Anyone taking Adipex (Phentermine)?

namennek

My primary doctor is all for diet and exercise and getting no help from a diet pill. I had to find another doctor that was more apt to help me with my weight loss. I am 5,2 and 160 lbs. so im borderline obese for my height. I have always been able to maintain my weight at around 125lb until a few years ago after a couple rounds of steroids for back pain shot me up to 180lb in 2 months.

I have lost some of it doing the HCG diet (which i starved the whole time on), i was able to get down to 135lb in 4 months but there is no way to sustain that type of diet.

So now i find myself up at 160lb and diet and exercise is not helping me lose any of it. My new doctor did all the blood tests and gave me the ok to start the Phentermine (slow release). I am on the third day and have lost 4 pounds, I do notice the side effects but nothing i cant handle. The one thing my Dr. did say was that after ive been on it for 3 months (less if i lose more weight) then she will be putting me on a newly approved FDA pill that has a small dose of Phentermine and (something else) that i can take for as long as needed to maintain my weight loss. I will have to pay attention better on my 1 week check up on Tuesday and update you on what that pill is. So im hoping that this will be a more long time solution to get me back down to my normal weight and help me maintain it now that im over 40 and finding weight loss a challenge.

So perhaps its time to find a doctor that's more friendly with diet pills. I just asked a few friends and found the one i go to now.

judymoving

So happy to see this topic on here. I am on day 2 of taking Phentermine. I am 49, 5'7" and 311lbs. I have always believed in doing this naturally. In 2012 I lost 28 pounds (308 to 280) utilizing this website to help track caloric, nutrition and fitness levels. By the Fall I was walking 4 miles a day. With winter in WI my walking lessened, so I was doing aqua-aerobics. 2013 was a bad year- gained back all the weight- family issues and personal motorcycle accident kept me from walking. Emotionally- wasn't even considering any exercise. My motivation just went down the tubes. My sister tried Phentermine and hated it, ended up having surgery for her weight loss. I am determined NOT to have surgery.

I am only taking 1/2 pill each morning. Aware of it's characteristics, I know I don't need much to get me going. SO far... THIS STUFF IS AWESOME! Sorry but true, I suddenly feel like myself again. I don't feel like I have this heavy monkey on my back keeping me from completing my evening chores and even getting on my bike. I am ready to finish the renovations on my basement, and move again. That is the benefit. Yes, I don't feel hungry, but that has never been my problem. I eat, hungry or not, and even on this I still have the craving of pulling into McDonalds for my morning burritos and coffee. So that is what will be worked on with this motivation. Utilizing the fake motivation to change the emotional and mental behavior into a new pattern that is healthy. I am ready for this. Getting back to me again.

I will keep you all posted on how it goes. Since this was such an old post, are there now any regrets from those that posted so positively?

pbaker78

Hello everyone, I'm not here to judge just looking for support. I am a prior military guy that let the enjoyments or everyday life take over my body. So I am now 35 and have my first child on the way which is a boy. I need to get my body back right for me as well as for me to keep up with him. I have no health issues just love to eat and drink. So I am on phentermine and I am not having any side effects. I decided not to exercise for the first week just to see how my body would react to it. I started the pill on Wednesday December 4, 2013. I'm hoping this help me get back to my routine. I take 37.5 mg and it has no effects on me. I am using MFP to track my calories and have been doing well. Just hope I can stick to it. I don't feel hungry and I take it 30 minutes in the morning before breakfast. I do have dry mouth but thats it and have been only drinking water. Wanted to chat with someone who actually stuck with the phentermine for three months and how much weight did you lose. I see not that many guys on here. I got a month rx after the dr. did ekg on me and everything, which came out perfect. Can't wait to start exercising with this.

judymoving

Hi PBaker,

There are a lot of hater's out here regarding Phen. I too just started, and notice the difference right away. I sleep at night, which many complained that is a problem. I have not started to formally exercise using this, I am on the same dosage as you, but am still only taking 1/2 pill each day. Friday night I went out for drinks, bad mix, felt pretty ill the next day. The reduced food intake, and the Phen gave me a sense that I was ok. Had just one more cocktail too many. Needless to say, I didn't take the pill on Sat.

Even though not formally exercising, I am on my feet now all the time at home. I have a sedentary job, and normally it carries over into home life. I am finding that I enjoy being up and moving around, getting the house ready for my Christmas party, enjoyed shoveling snow this morning. all things before seemed more like chores. With the added activity, i do feel muscle soreness after I finally sit down in the evening.. no pain no gain... these to me are all good signs.

