phentermine/topomax

ktliu

I highly recommend this book, I read it 2 years ago before I started on my phentermine journey.
http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-The-Hunger-Switch/dp/0735203008/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374860927&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=shutting+off+the+hunger+switch

All I can tell you is the drug gave me the motivation to hit the gym hard everyday. And subsequently need to eat clean. I have 6 months and lost close to 40 lbs. This is not a magic pill. For me the excess energy from this pill is energizing yet somewhat irritating, So the only way to fight this off is to exercise hard.

Also I would recommend NOT doing the full dose. Get the pill and experiment with it, , I started with half a 37.5 mg and it was okay. nothing crazy, and one day I decided to see what happen if I take a whole pill. I don't like that feeling at all. So I start cutting it with an Xacto knife and found out 60-75% is my sweet spot, got the energy to go out and not having that laser focused feeling.

Some people worry about the heart rate issue, right now, my standing heart rate is between 60-75. I'm on track to lose all my meds in Diabetic, High cholesterol and High blood pressure. You are the only one that can be the judge of this pill. Not anyone else.

By the way, I'm in the best health of my life. I have muscle tone, I enjoyed Zumba classes 3 times a week. I work out everyday, Just did over 1400 calories worth of biking this morning. The pill can only do so much, if you sit on it and not wanting to change your life. Pill won't do it for you.

Bakernicolep

I'm currently taking topomax for migraines... I don't know much about the first medication but I do have allot of experience with topomax. I get migraines called hemiplegic migraines and they are incredibly awful and there is nothing you can do once you get one except deal with it cus currently there is no medication that will make the migraine stop or lessen its effects. The Dr. put me on the medication to prevent ever getting a migraine, but I still do not have any medication if in case i do get a migraine. I would never take this medicine if I didn't have to, I always outweigh the risk-benefit factor but because my migraines would stop me from having a normal lifestyle i do take them. MY first question is how much medication the Dr prescribed, because the different levels can influence you. WIth this medication comes allot of risk factors and side effects. I didn't notice them the first few months but after awhile when taking 2 pills I had awful feelings with the medication and again i couldn't function regularly because I could hardly finish a sentence and I always got a numb sensation/weird bodily feelings. The Dr. reduced my meds to 1 pill and it's been a whole world better still have some side effects like mixing words up, having trouble with memory and takes me longer than usual to recall things. However the good side effect is that soda tastes like crap. ANYWAYS long story short I am almost shocked your Dr. would prescribe this medication for weightloss being the side effects can be very extreme and at times hard to handle, even my Dr. was hesitant with keeping me on the medication but do to the alternative I am still on it. As for weightloss taking one pill doesn't really do much... when I took 2 pills I could shed weight like no problem. But i'd rather no weightloss than deal with the awful side effects i had been dealing with on 2. Anyways you could just try the meds out, everyones different, but I do caution you that with this medication it is an anti-convulsion medication and is extremely strong... take it if you absolutely believe you should.

angelwings0110

Just an fyi, being in the medical field myself, I just want to clarify the reason that doctors prescribe the two seperate pills. It is because insurances will not pay for the Qysmia alone. The doctor I work with prescribes Adipex (phenermine) all the time. It works for a short period. It does help those that want to surpress their appetite in order to figure out how to eat healthier and less. It is not a permanent fix by no means. I would not take it any longer than 3 months. Which should give you enough time to "revamp" your eating habbits and get into a routine of eating ealthier and exercise. That is what we advise our patients to do.

ostrichagain

Its funny you ask that. She was saying how so many of her patients love it and are having great success so my guess is she is prescribing it for a lot of her patients. I'm gonna listen to my gut and get back on the exercise tip and do this myself. I can't even believe I entertained this foolishness. Thanx everyone.

Sounds like she's running her own little informal clinical trial. I hope you consider finding a new doctor who's long-term health goals are more in line with your own.

shortmomma81

I took phentermine at one point many years ago and it made me completely crazy. I had incredible strenght and focus, I was moving heavy furniture around and I could workout for 4 hours nonstop, I was running marathons with no effort. BUT I was picking fights with everyone. It's not at all like me, I'm usually sweet as sugar but then I was swearing like a sailor. I wanted to fight, physically hurt everyone. I got off of it when I got into a parking lot fight with someone that took the parking spot I wanted.

