Phentermine... yay or nay?

spamantha57

Hmm, interesting. I'm going to look more into this.

(I've been studying fitness & nutrition for awhile, but thinking of specializing more in psychological/ mood disorders & drugs in relation to these type of health issues.)

PetulantOne

The weight comes back when you stop taking it because once the medication is out of your system, then your appetite goes back to normal, hence the reason why it is a proven fact that lasting weight loss requires a lifestyle change. Pills will give you fast weight loss, as will surgery, but if you don't change the way you eat and your relationship with food, you WILL gain it back.

Right, and the pills help you take control of your appetite, just like pills are used to help people stop smoking and weight loss surgery like the lap band and gastric sleeve.

So why all the hate for pills but no hate for people who had their stomach adjusted? Seriously?

"Phentermine is a stimulant that is similar to an amphetamine. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system."

Because it's speed, that's why. If I came on here and said "hey guys, I started smoking meth to speed up my weight loss. I've lost ten pounds in a week!" What would everyone say?

From what I've seen here, at least a dozen people would respond with something like, "Congrats! WTG! You have to find what works for you! We're all unique!"

Yay! Good for you! Good luck on your Journey and most importantly, don't stop believing!

Did I get that right?

ladyark

I took phentermine for almost 3 months in the beginning of my weight loss. I had NO desire to care what i looked like or losing weight and certainly didnt want to exercise. I was at 200 lbs and in pain. My Dr said just try it for one month and if it works you can stay on it for up to 6 months.

That first month i lost 17lbs.....no appetite but i forced myself to eat smaller portions and decent food. It actually took away my desire for anything especially garbage. I just didnt want it. Secondly, i wanted to MOVE! So i went to the gym. I did hours of cardio . I ended up staying on it for 3 months while i taught myself how to eat right and exercise properly. I still ate about 1200 cals a day but i made sure they were good calories. People would bring in a cake and i would have no desire for it.

It does make the mouth dry and makes you very constipated and i ran on very little sleep while on it.

After 3 months i had lost about 33 lbs and i had enough. I felt that i knew how to eat well and exercise right and i just needed that jumpstart. I would not take it again knowing what i know now and how to do it right. It is a personal decision that only you can make.

The appetite wlll return some when you stop taking it , that is why you really need to teach yourself how to be healthy while you are on it so you have the tools when you are not.

Good luck to you!!!

LTGPSA

But if she were going to have WLS, everyone would be all, "Yay!!! Good for you!!! Here's a support group." So rearranging your insides to control your hunger = good, but taking a pill that does the same thing without surgery = bad? Yeah, okay. :-P The pill is only for a month or two and doesn't have the same long-lasting side effects.

And don't give me bull about how the surgery is safer. There are lots of risks with WLS as well.

No, not "everyone".

For the weight I've lost, I've done so by utilizing this site along with changing my {bad} habits and mindset where food and exercise are concerned. I don't believe in surgically altering one's body, I don't believe in weight loss drugs, and I don't believe in extreme diets. In years past, I've tried a few of the fad diets - not for very long - and whatever weight I did lose returned and then some. For me, utilizing MFP the way it is intended has worked for me and I've kept the weight off for over a year now - which is much longer than any other diet has worked for me.

To each their own - good luck to all. Please be careful and educate yourself on side effects. Peace. :flowerforyou:

P.S. Absolutely Nay!

_Ben

"Phentermine is a stimulant that is similar to an amphetamine. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system."

Because it's speed, that's why. If I came on here and said "hey guys, I started smoking meth to speed up my weight loss. I've lost ten pounds in a week!" What would everyone say?

This is a bit of a reaching statement. While both are psychostimulants, your understanding between these 3 medications is a bit flawed. Phentermine primarily works to activate the fight or flight response. Amphetamine is a drug that has similar effects, but also a great deal more. Amphetamine is what is known as a chiral drug; in otherwords it has a left and right handed form. These different forms do a wide range of effects, from being sold as decongestants, to being used in the treatment of ADHD. While chemically methamphetamine and amphetamine are in the similar classes, they have a very large difference in potency and desired effects

Im not saying being on Phenterimine should be you number one choice either. Healthy diet and good exercise is really what you want to focus on, Im just saying they arent really that similar

toomuchbootyindapants

RUNNNNNN. no no no no.

Doc gave me it to help get me "motivated" back when I was a big ol' fatty. I lost 15 lbs in a couple of weeks (mostly water) - had no appetite and would get dizzy and crap because I wasn't eating enough - but what was the worst was the Phen-RAGE I experienced. I just became a different person and hated everything and everyone. I was a mean b!tch. But damn was my house clean. Oh, and once I got off of it after two weeks, the weight just came back slowly. Oh and I was constipated and couldn't sleep at night - we're talking 3 hours of sleep, if I was lucky.

