Phentermine: Tips
Kayy_Whitson
Posts: 7 Member
Hello! I just started taking 37.5 phentermine pills and watching my diet and have lost 3lbs in 3 days. I am wondering if anyone is or has taken this and if there are any tips to help with the weight loss and get the most out if the pills. Any suggestions would be great! TIA
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Replies
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My tip would be to leave them in the packet and start calorie counting instead.0
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Honestly, I tried that and just wasn't losing what I needed to. I'm 24 yo and gained a lot of weight after my child was born in 2011. The phentermine is to help with energy, cravings, and to jump start the weightloss so I can live a healthy life.0
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If you're determined to use them, my only advice is - listen to your body. Listen very, very closely. If you start to feel off, or wrong, or unwell, or bad - take note and contact your doctor.0
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Count anyway. Get in the habit of tracking yourself. Get in the habit of checking labels, weighing food, being more active. This will make maintenance easier after you get off the pill. I hope your doc is doing close medical supervision while on the phentermine.0
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My tip is be careful, very careful! I sent you a request/message0
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Are you weighing your foods and measuring liquids ? If not, I'd learn all about that now. Learn portion control, moderation. Learn how to weigh everything out ,log it here accurately. Because in a few short weeks that doctor will pull your prescription and 10-1 you will resort back to your old ways if you hadn't bothered to learn anything .
Pills are a quick fix . for lasting success ,you need to learn as much as possible. These are lessons that diet pills can't teach.
If you eat at a deficit- you will lose weight. No pills needed. There's no short cuts to lasting success- you gotta work for it.
So try to learn as much as possible now because they won't write them for a long time at all.0 -
RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »My tip would be to leave them in the packet and start calorie counting instead.
This.
I've been down that road before. It wasn't fun. I wouldn't recommend the pills to anyone and you couldn't pay me to take them again.0 -
I took them back in 2002 when I lost all my weight with WW. They quit working very quickly if you take them everyday, like within 2-3 weeks you are pretty much immune to them, then it will take a few months of not taking them before you get it all out of your system. Therefore, I would only use them when I knew I was going to have a tough day such as a party or event where there would be food everywhere, and even then I usually only took 1/2 of it. So I would suggest using them sparingly, while still counting calories and learning the proper portions. I got some phentermine last fall, but haven't taken them yet, not even sure why I got them, guess I had to have that crutch in my hand for security.0
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My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.0
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No personal experience and wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.
I remember a recent thread by a young woman who ended up with massive heart problems. I thought that must have been pretty scary. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10329901/phentermine/p1
It's not rocket science. CICO.0 -
My tip would be not to use diet pills of any kind. You need to learn how to eat the proper amount of calories for the rest of your life. These pills teach you nothing and are hard on your heart. Legal speed.0
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I have personal experience with phentermine, and I can say that it was awesome to see the rapid weight loss.....but! There were so many more negatives that outweighed that.
I would forget to eat all together. Now, while this seems like an awesome thing, but it really isn't. Your body is MEANT to run on food, not pharmaceuticals. My boss would sit food on my desk for lunch because he saw that I was losing weight rapidly...and it was because I wasn't eating while I was taking it. Too many of those lunches went uneaten.
I, too, thought that it would help me jump start a healthy lifestyle and it would only be for a little bit - Well, it didn't. I was prescribed phentermine by a doctor who outright stated "I hate fat people." Guess what? I was a fat people, and the only thing that he would prescribe for me is drugs to get the weight off as fast as possible. He didn't get to the root of the problem (ultimately my weight was a side effect of emotional binge eating that I went to a therapist to work through). I thought I deserved to be hated because I was fat. That just isn't true. I took myself off of it after four months because I was turning into a person I didn't know, and I didn't like her. I was mean and angry and horrible. I was also a single mom who had to be emotionally stable for my son. This didn't help. At. All. While it temporarily "cured" me being fat, it wasn't magical, it didn't ultimately make me change my habits, and it only made me gain MORE weight after I got off of it...because it didn't teach my body anything!
What HAS helped is me realizing that if my diet isn't sustainable for the rest of my life, then I shouldn't be eating that way. I eat real, whole food, trying my hardest to stay away from processed food, and learning what works for my body. My body doesn't like processed sugar, but honey and agave nectar is great! My body doesn't like processed white flour, but whole grain/whole wheat works well for me. I started to learn my body when I followed Beachbody's 21 Day Fix eating plan. When I went off of it, I would add things back in and see how my body would react. Now I know how it responds to food, and I try to stick with it as closely as I can - because it works and it makes sense and it's sustainable.