Good luck- keep in touch. Would like to know how your journey goes on Phen.

Judy

nmarcuss

I tried this drug last year and lost 25 pounds, but gained it all back after I stopped taking it. Also while on the drug I experienced insomnia and my heart would race. I loved the results and the way it controlled my hunger, but it doesn't work in the long run....

LAWoman72

I tried this drug last year and lost 25 pounds, but gained it all back after I stopped taking it. Also while on the drug I experienced insomnia and my heart would race. I loved the results and the way it controlled my hunger, but it doesn't work in the long run....

Well, honestly, this is true of any diet, whether you utilize supplements/drugs or not. You need to re-learn how to eat...taking the drug is just to get you to a healthier weight. At that point you really need to continue with the good eating.

*While* taking a weight loss supplement, you need to eat healthfully. It's not really about just reducing calories...say, having a Twinkie but nothing else for the day. You need to get yourself into a pattern of healthy eating so that once you stop taking the supplement, you're in that groove.

Again, this is true of diets in general as well.

nbg127

Hey traceykopp,

Most docs will only prescribe phentermine if you fit into the category of medical advisement for the drug. This would be a BMI of 30 OR a BMI of 27 with a medical condition of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, et. The biggest issue for you is the medical tests results are all good and your BMI is under 27. I know it is frustrating - I wish I had an answer for you. Most likely you will have to find a specialist in weight management (bariatric doc) that may be able to help in some way. I was where you are once and ended up at 221 lbs years later - don't let that happen!! Find a way to get it under control now.

pbaker78

I added you. its going well doing what it says it does

Silenta

I am not new with taking this diet pill. I will say that you don't want to play around with it.....I took this pill for the first time back in 1995. At that time I weighed 155 lbs. At 5'10" and 155 lbs. I thought that I was fat. I wasn't fat by far and took it anyway. I lost 10 lbs. in 30 days. I enjoyed the weight loss but gained it back, plus some. I went from 145 to 165... It took a few years. I went back the doctor and started back on the pills. I lost 10 pounds again in 30 days. I weighted 155. Back to square one right?. Wrong.
I may have weighted the same but now I had a desire to maintain that high energy level. Quietly, I was becoming addicted.
To make a long story short...I played around with this pill off and on..off and on...getting them for weight loss but taking them for energy until I looked up one day and it was 2010 and I weighted 223 lbs. No, I didn't take the pill daily for this long.... I would go to the doctor to get a 30 supply 2 maybe 3 times a year.
Well I went back to the doctor in 2010 and asked him to tell me my starting weight and to show me my pattern of weight gain. I saw it and was shocked. So...I got another 30 day supply. It had been a year or so since I had taken the pill.
I went from 223 to 207 in 30 days. Went on the Cabbage Soup Diet for 7 days. I weighted 191 after the 7 day Cabbage Soup diet. I went back to get another 30 supply of pills. Broke each pill in half so the 30 day supply was now 60 days. I went from 191 to 177 in 2 months.
I took this a little more serious during this last go around. I have been the same size now for a couple years.
Today, well yesterday I went back to the doctor for a 30 supply. We was pleased at my weight. I am 180..... I was 175 last week and I quite smoking. I've gained a few pounds and know where this is going....

Well, this is my story. Stay strong when taking this pill. It works for sure! I feel that you have to gradually take yourself off the pill because the side effects when you stop cold turkey are increased hunger and extra tired/sleepy. That's when you begin saying to yourself that you need the pill for the boost to get up and active...

traceykopp

Thank you NPG437. I am going to make an appt with a Bariatric Specialist. I appreciate your feedback.

tapirfrog

I tried a total of three Phentermine pills in my life. They made me miserable. I wasn't hungry, but I was shaky atcouldn't sleep or think straight and for 24 hours I had a headache that no aspirin would touch. I finally decided I could be fat, I could be hungry, or I could be crazy from Phentermine. I picked hungry.

