phentermine

stacygayle

A little off topic, but I've seen it on here before. What is PCOS? (I think that's what it was).

Also, do you need a prescription for that? Just curious

PCOS is polycystic Ovary syndrome. It is very common in overweight women. It sucks because it causes hormone imbalances and stuff like that and is a cause for metabolic syndrome which can lead to type 2 diabetes. I have what is called polycystic syndrome which means I get cysts on random organs. Mine usually don't cause pain except for the one I got in my liver.

yes you have to have a prescription. It is an amphetamine (mine at the end is an indicator of that.) It is also 1/2 of what was in the banned drug fenphen. It is not to be taken without being under a doctor's supervision, but as long as you're being monitored, you should be ok on it. As with any amphetamine it can cause dangerous arrythmias and addiction, so be careful with the dosage. and don't take more than the doctor prescribes

Andresbohorquez

I can honestly say that I have had great sucess with phentermine I follow a low carb high protein diet and weight train plus cardio every other day thanks to the little magic pill I learned how to eat healthy and went from 200 plus to 164.8 in 2 months im curently off the pill and continue to eat healthy not much hungry as I thought I would have been off the pill I guess my stomach has shrunken and my body no longer feels the need to eat the junk food I use to eat its easy once u ca n fight off the hunger u can actually make good choices picking food one simple search in ur food diary u can see the nutritional facts on any food ul be ashamed.
To eat from mcdonalds or any other crap factory once u see wats in their food nothing but 100 s of thousands of calories then u will c how easy it is to ruin ur whole day worth of dieting with just one meal from them..........i drink plenty of water with all my foods it helps make u full eat less flush out toxins etc plus a multivitamin should do the trick

jenilla1

No hating here, just want you to be careful while you're on it. My mother-in-law developed a bit of a dependence on it. Her doctor made her stop using it after it damaged her heart valve. She ended up gaining all the weight back plus more. Make sure it's medically supervised and temporary, and that you are not an addictive personality type! Good luck!

totustuusmaria

I also have taken phentermine, and I had a great deal of success while on it but I gained everything back and was intense, crazy super angry and mad all the time. It really does a number on your mood.

It also did not give me a lot of energy, as some are saying it did them. I think it has too many temptations for me (temptation not to eat, temptation to keep taking it, temptation to kill someone).

I stopped taking it. Gained everything back. Started a healthy drug-free lifestyle and I've lost 58 lbs. I also have PCOS, so it is possible!

lunglady

I do not prescribe it to my patients at all.

irizarryt

I was on Phentermine for about a year before I got pregnant, I lost 76.5 lbs but didn't really make many lifestyle changes, but it was what probably helped me finally get preg after almost 4 years of trying. After my pregnancy I lost weight quickly, 40 lbs in 3-4 mos, but I was also breast feeding so any extra calories were being used. When I stopped breastfeeding I gained it all back plus some extra. I started going to the gym every other day & walking at night with my baby on the alternate days. I also kept a food diary for 1.5 mos with no weight loss & my military Dr's just told me I had to do more!! I told them I wanted to be tested for celiac's, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) & my vitamin/mineral levels since I also have depression. As we all know depression & weight go hand in hand. After multiple times pestering him he finally agreed to test me for PCOS but nothing else, well LOW & BEHOLD I have PCOS, wouldn't you think that would trigger something to follow my wishes and test me for the other things?! I am not a dang Hypochondriac, I know my body better than you (Dr), I don't come in every time I am sick or anything else but whatever.....Well after finding that out & doing even more research I tried a few things with no success in my weight I went back 5 mos later & asked for phentermine. I had to pester for a while again & after threatening that I was going to go see a Dr off base to get it I finally got it with a warning that I wouldn't receive more than 6 mos worth. Fine by me, better than nothing & all I need is that extra push from it.

