Phentermine

jnkimbler

Has anyone ever tried the weight-loss pill that the doctor prescribed? I am thinking about it ~ I have been exercising and eating right for 5 weeks and have only lost 1 pound!! Please help!!!

KimSchnizleinWECHANGED

The pill is phentremine, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. In the 90's it was 1/2 of the Phen-Fen mix that is responsible for heart damage and some deaths. There was/is a class action suit that is associated. I took Phen-Fen, and although I didn't suffer any of the damages from it ... I just think the possible problems outweigh any possible benefit. I won't lie ... I lost about 80lbs .... But here I am!! It didn't stay off ... IMHO diet, exercise, and cal counting are the best solutions for long-term affects!

laughingdani

I have never tried it but my best friend has been on it "on and off" for the last few years. It makes her have no appetite what so ever. She has literally gone days with eating nothing, and that's just not healthy. Her doc prescribes it for her whenever she wants it. She usually loses a lot of weight the first few weeks, but she has had severe side effects from it. She started having heart palpitations anytime she did any physical activity and has come close to blacking out multiple times. Usually when she does this she will stop taking it for a while and start back again. When she stops taking it she gains all the weight back instantly. She finally stopped taking it altogether and has been working out and eating right and has lost 20 lbs just this summer. This is just her experience and my opinion. If I were YOU I wouldn't do it. I am against diet pills anyway. But the choice is yours. She had a really big scare earlier this year while taking it and workin with horses, running around. She almost ended up going to the hospital. There may be some people who have had positive results from it, but like I said I wouldn't take the risk. I hope this helps.

ashlee954

My mom took it. She lost 30 pounds. The doctor pulled her off of it when she entered into a "healthy" weight range (normal BMI). She was mad because normally she is still 25 pounds lighter but the drug has so many negative side effects that the doctors cannot keep you on it unless you are classified as overweight or obese. She had to get her liver enzymes and blood pressure checked once per month and it had a three month max on it because it's so dangerous (liver, heart, and kidney issues). Also, one of the side effects is major irritability and mood swings!

Timborino

Several years ago I tried Meridia. It was ineffective and raised my blood pressure and I have been on BP meds since. That may have been a coincidence but I still connect the two mentally.

The body takes time to adjust to changes in eating habits and metabolism. The natural inclination is to preserve the body's current state. You'll find over time weight will come off in spurts. You may lose two or three pounds a week and then go several without losing any. I think if you read anyone's story on this site you'll see that pattern often. The key is not get impatient, be diligent and count your calories.

Mesmereyes

I have taken it at 2 different times before. It worked miracles the first time, the second time no so much. Before joining MFP, I wanted to try it again. But it is dangerous, in my opinion. You have to have your blood pressure closely monitored. I don't have all of the scientific facts as to why it is dangerous but my experience has been that before starting Phentermine, my blood pressure was normal. After those two rounds of Phentermine, my blood pressure is so high I am now on prescibed medicine and weigh they same as when I first started with the Phentermine. Might just be coincidence, and my food choices most likely had a lot to do with i,t but in my mind the Phentermine was the catalyst for the increased BP.

bonnienm

Phentermine is not the part of Phen Fen that caused heart problems. It works but can make you jittery. It can also cause insomnia because it speeds up your metabolism. It works but as stated before, the weight will come back unless you change your eating habits/lifestyle.

jnkimbler

Thank you all for your responses! I have canceled my appointment with the 'diet doctor'. I will just continue to eat healthy and exercise, hopefully it'll pay off soon!!!

BrandyHuff

I took Phentermine about 15 years ago. I did lose alot of weight taking it, but gained it right back plus some. Basically I had no appetite while taking it. I do remember that it made me very jumpy and I would stay up until like 2 in the morning. You can lose all the weight you want on it, but unless you eat right, exercise and drink plenty of water you are going to gain it back. IMHO, it's not a solution, just a quick fix. I personally would not recommend it. I know it is tough, but just keep doing what you are doing and you will see results. For me, knowing that I am doing this on my own, without the help of medication, makes the victory even sweeter.

KarenBorter

Thank you all for your responses! I have canceled my appointment with the 'diet doctor'. I will just continue to eat healthy and exercise, hopefully it'll pay off soon!!!

Good

Honestly, I have been using this site for 1 week and have lost 4 lbs. Granted I realize that it is water weight and the not drinking but I also that stepping up my exercise and REALLY logging everything I am eating is going to help. This is the best way to lose and keep weight off!

leanmass24

In a nutshell it suppresses the appetite and raises your blood pressure and heart rate. Which makes your heart have to work harder and your body temperature rises. This makes you burn more calories. It does work, but it puts you at risk for alot of medical problems. If you already have high blood pressure they will not give it to you. I used to take ephedrine based products back when they were the "best weight loss supplement" until I found out what the risks were. They work, but I think the risks far out weigh the benefits. I just hope I didnt do any permanent damage by doing what I did. I was a healthy weight and in really good shape back then. I just took it to give me more energy. Made me feel like I could do anything, i didnt know that it could cause me to have a stroke or other problems.

daddydub

Do not take it. I took it and had the blood pressure and weight bounce back issues that everyone else talks about. Stay away from this quick fix. It doesn't work.

keith0373

It is worth a shot if you have low blood pressure. It is just a very mild amphetamine and probably better for you than caffine based diet pills. I have taken it during most of my weight loss. In the beginning i just started exercising and over the last month I did not take it and still had and am having good results. That being said, I didn't lose weight signicantly faster on it, but it did supress my appetite while I was learning to eat right. I weaned myself off of it slowly, by cutting pills into halves then quarters. I also have very low blood pressure ( I average about 104/64 with and without the pills), so that part was not a worry.

To go with that, I average about 1000 calories of exercise a day now and eat about 1/2 to 3/4 of those calories. That seems to work for me no matter what and I have lost 70 lbs in less than 6 months. I am losing more slowly now, but have alot less to lose. I still went down 2 lbs this week and 8 in the last month or so though.

sassiebritches

I did Phentermine and it worked. But it will make your mouth dry and it will cause jitteryness...you will go on it 3 months off 1 month on 3 until you are at healthy weight. I lost 70 lbs, but a year later with lax eating I gained it all plus 50 back. I tried to get on it and it did not have the same effect as it did the first time, made me tired and irritable...I have heard that from many people.

I think you need to adjust what you are doing now. What is your plan now? Maybe you should look into changing something.....up the cals, lower the cals, more exercise, less exercise.....food choices? I felt the same until I started Atkins and eating low carb...and now that I am 3 weeks in and 12 pounds down I feel great and look good too........I would say stay away from the pills and find YOUR plan!

Good luck

keith0373

I agree with sassie. It was just a tool and part of the plan for me. I don't think it needs to be used by anyone, but it does make things easier. I am stuck with logging calories and exercising for the rest of my life though. I just made the choice to give up playing games and watching TV and exercising during that time instead.