. I haven't heard anything regarding the pellets or creams.
For those of you brave enough or cheap enough to purchase it on your own then you'll need to do the following assuming you are injecting your HCG:
A. Buy your HCG. Perhaps you will try this company: www.alldaychemist.com. Fertigyn appears to be stronger than the others, but again this varies depending on the person. You can also buy B12 there as well, but will need to inject this with a larger needle.
B. Buy your mixing vials. Try this company: www.gpzservices.com
C. Buy your needles: Insulin Needles (you can use insulin needles to mix as well, but if you don't want to use them then you'll need to buy some mixing needles)
D. Buy your Bacteriostatic water for mixing
In all...the diet is a tough one - especially for someone like me who loves carbs. The positive part is that it is quick weight loss and you can drop the weight and then just focus on maintenance. What ever you choose, I hope you will work with your doctor to find a healthy solution for you.
