adipex - diet pill
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All right, here is my story. In March 2012, I started tracking my food and exercise on MyFitnessPal with a goal of losing 120 pounds. By January of this year, I had lost 90 pounds, slow and steady, using a moderate calorie deficit and moderate exercise. I did not use pills or surgery, only persistence and dedication. I use a food scale and weigh, measure and log *everything* I eat. I am 5'4" and eat between 1250 and 1450 calories per day, dependent upon exercise. I am very conservative in logging my exercise calories and then I don't eat all of them back. I eat everything in moderation, but I mostly eat lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. I am diabetic, so I try to keep my carb intake at a reasonable level in order to better control my blood sugar. I am saying all this just because I want to lay out that I have spent a lot of time working on my eating habits, learning how to eat healthily, within moderation and I have been successful. Losing 90 pounds has been life changing for me in many ways. I turn 44 this year and I have never been at a "normal" weight in my adult life. This is the closest I have ever come and I have no intention on giving up my goal. I am 30 pounds away.
However, I have not lost a single pound since January. Not one. I have continued to weigh, measure and log my food every single day. I exercise most days. My caloric intake is such that I *should* be seeing a reasonable loss (.5-1 pound/week). I see my doctor every six months to monitor my diabetes and hypothyroidism and also to talk about my weight loss - what is working, what isn't and how I am progressing. At my regular appointment last week, as well as taking blood for a full chemical work-up, we discussed this plateau. After showing her my food and exercise log and weight loss graph, we made the difficult decision to try phentermine. I started it a week ago. The hope is that it will kick start my metabolism and help get me to my goal. I will go back in 2 months for more blood tests and a check up and to see where I am.
I did not make this decision lightly. When I started, I swore that I would never take pills or have surgery to lose weight. However, 6 months of zero weight loss with no apparent explanation has gotten to me and I have made this decision to at least try phentermine. This is not a long-term solution, but my hope is that it will at least get me moving again. I have lost 2 pounds in the last week, eating the same amount of calories and exercising the same amount, that I was before I started. A week is not long enough to really know if this will be successful or not. I will return to the doctor in 2 months to see how I am doing and monitor my overall health.0 -
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I'm taking Phentermine (different brand of the same med). The first couple weeks I felt like I do when I drink 1-2 cups of caffeinated coffee. For me, that's jittery, not filled with energy. Now I'm fine. I've had a bit of trouble sleeping so I don't take it when I really need some sleep, for example after a 22 hour workday when I know I'll be exhausted and need a good long deep sleep. My blood pressure and pulse were both lower than I like them yesterday at the doctor, but that is probably more a need for a higher dose of thyroid meds than a side effect of the phen.
It lowers my appetite which is what I wanted it to do. I plan my meals and weigh/measure my food, but I've been doing that for close to two decades. My doctor says the phen is to be taken for about 3 months and weaned off of, not quit cold turkey. You're also supposed to take the prescribed dose, not a higher dose that might lead to addiction.
The majority of people who lose weight on any plan, including MFP, regain the weight they lose and then some after a couple years. So yes, the majority of people who take phentermine/adipex also regain it. There's no surprise there. With the assumption that you're not a complete idiot, I'll also assume you know you need to change your eating habits long term and you're using the medication to help you do that. I don't see a problem with that, but there are a lot of vocal internet scolds who do.
It's not an amphetamine, but its pharmacology is similar to that of amphetamines. It was first approved by the FDA in 1959 so it's been around long enough to know whether it is safe and what side effects to expect. Don't take it with MAOIs or with other diet pills unless you want to risk heart/lung problems. It doesn't seem to have that risk when taken by itself. Use some common sense and if you are having any of the rare (less than 1%) side effects of heart palpitations, vomiting or other severe side effects, consult your doctor and stop the medication.0 -
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10143651/phentermine-support#latest
Ignore the pill bashers and check out this thread. My only advise is don't abuse the pill and don't expect it to be a miracle pill. Use the time it gives you to change your eating habits and begin to love healthy food. If you don't change your success will be temporary. Your welcome to add me. I was on Adipex for 2 months and my best friend is still taking adipex and doing well.
