Phentermine - the good, bad and the ugly

NinaChanges

I don't know anything about Phentermine, today is the first time I've ever heard about it. But anti-depressants are serious medication meant for people who are suffering. Isn't it a little weird to get yourself such a treatment just because you decided to take this other drug to lose weight?
I am sorry but it sounds to me like a very bad idea! Are we trying to get healthier here or get ourselves addicted to drugs? After all if we lose weight with medication, which we don't really need anyway, should we be proud afterwards? It wasn't the hard work, the dedication etc. it was the meds.. and if the lifestyle doesn't change then the weight is well regained.

kimmielongoria

SwoleSista wrote: »

I just wanted to share my own experience in case it helps anyone.
First of all, I don't believe phentermine is a miracle pill. You don't have to read many posts on here to figure that out. I agree that it should only be used for short periods, as a tool to start your weight loss. Taking this medication isn't an excuse to make poor choices.

For those suffering from headaches...
This is my second time taking phentermine. I am from the east coast and I had been going to a weight loss clinic back home. I finally got a script when I moved to the west coast. Much cheaper! Anyway, the clinic's pills (30 mg) were blue & white capsules whereas the pharmacy's pills (37.5 mg) I take now are white tablets with blue specks. The clinic's capsules gave me really bad headaches for the entire time I took them. The stronger tablets that I'm taking now don't do that to me. You may want to ask your doctor to switch you or ask your pharmacy about switching manufacturers if you're having headaches like I was. The pharmacy can usually order a different manufacturer at a patient's request if it's available at their warehouse.

The 30 mg capsules also made my hands and feet tingle. They never went numb, but I frequently had the "pins and needles" feeling. The 37.5 mg tablets are making me sweat like crazy. It's the only side effect I've experienced from the tablets so far. I eat clean and drink about a gallon of water a day, so I know it's got to be the medication since I've never had that problem before. It's pretty gross and embarrassing. Just curious if anyone else experienced this?

I like the energy the phentermine gives me. I workout 2-3 hrs a day, 5-6 days a week. The last time I was taking phentermine, I didn't have time to work out like I can now. I started my second round on 11/22 and I'm down about 8 lbs. I kept the same diet and workout regimen after I went off my first round of phentermine and did not gain back any of the weight. I know everyone is different.

Lastly, I just wanted to mention that my doctor also prescribed me a low dose of Prozac to take with the phentermine. I never experienced any suicidal thoughts or anything like that. However, my doctor said she had recently heard lots of other doctors are prescribing Prozac with the phentermine as a preventative. She was somewhat uncomfortable prescribing the phentermine to me unless I agreed to take the Prozac as well. She also mentioned that the Prozac would decrease my appetite, so I take it in the evening to balance out the phentermine wearing off. I can absolutely understand anyone not wanting to take phentermine again after experiencing a case of the "crazies". That would scare me too. However, if you ever consider it again, or you're skeptical due to this side effect, ask your doctor about taking it with Prozac. For most people, it takes about 2 weeks for the Prozac to kick in, so I'd suggest asking your doctor about taking it for a month prior to starting the phentermine.

I just started taking the 37.5 ( white with blue specks) and I feel fine also. Little bit of a headache but that might be because I stayed up cleaning and doing homework. I do have to drink a lot of water and workout or I feel tired. I think it depends on the other factors in your life how the medicine effects you. Glad to see at least a few other people that are having good results. For those of you that didn't I'm sorry and I hope the issues stopped as soon as you stopped the medication. It works for some, but it definitely is not for everyone.

ljashley1952

I took Phentremine as well a few years ago. I don't remember having any specific side-effects from it. I don't think I would recommend it for anyone with any kind of cardio-vascular issues. It did dull my appetite and give me a little boost of energy that I don't normally have. But I stopped taking it for several reasons. One, it was just plain expensive and my insurance did not cover it. Two, I was forgetting to take it daily, as directed, so I probably was not getting effective use of it. Lastly and most important, because I have high blood pressure. The last thing I need to do is take pills that increase blood pressure when I also take them to lower it. It just made no sense.

parksfp

With Phentermine, you really need to get the dosage and -- very importantly -- the *timing* right. If you must have coffee in the morning, take it, have whatever breakfast you're going to have, then take the Phentermine a couple hours after that. As much as possible, avoid taking it with other stimulants, including nicotine. Everyone should start with no more than half of a 37.5 mg tablet. This stuff is very strong. If you're not careful, it can make you paranoid, super horny, afraid to leave your house, give you headaches, insomnia, etc. But if you use it right, it can be helpful.

