September 19, 2010 - Update

132 lbs. Well, it's been 2 months since the end of round 2. I wasn't able to maintain the 125 or whatever lbs. from my last injection date. Mostly due to the loss of commitment. For whatever reason, I could not stay away from popcorn! I'm not talking the bagged kind. I'm talking the regular kernals popped in olive oil in the Orville Redenbacher microwavable multi-popper. Plus, we went on vacation to see family in Montana. It was inevitable that some pounds would be gained back...6 lbs. in 8 days. But hey, eating and drinking with the family will do that.

So now I have to reconcile myself to the fact that round 2 was a bit of a bust because I can't seem to find the willpower to get below 132. There have been plenty of steak days in the past 2 months. I even shared that tidbit with my family in Montana and they got the same two pound loss results. I proved it to them. The partaking of a round 3 is in my future, but there will be no popcorn in the house when that takes place!! I'm still on a bit of a bender on the stuff. Not that eating a bunch (I mean a bunch) of popcorn is all that horrible for one's diet. There are many other things that would be much worse. But, I need to somehow regain the commitment I had under round 1. My stash of mixing vials is depleted, but I have enough of everything else to run a 5000 hCG semi-cycle. If I were committed, I could probably lose the last 12-15 lbs. To be honest, I'm not sure my body will allow me to lose what I want. My body might put a stop in at 125 or so because most of the "bad fat" is gone. It's worth a shot to try it one more time knowing what the pitfalls are and how to navigate them. Knowledge is power. Maybe round 2 was destined to play out the way it did. There were certainly no popcorn cravings under round 1. And, that popper hadn't popped popcorn in practically forever since I too, was a quickie baggie type for the last 10 years or so.

Another round will be started before the end of  this year. I have to know whether I can achieve my desired weight. Even though most of the pounds are off, it hasn't really changed my blood pressure. This needs to be taken care of and an appointment must be scheduled in order to go back on meds. While this was never a first choice, it's necessary after all.

I'll be back....

I'm Back for Round Two!!!

Today is Day 4 of Round 2. I started out this round at 140 lbs. It's not as bad as it sounds. I maintained 132 lbs. or less for most of the last couple of months. I gained 3 lbs. over Memorial Day weekend and knew that I would be starting the next round shortly. The other 5 lbs. came from the last three days of gorging!! I don't know if I ate enough, but the scales sure tipped, so that must be a clue.

I've mixed up 5000 of the hCG at about 150 IU. It took me forever to figure out the dosing! I swear that's the hardest part of all this. I knew I didn't want to run into the same lower abdomen (or ovarian) issues as before, so I mixed the dosage somewhere in the middle and expect about 28 injections this round. I can't imagine it will take that many more days to drop the last 15 lbs. I do (already) have a dinner engagement next Saturday and a birthday celebration coming up on the 23rd. I managed before, I can do it again.

I hope I can find some motivation to do some brisk walking. It has been so stifling hot around here lately. I'll be lucky to get the lawn mowed without a stroke. Speaking of strokes, my blood pressure has not been that great. If, after this round, my blood pressure does not significantly go down, I promise to go see a doctor and get back on some meds. I owe it to myself and my child.

It feels good to eat healthy again. Plus, I need to clear out the freezer! After all, it is hurricane season and one can't be stuck with a full freezer. I'm just saying.....

Day 118

133.5 lbs. Man, what a weekend! Eating, drinking, sunning and funning. It has been nearly 4 months since I began the hCG diet and I've been able to maintain my weight pretty easily. Phase 4 is really a piece of cake. When you take what you learn and actually apply it, the difficulty of getting back into the same old trap becomes more and more remote. Steak days can fix anything. Who can't stay committed for one day? If we can't, then we are truly weak and destined to fail. I really believe I am past all of my former thinking about food. Just about any slip up can be fixed in one or two days of eating properly. I'm enjoying life again. 

However, my blood pressure is still on the rather borderline high side. This really was to be expected....by me, at least. The book indicated that it might go down because of the weight loss, but that it might also return to previous levels. I've never felt like I might explode. Nonetheless, I need to keep a close check on this item. 

As I go past the six week mark since my last injection, I'm eagerly anticipating round two. Haven't really decided when it will start, but it may be as soon as this weekend. I'd like to be in phase 4 by the middle of August since we will be going to Montana for about ten days. To be on a diet at that time would certainly not be optimal!

I'd like to shed the last 15 lbs. This round I think it might be important to get more exercise. I don't want to look as though I've lost weight quickly and my skin is just hanging. That is the way I feel right now. Even though I can fit into a size 4 at 132 lbs. or so, I don't think of myself as thin. I still have a somewhat fat, flabby and poochy self image. Exercise is on the menu with this next round. I hope I can stick to it since it is so hot here in the southeast! 

Looking forward to gorge days!!!!

Day 46 ~ Phase 2

133 lbs. Ugghhh, gained a lb. Oh, well. As predicted, last night was my last injection. So, today and for the next two days I will be adhering to the 500 calories with no hCG. I'm going to try and stick with this as best I can because of its importance.

