Anyone taking Phentermine

scoutmom1981
scoutmom1981 Posts: 302 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My dr has started me on Phentermine. I have been taking it for three weeks. I was wondering how other's experiences have been?

Replies

  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,242 Member
    edited August 2023
    Hey Scout!

    I admit to being, TBH, shocked to see you pop up as the OP as I believe you have a professional background that would flag amphetamines? Were other options tried first before the amphetamine was prescribed?

    2023 being the year of GLP-1, if I were contemplating this today I would go: Hmmm: what do I know about risk factors and long term bad outcomes: surgery, amphetamines, glp-1 agonist drugs, no drugs.

    Let's see (naval gazing): lots of bads, lots of bads, unknown bads, no drug related bads

    Ergo: I would probably take my chances with the last two before going with one of the first two.

    It is an amphetamine. It is known to have side effects that could be on the serious side. Even when well tolerated it would be for short term use only.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,242 Member
    There exist several older threads discussing, btw

    Yes it suppresses appetite and increases NEAT, successfully for most.

    I use caffeine from coffee and diet/zero pop as a non prescription substitute that achieves a low grade version of these effects.

    Meth would be a non prescription substitute towards the other extreme--and just a tiny bit illegal and very terrible as an idea!🙀
  • scoutmom1981
    scoutmom1981 Posts: 302 Member
    @PAV8888 I have my own private practice so it won't flag. Also if you have a prescription for a medication that flags a test then they let it go as long as it is legal.

    I really haven't had any side effects. Which is slightly disappointing as I was looking forward to more energy. I don't plan to stay on it long term. Really only for the next month then I'm off it. Just looking to see if anyone had any personal stories abotu it.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I freaking LOVED phen/fen back in the 90s. Did not get the same results from phentermine alone after fenfluramine was taken off the market.

    I just started taking Contrave this week and am skipping my afternoon naps. The protocol is one pill to start and work up to four pills after a month. One pill feels a little speedy; I can't imagine four pills, and am going to talk to the pharmacist next week about titrating more slowly and perhaps stopping at two pills.

    Here's someone else's personal story about phentermine:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10329901/phentermine/p1
    itschanelle wrote: »
    I have seen a lot of posts on and off about this and other weight loss drugs. I can vouch that they absolutely work. I have lost a lot weight using Phentermine on and off throughout about a 10 year span.

    BUT...

    The weight doesn't stay off. And those side effects? They are real.

    You could take Phentermine and lose the weight, but you might end up like me. I'm 30 years old, slightly over weight, and have moderate tricuspid valve regurgitation. As in, I might need open heart surgery because my heart was damaged by Phentermine. To be clear, I never took it for more than a few months at a time, was monitored by a doctor, and did everything "right".

    My lifespan has likely been shortened to lose a few pounds. Weight I could have lost on my own with a little bit of gumption. It wasn't worth it.

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