Ultimately, you need to learn how your body works best. If you haven't already, I would recommend doing a complete physical to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions, and then get on a sustainable healthy eating plan. Keep trying, but PLEASE put down the phentermine! I've been there, and there is nothing good that can come from it.
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coreyreichle wrote: »My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.
sorry, not true.
phentermine is a clinically proven drug to assist in weight loss. It's an amphetamine.
My advice? Listen to your body. Take this time to get in the habit of tracking your food and making healthy habits which you intend to maintain after your run with phentermine is over.
MANY many many people regain weight after quitting phentermine. So taking this time to learn these skills is incredibly important.
Also, if you have heart palpitations, sweats, dizziness, nausea, etc. please speak to your physician. Phentermine is a very serious drug, and in my opinion should only be taken by those who absolutely need it.0 -
Phentermine may be proven to help with weight loss, but it says that "Phentermine is used for a limited period of time to speed weight loss in overweight people who are exercising and eating a low-calorie diet." So , the person needs to be on a low calorie diet and exercising.
Here is the thing: eating a low calorie diet (caloric deficit) and exercising is what causes weight loss. So why add a drug that can cause serious complications. I am losing weight to ditch the pills that I HAVE to take to keep me healthy, why would I take another pill that I don't need to ?
Add to that the "speed" weight loss. Research has shown that most people who lose weight fast will gain it back.
Finally, if it is masking hunger, how does that help you to learn how to deal with your hunger in the long run? It just seems like it would promote a vicious cycle of taking the pill for a few weeks, losing weight, then not taking the pill and gaining weight, then back to taking the pills, etc...
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No personal experience and wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.
I remember a recent thread by a young woman who ended up with massive heart problems. I thought that must have been pretty scary. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10329901/phentermine/p1
It's not rocket science. CICO.
You beat me to it.
I took phentermine, learned nothing as it artificially suppressed my appetite, and gained back all the weight when I went off it.0 -
It really helped me lose weight during the 30 days that I was on them, but not only did I gain back the 20 lbs I lost, I gained an additional 30lbs on top of that within 3 months of taking the pills.0
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I took them twice years ago. I lost lots of weight, twice. Learned absolutely nothing about maintaining the weightless afterwards, twice. Gained it all back plus more, twice.
Unless you learn new habits and change your food relationship you WILL gain the weight back. The pills by themselves are a TEMPORARY fix and CAN BE very dangerous.0 -
Um....rainbowbow wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.
sorry, not true.
phentermine is a clinically proven drug to assist in weight loss. It's an amphetamine.
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There are enough horror stories on mfp and other sites about heart issues and other nasty side effects...not to mention more than half state gaining all the weight back and plus some (see above comments). I personally would try the CICO method and make sure there aren't any underlying medical issues that are deterring weightloss. From what I've read most of the users of this drug tend to yo-yo diet and if you are seriously trying to make a lifestyle change, this isn't the best way imo. GL0
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SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
Um....rainbowbow wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.
sorry, not true.
phentermine is a clinically proven drug to assist in weight loss. It's an amphetamine.
it is.
Phentermine, a contraction of "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is a psychostimulant drug of the substituted amphetamine chemical classes, with pharmacology similar to amphetamine. It is used medically as an appetite suppressant.0 -
Your profile says you want to be healthy for your child. The reason any prescription medicine requires a prescription is because it is dangerous and has potentially bad side effects.
I suggest you toss the pills and do it the old fashioned way. Artificially suppressing your appetite only works as long as you continue taking the pills. When you stop the pills you will most likely put it all back on plus more. Ever hear of yo-yo dieting? You are at the beginning of the cycle.0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
Um....rainbowbow wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.
sorry, not true.
phentermine is a clinically proven drug to assist in weight loss. It's an amphetamine.
it is.
Phentermine, a contraction of "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is a psychostimulant drug of the substituted amphetamine chemical classes, with pharmacology similar to amphetamine. It is used medically as an appetite suppressant.
I wasn't disputing that it is, rather expressing concern that it is. Taking a derivative of amphetamine seems to be a rather extreme solution. What are the reported side effects of this weight-loss drug?0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
Um....rainbowbow wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.
sorry, not true.
phentermine is a clinically proven drug to assist in weight loss. It's an amphetamine.
it is.
Phentermine, a contraction of "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is a psychostimulant drug of the substituted amphetamine chemical classes, with pharmacology similar to amphetamine. It is used medically as an appetite suppressant.