Tamilda

My Internal Med.Dr. prescribed Topamax for me to lose weight, period. A. I didn't become stupid. B. My hair didn't fall out. C. My heart doesn't beat erratically. D. I am not fatigued. etc. Everyone reacts differently to every medication. Become informed and keep your Dr. up to speed on any and all side effects if any. Sheesh, you can bleed to death from aspirin too.....

Iron_Lotus

quick fixes are just that. Once you get to where you want to be with the drugs you will stop taking them and that's when you will gain the weight back. Form good eating habits, eat at a deficit, exercise and have long term success.

twentytwentythree

I was prescribed topamax a few years ago as an alternative mood stabilizer. It ended up just making me extremely irritable as I was on it for an extended period of time. I had hand tremors, blurred vision, slow thinking etc. It definitely affected my ability to communicate and i felt dumbed down on the medication. I did lose weight while on it, but I was also eating healthy and working out. with a trainer, so who knows what exactly the weight loss was attributed to.

I've heard that long term use of topamax can cause metabolic problems or thyroid issues. I'm not sure if that's fact or not, but I did develop a thyroid issue a few years after taking it. I ended up gaining about 50 lbs back and I'm struggling to lose it now. I wouldn't advise anyone to rely on medication for weight loss, especially with all the side effects. It's not worth it and the likelihood of you gaining weight back after stopping the medication is pretty high especially if you aren't teaching yourself proper portion control, exercising regularly and eating within calorie ranges. Meds will only cure symptoms (weight gain) and will never solve the actual problem (unhealthy eating, inactivity, large portions, eating disorder, medical problem attributed to thyroid or metabolic issues etc)

hzliiz

Just be wary of side effects. I've already posted a long bit about my heinous experience with phentermine. Short version = seriously feared that I would keel over dead from a heart attack at the tender age if 38. And gained all plus more back. As for topamax, yep took that for a bit as well for migraines. Dopamax/stupemax -- yes it turned me into an idiot. Couldn't think clearly, would lose track of what I was doing midstream. I am so happy to be med free other than birth control. Side effects -- the cure becomes worse than the sickness sometimes! Best of luck to you OP and please do be cautious!

Cindy393

I'm really surprised she prescribed it to you with only having 25 lbs to lose. I was about 85 lbs overweight and my doctor gave them to me. I was on them for 3 months, and it was a miracle. What it did for me was took the cravings away, as well as gave me energy (not bouncing off the walls-type) and also surpressed my appetite. It cause dry mouth which made me drink a ton of water. It also helped me realize that while I had no cravings, I learned that I could really do without all that bad food. I learned so much during those 3 months, and for the first time ever (I'm 51) I got my head on straight, so that when I got off the phen, I continued my journey on my own. It was just a tool that I needed to jumpstart my weight loss journey. It's not a miracle drug. It worked for me and I'm thrilled with what I learned to keep going for the rest of my life.

TheCaren

My thinking is this.

If the only thing standing between you and losing those 25 pounds is a need to supress your appetite, then the meds will probably work.

But what's going to happen when you inevitably quit taking them and your appetite returns? I know it's really hard to stay "on the wagon" as you adjust to a new lifestyle, but I worry about relying on a medication you're only going to take during weight loss to be effective at helping you SUSTAIN your weight loss. It doesn't teach you how to move past those "craving" moments and reroute your thinking to a healthier way of life once you're no longer taking the medication.

If you must take them, maybe commit to only taking it for 30 days while you "jump start" your weight loss. But be careful about quitting this class of drugs "cold turkey". Do it under doctor's recommended methods.

michellechawner

If you were very overweight and it was causing major health problems... MAYBE.

Not for 25 pounds. :noway:

I agree with this - my ticker shows 16 lbs, however, overall I have lost 43 pounds with NO PILLS. Just hard work and good food.

With only 25 to lose, I don't think this drug is worth it. I think the side effects are worse than what the drug is made to do, the bad outweigh the good from what I'm reading.

DefyGravity810

I tried Topamax for headaches and it was awful. Probably THE WORST medication I've ever tried. Everyone will be different of course but it gave me anxiety, hot flashes followed by feeling like I was freezing, joint pain, chest pain, dizziness, and absolutely no appetite. Weight loss is probably a side effect because you just don't eat anything. It basically made me anorexic - I was having trouble even finishing a single piece of toast without feeling disgusted and nauseous. I had absolutely no energy, I actually didn't think it was possible to feel that bad. I stayed on it for a several days to see if the side effects would subside but I just couldn't take it any more.

I've lost 67 pounds though and if I can do that I know you can lose those 25 and you'll feel far better doing it by eating better and exercise than you will taking Topamax.