New Diet Pills (Belviq vs Qsymia)

nine711

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know I am on day 19 of Belviq almost about to hit three weeks and I am down 13.6 pounds! This truly is a miracle for me...I have always been able to lose weight and keep it off then I had two babies in a row 20 months apart and it was super hard to lose weight. I initially lost 18 pounds on my own diet and crossfit! Then I plateaued bad for two months I could not get below the 200lb mark!!!

I went to the doctor and she talked to me about belviq at first I was very afraid of pills, since I have never been the meds person, but I decided to try out the two week trial and boy was I happy!

This pill truly works it doesn't change your eating or make you go work out, but it gives you the motivation to stop eating. I just don't feel that hungry anymore, so now I portion everything. Before I could eat a whole pizza now I can barely eat one and I don't really want pizza so I opt for something healthy.

I would recommend this to anyone that needs the extra push of motivation. Big con is my insurance will not cover Belviq, so I applied for the savings card at Costco I spend about $150 for a 30 day supply. It's not cheap, but already I know its worth it!!!

I will keep everyone posted 42 more pounds to go!!!

elisamarie50

MsLardAss2014 wrote: »

Most of you all are missing the point here. The OP didnt ask who approved of diet pills or "lets take a poll" she simply asked if poeple had any success with them. Those of you that decided to turn this into a rant about why they arent good for you or why they wont work is the reason this post turned into a complete mess. Those that didnt care for the "bullying" label that they got. To bad. Thats just what you are, a bully. Imposing an oppinion on someone elses thread just to be heard and taking away from the OP question is all that you accomplished. We should be here for an unbiased opinion and help regardless what the question is. If you cant do that then maybe you should stay off the mesage boards. If you actually have something to add that is of any value to the original post or question, than lets hear it. Otherwise mind your buisness.

how is your post on point...your big *kitten* is nearly 100 pounds over due for a weight drop so you mind your goddam business...this is a free forum and you don't have the auhority to control the way people post on here...if you don't like it then go stuff more food in your fat *kitten* mouth or up your big fat *kitten*...special snowflakes much...just because you and others dont know when to put the fork down doesnt mean pills are the answer...if any of yall are at the point you need diet pills then you suck at self control...eating less and moving more has worked for over 100 freakin years...now you special snowflakes come in here crying and boo hooing about your special case...wake the hell up...you are not special...you are no better than any other person who got fat...if you got pills from a doctor it only means you wait too goddam long to do something about your fat overweight *kitten*...

I consider this bullying.

elisamarie50

mandycsoto wrote: »

Has anyone experienced extreme fatigue from Belviq, ive been on the 15 day trial for 3 days but don't really notice a difference in my appetite much and I'm feeling dizzy and tired. Thinking this may not be the one for me

I have onlybeen on it for one week. The first three days all I wanted to do was sleep. I am over that now and I have my energy level back. And it took about the same three days for it to affect my appetite. I now understand the feeling of hunger and satiation. So far, so good. How are you doing?

judgementalmuch

After starting Belviq I was looking for the pros and cons and of course I run across this thread on this site. It would be great to lose weight the old fashioned way but sometimes there are medical reasons that does not work. Is it safer for me to have a lap band? No because overeating is not my problem. It took me 3 years to lose 40 pounds and I have maintained that loss for over a year. That 40 pounds was not my goal, 90 pounds was my goal. I picked up jogging and probably run 20 miles a week. I eat 1200 calories a day, I cut out processed foods, and I track what I eat. I keep track of my exercise on my fuel band and I make a goal of at least 10,000 steps a day. So all of this and I am still the same weight after a year and a half so I can prove I can maintain. What I cannot do is lose any more weight. My doctor is very much against weight loss drugs and surgeries. I once asked for a lap band and he handed me the diet recommended after the surgery and said if you do this you will lose weight. Belviq is the only drug his office will prescribe because after trying this with his borderline diabetic patients he saw the success and very little side effects. I have been on it a week and I have lost 8 pounds. So would the suggestion be versus taking pills that run 40 miles and week instead of 20? Maybe I could cut my caloric intake to 600 instead of 1200? I was not looking for a magic pill and I appreciate my doctor for suggesting this because I am positive if he had not seen the effort I put into the 40 pound weight loss he would not have prescribed it. I made real changes in my life and yes they did pay off but how about walking in my shoes all you people that are doing the same 1200 calories and exercising and not seeing any results for over a year and a half. I think you would be more likely to fall off the wagon that I am and I know this because I didn't get frustrated and give up. I didn't take supplements and buy into the horse crap that there is a magic pill like Lipozene or phentermine. I am doing this for me and yes I am aware of the side effects which is why I will be following up with my doctor monthly. I am also aware of the side effects of still having a BMI of 38 and the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and all the other super things that come along with obesity. Also I will check back in 6 months so the "wonder where they are now crowd" can either be justified or wrong. For those "eat right and exercise" people "I've been doing that"