It's hard to believe that such a tiny pill can have such a dramatic effect, but it really can. Also, if you have a history of cocaine, methamphetamine, or other "speedy" drug abuse, you're going to need to be *very* careful that you don't get pulled back towards those things. You can get some of those same feelings and effects. If you're one of those who get the "super horny" side effect, it might lead to bad decision making and sexual adventurism.

On the timing issue, you want to take it early enough in the day that it will wear off before bedtime, but not so early that you'll crash before sleeping and start craving your favorite cookies or pasta or whatever. Ideally, you want it to wear off just as you're ready for bed, but that might be hard to get exactly right.

Also, you absolutely must resist the urge to take more than recommended or to abuse Phentermine to give you a boost for working out or to get through the day after a rough night out drinking. Also, don't forget to drink lots of water and actually eat something at meal time. You may need to set a timer to remind you to take a sip of water every so often and to eat, because one of the effects of Phentermine is to reduce your desire for food and water. You can get very engrossed in something and forget to eat or drink and easily dehydrate yourself or get too hungry.

Tweak your usage to suit your lifestyle and metabolism. Not everyone needs to take the whole pill.

nooshi713

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

ExistingFish

Not my personal experience, my husband was put on it when he was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. He lost around 60lbs, IIRC over 4-6 months. He wanted to do the last 10-20lbs without it, which he never really lost. He gained 10lbs back actually, but then lost that again. So he's right back where he left off the meds, which is fine his sleep apnea was resolved.

He felt agitated on it, like he'd had a lot of caffeine. He had some issues with pins and needles in his hands after exercise. It may have affected his sleep, I can't recall. He had no super bad side effects on it, but he didn't feel great. He was happy to get off it and does not desire to be on it again.

ExistingFish

nooshi713 wrote: »

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

I mean, isn't Adderall as well? Actually, Phentermine isn't even on this list:
https://amphetamines.com/types/legal/what-prescription-drugs-qualify-as-amphetamines/

ssilver1215

I took it for awhile. I didn’t have any negative side effects. It definitely kickstarted my weight loss. After a month or two I stopped taking it because I felt like I had a handle on my weight loss journey and didn’t need the help.

nooshi713

ExistingFish wrote: »

nooshi713 wrote: »

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

I mean, isn't Adderall as well? Actually, Phentermine isn't even on this list:
https://amphetamines.com/types/legal/what-prescription-drugs-qualify-as-amphetamines/

Yes. All the stimulants are potentially harmful. There have been studies showing damage to the heart, heart failure and valve problems with using these. A young woman came in the ER in cardiopulmonary arrest years ago. She was otherwise healthy. The only thing she was taking was phentermine to lose the baby weight. So sad. Ever since then I try to warn people.

Unknown

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Smiling_Sara

I've been on it two months. No negative side effects at all. 15mg every morning. Staying around 1300 calories a day. Down 20 pounds

ExistingFish

nooshi713 wrote: »

ExistingFish wrote: »

nooshi713 wrote: »

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

I mean, isn't Adderall as well? Actually, Phentermine isn't even on this list:
https://amphetamines.com/types/legal/what-prescription-drugs-qualify-as-amphetamines/

Yes. All the stimulants are potentially harmful. There have been studies showing damage to the heart, heart failure and valve problems with using these. A young woman came in the ER in cardiopulmonary arrest years ago. She was otherwise healthy. The only thing she was taking was phentermine to lose the baby weight. So sad. Ever since then I try to warn people.

This is true, but I would consider that an exception. All drugs come with risks. Thousands, probably millions of people, even children are on a daily basis. They would not be so widely used if they were as risky as using methamphetamines. People are not dropping from cardiopulmonary arrest from taking all these drugs.

