Phentermine

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  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    'Anorexia' just means lack of appetite.

    Eh... Anorexia is generally considered more than that. It's not just "I'm not hungry." It's a mental and emotional illness characterized by an obsessive fixation on weight loss and a delusional self image.

    I believe the eating disorder is Anorexia Nervosa.

    Just plain old anorexia is a medical term for "not having an appetite."
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    Oops. I forgot one of my other symptoms.

    I had constant dry mouth. It didn't matter how much I drank, my mouth always felt dry and tasted like it does in the morning before I brush my teeth. I had a mint in my mouth almost every second of the day. In a way, it helped make sure I drank a lot of water, but it was really frustrating. I'd cough a lot because of it too.

    My doctor said I could take half a dose, which made the symptoms a little better, but then I was right back to losing what I lost before I started taking the pills, so I figured the pills weren't worth all of the side effects if my weight loss didn't change. Plus, I was able to get used to eating 1800 calories on my own and didn't need the appetite suppressant part of it anymore.
  • Snikkee
    Snikkee Posts: 295 Member
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    I was on Phentermine 2 times. The first time I lost 50 lbs. I was on it for 6 months. I hardly ate because I was never hungry. FDA regulations at that time only allowed 6 months, once my BMI was under 30, I couldn't have it anymore. I gained all the weight back and then some. I was then prescribed it again, against my doctors wishes, only because I begged him. AGAIN, I lost some weight, about 30 lbs... then I started to have emotional issues because of it, it really messed with my hormones, I had horrible mood swings. Also at this point the FDA changed the regulations to only 3 months of taking the pill instead of 6. It can cause lung issues, and high blood pressure. I stopped taking them, it took me awhile to come down from them. I gained all the weight back again. I messed up my metabolism, my hormones, and I had destroyed my body even farther. Not worth it.
  • Kendra0024
    Kendra0024 Posts: 56 Member
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    I took it several years ago. I lost about 60 pounds in just under a year, and followed a nutrition plan provided by my doctor. At the beginning I had issues sleeping, so I started taking it earlier, and at the doctor's suggestion, took a benedryl at night to help me sleep. I didn't gain the weight back until a few years later, when I developed PCOS. The only reason I won't go back on it now is because I struggle with anxiety now (which was not the case before), so my treatment for that takes precedence for the time being.
  • 05saleengirl
    05saleengirl Posts: 549
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    Phentermine is a CNS stimulant and one of the side effects is anorexia. This is why it works. It doesn't teach you anything about proper nutrition, it just kills your appetite. If you go back to your old eating habits when you stop taking it, the weight comes right back.

    This...I tried it for a month many many years ago and I literally lost half my hair from it. It's great at curbing your appetite. But when you stop, if you haven't learnt how to properly eat as exercise, it will all come back on.
  • LynnieG85
    LynnieG85 Posts: 157 Member
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    'Anorexia' just means lack of appetite.

    Eh... Anorexia is generally considered more than that. It's not just "I'm not hungry." It's a mental and emotional illness characterized by an obsessive fixation on weight loss and a delusional self image.

    No. Anorexia is a loss of appetite. You're confusing this with the condition "Anorexia Nervosa" which is the eating disorder. Look at any drug leaflet that causes a loss of appetite, and more than likely, one of the side effects will be listed as "anorexia".
  • spacreek13
    spacreek13 Posts: 11
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    Where can I get some to use as an aid? I don't think my doctor would prescribe it for me.
  • BamBam125
    BamBam125 Posts: 229 Member
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    Getting off topic but...
    'Anorexia' just means lack of appetite.

    Eh... Anorexia is generally considered more than that. It's not just "I'm not hungry." It's a mental and emotional illness characterized by an obsessive fixation on weight loss and a delusional self image.

    I believe the eating disorder is Anorexia Nervosa.

    Just plain old anorexia is a medical term for "not having an appetite."

    On this forum, what do you think the general members think of when they hear the word "anorexia"? I'm willing to bet it's the disorder and not just the lack of appetite. That word on a weight loss forum has the stronger meaning. Context and audience matters. Do a forum search for the word. Former ED sufferers on the boards often leave off the "nervosa." It's pretty much understood what most people mean when they say "anorexia." It's one of those words with a powerful connotation that shouldn't be lightly used. When ill people say they are "Pro Ana" they don't have to add the "Nervosa" to be understood.

    This isn't a medical forum. It's a forum for the general public.
  • daniellealys
    daniellealys Posts: 301 Member
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    It sounds like most people are taking a very high dose. I have taken it before with success and without these extreme side effects people are mentioning. I took 15mg, which is the lowest dose possible. I would never take more than that...and I am very heavy. so I could not imagine a smaller person taking 30mg. I could see how that would be bad. I never felt like I couldnt eat. I was able to easily eat 1200-1500 calories but keep myself away from bad foods, etc.
  • LabMonkeySteph85
    LabMonkeySteph85 Posts: 64
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    The physician group that I worked for before leaving to go to nursing school refused to prescribe this. It's dangerous. It can lead to serious cardiac complications. I would rather be heavy than dead, IMO.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    Where can I get some to use as an aid? I don't think my doctor would prescribe it for me.

    You can only get it from a doctor. Most doctors won't prescribe it unless you're obese or morbidly obese.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Phentermine is a CNS stimulant and one of the side effects is anorexia. This is why it works. It doesn't teach you anything about proper nutrition, it just kills your appetite. If you go back to your old eating habits when you stop taking it, the weight comes right back.

