I was solicited by email to make an appointment for a weight loss program. At the time, I thought that this was a monitored diet and exercise program. I knew nothing about HCG. When I was seen by an office person the first time I was told that it was an HCG diet therapy where I would DEFINITELY lose 30 lbs or more! She handed me a pamphlet/book to read about the program but was rushing me to make a commitment to this program. It was then I was told that I had to purchase HCG injectable which they would write a prescription for but that I had to obtain. I also had to have blood work done for which they gave me the paperwork. At that time they told me that I had to pay $495 for the program but that it was guaranteed to lose weight! Since I had the weight to lose I thought that this was something that would work for me. After I had my blood work done, I briefly saw Dr. Shuler who did not tell me anything about the program except that my blood work was ok and that I could start the program. When I received my HCG prescription for which I paid $199 plus another $45 to have it shipped to them, I was scheduled for another appointment where they weighed me and gave me a printout from this scale. They call it a "Bio-impedance" for which they say is a cost of $75 each time you are weighed. The brief 2 min visit with Dr. Shuler I was told cost $200. I started the HCG injections but I informed them right at the start that I had to go out of town for a week but they told me that I could just stop taking the injections for that period of time and then start up again. During the first week of taking the injections and being on a 500 calorie restricted diet, I became sick to my stomach and all they told me was that I was not getting enough protein so they told me to eat 2 egg whites per day which I did. I followed the diet plan and did not deviate at all. But I still felt sick and then developed a UTI which when I tried to call the Clinic, I was unable to get anyone to call me back. When I was off the HCG, my nausea disappeared. I went back on the HCG a week later but was not losing any significant weight. It was then that I read in the booklet provided to me that unless I was on the HCG for 23 consecutive days, I would not lose weight. Because I had taken the week off, there was no way for me to be on the HCG for 23 days at that time. My complaint about this clinic is that they are administering a program for which they do not have the personnel to instruct patients propertly. I was not contacted by them any further as they had already taken my money and obviously had no further need to see me. I am over 50 and I got the definite impression that I was not worth bothering with once I had paid them. I decided to write the doctor a letter to ask for the refund of my money. He totally ingnored that letter. I then sent another letter certified mail and got a response back from a Lana Baker explaining to me that I had paid for the program and signed a non-cancellable/non-refundable Patient Agreement. I never signed such a document and in fact they never produced a copy but only claim that I signed it! Lana also explained to me in her letter that if each service was billed independently my cost would have been well over the $495. It is interesting that they can justify why they can't refund my money but yet are not one bit concerned about my well being and whether the program worked or didn't work for me. Of course, I believe that they already knew what the answer to that was and since they had my money they did not care whether I was a satisified client or not. Looks Beauty and Wellness needs to be avoided at all costs. They do not have qualified personnel to administer this HCG program and Dr. Shuler does not have a bedside manner in which to even see patients. This type of diet therapy is risky and has alot of drawbacks, none of which were properly explained by Dr. Shuler or his staff. Their goal is to get your money and then you are history to them.
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