People hate on phentermine quite a bit because weight loss is considered a less than worthy reason to risk it. But some people are prescribed it for other weight-related health issues. My husband had sleep apnea.

nooshi713

ExistingFish wrote: »

nooshi713 wrote: »

ExistingFish wrote: »

nooshi713 wrote: »

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

I mean, isn't Adderall as well? Actually, Phentermine isn't even on this list:
https://amphetamines.com/types/legal/what-prescription-drugs-qualify-as-amphetamines/

Yes. All the stimulants are potentially harmful. There have been studies showing damage to the heart, heart failure and valve problems with using these. A young woman came in the ER in cardiopulmonary arrest years ago. She was otherwise healthy. The only thing she was taking was phentermine to lose the baby weight. So sad. Ever since then I try to warn people.

This is true, but I would consider that an exception. All drugs come with risks. Thousands, probably millions of people, even children are on a daily basis. They would not be so widely used if they were as risky as using methamphetamines. People are not dropping from cardiopulmonary arrest from taking all these drugs.

People hate on phentermine quite a bit because weight loss is considered a less than worthy reason to risk it. But some people are prescribed it for other weight-related health issues. My husband had sleep apnea.

I suppose your doctor will weigh the risks and benefits before prescribing any drug. For some people, they are so dangerously overweight that this medication is worth the potential side effects. A lot of people taking this medication are not though and thats scary to me.

kshama2001

nooshi713 wrote: »

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

Oh, yeah, I felt soooooooooo good when I was taking phen/fen.

I didn't internalize healthy eating habits when my appetite was artificially suppressed by taking a legal amphetamine-like drug and I gained all the weight back when I stopped taking it. And now I am on medication for heart palpitations.

Here's my favorite post about Phentermine: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10329901/phentermine/p1

itschanelle wrote: »

I have seen a lot of posts on and off about this and other weight loss drugs. I can vouch that they absolutely work. I have lost a lot weight using Phentermine on and off throughout about a 10 year span.

BUT...

The weight doesn't stay off. And those side effects? They are real.

You could take Phentermine and lose the weight, but you might end up like me. I'm 30 years old, slightly over weight, and have moderate tricuspid valve regurgitation. As in, I might need open heart surgery because my heart was damaged by Phentermine. To be clear, I never took it for more than a few months at a time, was monitored by a doctor, and did everything "right".

My lifespan has likely been shortened to lose a few pounds. Weight I could have lost on my own with a little bit of gumption. It wasn't worth it.

nooshi713

kshama2001 wrote: »

nooshi713 wrote: »

I work in the medical field and have seen bad results with this drug. It is essentially legalized meth.

Oh, yeah, I felt soooooooooo good when I was taking phen/fen.

I didn't internalize healthy eating habits when my appetite was artificially suppressed by taking a legal amphetamine-like drug and I gained all the weight back when I stopped taking it. And now I am on medication for heart palpitations.

Here's my favorite post about Phentermine: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10329901/phentermine/p1

itschanelle wrote: »

I have seen a lot of posts on and off about this and other weight loss drugs. I can vouch that they absolutely work. I have lost a lot weight using Phentermine on and off throughout about a 10 year span.

BUT...

The weight doesn't stay off. And those side effects? They are real.

You could take Phentermine and lose the weight, but you might end up like me. I'm 30 years old, slightly over weight, and have moderate tricuspid valve regurgitation. As in, I might need open heart surgery because my heart was damaged by Phentermine. To be clear, I never took it for more than a few months at a time, was monitored by a doctor, and did everything "right".

My lifespan has likely been shortened to lose a few pounds. Weight I could have lost on my own with a little bit of gumption. It wasn't worth it.

Interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Roaringgael

Humans develop tolerance to stimulants as we also develop tolerance to other types of drugs like alcohol, dope, diazepam (valium), anti-depressants etc. All drugs have side effects.

sammidelvecchio

I have not had any bad side effects with phentermine. The first time I tried it, I had a few...I NEVER wanted to eat (like, for days at a time I wouldn't), couldn't sleep, TOO much energy. But I am trying it again but this time I took a class that educated me on the proper way to take it and I really like it this time around. It is very important you understand how to take the medication properly.