Q. What is the typical experience for people undergoing a TKM weight loss program? I'm wondering if my experience will be similar to others.

When you visit the clinic, my first priority is to determine the root cause of your weight gain. For instance, some patients present with Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛), characterized by slow digestion and chronic fatigue. If we simply suppress the appetite for these individuals, they often lose all their energy and give up quickly. I've learned through experience that for this type, restoring the body's fundamental energy is key to sustainable weight loss. On the other hand, some patients struggle with Phlegm-fluid retention (Dam-eum, 痰飮) or Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血), which manifests as severe bloating and a feeling of heaviness in the body. For these types, prescriptions that promote circulation and clear metabolic waste are far more effective than simple calorie restriction. The mechanism here is to boost metabolism to flush out accumulated toxins. Some patients do report side effects such as dry mouth or insomnia. While these can be natural responses as the body adapts to an accelerated metabolic rate, individual sensitivity varies greatly. Therefore, I constantly communicate with my patients to refine the herbal formula through 'Gagam' (加減)—the process of adding or subtracting specific medicinal herbs. Please view this as a collaborative journey to find the 'optimal point' tailored specifically to your constitution.