Prescription Medication includes phentermine, meridia, xenical, phendimetraz, trileptal, Cyanocbolamine and HGH injections etc. Oral medication typically gives weight loss of 5 lbs per week. A 15-20 lb weight loss of fat (not water) is not unusual with oral medication. Injectable medication may result in 30-40 lb weight loss in one month.
Phentermine is less expensive than almost all non-prescription medication ($18 for one month supply at K-mart) and much more effective. Typically, patients loose 5 lbs per week with this medication. However, patients need to be seen by a physician every two weeks when taking this phentermine.
Tolerance to phentermine, or any weight loss drug can occur. In this case, the patient will stop loosing weight. When this happens, we stop the phentermine and use another prescription medication-such as meridia, xenical, phendimetraz (35 mg daily), HCG injections, etc.
HCG imjections can produce 20-50 lb weight loss in 1 month.
Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG or orlistat) is a hormone produced during pregnancy. The hormone is present in the urine, and it's the presence of HCG that home pregnancy kits are "checking" for when such a test is performed. In a nutshell, if HCG is present, you're pregnant, if it's not... you're not. Because it can also be created by some kinds of cancer, HCG can serve as an important tumor marker as well.
When human chorionic gonadotropin is prescribed, it is either as a fertility medication (can be for both men or women), or to restore testosterone production in men.
What is HCG's role in weight loss?
In 1954, Dr. Albert T. Simeons, a British-physician claimed HCG injections would allow dieters to manage easily on a 500 calorie per day diet. He claimed that HCG could suppress appetite, burn stored fat as well as redistribute fat from the hips, thighs and waist. Since then, many studies have been performed, often with contradictory results. Much of the controversy has to do with the effective dosages. At lower dosages, HCG will not be effective. However, most of the trials showed greater weight loss and better weight maintenance with HCG compared to placebo at all endpoints (statistically significant differences for both outcomes). Orlistat 120 mg three times daily was the optimum regimen in terms of weight loss. Most trials showed significant improvement in at least some lipid concentration parameters, and, in three RCTs, orlistat produced statistically significant reductions in blood pressure relative to placebo. In obese patients with type 2 diabetes, orlistat resulted in a significantly greater weight loss at 1 year compared with placebo, and some parameters of glycaemic control and lipid concentration also showed significantly greater improvements compared with placebo. The incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events was consistently higher in orlistat groups compared with placebo, and orlistat use was associated with lower serum levels of fat-soluble vitamins.
Bottom Line. HCG can be an effective weight loss medication for many patients. However, the optimal dosage must be individualized by the physician. We typically start HCG at 200 u every day and make adjustments depending on the responsiveness. We monitor a patients total weight, lean body mass, fat mass, water mass and adjust the dosage accordingly.
Prescription and non-prescription medication are weight loss tools that are not used in isolation. A comprehensive weight loss startegy which includes lifestyle changes, dietary modification and exercise is needed. Tolerance can develop with any weight loss strategy. A strategy that showed good results initially, will often fail to sustain itself. Alternative strategies are needed in those cases, to maintain the weight loss. Combining multiple strategies to suit the needs of a given patient are essential in weight loss.
Surgical removal of excess fat by tummy tuck, liposuction or gastric stapling are all highly effective adjuncts in achieving permanent weight loss.