Good luck! 0 -
It appears that the only people who support this drug are the ones who are currently on it. They haven't stopped yet long enough to see it doesn't help you "change your lifestyle". Then you have the people who don't support it, who are former users. I know a few people who took it. They all lost weight, turned into complete psycho *kitten* from hell and gained the weight back plus more when they stopped. (just like all of the stories you're hearing by non supporters) Sounds like a great drug!0
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Be careful when taking this medication, I took it 6 years ago, it exacerbated a health condition that I didn't even know I had. I had to see a Cardiologist. I have a heart condition which is called Superventricular Tachycardia. Basically my heart will race up to 200 bpm without any explanation. This is very frightening to me obviously, it caused me to have anxiety attacks. I work for a physician and hadn't taken it in a few days and my heart started racing, I was short of breath and just knew I was going to die. I literally couldn't do my job the rest of the day because I was crying. I know it exacerbated it because I had had this heart issue prior to the phentermine, I had had earlier issues with the heart problem without actually knowing what it was. While it did work for me, I ended up losing my weight and after stopping and falling back into my old habits it all returned plus some. Be sure you watch out for side effects, they can really be scary. I wish you the best of luck on your journey, I hope it works great for you.0
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Im on invokana for diabetes. Anyone want to jump on me about how my blood sugar would still be high without it?
The problem is no one sees obesity as a long term health problem that needs continuous treatment. The treatment is diet and exercise, and if you need a pill to help you do the diet and exercise at the beginning, there's a strong likelihood you'll need a pill to keep up with the diet and exercise forever. There are some newer diet drugs that are meant for long term use, but most people, doctors and patients, still don't get it: this is a chronic health problem that needs long term treatment.0 -
doomah2014 wrote: »Im on invokana for diabetes. Anyone want to jump on me about how my blood sugar would still be high without it?
The problem is no one sees obesity as a long term health problem that needs continuous treatment. The treatment is diet and exercise, and if you need a pill to help you do the diet and exercise at the beginning, there's a strong likelihood you'll need a pill to keep up with the diet and exercise forever. There are some newer diet drugs that are meant for long term use, but most people, doctors and patients, still don't get it: this is a chronic health problem that needs long term treatment.
I'm sorry but you don't speak for anyone but yourself. LOTS of people see obesity as a long term health problem, hence why thousands are here losing significant amounts of weight.
ETA after seeing I got flagged for "abuse": Using the flag system when it is not necessary can result in being banned from the forums. I'm not sure how many times I have said this in the past two days.-2 -
This is why it seems more beneficial to learn those habits without the use of appetite suppressants. You can train your body to ignore "hunger" cues until it's time to eat the next meal. We also track calories and control our portions so that we can stop eating and train our bodies to know when to stop eating. Knowing what real hunger feels like and understanding that a bit of hunger is not an emergency that requires immediate food consumption is important in the weight loss process and in maintaining that weight lost.
If you're using medication to suppress your appetite, it will not help you learn those habits on your own.
What it sounds like you are saying is that it's not the eating habits that matter, then, it's learning how to have the willpower to deal with hunger. That doesn't have anything to do with habits, it's learning how not to eat when you are hungry. That's called "willpower".
Most people can't endure discomfort long term, and their willpower fails.
What I like about appetite suppressants is they negate the need for willpower because they remove the discomfort.
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It appears that the only people who support this drug are the ones who are currently on it. They haven't stopped yet long enough to see it doesn't help you "change your lifestyle".
Question: How long do you have to eat properly to "change your lifestyle"?
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The problem is no one sees obesity as a long term health problem that needs continuous treatment. The treatment is diet and exercise, and if you need a pill to help you do the diet and exercise at the beginning, there's a strong likelihood you'll need a pill to keep up with the diet and exercise forever. There are some newer diet drugs that are meant for long term use, but most people, doctors and patients, still don't get it: this is a chronic health problem that needs long term treatment.
Exactly. Though I have read some doctors coming to this exact conclusion. It may well be that weight gain causes permanent damage that is almost no one can willpower their way though long-term. It may be a chronic condition that requires constant medication to control, like diabetes.
