New diet drugs

GiddyupTim

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved two new weight-loss pills, Qsymia and Belviq. Doctors have expressed some reservations about these pills and are predicting they won't be prescribing them much.
I am curious about what people here think.
Have you heard of these new drugs? Would you want that kind of weight loss help? Have you checked them out? Would you?

GauchoMark

I tend to be pretty anti-drug anyways, but have you ever noticed all the lawsuits that have come out of the past weight loss drugs? I don't trust them - especially when it is something you can "cure" yourself 99.5% of the time.

Alpina483

I wouldn't even if it were magic pills with no side effects at all.

JustJennie1

I'm not a huge fan of taking any prescription medications. Hell I shy away from Tylenol or anything with that in it because of the damage it does to your liver.

If there was a magic pill out there the obesity epidemic would be a moot point.

slimsdown

from looking at these on the FDA website these are intended for obese adults with a high bmi. These would be available from a doctor but they would be means tested.

the best "by over the counter diet pill that works is ALLI"

AzhureSnow

I don't trust weight loss drugs. The one's that aren't scams are usually pretty hard on your body. I firmly believe that there is absolutely no substitute for hard work and clean eating. Even the morbidly obese can successfully lose weight following THAT system. Why add more chemicals and hormones for your body to deal with?

holly1283

I don't trust weight loss drugs. The one's that aren't scams are usually pretty hard on your body. I firmly believe that there is absolutely no substitute for hard work and clean eating. Even the morbidly obese can successfully lose weight following THAT system. Why add more chemicals and hormones for your body to deal with?

I agree

Lina4Lina

Weight loss drugs, even Alli, have little benefit and potential for great risk. I prefer to forego them.

GiddyupTim

Interesting. I would have expected that at least a few people might be frustrated or desperate enough in their efforts to lose weight that they might be open to the idea.
But, then again, according to the studies, these drugs really do not produce very much weight loss at all.
Alli is fairly popular, I think, but it is tough to take. It gives you diarrhea if you eat too much fat. That is how it works.

MTBrob

Interesting. I would have expected that at least a few people might be frustrated or desperate enough in their efforts to lose weight that they might be open to the idea.
But, then again, according to the studies, these drugs really do not produce very much weight loss at all.
Alli is fairly popular, I think, but it is tough to take. It gives you diarrhea if you eat too much fat. That is how it works.

In my experience those who are frustrated and desperate are are the under educated ones who attempted to eat celery for breakfast lunch and dinner and then decided to do no exercise.. Got frustrated because of their poor diet choice and decided to try something different like weight loss pills.. The problem is you are doing nothing but putting a rug over the hole, which doesn't fix the hole...

There is NO substitute for exercise and eating with in your daily metrics..If you burn more than you take in you will lose weight..

Those who are on these pills failed to educate themselves on proper diet and exercise, and just want a easy way out..

If you want it bad, you need to get your mind right, as I have said many times, with out changing your mind set you can't change your body. Weightloss pills do nothing that you can't do with a little education and determination. And the latter is free.

Birdie

I wouldn't trust any weightloss drug even with FDA approval. Two years ago I participated in a drug study. The doctor running it told me it's OK to report any problems, it didn't matter if it worked or not because they were getting paid a boatload of money from this company in Japan to test these drugs. They give you these papers that outline what they are supposed to do at each appointment. And they were supposed to do all these medical tests so I thought it would be safe with them following so closely. It turns out they didn't do the things they were supposed to (medical tests). They had to be faking the results. So I dropped out of the study.

AllTehBeers

I'm not a huge fan of taking any prescription medications. Hell I shy away from Tylenol or anything with that in it because of the damage it does to your liver.

If there was a magic pill out there the obesity epidemic would be a moot point.

Just FYI, no pain reliever is completely safe. Tylenol does damage to the liver (in generous amounts) because that's where its metabolized. Naproxen in the kidneys and aspirin in the stomach. Too much of any of these can do damage to their respective "processing plant." They are deemed safe if taken in the dosage its supposed to. Most people don't know a dose of aleve is only one tablet or a goody powder is only one sleeve.

JustJennie1

I'm not a huge fan of taking any prescription medications. Hell I shy away from Tylenol or anything with that in it because of the damage it does to your liver.

If there was a magic pill out there the obesity epidemic would be a moot point.

Just FYI, no pain reliever is completely safe. Tylenol does damage to the liver (in generous amounts) because that's where its metabolized. Naproxen in the kidneys and aspirin in the stomach. Too much of any of these can do damage to their respective "processing plant." They are deemed safe if taken in the dosage its supposed to. Most people don't know a dose of aleve is only one tablet or a goody powder is only one sleeve.

The problem is that acetaminophen is in lots of drugs which people don't realize which causes them to get too much.