mikeroybal

I just started taking Phentermine. Other than reduced appetite the only side effect I have noticed is a bit of dry mouth. I have already started to lose weight but I'm pretty sure it is mostly water wieght at this time.
I appreciate the possibility for abuse but I work with the Doctor who prescribed it, and she has set up regular visits to monitor

fence007

I started taking Phentermine, per my bariatric doctor's recommendation on Nov. 21. I'm five foot seven and I currently weigh 208.5 lbs. I take a half a pill twice a day. Someone else mentioned that they were thinking about doing that. I think it is great. I don't get dry mouth (I also drink minimum 3 liters of water a day) and I don't have any trouble sleeping. It gives me more energy and it helps with hunger. But not so much that I don't feel like eating. Per the bariatric dietician my daily kcal goal is 1400, which is a big difference from what I had been eating, and a goal of exercising at least three times per week. When I exercise I do strength training and cardio. I'm trying to build muscle to increase my metabolism naturally and the Phentermine helps with energy to do that. Since Nov. 21st I've lost about 22 lbs. I don't think the Phentermine is the sole reason, but it has been helpful. Eating completely differently is the main reason. And I intend to continue eating this way for the rest of my life. It is a lifestyle change, right? But Phentermine isn't on my long-term solution list. Diet and exercise are. This is happily compounded by the fact that my fiancee just had gastric bypass and we have to change how we eat, by design, so we're headed toward a healthier lifestyle now. No more McDonald's three times per week!

About Phentermine - someone in a "negative" post said something about it being "basically amphetamines." While this is, I guess, technically true, phentermine is more like amphetamines w/o the addiction factor. Also, it can cause higher blood pressure, so watch out for that. I take my BP every day because I have high BP anyway (controlled) and so far nothing alarming has happened.

Glad someone re-started this thread. I'm interested in hearing how it goes for others.

Thanks!

namennek

I'm looking to see if this has happened to anyone else that's taking Phentermine.

I'm on my 4th week of using the 37.5 pill once a day and i didn't lose 1 pound the 3rd week. The first two weeks i lost 11 pounds (mostly water I'm sure, clothes still fit the same), i have been eating a low carb diet and 99% of the time below my calories at 1100 or so a day. My concern is that even with the pill i find that i am hungry later in the day and have a hard time not eating everything in sight.

I'm hoping this is just a small road bump in the overall 3 month program i am on and that i will continue to lose weight. I don't go back for my 1 month check up until next week. Just wondering if anyone else noticed that the pill seemed to kind of stop working suddenly and what was done to correct this.

dacheg08

Hello I'm here new to the site my story is I have been taking phentermine since the 5th of December my starting weight was 231lb with the height of 5`1 1/2' since then I have change my diet and I count my calories the Dr that prescribed the pills to me told me to eat up to 1500 calories a day I was thinking that I was not going to able to do it but is so essy because I hardly have an appetite my last weigh in was 220lbs so far so good but I pray that I be able to stick to the plan that I'm on to maintain my goal weight I'm doing it all for my health

SugarShane513

I have taken it and been off of it for awhile. I think the bottom line here is you have to keep a healthy diet. Yes the pills help and yes they give you unbelievable energy but without a solid diet, pills or no pills you will slowly pack back on the weight. If you keep your calories under your maintenance amount you will cont to lose in most cases.

lorentz01

Hello everyone,

I have been taking Phentermine for about six weeks now and have lost 18 pounds and about 3 inches. I usually take my pill in the mornings an hour before eating and this seems to work well for me. I can truly say that I have not had any of the side effects some people have talked about (only the dry mouth). Like many of you, I have been up and down with my weight for years and really needed something to help me gain better control of my appetite. For the first time in three years, I really feel good about myself and motivated to change my lifestyle. It really feels good when you can get back into clothes you have not worn in a long time. I have not exercised since I started the drug, but I plan to begin walking next week. My weight lost goal is 40 pounds and I fully plan to reach that once my 3 months is up.

bige0227

Yes @namennek, after 3 weeks you will begin to notice 1-2lbs each week.

I've been taking phentermine since June 2007. When I started I initially weighed 225lbs at 5'5ft. The first time I took the pill I drastically lost 46 lbs in the first three months. I went down to 179. After that, Ii would take a 3 month break. (FYI: I was taking the 30mg)

Side effects: insomnia, dry mouth and what's worse was mood swings! I would also feel nausea .

In 2012-2013 I told myself that I would completely get off the pill because I was relying too much on it. Plus, my family hated me when I was on the pill. (Mood swings!)

My daily routine while I was off the pill: I'm a teacher so I am constantly on the move. I only eat home-cooked meals. I rarely go out to restaurants and never eat fast food. I hit the gym 3 times a week and I go on long walks with my dogs everyday.... still I manage to gain most of all the weight back on yet I maintain an active lifestyle. I speak for myself. Phentermine is the only way I can keep the weight off.