There are side effects but what medication doesn't carry side effects? It is a member of the Phen-fen family, which is why it is a controlled substance and you can't get it without a script. Some scripts have a MUCH WORSE list of side effects than those of phentermine & majority of people won't question them. Personally, I get the headaches for the first week, making me cranky/moody & dry mouth for the first 3 weeks but as I see it, these side effects just tell me I am not drinking enough water so I up my intake & don't leave the house without my water jug & it helps, if you miss a few doses and then stat back up you will probably go through the headaches again, I did. Also I am only taking 1/2 a pill now & found the app for this page on my phone making it much easier to watch what I eat so I can be more conscience about things when I am done with my script & I take herbal supplements to give me a little extra help everyday.

Personally I commend people for seeking out something like phentermine used under Dr supervision vs going to more drastic measures like going under the knife where the risks of something happening or going wrong are much higher. I do not look down on the people who do go under the knife bc that may be their last option & I would have looked into it for myself if it had not been for my previous encounter with phentermine.

irizarryt

I hear you can get the same results by being addicted to meth.

Yes you can get the same results being addicted to Meth, my best friend was addicted to Meth and lost a lot of weight but gained anxiety, paranoia & extreme acne & the craters they left behind on her face. Your body naturally looks for ways to push out toxins like Meth & they usually come out on a person's face or back (big open pores to push toxins out)

irizarryt

I also have taken phentermine, and I had a great deal of success while on it but I gained everything back and was intense, crazy super angry and mad all the time. It really does a number on your mood.

It also did not give me a lot of energy, as some are saying it did them. I think it has too many temptations for me (temptation not to eat, temptation to keep taking it, temptation to kill someone).

I stopped taking it. Gained everything back. Started a healthy drug-free lifestyle and I've lost 58 lbs. I also have PCOS, so it is possible!

Phentermine is the only lab created med I take. I also have PCOS & Kidney Stones (since age 12); My mother in law is a Natural Health Consultant & does organic, natural, essential oils, homeopathic & holistic remedies for everything & gave me a hard time about being on it the first time but after trying many different things with no real improvement I got back on the phentermine & this time she had no real objections. With the kidney stones I can't increase the calcium, vit C & D supplements I already take & have to limit my dark leafy greens & animal protein....so my options were running scarce. I take many vit & mineral supplements to help with anything I may be missing in my diet. I even refuse to take meds for headaches. No one body reacts the same to meds or lifestyle changes. Congrats that you could it on your own though!

irizarryt

Nope, not me. I did the first time I used it...but I didn't do it with a lifestyle change. The second time was with a different doctor who had me do it along with MFP and 1200 calorie diet. I have been off the medication for almost 2 years now. Gained 10 pounds (of the 40 lost) back when I quit exercising and started eating more pizza...refocused and now up to being almost 10 pounds from my goal.

My first doctor didn't talk to me at all about lifestyle change...that is why I failed (well, I was the reason that I failed, but she should've explained it better and woke me up)

Same here. It was my fault for not making the changes after my pregnancy but the sit down would have probably helped; even a monthly follow up instead of 90day script at a time & no guidance. I figured it was some great magic pill (which I still think it is, but you have to change your ways at the same time) that would take the weight off & as long as I stayed as active as it made me from the energy boost & lightened load on my body I would be fine. I never counted calories or took into acct that within 6 mos of moving to Guam with a 5 month old it would be stuck in rainy season for the next year making my motivation plummet + depression & anxiety soar + stay at home mom blues = lots of weight gain! This time is much different, I have to keep up with a toddler & the sun has come back out, making me WANT to get out more :happy:

Yellerie

I started loosing weight on it right away until about week in when I had an allergic reaction to it wish I could take it it would make this journey easier.

OnceAndFutureAthlete

Maybe I missed a post but in my estimation to summarize the last 4 pages... everyone that has tried this drug has gained the weight back once stopping it. Is that right?

Nope. Consider the sampling. Self selecting group.

So, [Almost] everyone who is here on MFP (and replying in the forums) that tried it has gained back the weight.
But perhaps the people who kept it off are no longer coming to MFP. So not everyone who took it has regained the weight (or is on MFP). Only those who failed to learn the lessons the first time have to repeat it. Just a thoguht.