freezemarine

chordonblue wrote: »

Hmmm...

Yes, I'd say I have a 'mental problem' with food. I'm a great cook, and I LOVE food, almost as much as I love life. That's a problem, and I freely admit it.

HOWEVER...

While I've always struggled with my weight (since my 30's), it wasn't until a near death experience with the flu, that things got out of control. Some time in 1998, I caught the flu, and it decided to stay with me for almost 2 months. Nothing the doctors did worked, and in the end, I ended up with pneumonia and a high fever. What I didn't know then was that although I eventually recovered, my thyroid did not, and I didn't discover this until 2004 when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Syndrome.

With my thyroid removed, it's been a roller coaster ride to figure how just what dosage of Synthroid I needed. At first, I was put on Levothyroxine, and I immediately felt better. But after a few years, I started feeling sluggish again, gained more weight, felt bad. They upped the dosage, but nothing seemed to work. I was switched to Synthroid, and it's been better, but not great.

But the weight I gained during that time never left me.

Now I tried Phentermine in 2002, and it worked. I lost 92 lbs., started eating right, exercising, felt better as a result (aside from the hyperactive side effects). But what I learned from Phen, was more than just good eating habits. I learned you could live life without being hungry all the time. Without plotting where the fast food places were on any trip. Without the constant thoughts. I slowly realized that this is what it must be like for thin people.

That effect, was certainly NOT a thyroid issue. Clearly, there's something else going on, and for a drug to make me feel 'normal', admittedly doesn't feel normal. It worked for 7 months, and at the end I was on the maximum dosage (37.5 mg). One slice of pizza on a fourth of July told me it wasn't working anymore. Pizza was <i>unthinkable</i>! My brain has finally wired itself around the drug - and I was still fighting the whole thyroid thing (although I didn't know it at the time).

From then on, I've made some honest, and not so honest lifestyle changes and dieting attempts, but at least I've never approached the 365 lbs. maximum I was in 1999 - and yes, I consider that a (small) victory.

So while it's easy for some of you out there to get all 'Susan Powter' on those of us struggling, desperate to find a way to control the cravings which derail any long term attempt to lose weight, keep in mind that everyone has a different story.

I'm writing this because I'm about to go pick up my first prescription of Belviq this morning. I've been seeing some good results here and elsewhere, and my doctor recommended this because the next stop is surgery - a route I don't relish but will do if I can't make this work. I don't take this lightly - it's expensive, and I already take enough pills as it is.

But here's the deal: I'm not giving up yet. I'm not ready for that first heart attack or stroke. My blood pressure, so far, has been controlled with meds, but those days will come to an end at some point if I can't get my weight down. And, of course, the meds contribute to an overall degradation in my mental and physical abilities - which is ridiculous. I will try this, and I will not be bullied by anyone suggesting I'm less of a person because I understand my own admitted weaknesses and how I need to approach this.

I am going to miss the Cannelloni with white wine sauce though...

How do you feel since you started the Belviq?

