Day One

January 8, 2009

Today I had my first visit with the Garcia Weight Loss center.

When I was called in, I was greeted by a medical assistant (not quite a nurse). She weighed me and checked my blood pressure. She then proceeded with a sales pitch. When the sales pitch was done, she asked me which arm I would like my injection in. I wasn't too happy that she was prepared to inject me without my speaking to a doctor first.

So she took me to speak with Dr. Eli Rose. He answered my questions and I felt a bit better. He sensed my apprehension, and prescribed the Phendimetrazine instead of the Phentermine for me. But I must say that I was a bit concerned. He mentioned he had been an OB/GYN for 30 years prior to joining the Garcia Weight Loss center. Why would he change professions after 30 years? My guess: Dollar $igns!

The forms they ask you to complete ask if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. But they don't ask if you are nursing. So when I mentioned I had a baby 2 months ago, I was surprised that Dr. Rose didn't ask if I was nursing.

Make no mistake about it, this office is nothing more than a legal drug dealer. There is nothing really medical about it. It is not a program that is customized to you. For example, the dosage, the exercise plan, and the diet plan are the same for everyone. I weigh 129 lbs. How can a plan for me be the same plan for someone who weighs 400 lbs? But I guess it is!

Regardless, I did plenty of research ahead of time, and really did just need a "drug dealer".

The initial visit includes: program overview, weight measurement, body fat percentage, blood pressure, initial blood panel, EKG, B12 injection, medical consultation, appetite suppressant. This visit costs $215, but there was a $40 discount, so I paid $175.

Weekly visits include: weight measurement, body fat, B12 injection, appetite suppressants. The weekly visits cost $75.

So here are my statistics today:

Weight: 129.8
Body Fat %: 35.1
Blood Pressure: 110/70

The program works like this:
After my blood work and EKG, I received my first injection. They tried to sell me extra supplements (Omega RX $50, Polyphenol Plus $20, Multivitamin w/Minerals $20, Cell Press $25, and Calcium Pyruvate $25). I only bought the Calcium Pyruvate because it was the only one that seemed consistent with my goal in that it's a fat burner.

I was then told to enjoy my last day of eating as I please (which I did!), as my strict diet would start the next day. The Stage 1 diet is very strict and only allows for lean proteins, absolutely no carbohydrates. And the proteins you can eat you can only have the equivalent of about 10 ounces in a day. This equates to 5 cans of tuna. And that's it...except for the required 1 gallon of water that you must drink! But have no fear, you will be taking the appetite suppressants that will make you not hungry. Also, this Stage only lasts for 2 to 5 days.

They provided me with 5 Ketone strips. On Day 2, I have to pass a strip under my urine stream. If it turns pink, I can move on to Stage 2. If it doesn't turn pink, I keep testing every day until it does turn pink or until Day 5.

Stage 2 is the same as Stage 1, but allows you to introduce 2 vegetables and 2 fruits from a very short list of vegetables and fruits.

There are some freebies as far as seasonings and spices. Your drinks can include just about anything that is caffeine-free and calorie-free.

Exercise recommendation is 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 to 4 times per week.

I asked the doctor if the weight loss comes mostly from the diet or the medication. He admitted it's the diet that causes the weight loss, but the B12 gives you the energy you lose from not having the carbs in your system. The appetite suppressants simply make it easier to get through the diet.

There are side effects to the medication. Be sure to research these and compare them to your medical history.

Anyway - I hope this journal is useful to you, so I will continue to add to it.

I wish you all good health,
-Barbara-