(Nott trying to be harsh, just informative. This and causation<>correlary are a couple of my internet bugaboos.)

mes1119

I'd like to see your results a year from now. No diet/pill routine is maintainable longer than two years. And if you think so you are not living.

mo4xdamomma

I was told I was Type 2 diabetic a year ago. I changed my diet and started MFP. I did awesome and lost 58 lbs. Life got busy and I stopped logging my food and I got lazy. Slowly I had gained back 10 lbs and could not get myself back in the routine of dieting. I had to go back to my dr for a check up and she told me my increased appetite was from my blood sugar being out of whack since I wasn't eating well. She prescribed Bontril for 30 days. Im going into my 2nd week of taking it and I do have an appetite still but its just taken the edge off. I had a headache the first day and couldn't sleep well. Now I sleep fine and I have a little dry mouth.

To me it was worth getting in the routine again. It was that little boost I needed. I would never feel comfotable taking it for very long.

jabba11

"PCOS which can cause you to gain and also make it almost impossible to lose!". If this illness is responsible for your wieght gain, and it is impossible to lose why take a drug to lose weight when said illness will cause you to gain it back. If it is impossible for you to lose weight at all an appetite supprression drug will not cause you to lose weight and even if it did you would gain it back after taking it so i dont see the purpose of taking it at all. Eexercise and eat right, you weight will be what it is but you will be as healthy as you can be. All drugs are posions to your body and no pill is the answer. For the record I too have taken the drug long ago and lost weight, then gained it all back plus 10 pounds. I am contiously shocked to see people reccommending a drug on MFP. The only sustainable method of weight loss is diet and excercise when will we learn this folks. Until they can change our bodies on a genetic level this will ALWAYS be the case.

stacygayle

PCOS doesn't make it impossible to lose weight. I have had it for years. Didn't get it until I gained the weight. I have lost 40 pounds with it. It does make it harder to lose weight but not impossible. I have never taken any drugs to lose weight either. Saying that PCOS makes it "impossible" to lose weight is just an excuse and will make it impossible if you're using excuses. I have used excuses for a long time and I've learned to try not to do that anymore.

LatinaGordita

Yep, it's the same type of chemical as speed. I tried it a couple of years ago for a couple of months. Bad side: insomnia and sometimes heart palpitations and dry mouth. Good side: almost no appetite, more energy. My advice to get the most out of it is to eat regularly even when you're not hungry, don't starve yourself, drink heaps of water (avoid caffeine!!), and do lots of exercise. I didn't lose that much on it, but a couple of my friends found it really great. Makes you a bit cranky though!

^^^

I used it and got great results. Lost weight quickly, however once I was off the pills I gained the weight faster than I had lost it. There were nights that I couldn't sleep at all. My heart raced a lot. I stopped taking it because I was not feeling healthy even with the weight loss.

SalishSea

I have read all 6 pages of this thread. And I must say, for the most part people have been very respectful . People have honestly tried to give advice pro or con very considerately. Thank You everyone.

I would especially like to thank the woman who so pressed the side effect of leaking heart valves. She is correct in stating that this is a very real side effect of this med. And it can take years to show up. I believe all 3 of her doctors. Leaky heart valves can be life-threatening.

I had Endometriosis for 16 years. It is a painful and excruciating medical condition. The last three years the pain was so bad. Imagine battery acid being poured on an open rotting wound. Truly uncontrollable pain. Pure evil pain. I was put on depot lupron, a hormone. This drug helped to lessen the pain but I gained 30 pounds in one month. Honestly. And I was very overweight to begin with since I was struggling with a debilitating medical condition.

I needed help to lose weight that a life-saving med made me gain. My doctor prescribed Phentermine.

I think I am in the minority in that I don't have too many of the side effects that are mentioned. I sometimes will get a dry mouth. My doctor suggested Biotene mouthwash. I have a blood pressure cuff at home. My highest BP has been 128/88. Not too bad. I don't feel any heart palpitations. If I drink a bunch of water the effects of the Phentermine are diluted.