Calorie deficit eating foods you enjoy in moderation = SUCCESS. No need for pills or fat burners or whatever.

LTGPSA

Nay.

Anything that is an odd quick weight loss diet is a nay for me.. I know someone who got an ear staple and lost 40 pounds.. and then gained it all back. I know someone else who did the HCG diet and they look so droopy.. and just not toned. I would rather be losing weight for 5 years and look fabulous than do a quick weight loss and have saggy skin. Just my preference.

I'm 17 by the way, and I would never take any pills.. :x

^^ Well said!

Lupercalia

Hmmm....why not take up methamphetamine instead? It'd probably be more fun and you'd certainly get more "bang for your buck". Guaranteed weight loss!

Seriously, here's a better idea: just eat real food, in the proper amounts, and exercise a bit. It's really not that difficult, I swear.

_Ben

How do you get Phentermine? is it prescribed by a doctor?

Sadly, you can buy anything on the internet. Are they going to be the real deal, that if the risk you take!

Extremely dangerous to buy offline, and just so you know, if you get caught, or the postman decides to check your mail before sending it to you, that is a misdemanor, ~1 year in jail, and a $2000 fine; depending on what state your in

FitnessGal1983

I say no. I tried diet pills years ago. Yeah, they worked (by making me not hungry so I didn't eat). But after about a week they didn't work as well. My doctor told me this would happen and warned me not to increase how many I took each day. I also figured what was I going to do after losing weight -- keep taking diet pills the rest of my life?

I got good advice from someone on another forum. She lost almost 150 pounds. She said I needed to find out WHY I was eating too much or snacking. Work on the problem and no diet pills are needed. I'm still a work in progress but I figured out that if I eat when I'm bored, I'll still be bored -- and depressed -- after eating something I shouldn't.

cassiepv

The weight comes back when you stop taking it because once the medication is out of your system, then your appetite goes back to normal, hence the reason why it is a proven fact that lasting weight loss requires a lifestyle change. Pills will give you fast weight loss, as will surgery, but if you don't change the way you eat and your relationship with food, you WILL gain it back.

Right, and the pills help you take control of your appetite, just like pills are used to help people stop smoking and weight loss surgery like the lap band and gastric sleeve.

So why all the hate for pills but no hate for people who had their stomach adjusted? Seriously?

"Phentermine is a stimulant that is similar to an amphetamine. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system."

Because it's speed, that's why. If I came on here and said "hey guys, I started smoking meth to speed up my weight loss. I've lost ten pounds in a week!" What would everyone say?

^^^ I'd say " you're gonna get meth face "

CrazyTrackLady

I am loving all of the feedback.. Its awesome to hear both sides! Alot of you seem to think I dont want to diet or excercise... I admit I make bad choices sometimes but 80% of the time I eat good portions, get my servings of fruit and veggies and stay under 1200 calories and work at least 9 hours a day waitressing at TGIFridays (very busy restaurant = lots of walking)! I think my weightloss is so slow because of my PCOS. Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Cardiovascular disease run in my family. I have been told for many years that if I dont get into the healthy range fast I will get complcations early. And my grandma died because of obesity related disease. I really want to drop and be HEALTHY. I swear this isn't a lose 30 quick lbs for prom or swimsuit season this is a real deal attempt at a lifestyle change. I am hoping also that while on the Phentermine my stomach will shrink so it will be easier to be full off normal portion sizes because before when I would eat a weight watchers meal my tummy would STILL be grumbling.

I do understand your desire to lose weight and become healthier, and I admire and respect you for this decision. However, I don't understand why you would be "okay" with the super thirst, rapid heartbeat and the other potentially serious side effects this drug can give you, when simply eating healthier foods and exercising would be successful over time?

Your weight didn't magically appear on your frame one day - it happened over a long time. Why do you think you should lose it quickly, and the only way to do so is by altering your body and brain chemistry to do it?

True it is your body, but there are better ways to lose weight than by taking a pill, or trying some weird fad diet, supplements, starvation, deprivation, etc. It is through proper eating and exercising - and those two things are virtually risk free.

Our bodies tell us when we are in pain, we are thirsty, we are hungry, etc. That's the beauty of being alive. Why mess with that and shut off those signals?

But that's the thing, dry lips is my ONLY side effect. And the weight gain did happen rapidly. Not over time. On graduation day (May 25th 2012) I was 170. I hit 215 by Halloween 2012. So I've gotten down to 202 by diet and excercise... But now I just want a little boost.

Dry lips FOR NOW. That's like saying "I'm thinking of starting smoking cigarettes as a way to help control my appetite. I just want to drop a few pounds, and I think nicotine is a great way to do it." HUH????

Again, why do this to yourself if you risk the chance of more serious side effects down the road? You say you gained weight quickly - HOW did you gain weight? And if it weren't by eating too much and not exercising, did you see an endocrinologist to determine if it were something physically wrong with you? (hypothyroid, PCOS, etc)?