    Yes it kills your appetite, but I wouldn't go so far as to say "anorexia" is a side effect. That seems a bit extreme to me.

    The doctor did give me a dietary plan and an exercise plan to go with the pills while I was on them. And I did follow the diet plan. Work got in the way of my work outs though and then the lack of sleep and jitters took away my willpower to try to keep it up. The pill didn't teach me proper nutrition, but the doctor's plan was at least an attempt at it.

    I didn't lose ANY weight on that pill. Anorexia was not a side effect for me. I think this is because overeating wasn't my biggest problem in the first place, so an appetite suppressant wasn't the right solution. Eating the wrong things was a contributing factor to my weight gain, but I'm convinced that lack of exercise and stress (LOTS of stress) were the primary contributors. the Pill's side effects made my stress worse, so it didn't help me. I didn't loose any weight with any plan until AFTER I managed to reduce my stress levels. Lower stress opened the doors to better eating AND increased physical activity.
    Note: I said anorexia, not anorexia nervosa. Please google the definitions of both if you don't already know it.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    'Anorexia' just means lack of appetite.

    Eh... Anorexia is generally considered more than that. It's not just "I'm not hungry." It's a mental and emotional illness characterized by an obsessive fixation on weight loss and a delusional self image.

    According to the Collins Concise English Dictionary, "anorexia" does indeed mean JUST "loss of appetite."

    "Anorexia NERVOSA," on the other hand is " a disorder characterized by fear of becoming fat and refusal of food, leading to debility and even death."
    Correct
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    My wife starts her diets with phentermine then weans off and continues to eat right.

    I couldn't help but notice this. You said "diets". You mean she has done this more than once? If so, perhaps she needs to try just eating right and skip the phentermine.
  • healthylady88
    healthylady88 Posts: 81 Member
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    That stuff is poison and I am shocked that they still hand that out. I took it over 20 years ago and it messed with my heart big time. Not worth it. It kills your appetite and that is not what you want. You need to eat in order to lose weight. It also gives you horrible breath, although you can't tell. Others can. There are so many nasty side effects from that junk. Do some research and you'll see.
    Good luck, be smart :)
  • tennesseeleigh
    tennesseeleigh Posts: 169
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    I have taken phentermine before with mixed results. At my heaviest my family dr suggested it. I lost 15 lbs in a month but had trouble sleeping and it made me pretty irritable. I didn't continue it after the month. It did totally kill my appetite.
  • healthylady88
    healthylady88 Posts: 81 Member
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    P.S To this day I have heart arrhythmia problems that I know were caused by that stuff. Not worth it.
  • BamBam125
    BamBam125 Posts: 229 Member
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    Note: I said anorexia, not anorexia nervosa. Please google the definitions of both if you don't already know it.

    I have googled it. "Anorexia" as a the full blown disorder shows up as definition #2 when you simply type "Define Anorexia" into a Google search. I'm perfectly aware that the medical jargon for the term refers to a loss of appetite (meaning #1). In general conversation (aka outside of a doctor's office) however the term generally uses the 2nd meaning. Please don't patronize me. I'm not an idiot.

    If you told someone that "bulima" was a side effect of a drug they were taking on this forum, their first thoughts would probably be about vomit, even though that's "really" the "nervosa" form as well (whereas the medical jargon defintion #1 just refers to the extreme over eating).

    If you will please note, in my original statement about your comment, I used the word "General."

    Geeze...:ohwell:

    Besides, how can "lack of appetite" be a SIDE effect when the drug is prescribed as an "appetite suppressant?" Lack of appetite isn't an accident that you watch out for when take the drug. It's the whole point of taking it. It's not a "secondary" and "undesirable" feature of the drug.
  • tarabatton
    tarabatton Posts: 47 Member
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    I am currently taking Phentermine. I do not belive by any means that this is a miracle drug, it is just an aid to the healthy lifestyle that I reaquainting myself with. I feel that it helps quite a bit with my appetite which is what I needed. I do not have the side effects everyone is talking about. I sleep great(9+ hours a night), have even more focus at work and am my usually peppy self and I can eat on it (however I eat "normal" portions instead of chunklin sized portions). The way I look at it is my doc is willing to rx me this med for a period of 3 months and during this time I am getting use to my new healthy lifestyle. I am sticking to my 1360 dail cal inake (suggested by MFP) and working out in the AM before work. I find that I do not obsess about food the way I once did and when I take a "drug holiday" on Sundays I am not obsessing the way that I have done most of my life.

    My advice is take both postive and negative feedback with an open mind and find what works best for you.
  • Preesy
    Preesy Posts: 37
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    Wow, I've learned more about the definition to the word anorexia than I ever really wanted to know... =)

    About the drug: I have NOT taken it, but I have a good friend who has in the past (at least twice that I know of) for about 3 months each. Her doctor monitored her very closely because of the side effects, requiring visits if I recall correctly every two weeks.

    Is the drug a fix all? No, I don't recall who it was who said it now but it's a tool, like most other things you use in your diet, whether it be a book to look up calories, a scale to weigh your food, whatever. It is not meant to solve your problem but control your appetite to make assuming a healthier eating pattern easier on those who simply can't manage to do it naturally.

    If you choose to use it, understand the risks before popping that first one into your mouth. Discuss concerns with your doctor and by all means stick to your diet to the letter. If you are feeling miserable then STOP taking it and call your doctor. Insist on frequent follow ups with him or her in order to monitor your health while on the drug. Don't take any chances, and obviously if you are able to modify your eating habits without the pill, don't even bother taking the thing in the first place!

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