Yup.0 -
Kayy_Whitson wrote: »Hello! I just started taking 37.5 phentermine pills and watching my diet and have lost 3lbs in 3 days. I am wondering if anyone is or has taken this and if there are any tips to help with the weight loss and get the most out if the pills. Any suggestions would be great! TIA
I was on it for three months because my thyroid problems make weight loss impossible. I did lose 10 pounds. I had no appetite at all the first week and tons of energy, but went pretty much back to normal after that, though it did continue helping my metabolism.
However, once you go off of it, things WILL go back to "normal," whatever that is for you. So my advice is to establish a routine, get into healthy habits and then STICK TO THEM when you go off. Assuming you have no medical issues that interfere with weight loss, you should be able to continue losing and do fine without the pills.
Personally, without my medical condition, I wouldn't have bothered with pills. Before thyroid problems, simply watching calories and exercising was all I needed to lose weight.0 -
SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
Um....rainbowbow wrote: »coreyreichle wrote: »My biggest tip with these pills are to not buy them. The only weight you lose is in your wallet.
sorry, not true.
phentermine is a clinically proven drug to assist in weight loss. It's an amphetamine.
it is.
Phentermine, a contraction of "phenyl-tertiary-butylamine", is a psychostimulant drug of the substituted amphetamine chemical classes, with pharmacology similar to amphetamine. It is used medically as an appetite suppressant.
I wasn't disputing that it is, rather expressing concern that it is. Taking a derivative of amphetamine seems to be a rather extreme solution. What are the reported side effects of this weight-loss drug?
The same typical side effects of other drugs of this type. You'll notice it's also very similar to many ADHD drugs.
"Dizziness, dry mouth, difficulty sleeping, irritability, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation may occur. If these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
This medication may raise your blood pressure. Check your blood pressure regularly and tell your doctor if the results are high.
Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat, mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, uncontrolled anger, hallucinations, nervousness), uncontrolled muscle movements, change in sexual ability/interest.
Stop taking this medication and seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: severe headache, slurred speech, seizure, weakness on one side of the body, vision changes (e.g., blurred vision).
This drug may rarely cause serious (sometimes fatal) lung or heart problems (pulmonary hypertension, heart valve problems). The risk increases with longer use of this medication and use of this drug along with other appetite-suppressant drugs/herbal products. If you notice any of the following unlikely but very serious side effects, stop taking this medication and consult your doctor or pharmacist right away: chest pain, difficulty breathing with exercise, decreased ability to exercise, fainting, swelling of the legs/ankles/feet."0 -
Be prepared for your appetite to come back with a vengeance once you come off the pills (you'll have to at some point. It's inevitable). You will be on your own again and will have to maintain the same eating habits as you did while you were on them, but without the benefit of a suppressed appetite. Good luck.0
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Wow, that doctor sucks. He let his own BS get in the way of actually helping you, and instead inflicted more harm to your body and to your mental health.Beauty_For_Ashes wrote: »I was prescribed phentermine by a doctor who outright stated "I hate fat people." Guess what? I was a fat people, and the only thing that he would prescribe for me is drugs to get the weight off as fast as possible. He didn't get to the root of the problem (ultimately my weight was a side effect of emotional binge eating that I went to a therapist to work through). I thought I deserved to be hated because I was fat.
Of course it isn't. That doctor deserves to get his head kicked in.Beauty_For_Ashes wrote: »That just isn't true0 -
Also realize that phentermine may show up positive for amphetamines on drug screening tests. Confirmatory tests *should* rule it out, but be prepared to carry your prescription with you if there is any chance you might undergo screening (for a job or anything like that).0
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My advice is to track what you eat and get into a routine while you're on it. It will definitely suppress your appetite. I was on them for a month, then my doc had me take a break for a week before going on them again. During that week my appetite came back full force. But since I was in a routine of eating healthy portions I didn't have an issue with continuing on my way. I lost 15lbs the first five weeks. If you can, talk to a nutritionist. Use this time to get active and in a healthy eating routine!
Yes, you may have to remind yourself to eat. I've started to do meal prep so that my meals are ready for me and I force myself to eat them. You may also want to take a multi vitamin if you're not already. Last, DRINK A LOT OF WATER! I get dry mouth so bad but it doesn't come on heavily if I'm drinking water regularly. Water will also help with any constipation side effect you may have and will keep you hydrated.0 -
Thanks for all the informative replies, I should've been clearer. I have had trouble losing weight even on a diet and have been working on my proportions and healthy lifestyle for a month before I started the pills. They are to help me start losing weight since I'm having trouble losing weight on my own since I am practically healthy. I'm currently a nursing student and have studied the drug and nutrition excessively before I decided to take it. I am just looking for ideas on tips to help jump start the weightloss.
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