You are looking for a quick, temporary fix to a long term solution. Flip the script here and think about making a long term solution to a temporary problem.

Taking a pill to LOSE weight is never the right choice, when other healthy decisions can be made and done with will power and determination.

nhatalie

I am loving all of the feedback.. Its awesome to hear both sides! Alot of you seem to think I dont want to diet or excercise... I admit I make bad choices sometimes but 80% of the time I eat good portions, get my servings of fruit and veggies and stay under 1200 calories and work at least 9 hours a day waitressing at TGIFridays (very busy restaurant = lots of walking)! I think my weightloss is so slow because of my PCOS. Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Cardiovascular disease run in my family. I have been told for many years that if I dont get into the healthy range fast I will get complcations early. And my grandma died because of obesity related disease. I really want to drop and be HEALTHY. I swear this isn't a lose 30 quick lbs for prom or swimsuit season this is a real deal attempt at a lifestyle change. I am hoping also that while on the Phentermine my stomach will shrink so it will be easier to be full off normal portion sizes because before when I would eat a weight watchers meal my tummy would STILL be grumbling.

I do understand your desire to lose weight and become healthier, and I admire and respect you for this decision. However, I don't understand why you would be "okay" with the super thirst, rapid heartbeat and the other potentially serious side effects this drug can give you, when simply eating healthier foods and exercising would be successful over time?

Your weight didn't magically appear on your frame one day - it happened over a long time. Why do you think you should lose it quickly, and the only way to do so is by altering your body and brain chemistry to do it?

True it is your body, but there are better ways to lose weight than by taking a pill, or trying some weird fad diet, supplements, starvation, deprivation, etc. It is through proper eating and exercising - and those two things are virtually risk free.

Our bodies tell us when we are in pain, we are thirsty, we are hungry, etc. That's the beauty of being alive. Why mess with that and shut off those signals?

But that's the thing, dry lips is my ONLY side effect. And the weight gain did happen rapidly. Not over time. On graduation day (May 25th 2012) I was 170. I hit 215 by Halloween 2012. So I've gotten down to 202 by diet and excercise... But now I just want a little boost.

Dry lips FOR NOW. That's like saying "I'm thinking of starting smoking cigarettes as a way to help control my appetite. I just want to drop a few pounds, and I think nicotine is a great way to do it." HUH????

Again, why do this to yourself if you risk the chance of more serious side effects down the road? You say you gained weight quickly - HOW did you gain weight? And if it weren't by eating too much and not exercising, did you see an endocrinologist to determine if it were something physically wrong with you? (hypothyroid, PCOS, etc)?

You are looking for a quick, temporary fix to a long term solution. Flip the script here and think about making a long term solution to a temporary problem.

Taking a pill to LOSE weight is never the right choice, when other healthy decisions can be made and done with will power and determination.

Yes I do have pcos as stated above. But I have had that since I was 14. I think it was birth control that caused me to gain. I stopped taking it around... September 1st I believe. Oh and I started college at Ole Miss.

4n6babe

Like all medications, they affect different people in different ways. If it was recommended to you by a *good/legit* doctor it will be for a good reason and you would have to qualify for it by not having high blood pressure and by being very obese. I have been on it for about a month and though my weight loss has not been as much as some people have said theirs is, I am losing more than I personally have been able to with other methods such as just calorie counting or just exercising, which have never really worked for me. I have A LOT of weight to lose and I am not just taking the pill and not doing anything else. I am on here every day counting my calories and I do Zumba 4-5 times a week. The doctor who prescribed it is also having me go to an endocrinologist because after she was suspicious that my cortisol levels were high... sure enough - they were. So I have that appointment at the end of this month. Its all about figuring out what is going on with YOUR body - not everyone else's on this site...

I would take everyone's advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Consult a doctor that you trust to see what options are best for you. That is what I did because nothing has been working for me and this pill is a PART of what is helping me. I am confident that after getting down to a healthier weight, I will be able to keep the healthier habits that I am working on right now.

megsmom2

Why would I take unnecessary medication....that are potentially damaging...to do something I can do without it? Oh heck NO!

nhatalie

Like all medications, they affect different people in different ways. If it was recommended to you by a *good/legit* doctor it will be for a good reason and you would have to qualify for it by not having high blood pressure and by being very obese. I have been on it for about a month and though my weight loss has not been as much as some people have said theirs is, I am losing more than I personally have been able to with other methods such as just calorie counting or just exercising, which have never really worked for me. I have A LOT of weight to lose and I am not just taking the pill and not doing anything else. I am on here every day counting my calories and I do Zumba 4-5 times a week. The doctor who prescribed it is also having me go to an endocrinologist because after she was suspicious that my cortisol levels were high... sure enough - they were. So I have that appointment at the end of this month. Its all about figuring out what is going on with YOUR body - not everyone else's on this site...