I had thy cancer in 2006 and had it and a bunch of lymph nodes removed. I went through the synthroid roller coaster and did good for several years. Im not sure what happened but I felt it wasn't working right and my doc wanted to try something else. I don't know if going into menopause has anything to do with it, but I now know I was premenepause then. So now i am on Tirosent and a different synthroid. Tirosent doesn't have any additives in it like the white powder to hold the pill together. It's expensive, but since being on the combo I have been doing good and finally able to lose some weight on my own. But I'd like to take something to kick start the last 20-30lbs.
PLEASE if you think your thy doc isn't listening to you, find another. Most endo's are into diabetes and thyroid is an after thought. I work for the Army and have seen many around the world. I have always gone back to my original one in wilmington, nc. I have GP's and OB/GYN's try to adjust my meds because they thought they knew more then him. I finallly got to the point a couple of years ago, that no matter where I am at in the world, I fly back to see Dr Azazi once a year for my check up. sorry abouth the soap box. I've jsut seen a lot of people since coming back to the states that get treated like 2nd class because they have a thy problem and not debates.

freezemarine

nine711 wrote: »

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know I am on day 19 of Belviq almost about to hit three weeks and I am down 13.6 pounds! This truly is a miracle for me...I have always been able to lose weight and keep it off then I had two babies in a row 20 months apart and it was super hard to lose weight. I initially lost 18 pounds on my own diet and crossfit! Then I plateaued bad for two months I could not get below the 200lb mark!!!

I went to the doctor and she talked to me about belviq at first I was very afraid of pills, since I have never been the meds person, but I decided to try out the two week trial and boy was I happy!

This pill truly works it doesn't change your eating or make you go work out, but it gives you the motivation to stop eating. I just don't feel that hungry anymore, so now I portion everything. Before I could eat a whole pizza now I can barely eat one and I don't really want pizza so I opt for something healthy.

I would recommend this to anyone that needs the extra push of motivation. Big con is my insurance will not cover Belviq, so I applied for the savings card at Costco I spend about $150 for a 30 day supply. It's not cheap, but already I know its worth it!!!

I will keep everyone posted 42 more pounds to go!!!

Do you still feel ok on it? is it one you will have to ween off of?

freezemarine

BobbiePaul wrote: »

I am on my 3rd day of BelviQ and Phentermine together...so far so good..No headaches, feel amazing and have already went down 2.5 pounds. I eat only Real whole food and work out 4-5 days a week. I have felt kind of drunk or super relaxed these last few days but with each day the effect are getting better and better. I'm proud of all the people that stood up for themselves when it came to the Naysayers on here. Those people have good intentions but obviously can lose weight on their own without any assistance. I used to be like that...and then when I hit 46 years old EVERYTHING seemed to change... I am the healthiest and most Fit I have ever been in my life yet the weight keeps piling on. Unacceptable to me. These pills were like a last chance workout for me. My doctor ran all kinds of tests to make sure I was in the right health physically and mentally in order to take these pills. I for one, thank God that I have them...Day 3 and I'm so positive and motivated that I can barely see straight. Good luck everyone..We got this! :bigsmile:

Wow I want your Dr. I didn't know any would do a combo of the 2 drugs. How much was that? Is Pehn covered by most insurance?

Desiree82079

Sorry, I have to speak up about the "you don't need a jump start" comment. No, not every one needs a "jump start" and can lose weight just by adjusting their caloric intake and exercising. I was able to do that last summer when I started interval jogging, and watching what I eat BUT there are people (and I am close to one) that are addicted to food like a drug. Medicines like Qsymia and Belviq are good for people like that because it helps diminish their appetites or "need" for food.

jakichan

FatCatsRule wrote: »

I asked why you are being prescribed Phentermine only because I believe there are safer weight loss medications available these days( ie. Belviq). Not sure if the newer meds work as well or as fast as Phentermine, so that is why I asked.