So I gave in and decided to get back on phentermine two days ago. This time I am taking 37.5mg. My starting weight was 207 (December 25)... Out of curiously I stepped on the scale this evening (December 27) and it now says 196. Just seeing that I'm back in the 100s gives me hope. To every diet, there are pros and cons.

Btw: my ideal weight is 165.

joann1948

I took those and gained all my weight back. This website saved my life by logging, exercising, eating clean, and lifestyle changes in my life. I do not recommend any diet pills. I did them all, and gained it all back. Just my opinion.....

Emj30135

Hi everyone! I am curious as to how I should go off Adipex. Should I take a half a pill everyday for 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks take a half a pill every other day or what?. I want to curb the fatigue and hunger as much as possible that happen when you go off of them Thanks and good look to everyone in their weight-loss journey!

mmartinez_az

The best pill is to workout.

TheFitHooker

I tried it for 2 weeks, it made me angry I would rather be fat then angry, so I told myself if I couldn't do it without it, then I wasn't gonna do it. Plus an appetite suppressant does not train your body what it needs to do to keep off the weight. I've lost 133 lbs without it, I don't need it never did.

Emj30135

I am trying to get OFF the medicine. I know the best thing is to do it yourself. However, when you've been on a prescription pill like adipex for a long time your body becomes used to it and I wanted some help in figuring out the best way to come off of it without experiencing the dreaded side effects of extreme fatigue and hunger when you just stop taking it cold turkey like I have before. Thanks.

GrammaTree

Emj30135, I would see if there's a Weight Loss Institute in your area. I'm fortunate that I live in a major metro area, and a MBSAQIP certified Bariatric Program is readily available. I chose to go the non-surgical (diet and exercise) route two years ago, and when my life circumstances changed I went for a gastric bypass on 11/5/13. If you have a WLI like mine around, they will help you get off the Phentermine and STAY off it. I took the Phen/Fen combination diet drug when it came out in the 90's, and ever since my doctors have been watching me for heart problems. I'm glad to hear you want off of it. When I was doing the non-surgical program, I had to weigh in once a week (motivation!). Plus I had an option of how much of their food I wanted to buy; I'm lazy, so I was going with "all them", like NutriSystem. When I became disabled, the household budget couldn't handle the expense, but I'll recommend the HMR medically supervised diet every time. Please, see if you have a Weight Loss Institute nearby - it's worth it!

Emj30135

Thank you for your reply GrammaTree. And good luck to you!

judymoving

namemenek (?) -

I have been on it since Dec 4. Started the first week and 1/2 only taking 1/2 of 37.5 pill. I now take the entire pill, and yes the side effects do subside. I have discovered that if i take the pill in the morning, and only have my morning coffee, and wait until closer to lunch time to eat, the pill is more effective. If I eat an hour after the pill, I don't get that same satisfied fullness feeling. Also that I don't feel it has any effect. I have also noticed that if I drink a lot more water during the day on this pill, the more motivated and the better the pill works. Food intake seems to dampen the effectiveness. At least for me. I have already done a 4500 calorie day with no activity on this pill. I have found to make it work for me is eating small portions, drinking plenty of water, and moving... kicks the pill into higher gear. The reason we are taking the pill ... right?

bethjaneane

Hi all. I have been on phen for 5-6 months now but not for weight loss. I wanted to share my story because I thought it might be helpful. I was diagnosed this summer with a sleep disorder, idopathic hypersomnia. Basically I sleep... A lot. It is near impossible to wake up on time for work and I can pretty much lay down and nap anytime even with 10 hours of nighttime sleep. I also have hashimoto's which is a thyroid condition but all my levels stay normal with thyroid meds. I just wanted to throw that out there so you know that I regularly have bloodwork done. I underwent a 2 day sleep study to finally get a diagnosis for my life-long sleep issues.

My sleep doc put me on phen because the only drug for IH is an orphan drug that is about $100K per
year, yes I said $100,000 and it's not covered on insurance. I set my alarm an hour before I need to wake and roll over and take my pill with water that is at the ready on my night stand and immediately pass out again. I have a second alarm for the next hour that will go off and by this time the phen has kicked in and I can actually focus on the fact that I have to wake up.

I started with 30 mg in the AM. I had all the usual side effects of feeling jittery and dry mouth until about 3 PM at which time I would have to sleep. On a follow up visit my doc switched me to the 37.5 mg extended release. This helped ease the side effects and now I can make it through my day, however is now have to take a sleep aid at night because I am too wired to sleep. I do not take my phen on the weekends because I do not need to wake early and I can nap if needed. Also, it constipates me so by breaking on the weekend I can get my bowels back in check.