I would take everyone's advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Consult a doctor that you trust to see what options are best for you. That is what I did because nothing has been working for me and this pill is a PART of what is helping me. I am confident that after getting down to a healthier weight, I will be able to keep the healthier habits that I am working on right now.

I wish you the best on everything girl! I'm trying to do the same as you so try and keep me updated with how you're doing!

msliu7911

The weight comes back when you stop taking it because once the medication is out of your system, then your appetite goes back to normal, hence the reason why it is a proven fact that lasting weight loss requires a lifestyle change. Pills will give you fast weight loss, as will surgery, but if you don't change the way you eat and your relationship with food, you WILL gain it back.

Right, and the pills help you take control of your appetite, just like pills are used to help people stop smoking and weight loss surgery like the lap band and gastric sleeve.

So why all the hate for pills but no hate for people who had their stomach adjusted? Seriously?

"Phentermine is a stimulant that is similar to an amphetamine. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system."

Because it's speed, that's why. If I came on here and said "hey guys, I started smoking meth to speed up my weight loss. I've lost ten pounds in a week!" What would everyone say?

From what I've seen here, at least a dozen people would respond with something like, "Congrats! WTG! You have to find what works for you! We're all unique!"

+1:laugh:

CrazyTrackLady

Like all medications, they affect different people in different ways. If it was recommended to you by a *good/legit* doctor it will be for a good reason and you would have to qualify for it by not having high blood pressure and by being very obese. I have been on it for about a month and though my weight loss has not been as much as some people have said theirs is, I am losing more than I personally have been able to with other methods such as just calorie counting or just exercising, which have never really worked for me. I have A LOT of weight to lose and I am not just taking the pill and not doing anything else. I am on here every day counting my calories and I do Zumba 4-5 times a week. The doctor who prescribed it is also having me go to an endocrinologist because after she was suspicious that my cortisol levels were high... sure enough - they were. So I have that appointment at the end of this month. Its all about figuring out what is going on with YOUR body - not everyone else's on this site...

I would take everyone's advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Consult a doctor that you trust to see what options are best for you. That is what I did because nothing has been working for me and this pill is a PART of what is helping me. I am confident that after getting down to a healthier weight, I will be able to keep the healthier habits that I am working on right now.

Actually, I believe doctors aren't all that "up to date" on nutrition. They don't get much training/education in this area. What she should do is see a nutritionist/dietician, who specialize in these issues. Doctors are quick to give pills out for every little ache, pain and problem. I trust my doctor with medical advice/diagnoses, but I would go to a nutritionist or a pharmacologist for information about weight loss and whether or not pills are the "best way" to go.

My body is the only one I have. I am not about to fill it up with unnecessary pills and strange fad diets when logic dictates healthy eating and exercise is the best way to go. I honestly do not understand the mentality of "Got a problem? Here's a pill to help you with that!" when other, safer options are available.

engrdad

Interesting topic and lots of strong opinions. My family physician is a D.O. instead of an M.D. They theoretically take a more holistic view of health than a normal M.D. He also does a lot of research/ studies and recently opened up a second business as a weight loss clinic. I found a Groupon for this clinic for a 4-week weight loss program and bought it. They do a comprehensive body analysis (height, weight, BMI, body fat, skeletal muscle, resting metabolism, body age, visceral fat and vital signs) weekly. You also get nutritional counseling, eight injections of B12, four lipotropic-plex injections and two B-complex injections. He also prescribed Fentermine 37.5. I started the program and just went to my second appointment (been on the program for one week). They do emphasize exercise and a proper diet. I lost 5.4lbs in the first week but increased a little in body fat percentage. They instructed me to include more protein in each meal due to this.

I feel comfortable in this program because 1) it is my family physician and 2) I am being monitored weekly. I also bought a blood pressure monitor and check myself just about every day. I do not get the severe dry mouth that everyone talks about. Actually, the only side effects I get are less of an appetite (not completely gone as other have said), more energy and an improved sense of well-being. Not bad, ehh. Now you must take into account that I am 50 years old and I did feel like my metabolism need a jump start (was feeling tired a lot). Of course, everyone reacts differently to medication and as a general rule, I try and minimize any medications as they all have side effects. However, for me so far this has been a good experience. We'll see how it turns out. Best of luck to you and all of us in getting healthy.

breeshabebe

I was on them for a few months... they work at first.. then your body gets used to them. I didn't lose 1lb that I didn't gain back when I quit using them. They made me super irritable and impatient. I had initially started them just because I wanted to jumpstart my weightloss... and I did lose weight... but like I said.. I gained it back because I became dependent on them and when they were gone I didn't know how to practice self control without a drug doing it for me.