Has anyone tried phentermine?

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  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    I tried it. It took away my appetite so I never ate, I lost about 20 pounds. I also never slept, my scalp felt like it was crawling, my heart raced and it cost me a copay at the doctors office plus the cost of the medication itself. When I stopped taking it I gained back all of the weight and I am currently losing the same weight all over again. I still have some left in a drawer at home that I have thought about taking from time to time but then I remember the way I felt while taking it. I am losing weight this time at the same rate of time without all the weird effects of the pill. I am just reducing calorie intake and moving more often. Every pound I lose is more incentive to push for that next pound. Plus MFP has been an awesome daily motivator!!!
    OH YEAH THATS RIGHT I FORGOT
    The main reason I stopped taking it, two years ago, is my hair started falling out!!! Like so much that my husband (who never notices ANYTHING) noticed the globs of hair in the trash!! What good is being 'skinny' if your BALD!!!:noway: :frown: :sick: :cry: :sad:
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    It's basically legal crack.
    Lina!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :tongue:
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    Yes, I have tried it and I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.

    I knew of several other people who had tried it and lost a good amount of weight with relatively NO exercise. They, too, had nothing but good things to say about it. I mean of course they would, right? They lost a ton of weight, so of course they will sing its praises!

    I just posted a blog on this topic (entitled DAY 61) and I am now against this pill. It worked for me in that I lost 14 lbs within 2 weeks. I had a ton of energy and got a lot of stuff done around my house, etc. I felt that way for about 2-3 weeks and then it was like that feeling just stopped. My heart was constantly racing, I felt very nervous all of the time, and I was very emotional- especially after the first 2-3 weeks on the pill.

    So let me give you my pro's and con's...

    PRO's
    1. 14 lbs lost in 2 weeks. Yaay!

    CON's
    1. Scalp crawls constantly
    2. Extreme heart racing
    3. Extreme nervousness
    4. Irritability towards my friends and family
    5. Dry mouth CONSTANTLY
    6. Loss of sleep
    7. MONEY...because it sure ain't free

    Even now I feel like I am still having reactions to this pill and I've been off of it for 2 months.

    You may have different reactions to this pill, though, so by no means am I saying this effects are for everyone. I just wish I would have listened to my mother when she told me not to take it!

    ALL OF HER CONS ARE TRUE!
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    My Dr. actually just prescribed it to me on Wednesday. So far as of today I have lost 2.8lbs. I feel great on it so far!

    But like with any medications...you still have to be careful. AND my doc told me I MUST keep exercising and eating right on it.
    That is GREAT!! really it is Yay YOU! Please just pay attention to your body, when the effect wears off and you are starting to feel that appetite come back, there is really no point of staying on it any longer. Good Luck
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    Yepp I'll definitely post my results if I get it prescribed to me. Both my mother and aunt lost about 30 lbs each within just around 4 months of taking this pill...and neither of them ever exercise.
    And this is a good thing??
    so they have lost a realitively large amount of weight without building ANY muscle? :-/
    I hope you get them up and out for a walk soon!! :-)
  • baker_c
    baker_c Posts: 251 Member
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    My doctor prescribed that for me; however, I researched it before I filled the prescription and I decided not to go on it and I tore up the prescription and haven't been back to that doctor. Phentermine is one of the ingredients of Phen-Phen and I know what happened to all those people who took that one. For me, I will stick with the hard work....but let us know if you decide to go on it - research first.
  • vencellia
    vencellia Posts: 89 Member
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    Yes I tried this pill and it almost killed me!! I had to be rushed to the Hospital my blood pressure was so low and my heart was palpitating! My Mother happen to be home when I came out of the Bathroom and fell into her arms so she called 911. I may have died if she wasn't home. I passed out also and forgot my own Name until I became stable. The Hospital kept me for about 12 hrs. Gave me fluids and monitored me. And told me never to take that Phentermine ever again in life!! So I have not and I am down 156 pounds with no Pills just Exercising and Eating healthy! Be careful!
  • vencellia
    vencellia Posts: 89 Member
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    Oh yeah I forgot! It made me mean as hell I was so depressed and emotional I cried for no reason and argued with my Girlfriend for nothing and my sex drive was low and I have never had this problem!!
  • lisalynn35
    lisalynn35 Posts: 250 Member
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    I lost a bunch of weight and then as soon as I stopped taking it I gained it all back plus some. The problem with all diet pills is that they don't teach you how to eat healthy or how to properly exercise so as soon as you stop using them you just go back to the same old bad habbits. For me the side effects were not worth any success, I was constantly jittery and could hardly sleep and my mood was terrible, I felt like I was constantly angry. But this is just my personal experience.
  • craftygeek
    craftygeek Posts: 7
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    I took it for 6 months and lost 55 lbs for my wedding. Yes, I looked fabulous on my wedding day, and I didn't have any bad side effects. BUT...it basically took away my appetite entirely so that I didn't eat anything all day. At night I would realize, "Oh hey, I haven't eaten anything!" so I would have a little something before bed. Yes, the weight dropped off and quickly! But I didn't learn how to eat right or exercise and I gained it all back and lots more as soon as I stopped taking it. It was almost like the minute I stopped taking it, all the food I hadn't eaten for 6 months came back to haunt me and I had cravings galore and wanted to eat all the time. I wouldn't recommend it.
  • bosanka
    bosanka Posts: 336 Member
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    Oh yeah, forgot the worst part. After I went off the pills.....I gained everything back plus. Never changed my eating habits or trained myself to eat better.