I am not overweight, but could stand to lose 10 lbs. When I started I was 5'6' and 149 lbs. I wear a size 6-8. This was heavy for me but I spent a lot of time traveling this summer and eating out a ton. I generally stay around 138-140. When I started the phen I lost about 4 lbs over a couple of weeks but I was also eating better and had started monitoring my steps with a Fitbit. In 3 months I was back down to 138. I really don't credit the phen for this initial loss because I was actively trying to lose and tracking via Fitbit and MFP. After I switched to the time release I lost more over the next 3 months and was down to 134-136. I do think this was directly associated with the phen. I had stopped really trying to lose and just really wasn't eating much because I had no appetite.

During my follow up with my sleep doc (before he switched me time release), he asked if I had lost any weight. I told him the story above. He said that yes, most of his patients didn't lose but a few lbs. I said that maybe I didn't really lose much because I didn't really need to lose much. He said no, he had some really overweight patients and they really didn't lose much either.

I was off for 12 days over the holidays and didn't take any phen and I am back up to 142. I'm sure some of this is holiday eating and such, but I think it also has to do with gaining back the lbs I lost with phen. I started back today for work and I am back to little appetite. I did not have any withdrawals during this time.

I will be on phen indefinitely. I asked about long term damage to my heart or liver and he said that he is not concerned. I am, which is why I only take it on work days. I know this is not ideal, but the effects of not taking it could cost me my job. I am also a single mom with a 7 year old son. I obviously have to get him to school on time and I don't want to sleep away my time with him. I am thankful to have a diagnosis finally. I have been teased or called lazy my entire life. Comments like "work out more" or "eat better" don't help. I was in college athlete (drill team) and ran a mile everyday, had 2-3 hour practices at least 5 days a week, took college dance classes, did teak won do, and weights several times a week with my football player boyfriend all while eating a healthy diet. I Had this issue even then (I am 35 now). I also underwent extensive BMI and fitness testing at this time and my ideal weight was determined to be 130.

I am sharing this because I don't think phen is the weight loss miracle. My two week hiatus showed me that I would gain the weight back. However, I think if you use it as a jump start and set the habits for healthy eating and exercise that it can be helpful. Sometime that mental picture of seeing the scale go down can get you going on a better path. Also, I am in pharmaceutical sales (gastroenterology and colorectal surgery) so I do my research. I know how to read a clinical study, where to find them, and what factors make a good trial vs fluff. There are so many things to consider before starting a treatment.....how many test subjects, double-blind, what subjects were excluded from the final data and why, who is the doc compiling the data, was it retrospective, how was the drug dosed... And FYI all docs are compensated for drug trials so don't let that be a factor. They are also paid royalties. But do your research on the doc, are they just some general practitioner or a leader in their field that is also apart of a teaching institution?

Sorry to go on, I just thought my story, perspective, and clinical knowledge might be of help. We all want to be healthy and not be sold some snake oil during an emotional time. Good luck everyone!

judymoving

Bethjaneane-
Excellent commentary, and good insight to this drug. I appreciate you being upfront with what you know and have learned. I am comforted to hear you work in the industry and by way of this blog have endorsed it as positive choice. No drug is perfect and I am certainly not looking for miracles.

At age 19 I was told my ideal weight was 142-145. I weighed 133 at the time. No I was never diagnosed as having an issue with my weight, until now at the 300 level. I have been active person, always seeking an outlet for exercise. Slowly the weight accumulated over the last 30 years, whether is be long winters without exercise or other reasons.

My doctor prescribed it because this last year I gained 25 pounds extra and Have low motivation, when I am 10-15 pounds lighter I do not need blood pressure meds. Just the small amount of weight makes a huge difference.

I do know my appetite is suppressed with phen, and my concentration can get sketchy at times. It has gotten me off the couch in the evenings after work. I am more inclined to cook a nice dinner for my boyfriend, and do a little housework. Before, I just came home and dropped in from of the TV. This was after a sedentary job!

I am one month into my prescription, and so far I am pleased with what it has done for me. As I said, I am not seeking a miracle, nor expect to shape shift over the next few months, but to get back into the routines I am used to doing. So far, so good. Good Luck with your adventure and being part of wake world! May it be your success too!

Judy

wifeymou1112

Don't take it! You body needs good things to be put in it, not that crap!

Good luck :-)

cathead9

I've been on Phentermine for almost 2 months and the side effects are getting worse, so I guess I'll stop taking it. I'm really feeling horrible today..... :-(