Phentermine

cubbies77

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

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

'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

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

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

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

P.S To this day I have heart arrhythmia problems that I know were caused by that stuff. Not worth it.

BamBam125

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

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

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!

mustangali

I appreciate all the feedback. Today is day 2 with it, and honestly, I don't really notice any horrible side effects, granted most medications take a few days at least to really get going. My mouth has been a little dry, but other than that, I actually feel really good. I know how to exercise, I know how to eat right. My issue has been time, and the fact that food rules my world.

My hope for the phentermine is to help me think/obsess less with food, stop worrying so much about when my next meal will be, or what it will be, and allow me to eat only when I'm hungry. I've taken all the measures necessary to fill my kitchen with healthy meals and snacks, and have brought them to work as well. I haven't been exercising like I used to, so I'm also hoping that the phentermine will help me during the next couple months while I figure out a new schedule and get back into the swing of going to the gym.

One positive for me, is that I was advised to completely give up caffeine, as caffeine will only make me more jittery and anxious with the phentermine. I've been wanting to give up Diet Dr. Pepper for a long time now, and I am seeing this as an opportunity to do so. Day two without it and I don't miss it yet!

I'll be on the lookout for the other negative side effects mentioned, and if I begin to experience them, I'll reevaluate what I'm doing. I was advised by my doctor or all possible effects (as is standard practice and it surprises me to hear that isn't happening). He's great at keeping in contact with his patients to make sure they are doing well. I lost 40 lbs and got stuck and I've been stuck now for about a year. I'm hoping this is the kickstart I need to get back on track.

Thanks again for all the feedback. I really appreciate it. I'm not a fan of meds (I'm a mental health counselor and rarely support the idea of meds) so this is really going out on a limb for me.

I wish you all the best of luck in your efforts!

bridgelene

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.

Anorexia is defined as "Loss of appetite or inability to eat". So yes, although it's intended and not a side effect, I don't think that using the word anorexia is untrue or extreme. Anorexia nervosa is what is commonly referred to in our society as "anorexia", but that is a restriction, and part of the diagnostic criteria for that in women is loss of menses. (when my gf was in treatment, even though in addition to the years of restrictive behavior, she had an extremely low body weight & BMI her ED was technically labeled as "ED-NOS" because she never lost her menses). And yes, what the drug does -- how it works -- is by decreasing appetite.

Side effects listed in micromedex include Common -- dry mouth, feeling nervous, irritability and insomnia.. Serious side effects include cardiomyopathy, heart valve disorder, heat stroke, cerebral hemorrhage (um yeah, brain), cerebral ischemia, psychotic disorder, and primary pulmonary hypertension.

I took it for a while -- I had a racing heart (never went away), was always on high alert & nervous, and insomnia. I lost a lot of weight, and fast. But I gained double the amount I had lost, back pretty much right away.