I take half a pill. I have been on this med for 80 days. I may stop soon. I am fully aware that if I do not stick to my exercise and calorie burns the weight will come back. I am eating more protein and less carbs. I am learning about how to eat like a slender person. I have never known this before. Education about proper eating and exercise will help me to maintain my weight loss. Plus I would like to be a lifetime mfp member. So I plan on logging in for the next 60 years!

By the way, Phentermine lessens my appetite. It does not stop my urge to eat, eat, eat. I still have to do the work of high protein diet, low carb, and a lot of vegetable intake. And exercise. This is not a magic pill for me. It is a stepping stone. When I stop this med I know that I still have half the river to cross. Many a stepping stone will still lie ahead of me.

Again, be mindful of your heart while on this med. It does have an adverse effect for some. I think most of us would rather be fat than have a heart that pumps poorly. Just a reminder.

SalishSea

Wow...has anyone noticed this thread started in July of 2011? Why is a the top again, frustrating.

wjewell

They gave me TONS of energy. So much that if i took half of one at 6am, i couldn't sleep until about 4am the next morning, and I had to be right back up at 6.. Not to mention it gave me TERRIBLE mood swings. I saw on the consent form that it could cause "psychological effects". As a psychology major this really worried me. I asked the doctor about it and he told me "don't worry about that". I notice after taking one, I get EXTREMELY HAPPY, in such a great mood...and within just a few hours, I am super pissed and I don't want to deal with or talk to anyone. For me, it wasn't worth it. I am a very happy person, and would rather not "come down" from this "drug".

tara7302011

I have been taking phentemine for 9 days now. The first night I had trouble sleeping, about two days later I could not tell the difference. I sleep just fine, especially after working out. The first 3 days I noticed an increase in my energy but now I feel normal again. I have to make myself get up and go to the gym. I struggle everyday to make healthy choices, instead of eating what I really would lke to eat. I have been on/off diets all my life, and the only thing that makes this easier is it suppresses your appetite. I do not have that "starving" feeling. I feel like it helps you not make excuses to eat because you do not feel hungry all the time. If you think you can just take this pill and lose weight, you will be greatly disappointed. Every drug has side effects, being overweight has the greatest amount of side effects. I would recommend phentermine to all of my friends and family who need help losing weight. The pill might help supress your appetite, but you still have to work your @ss off to lose the weight....

nickelsthoughts

I have been on phentermine for 3 weeks now. It is not a miracle drug and not all medicines are poison as some members have stated. People can gain the weight back, because if you don't make lifestyle changes with the medication the effects won't last. Phentermine is also only for people who are obese with a BMI over 31. My doctor prescribed it to me after an interview process and along with a nutrition plan and exercise plan. I see her weekly for the first month, then biweekly till I reach my goal weight of 140. Once my BMI reaches 29 she will wean me from the medication and continue to work with me to reach my goal.

To me Phentermine is much like antidepressants. Without the "therapy" and lifestyle changes I won't get better. I need to do that in conjunction with the meds. Weight loss is the same way. Phen curbs your appetite while you learn proper cooking methods, healthy alternatives, portion sizes, craving control and fitness routines.

I don't expect Phen to be the miracle drug that makes everything better. I expect it to help me lose enough weight initially to keep me on the path to a healthier lifestyle. By learning about portion control and healthier food choices I am not dieting, but on the path to a lifelong change. No "diet" is going to give you those long term results. Phen helps me to push through the aches and pains, fatigue and overeating that comes from being obese. Under the guidance of my doctor, I'm confident that I will lose the weight and keep it off because I've been given the proper tools to do so.