The end has come and the final tally is 25 lbs. in 46 days. It really was not that bad, but did not come without its challenges. Most of these I felt at the last 10 days or so. Next round I will know more of what to expect. On to phase 2 and 3.

I'm really looking forward to eating a whole chicken breast as opposed to a half! I've really enjoyed my spicy veggies and will continue with those. Cheese, yeah, I've missed you too! If I don't think about the starches or sugar I'll probably be OK. I did look up the sugar contents of fruit yesterday. Surprisingly, bananas are fairly high, as are oranges. I love oranges and have been eating a lot of them. The highest though, were dates. Really, really high. 

OK phase 2. Let's get through these days. I know I keep mentioning this in passing (?), but I can't remember the last BM. I think it's been more than a week. Even to me, that seems odd. To get more regular once regular eating resumes will be good, at least for my mind. Maybe it's the low calories that require the absorption of all the food and leave very little left over for output. I don't feel bad or anything that resembles constipation. I've tried the herbal teas for constipation and they don't "move" me. For now, I'm OK with whatever happens.

OK, I went back and looked it up. The last BM was 11 days ago. Amazing!

Day 45

132 lbs. Wow! Yesterday was torturous. I did have three extra melba toasts and 3 extra strawberries last night. But, I was able to resist salmon, lox and bagels, cheese and veggies, egg rolls, stuffed mushrooms, desserts galore and an open bar. Those were just some of the delicious items I can remember seeing from last night's function.

I was a volunteer at a fund raiser for the Cat Depot in Sarasota, FL. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to a no-kill rescue of cats only. We had a great turnout. There was a reggae band, gambling, a silent auction and a raffle of some great baskets. It was held at the Sarasota Yacht Club and the attendees varied from the elite to the little old lady with orange hair, in a pink chiffon long gown wearing a tiara. Yes, a tiara.

Somehow, I survived the ordeal of all that food and drink and was rewarded with a 1 1/2 lb. loss. I believe tonight will be my last injection. I don't think I have enough hCG for tomorrow. I must have mixed up pretty closely to what was needed for the entire cycle. I'm so ready to move to phase 2. Although, I'm a little worried about the hunger pangs for the next three days without the hCG. The left side ovarian pains I had yesterday are gone and turned out to be no where near what I experienced on day 20 of this program. 

I will research the sugar content of fruits so I don't fall prey to that impending trap. I will also be cognizant of the protein fix (huge steak) in case my weight goes up by two lbs. As I head into these next phases, they are again, uncharted waters. If I continue with the determination and willpower that I've had in the past, I can hope to come out on the other side in pretty good shape. Speaking of shape, I think I need to tone up now. I will either get on a walking regimen or biking. The importance of this is apparent. 

Day 44

133.5 lbs. I swear I did not cheat yesterday. I may just be at the end and the efficacy of the hCG might be wearing off due to immunity. This is the fourth day at the same weight, albeit I slightly cheated the first 2 days. Upon reading the book again, I found that what I did in the way of extra melba toasts or grissini was the correct action to combat my hunger or cravings. That was good to know. I must have eliminated all of the abnormal fat in my system and might be at the end of this cycle for additional weight loss.

On another note, the ovarian pain is BACK! I've already taken 800 mg. of Ibuprophen this morning on a basically empty stomach (well, three cups of coffee) and  I have to work today. I will take my heating pad to work and plug it into my car (I love my Vibe for this feature). I also have a function to attend tonight and hope that I will feel better. Last time this was pretty debilitating. But, the end is in sight and I have three more days to go or as long as my hCG holds out.

Day 37 ~ I'm struggling

135.5 lbs. Last night I really wanted to cheat! I had a whole celery stick with salt instead. My daughter wanted two mini bags of popcorn and I was dying to have some (of my own, a whole big bag like the olden days). I fought it and won.

Tonight however, I have slightly cheated. I had a big lettuce salad (minimal calories, really) and I threw in a small tomato. I had the usual basalmic vinegar and spices galore. Then I had an extra melba toast! OK, so it's not a big cheat, but I feel terrible. I'm going to drink a whole bunch more water and just watch a movie in bed. I have really been very good up until lately. 

Just pulled a pizza out of the oven for the kid and had thoughts of eating the whole thing! What is happening to me? I know this is normal. I should re-read the book to glean any new info. I'll be heading into phase 2 in a few days and I should refresh my memory on what that means. When I run out of hCG that will be the end of phase one for me, regardless of how many days are left.

I messed up counting the number of days left. One column on my sheet had the number of injections and the skip days. Another column had the number of days on the diet. Still another column I put in the date. When I mixed the last batch I counted the number of injection days left (I think) and not the number of days left to equal 40 days of "injections." The diet is actually longer because they don't count the non-injection days in the 40 days. Next time I will be more of  pro at this. Obviously, there is a learning curve.

I am looking forward to all phases of this diet. I hope I don't blow it right off the bat with all the crazy thoughts I've been having. I am also looking forward to the load days on the next round where I can cram in everything I want and missed. That's weird, right?

Day 35

136 lbs. Yippee!! Finally broke through those last couple of lbs. It's amazing what a BM can do for you! Too much information? Sorry, just telling it like it is.