Well, my doctor has recently prescribed it. (Haven't decided to take it yet.) She thinks I'm stuck on a set point at the moment, and wants me to try this for a couple of months to see if I can get off of it and try to get moving down again.

sfranklin2012

I have been taking phentermine for 3 months now. I absolutely love it! I have had only two side effects: my scalp will tingle if I don't eat enough and I get dry mouth if I don't drink enough. Both of these are good reminders to me. For the first time in my life, I feel like a normal person who isn't obsessed with food. Willpower in a bottle is the best description I've ever heard. I make food choices rationally instead of impulsively. I stick to a 1200 calorie diet and walk daily. I feel great! I don't feel medicated, jacked up, hyper. So far, I have lost 24 pounds in 12 weeks. For all the naysayers, if I could simply eat less and exercise more, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. And I certainly wouldn't humiliate myself by asking 3 different doctors about meds before finally finding one who was willing to help me.

LAWoman72

I would love to hear more input on actual users of Belviq. I hate to say it, but I too am suspicious of people with a very low post count touting a specific for-sale product. So I'm hoping someone else is brave enough to chime in...?

My body has, for as long as I can remember, screamed at me for food. More food, more food, more food. I gritted my teeth and starved myself for many years (starving meaning, I would eat one meal per day - dinner - and no, it was not a gorge, it would be, for example, a hamburger and a vegetable side, and a small dessert) just to maintain what was really a normal weight - 100-112-ish at 5'1".

I have spent decades of my life fainting, losing hair, coming close to or actually losing jobs due to my brain simply not working, smoking up to three packs of cigarettes a day and drinking at least two pots of coffee per day (I no longer smoke, BTW) in order to stay standing on what amounted to less than 800 calories per day - to stay a NORMAL weight. To be fair though, I should add that I would break down every so often and outright binge. After X amount of days or weeks I just couldn't stand it any more, I'd binge, then hate myself and fast the next day...then go back to my one meal and lather, rinse, repeat.

In addition, I would be exercising daily. I did situps and pushups, really basic, easy stuff - or it probably would have been for someone capable of eating more than one meal a day without ballooning - but in addition, my "thing" was walking. I remember one night being stopped by the police because they had noticed me "wandering the neighborhood" for three hours. Yes, three hours. I was not done yet. I wanted to walk another hour. If I didn't, I knew I was going to have to skip dessert. This was after work and it was pitch-black out by that time. I had to pull out my ID to prove I actually lived in the neighborhood and was not just casing the joint or something. Sorry for the long explanation, just giving an example. By the way, at that time I believe I was 28 years old (27 or 28, I can't remember exactly) and this regimen was working less well than when I was younger, so I had gained - I was in my 120s. This was the regimen I had to maintain even to be toward the *upper* limit of my healthy weight range.

Anyway...something just SNAPPED one day after having my second son (I had had my first son 17 years earlier and was back down to 109 within six months) and...I...couldn't just not eat any more.

I have gained ONE HUNDRED pounds since that time (11 years ago).

My body screams, screams, screams, screams, screams at me to EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT...whether I have had 800 calories or 4000 calories. It. Never. Ends.

Ever.

I have lived my entire life hungry. My whole entire life. Hungry nearly every moment of it. I never remember a single event, of any kind, in any time or any place, at any degree of happiness or unhappiness, satisfaction or dissatisfaction without hunger attached.

I don't know if everybody fully understands that this is torture.

I am considering calling my doctor to see if I can ask her about Belviq. I don't know if she'll even be willing to prescribe it to me if I do ask - she's very conservative. But just in case she's willing to give it a try if I am...I truly just hope somebody out there who has had actual experiences with this product, and is not afraid of the obvious backlash s/he will be receiving for coming right out and saying so, will answer.

Or PM me.

Thanks for listening.

(Oh, I forgot to mention, I am hypothyroid - Hashi's, my antibodies were 1800+ and don't even ask about my TSH - and am medicated. But I can't and don't blame Hashi's for being fat. I blame whatever the heck this thing is I'm apparently possessed with - yeah, that's half-facetious...my whole entire life, that screams at me to eat, and never, never, never leaves me alone. Sorry, crying as I write this, I just...after 47 years feel like I can't take it any more but obviously I have to, because what's the alternative? I know this sounds like whining and I'm ashamed but I am just...falling apart over this after nearly half a century of it. It really WILL eventually drive you crazy. Again...thanks for listening...to anybody who has.)

HappilySingle

I am not sure what my post count is, but I visit mfp everday (just missed a day last week and broke my log on streak)..

