HCG Side Effects
HCG Side Effects
Before you begin injection of hcg for any treatment or diet protocols, read about all of the hCG side effects on this page.
Write down all side effects (similar to the hcg side effects listed below) you may be experiencing (such as headaches) prior to the start of any hCG treatments.
This could help you determine later if the side effect was pre-existing, or if it was caused by hCG.
If you’re experience any side effects while on your hCG treatment or the hcg diet, contact your health care provider immediately.
Although medications can provide relief for ailments and conditions, they also cause side effects. Not every person will see side effects, but many will notice some.
- HCG Warnings
- HCG Risks
- HCG Diet Side Effects
- Common Side Effects
- Less Common
- Frequency Undetermined
- In Women
- In Men
- In Boys
HCG Warnings
You must contact your doctor IMMEDIATLEY if you experience any of these side effects.
Do not wait. These could lead to serious medical issues and need to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Any serious allergic reactions such as:
- Swelling of lips and or tongue
- Rash
- Breathing difficulty
Blood Clots…watch for:
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- swelling, warmth, or tenderness in the leg or arm
- weakness on one side of the body
- trouble walking or speaking
- vision changes
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) watch for:
- severe pelvic or stomach pain and swelling along with:
- diarrhea
- vomiting,
- sudden weight gain,
- trouble breathing
Ruptured or Swollen Ovarian Cysts:
- A feeling of heaviness and/or bloating in your stomach or lower belly with sharp, sudden or dull pain
High Risks
Although uncommon, just like any other medication, serious risks can be accompanied by taking hCG.
Certain groups can be at higher risk than other groups.
If you feel you may have a condition that could put you at higher risk, discuss it with your doctor to see if there’s an alternative medication available for you.
Keep watch for these risks as these can be more serious than common side effects. Contact your doctor as soon as you can if you experience any of the following:
- Anaphylaxis: throat closing
- Severe Allergic reactions: swelling of lips and/or tongue, rash, breathing difficulty.
- Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) caused by over enlargement of the ovaries: symptoms can include mild or sever stomach pain, mild or sever bloating, weight gain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, burst cyst.
- Early Puberty in children who’ve not yet gone through puberty: Change in voice, growth of pubic hair, underarm hair. STOP HCG USE AND CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR
- Getting pregnant with one or more babies: When used an infertility treatment, this is always a possibility. Make sure both you and your partner are both aware of this.
- Risk of Cancer in males (when used for infertility treatment) Healthy young men have found tumours in their testes. If you experience back pain, pain in the groin, stomach, scrotum, or lumps in one or both testicles, contact your doctor immediately.
- Water retention: hCG usage can increase water retention. This can make existing conditions worse, such as migraines, asthma, seizures of any type, heart issues and conditions, kidney issues and conditions. Contact your doctor immediately if you notice changes in these conditions.
HCG Diet Side Effects
As this site is all about the hCG diet, well start with side effects people on the diet might experience.
As the amounts injected are much smaller (125-200 IU per day compared to 2,000-10,000 IU in one shot for treatment of medical conditions) we don’t see as many side effects and less serious side effects.
However, this does not mean you can’t experience any serious side effects!
If you have any concerns about side effects or contraindications with any medications you currently take, please speak with your care giver or doctor.
Here’s a list of side effects more commonly seen when hCG is used for diet purposes:
- Fatigue or low energy: Not common…we generally see an increase in energy!
- Slight Headache: More common, especially around the 2 week of the diet. Often due to detoxification as your body is no longer getting all the chemicals and sugar you’d been feeding it before!
- Changes in your Menstrual Cycle: Less common. Any kind of change in timing. Break through bleeding even for women in menopause.
- Constipation: Less common. If you do experience constipation, try a laxative and also drink more water.
- Muscle cramping, muscle fatigue: Not very common, but usually appears as cramps in the legs.
- Hair loss or thinning: Rare. And not much hair is lost or thinned out. If it happens, usually lasts from 1-2 weeks then hair begins growing again.
- Fluid buildup (edema): Less common
- Depression: rare but can occur. Usually we see improvement in mood as weight is lost.
- Irritability: less common.
- Restlessness: less common
Common Side Effects
Important! If you experience any side effects, contact you doctor or medical health provider immediately.
HCG is a very common treatment for a variety of conditions.
It can be used by females for infertility treatments. The HCG stimulates the release of eggs into the ovaries (ovulation.)
In males, it can be used for the treatment of low testosterone or hypogonadism, which can be a factor in low sperm production or low sperm counts.
It can also be used by prepubescent boys to treat Prepubertal Cryptorchidism, a condition where the testes have not yet moved to the scrotum.
It’s also used in the hCG diet for rapid weight loss.
Side effects can show at any time and may last long or be short in duration. It’s important to keep track of any changes or any side effects you experience.
The most common hcg side effects are:
- Irritability
- Depression
- Headaches
- Bloating (mild)
- Fatigue or general tiredness
- Restlessness
- Swelling (edema)
- Growth of breasts (males)
- Stomach or pelvic pain (mild to severe)
- Pain at or near injection site
Less Common
Although these side effects of injection hCG are less common, it’s important to take note of them and tell your doctor!
- Itchy Skin
- Rash
- Redness
Frequency Undetermined
These side effects can happen to anyone, but their frequency is undetermined and seem to be more common in boys.
- Difficulty breathing or laboured breathing
- Sudden difficulty in breathing
- Sudden, unexplained shortness of breath
- Tightness in chest
- Chest pain
- Wheezing
- Change in vision
- Calf pain
- Leg pain
- Groin pain
- Hives
- Welts
- Flushing or redness of skin
- Unusually warm skin
- Swelling (large, hive like) anywhere on sex organs, hands, feet, legs, throat, face, eyelids, lips, tongue
- Severe sudden headache
- Sudden loss of coordination
- Sudden severe numbness or weakness in leg(s) and/or arm(s)
- Slurred speech
- Discouragement
- Feeling depressed, sad or empty
- Breast enlargement
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of pleasure or interest
- Trouble sleeping
- Tiredness
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Pain at injection site
In Women
These side effects are more common in women, but can also be found in men.
- Bloating
- Decrease in urine amounts
- Decrease in urination frequency
- Severe stomach pain
- Severe abdominal pain
- Diarrhea: severe or continuous
- Vomiting: severe or continuous
- Nausea: severe or continuous
- Swelling in lower limbs (feet and legs)
- Feelings of indigestion
- Shortness of breath
- Severe pelvic pain
- Rapid weight gain
In Men
These side effects are more commonly found in men, but can also be found in women.
- Pain at injection site
- Swelling at injection site
- Redness at injection site
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Breast growth (gynecomastia)
In Boys
These side effects are more common in prepubescent boys, but could also be found in men and sometimes in females.
- Growth of pubic hair
- Rapid increase in height
- Enlargement of penis or testes
- Acne
Please remember: taking any medication can cause side effects.
Any time you notice a change, please come back to this page and review/reread everything and make sure to contact your care provider IMMEDIATELY!
Warnings, risks, hcg side effects are here for a reason: to help keep you safe and healthy.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY HCG SIDE EFFECTS, HCG SIDE EFFECTS ON THE BODY OR ANYTHINGS RELATED TO SIDE EFFECTS AND/OR SYMPOTOMS YOU MAY BE EXPERIENCING, DO NOT CONTACT US, CONTACT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