    Same here- had all the " pro's like every one else did- and had all the Con's - that were mentioned above. Eventually- the results stopped coming- what was left were only the side effects. Stoped taking it. My energy level went from high 10 to a -10.. i had barely energy to move out of the bed.. would sleep on the couch all day long- couldn't move , my " brain " wanted - but my bo dy was exhausted- i couldn't explain myself why.
    All lbs- came back - and brought some company . It took me coupple mon ths to get back to my normal energy.

    Don't recommend you to take it. Stick to the hard but - best way . :) This " way exercise/ healthy food - there are no side effects only good things can come from it .

    Good luck
  • bosanka
    bosanka Posts: 336 Member
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    Oh yeah I forgot! It made me mean as hell I was so depressed and emotional I cried for no reason and argued with my Girlfriend for nothing and my sex drive was low and I have never had this problem!!

    Yes - soo true , i would just start crying .. i thought i'm going crazy .. why am i crying ? couldn't figure it out. I'm so glad i'm done with that stuff ..
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    People died taking Phen-Phen, which was the OTC version of phentermine.

    It was all over the news a couple years ago.

    Eat less, move more. You'll lose weight with no adverse side effects.
  • LaSirena29
    LaSirena29 Posts: 84
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    I took it several years ago, while under doctor care. I took a very low dosage over 3 months, reducing my dosage every month. The first month I was on it, I was in the doctors office once a week for weight-in & to get my blood pressure checked. After that, I was in every two weeks. The program included changing and monitoring my eating habits in the beginning, adding light exercise later.

    I did not experience any of the side effects listed. I only took the phentermine the first 3 months out of the 7 months I was seeing my doctor for weight loss help. Over that 7 months, I lost 68 pounds. I did not put it back on right away, but did gain it back about 3 years later (after loosing my job, moving, starting my own business, working 7 days a week and lots of stress).

    If I still lived in that area, I would see my old doctor again and be willing to take it again, but only in a low dosage for a short time, and only if I was being closely monitored.
  • Maggie1960
    Maggie1960 Posts: 322
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    Wow. I can't believe you can get that drug on prescription in the USA, it's illegal here. It was banned in the UK after fears it could cause heart disease in April 2000. This is because it was been linked to leakage in the heart valves.

    Please, please don't take it.
    I'm a registered nurse and I don't want to see any MFP friends get ill because of this drug.:frown:
  • raindancer
    raindancer Posts: 993 Member
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    I took it for a year and half as part of Phen-fen. I had no side effects except dry mouth but as you can see I gained the sixty lbs back so I won't do it again. I need to deal with the mental part of my overeating issues. I know how to lose weight I just don't know how to make myself stick to it for a lifetime. I am a sever YO-YO dieter. Thats why I'm here.
  • Jena_72
    Jena_72 Posts: 1,057
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    I lost a bunch of weight and then as soon as I stopped taking it I gained it all back plus some. The problem with all diet pills is that they don't teach you how to eat healthy or how to properly exercise so as soon as you stop using them you just go back to the same old bad habbits. For me the side effects were not worth any success, I was constantly jittery and could hardly sleep and my mood was terrible, I felt like I was constantly angry. But this is just my personal experience.
    ALL TRUE!
  • gualsl
    gualsl Posts: 2 Member
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    I joined a weight loss office where you are closely monitored by a Bariatric MD and Nutritionists. He highly recommends Phentermine. I am not sure how long it takes to kick (this is my 4th day on it), but I have noticed that it curves my appetite, unless it's just psychological. So far I haven't noticed any other side effects. The doctor said the most likely side effect would be dry mouth. I get the medication through the office, it is 37.5mg and I take a 1/2 of a pill once per day around 10am. I have always been cautious with taking diet medication, but I asked him a lot of questions, he has prescribed it for many years and feels that using it in combination with diet modification and exercise is a beneficial thing. If I start to experience side effects like previously mentioned then I will report back. It does say that you can take 1-2 pills per day so maybe some people were taking too much? I was told that I can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week with it, certainly not 14 pounds within two weeks! ;)
  • ActionJackson
    ActionJackson Posts: 31
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    I used it for the three month allowable cycle in my state. No side effects and the weight stayed off. Doctor is required to check blood pressure every 3 months and mine actually went down. Just like anything all medication has sideffects the only one was I stayed very late at work. I am still loosing weight off the Adipex but at a much slower weight.
  • cnp8942
    cnp8942 Posts: 37
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    i see you said your aunt and mom took it and lost 30 pounds in 4 weeks (or something close to that) .....well if you eat right, log your calories, and exercise, you can expect to lose about 2 pounds a week (the right way) and that would be 32 pounds lost in the same amount of time....do it the healthy way and you will develop healthy habits for a lifetime and notice all the good changes you body is doing!




    If I said weeks I meant months, sorry for the confusion. thank you for the advice though!

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