And for those who would like a success story. My mother had an illness requiring long term steroid use which caused her to gain over 150 pounds. After her condition was finally under control the doctor prescribed her phentermine and she was able to lose all of the weight in a little over a year. Four years later she still looks great and didn't gain more than 5 pounds.

x3amyxo

Drink LOTS OF WATER!!!

tara7302011

Today i have been on phentermine for two weeks. I am also seeing a doctor with this medication. I wanted to try this after I watched a close friend of mine shed the pounds. She was well over 200 lbs. She started March 2011, and when I seen her in July 2011 she looked like a different person. It motivated me to give it a try. I am not proud to say this but, I was hoping it would be a quick fix.. Now, that I have tried this, i know its hard work. I find it working less and less, this morning I woke up and felt hungry for the first time.. So I ate, and then felt okay. I wonder why it seems to be wearing off for me??? If nothing else, its got me motivated and I have been eating right and exercising.....alot more then I was doing 2.5 weeks ago... Plus I have lost 14lbs as of today!!

Starbella19

Quick question: I was just wondering for all the people taking phentermine. Did you guys stick to just 1200 cals a day and add in your exercise cals or not? Which one worked better for you? I'm having a difficult time eating more and it's starting to worry me. I really don't want to stall my weight loss.

tara7302011

I have stuck to the 1200 calories... I am pretty new too, and I am confused about the whole eating back calorie thing.. I thought losing weight would mean burning more calories then your taking in.. I have researched it, and there is not deffinate conclusion that I am able to find.. I am gonna just try the 1200 calories for a while, and If i start to feel tired, I will try to eating back my calories... Trial and error, i suppose..

korygilliam

When I took phentermine, under my dr's order (it's what got me on MFP), I ate 1200 calories net (meaning I ate back my exercise calories). If I dropped to 800-1000 net, then I wouldn't lose any weight. I took phentermine about 3 years ago and have kept the weight off. The dr allowed me to be on it until I got to BMI of 26 (top end of normal), so I had to lose my last 25 pounds on my own.

As for the 'not feeling the effects'...I only felt the 'rush' of the medication for about 3 days, then it didn't feel like I was taking anything...but the weight still came off w/ the diet/exercise/1200 cal net, even though I didn't feel any different.

KEEP IN MIND--if you quit losing and you are dieting/exercising/being honest in your diary, then you may be eating too little. I did it many times and I realized was my low point was. I am serious that when I got to 1000 calories, I would actually gain weight and as soon as I got back up to 1300 calories (net), then I would lose again.

Good luck!

ameredith83

bump

korygilliam

one other thing--you will see many people stating that they gained all their weight back when they quit taking it...that's because they didn't make a lifestyle change. It is only meant to be a tool to help you tolerate and build yourself to better eating and exercise habits.

If you continue you poor eating and lack of exercise, then of course you will gain it all back (and possibly extra due to binging)...that's why it is important to take this time while you are able to be on the pills to learn what your body needs and get your endurance up for exercising after the medications are gone.

saunadoo

I will be starting phentermine tomorrow. My doctor suggested it, after hearing of my ongoing struggle, despite counting calories, watching sodium to keep bp low, and working out 4-5 times a week. I am not a person who typically indulges or supports taking medications, I will try and avoid it at all costs. However, I feel that I really need a kick start to get me going, in combination with continuing and being more vigilant with my change in lifestyle. My doctor was quick to point out the many possible side effects and to suggest that I only start with 1/2 a pill a day. She also requires me to come back in for regular checks of heart and lungs.

Everyone reacts to medications differently, so if I have strong side effects I will most certainly discontinue use. That does not mean I think that NO one would benefit from it. I also know there have been some very serious medical issues from use of the product, but working in the health industry, I also know that there are many medications that run that risk. I am going to choose, with all this knowledge, to use this product...but to use it as wisely, and as briefly, as possible. I will be using it as an additional tool, not a crutch to rely on for results.

missquela

wow, i totally just read this entire thread. thank you all for the advice. my doctor prescribed phentermine yesterday, so my first day of taking it is today. i read this too late, and took the pill around 10:45am, so i'm nervous about a sleepless night...i guess i'll find out! i'm definitely going to be mindful, however, and make sure i eat enough, and healthily!

thanks guys!