Anywho, last Friday my doctor prescribed Belviq for me. I began taking it Saturday. Saturday was a crazy day and I didnt eat much as I was running around hosting 15 ten year olds for my son's bday. But when things finally calmed down I wasnt even interested in the chocolate covered oreos. Sunday I woke up and felt very "medicine head". I am also more thirsty than normal. I ate very little yesterday, but made sure to eat a healthy dinner. I am also very tired. And I am not sure if it si related but I have a small itchy rash on one wrist. This may be related to my hanging a pinanta in a tree however.

I have struggled to loose weight for many years. Two years ago I lost 50 pounds then hit a standstill. Closely 30 pounds came back on and despite watching my food and exercising 4-5 times a week I could not loose it. I am not looking for an easy fix, bit rather a jump start to get me back on track.

Liftng4Lis

More "magic" pills...sigh, just eat at a deficit.

Beaconkitty

I just took my first pill of Belviq today. I will let you know how it goes. I am 51 with 60 pounds to lose. I quit smoking 14 months ago and started bio identical hormones for bad menopause symptoms. I gained 40 lbs in a year. I am doing a lower carb diet as well and I am active.

latinarenee

I'm starting Belviq today. I'm so glad I found this thread. I really hope the pills help jump start the beginning of a better life for e! Good luck to everyone

kerridonnally

Desiree82079 wrote: »

Sorry, I have to speak up about the "you don't need a jump start" comment. No, not every one needs a "jump start" and can lose weight just by adjusting their caloric intake and exercising. I was able to do that last summer when I started interval jogging, and watching what I eat BUT there are people (and I am close to one) that are addicted to food like a drug. Medicines like Qsymia and Belviq are good for people like that because it helps diminish their appetites or "need" for food.

right on! I'm a juvenile diabetic, diagnosed at 9 years of age and have hormonal imbalances that wreak havoc on my weight and cause problems with weight loss. It's also not easy as you get older either. What works for one may not work for another. Qsymia is just an appetite suppressant and nothing wrong with trying something to help yourself become healthier if it doesn't cause an additional problem.

sassiebritches

joette3 wrote: »

Got an idea: How about the APP (anti-pill persons) start your own topic about how horrible diet medication is and we PROMISE we won't go on it to "bully" you.



How bout that?

Yup, reminds me of Liberals bitching about everything...if it's not their way we are Gun Totin', Bible Thumping, Baby Saving, Bigots......

LoeshaElizabeth

Everyone says 'just eat a calorie deficit and you will loose weight' but for some itsnot that simple. I know for me I knew HOW to loose weight but I just didnt have the will power to do so. The pills allowed me to stop seeing food as a ravenous delicious emotional fat bowl and start seeing it as fuel for my body, eating until satisfied not stuffed and controlling what when and how much I ate. Ive come off them now and im still loosing weight as I dobt get rediculously hungry with cravings for vad food anymore, they were just what I needed. That said it isnt tge best way and they arnt magic, education in what ur body needs, portion control and increased exercise Will never fail Iin the weightliss department. I took skinny medical a garnica pill.

MonsoonStorm

I was absolutely astounded to see on page 1 that one of the drugs mentioned is based on Topamax...
As someone who has epilepsy, this drug has a terrible reputation for making you "dumb", clouding your thinking and affecting your memory, (yes, weight loss is also a side effect of this drug). It's nickname is Dopamax, because of how stupid it makes you feel. People with epilepsy tend to take it because they have to, not because they want to.

I wish I could say I was surprised by the fact that the maker of topamax decided to try and cash in on this side effect (whilst also being able to essentially renew a patent on an existing med), but in all honesty I'm not. It doesn't make me any less horrified that they've gone this route though.

One other point... since topamax is a SEIZURE medication, then it should also be pointed at that, as with any other seizure medication, if you suddenly stop taking it, then it could provoke a seizure.

I would honestly say to anyone considering taking any pills of any kind whatsoever to please do your research and decide if you really believe it to be worth it.

Why would anyone want to risk a seizure to lose a few pounds is beyond me...