GiddyupTim

I wouldn't trust any weightloss drug even with FDA approval. Two years ago I participated in a drug study. The doctor running it told me it's OK to report any problems, it didn't matter if it worked or not because they were getting paid a boatload of money from this company in Japan to test these drugs. They give you these papers that outline what they are supposed to do at each appointment. And they were supposed to do all these medical tests so I thought it would be safe with them following so closely. It turns out they didn't do the things they were supposed to (medical tests). They had to be faking the results. So I dropped out of the study.

That is extremely scary. I am sorry you got caught up in that.

drmerc

I wouldn't even if it were magic pills with no side effects at all.

I would

AllTehBeers

I'm not a huge fan of taking any prescription medications. Hell I shy away from Tylenol or anything with that in it because of the damage it does to your liver.

If there was a magic pill out there the obesity epidemic would be a moot point.

Just FYI, no pain reliever is completely safe. Tylenol does damage to the liver (in generous amounts) because that's where its metabolized. Naproxen in the kidneys and aspirin in the stomach. Too much of any of these can do damage to their respective "processing plant." They are deemed safe if taken in the dosage its supposed to. Most people don't know a dose of aleve is only one tablet or a goody powder is only one sleeve.

The problem is that acetaminophen is in lots of drugs which people don't realize which causes them to get too much.

Oh no doubt of it. I'm just saying that there's no need to be afraid of it "just because" though. If one is reading the labels on the drugs they are taking (which they should anyways), then they know what and how much they are consuming. I wouldn't take nyquil or bc powder without knowing they both have tylenol in them.

sarahwsmith

I dont agree with how you are saying under educated. I am a asthmatic who has been on steriod and has had a c section I exersice and I eat right but losing weight for someone who isnt a stick figure is hard yeah some lose it by just eating right and exersice, but just like some people can eat all they want and not gain weight and some do peoples bodys are diffrent and some do need extreme way to lose the weight some have hormone problems that they havent had the money to spend on a doctor to treat. So dont act like its just pure lazyness that people are fat.

cramernh

I work as a Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist as part of my job, it involves looking up policies with insurances and determine what the medical criteria is, will it be covered, are there any pre-requisites to getting it covered, etc...

I spent a good two hours reading the FDA-leaflet.

If shock and awe isnt enough that the drug was quickly approved enough for you - let me tell you this: the list of contraindications, reactions and those who have pre-existing conditions, let me tell you something:

I hope - come hell or high water, patients say 'HELL NO" to this drug. I was appauled that the FDA would approve such a drug (two major ingredients: Phentermine and Topiramate) so quickly. This drug originally was denied by the FDA. After more tests, trials, study groups - blah blah blah - they resubmitted for approval, and SONOVAGUN, it got approved.

This page is the real kicker for me: http://www.qsymia.com/hcp/indications-contraindications.aspx


What angers me most is that my personal Endocrinologist is recommending this for me. I have Stein Leventhal Syndrome, Metabolic Syndrome of some variety that she cant pinpoint despite my thyroid is more than healthy, and thankfully I have my hyperinsulinemia under control. Im at a plateau right now going on for about three months.

If I were to describe exactly what I said at work about how I felt about being recommended for this drug, MFP would censor me, ban me and probably restrict my access for a period of time...

I take enough damn drugs as it is just to keep everything within normal limits.

I hope other patients in the facility I work for, also take the time to read the abomination of what Qsymia is and what the potential risks are. This is what they have listed for patients: http://www.qsymia.com/pdf/Qsymia-medication-guide.pdf

Im disgusted.... so very disgusted right now - as a patient and as a healthcare worker....

josyjozy

Just to reiterate what cramernh said, I'm a nurse and I have actually tried the topiramate. The brand name is Topamax - you may have heard of it, it's a seizure medication that is also used as migraine prevention. The other medication - phentermine is 1/2 of the Phen-Fen combo pill that was the "miracle" pill years ago. You know, the one that caused so many people serious cardiac problems.

Seizure medication and a drug that has been linked to many heart problems. If you are that desperate to loose weight, you would have surely followed a calorie deficit diet. This pill is for the uniformed and lazy.

cuteazz1

Dr's have been prescribing The Phen/Topomax Combo for YEARs Off label..YEARS! I was taking Topomax for a few months for my Migraines..ANd At another time I took Phentermine for weight loss.BOTH worked for me as far as weight loss goes but BOTH made me crazy as HE**! Crazy,Thirsty,combined with Insomnia is NEVER good... And to the above poster-as a fellow Medical Professional you MUST know that calories in VS calories out is not accurate for EVERYONE to lose weight.There are various other factors that can affect weight loss in the most diciplined dieter..especially the Endocrine system and all of its madness! So lets not call people who take diet pills uninformed and lazy...

josyjozy

Well I didn't say anything about calories in vs calories out.

However if you are informed of the risks involved and still want to take the drugs, how about crazy?