The evidence is quite plain - the majority of Americans are overweight or obese, and most people who try to lose weight fail long-term.
I personally hope I can tough it out long enough for an effective medical solution.0 -
maillemaker wrote: »It appears that the only people who support this drug are the ones who are currently on it. They haven't stopped yet long enough to see it doesn't help you "change your lifestyle".
Question: How long do you have to eat properly to "change your lifestyle"?
the rest of your life0 -
the rest of your life
Ha ha. By that definition your lifestyle is never changed until you are dead.
What I mean is, how long do you have to eat before the new eating habits are formed?
The common contention here is that diet pills won't help you learn to eat properly.
But if you don't use diet pills, how long does it take to learn to eat properly?0 -
maillemaker wrote: »the rest of your life
Ha ha. By that definition your lifestyle is never changed until you are dead.
What I mean is, how long do you have to eat before the new eating habits are formed?
The common contention here is that diet pills won't help you learn to eat properly.
But if you don't use diet pills, how long does it take to learn to eat properly?
That depends entirely on the individual. Barring a physiological problem or a psychological food issue, it take months or a few years for a person to zero in what they best eating and can manage around their schedule. A lot of people hit a goal and immediately go off "diet mode" back to the same habits they had before.
The one major benefit going without a suppressant pill give you is that you better learn your individual hunger and thirst cues, and what foods satisfy you better. This is especially true since you're eating at a deficit. When you transition to a maintenance level, you're actually eating more than you were in loss mode, but less than what helped put the weight on before.
If an appetite suppressant is what you need to get through part of the process, that's what it takes. Being on the pills long term has cumulative risks, so it's best if you can use them as a very temporary assistance measure.
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maillemaker wrote: »the rest of your life
Ha ha. By that definition your lifestyle is never changed until you are dead.
What I mean is, how long do you have to eat before the new eating habits are formed?
The common contention here is that diet pills won't help you learn to eat properly.
But if you don't use diet pills, how long does it take to learn to eat properly?
Depends on the person. I've been working out and eating the correct amount of food for my body for about 3 years now, so I think it's safe to say I've developed good habits.
Diet pills make you not hungry, they make it easy to pass on foods that are highly palatable. When you stop taking them, and your appetite is back to normal...what have you learned?
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Society wants everything now. Fast food and then to combat the effects, fast fixes. Amphetamines are party drugs in the UK.0
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I_Will_End_You wrote: »maillemaker wrote: »the rest of your life
Ha ha. By that definition your lifestyle is never changed until you are dead.
What I mean is, how long do you have to eat before the new eating habits are formed?
The common contention here is that diet pills won't help you learn to eat properly.
But if you don't use diet pills, how long does it take to learn to eat properly?
Depends on the person. I've been working out and eating the correct amount of food for my body for about 3 years now, so I think it's safe to say I've developed good habits.
Diet pills make you not hungry, they make it easy to pass on foods that are highly palatable. When you stop taking them, and your appetite is back to normal...what have you learned?
that pills are awesome?
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maillemaker wrote: »the rest of your life
Ha ha. By that definition your lifestyle is never changed until you are dead.
What I mean is, how long do you have to eat before the new eating habits are formed?
The common contention here is that diet pills won't help you learn to eat properly.
But if you don't use diet pills, how long does it take to learn to eat properly?
I think that there's a fallacy that all it takes to reach and maintain a healthy weight/level of fitness is to simply "learn" proper eating and exercise habits, so people think that they can go on extreme diets or use diet pills for a brief period during which they plan to train themselves to be radically different. That's not how it works, though. You don't take an appetite suppressant for a few months, start eating lower calorie foods, and then somehow go on food auto-pilot.
It's not just temptations, previous bad habits, or not learning to deal with hunger that are the problem. It's everything at once. It's life. You have to learn to handle all of the individual things that led to the weight gain originally and find out which individual strategies work for you. Diet pills complicate that process.
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I've never taken it and probably never will. I'm already a slightly anxious person anyway so I imagine it would make me climbing the walls anxious.
I also wanted to say the the name reminds of the adipose Doctor Who episode. so all I can think of is super cute little aliens. The Fat Just Walks Away0
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