Tonight is a no injection night. Looking at the last of my hCG, I wonder if I have enough to get through the last days of this round. They say 40 days, but my weight chart goes out to 45 days. I guess that accounts for the no injection days once per week. At any rate, when I run out of hCG I'm heading to phase 2.

Day 27

140 lbs. Inching along, or so it feels. Speaking of inches....maybe when I hit 30 days I will measure myself again.

Panic tonight! I originally placed part of my needles in the cupboard above my refrigerator. The extra hCG and such that I didn't have room for I put elsewhere. That was an elsewhere that was hard to locate tonight. I looked high and low in every room and could not figure out what "safe" place I had placed these items. It was an uneasy time. Finally, I happened to look over where we keep the chips and fruit and there was the big ziploc, hiding in the corner with about a million other things! What a relief. Subsequently, I was able to mix up a new batch using 2000 iu and mixing the dose somewhere between 125 and 150. I needed to get 15 more doses and that's what it came out to be. I think it will be fine. I wonder if it will be a noticeable difference?

Day 25

140.5 lbs. Nothing much to report. No pain. Nothing unusual. Pretty ordinary day.

I guess I should be researching how to mix the ratios of the 2000 iu of hCG. Will be needing it in about 2-3 days tops.

There's been some speculation as to what might have cause my recent pain. I have a friend who works in a fertility clinic who says that I may have ruptured an ovarian cyst with the introduction of excess hCG into my body. The cyst may have just been absorbed by my body within a day or so and that would account for the pain disappearing. I'd like to go with this theory. 

Day 22

142 lbs. Pain has subsided. Now it just feels like I've done 100 sit-ups.

OK, I've talked to some people on the hCG Yahoo Chat today and they really stressed that they weren't qualified to give an opinion. I understand this. I also emailed a friend who works for a fertility clinic about my episode, but I haven't heard back from her yet.

So, I researched ovarian hyperstimulation on my own. It's common in woman taking fertility drugs, which is what hCG is....I knew it sounded familiar when I started all this. Based on the symptoms, I think I had a mild bout since it is subsiding quite well. They say if the pain doesn't go away in a week you should seek medical attention...assuming that you're not able to stand the pain prior to the end of a week! I didn't and don't have any of the other symptoms. With this, I will proceed to the next injection.

When I mix up the last hCG for this round I think I will mix it up with a lower dose than what I was taking. I believe I was taking 175 and the range was 125-200. It might be prudent, at least for me, to drop down to 150. This whole ordeal was a little scary, but I handled it right. Soaking in a tub and ibuprophen, although they said acetamenaphen or Tylenol was recommended. That type just doesn't work well for me. 

I've Left the Starting Gate - Day 1

Yesterday the remainder of my supplies arrived. I've counted and organized the 2 sizes of syringes, mixing vials and hCG. The type of hCG was HuCoG from India. It arrived via Express Mail through the USPS. Interesting, since I deliver Express Mail on nearly a daily basis. Usually it is overnight mail, more expensive and you have to sign for it. I have no idea why or how the package came Express because it took at least a couple weeks to get here. Maybe it was Express mail once it hit the US.

Today I've been trying to gorge, since I must do that for three days. I will try to

make a more valiant effort with that tomorrow. It turned out that I needed to fast this morning because I was getting some screenings for heart, blood and such. I feel like I got cheated out of breakfast since I was fasting and then there weren't enough hours left in the day to make up that meal. I'm pretty stuffed right now as it is.

Tonight I mixed up the injection concoction/potion thingy. I went back and forth from a couple of YouTube videos on how to do it properly. I think I did it right. Next, I headed off to the bathroom for the stick. Tonight I chose the belly. Tomorrow night I might switch to the butt. The injection really didn't hurt since the needle is fairly thin. I'm just not convinced I can deftly twist around and poke myself in the butt. Maybe the mirror really can help! I must really try to do this at the same time each night for the best results. At least all the mixing is done and for the next 40 days it's just a "shot, baby."



OK, so I'm starting at 155 lbs. Eeekkk! I said I wasn't going to broadcast that, but there I go.

Not the best pictures, either. The hairdo was a leftover from the down pour I got to deliver the mail in today. Some days I love that job more than others!

Order Placed

OK, I've placed my first order for hCG. Once you figure out what you're buying it makes it easier. I ended up buying Hucog 2000 i.u. and Hucog 5000 i.u. There are 3 amps in each and my order total was $82 with shipping being a $25 chunk. I was confused by the different varieties of hCG from the different companies. Did I need the more purer form? I opted not to go that route or the sublingual method. I received an order #, but no real shipping details as to when my order might arrive. I suppose there could be a follow up email with all of these details in my Inbox. I think it's being shipped from Canada, but it could be India for all I know. What I've ordered is enough for 3 rounds of the 40 day program. It really is cost effective. I doubt that I will need 3 rounds, but there's a pretty good shelf life on this product in case I "somehow" relapse. I don't even want to think those words......

Now I wait and start collecting the other necessary items. I already have the alcohol wipes. Better review my list again and find a medical supply store. I'll let my fingers do the walking.