Phentermine and Weighloss

Has anyone had successful results with the use of Phentermine? My doctor recently perscribed it to me to give me a boost as the normal diet/ exercise thing isn't working. Any tips while using it?
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Replies

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    get a new doctor

    or...follow this one's instructions....not ours
  • You've lost 33 pounds, though. (?) How isn't diet and exercise working?
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Threads on this topic get locked for good reason.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    You've lost 33 pounds, though. (?) How isn't diet and exercise working?

    I've lost 33lbs total, my weight has been completely stagnant for the last year.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    Threads on this topic get locked for good reason.

    Oh I'm not going to get all butthurt about it if people want to get fiesty. I was just curious if anyone had used it under a doctor's guidance and how it worked for them.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    Threads on this topic get locked for good reason.

    Oh I'm not going to get all butthurt about it if people want to get fiesty. I was just curious if anyone had used it under a doctor's guidance and how it worked for them.

    that isnt why they shut these down

    it is because using speed/drugs for weight loss is unhealhy

    you should consider a new doctor unless you want to be a drug addict the rest of your life
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Oh I'm not going to get all butthurt about it if people want to get fiesty. I was just curious if anyone had used it under a doctor's guidance and how it worked for them.

    Maybe run a search and read the locked threads? There were two up yesterday.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    Oh I'm not going to get all butthurt about it if people want to get fiesty. I was just curious if anyone had used it under a doctor's guidance and how it worked for them.

    Maybe run a search and read the locked threads? There were two up yesterday.

    Good idea, I hadn't even thought of searching for it as I hadn't really seen it discussed on here... but then again I haven't been on in a while either.
  • cbellanger
    cbellanger Posts: 25 Member
    I took Phenteramine about 2-3 years ago. It was perscribed for the same reason. I lost around 15-20 lbs using it, but because I did not change my habits, I gained it all back when I stopped using it. I will tell you that it is going to give you the shakes and make your heart feel ab it jumpy for a few days until your body gets used to it. It really is just an appetite suppresant and I think that is why it is so temporary as far as weight loss is concerned. I will say that it really helped me lose weight, but if you are going to use it, you will need to alter your eating and exercise habits as well, and not just depend on the pill like I did. Hope this helps.
  • Spokez70
    Spokez70 Posts: 548 Member
    I lost my first 25 lbs using Phentermine- I was on it for about 10 weeks at the beginning of this year. During that time i started getting a feeling of my heart fluttering in my chest and it kept getting worse and worse to where I would get dizzy and thought I was going to pass out a few times. It was a pretty stressful time in my life for other reasons and i was not sure if the symptoms were from stress or the Phentermine- I would skip taking a pill for a day just to see if it made things better and never felt any difference. Finally right before we were scheduled to go on a 10 day camping trip in March I had a really bad heart-pounding out of my chest dizzy spell while driving that almost got me in a car wreck and I said enough and made an appointment to go see my doctor. He said it sounded stress related and told me to still go on vacation but see cardiologist when i get back- just to be sure- and even gave me an extra weeks supply of Phentermine since i would be out of town.

    I left the doctors office kind of shaking my head and decided to leave the diet pills at home and not worry about my diet during the camping trip- fully expecting to pick up where I left off as soon as I got back. The heart symptoms kept up for the first four days of the trip but I tried to not let it freak me out anymore because I'd already seen a doctor. Then on day 5 of the trip with no Phentermine all the symptoms went away and never came back. Even though I quit taking the pills and never felt that way again I did follow up and spent the next couple months getting some scary and expensive tests done by a cardiologist and he said my heart looked perfect so no permanent damage hopefully. Even though it seems painfully obvious to me now- neither my doctor nor the cardiologist will acknowledge the Phentermine might have been the problem- whatever. I will never touch the stuff again.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    I've used it before, and I probably lost about 10 pounds. I didn't like the way it made me feel though.
    But for me the difference was making sure I continued to exercise. The phentermine alone wasn't enough.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Best advice is to be super careful, know the side effects so you can watch for them, and get off of it as soon as possible.

    I took it for fatigue a couple of years ago (I have chronic fatigue syndrome). The pharmacist didn't want to give it to me because while I was overweight, my BMI wasn't high enough for him to feel it was safe. I think I did lose weight with it although it wasn't much. Mainly what I remember is how awful I felt the whole time I took it. It's a special kind of hell to have CFS and be absolutely exhausted, yet unable to sit down and be still, but that's what it did to me. I was totally compulsive and could not make myself stop doing things. I had to force myself to eat because food didn't sound or taste good to me. And there was this sensation that I can't describe well where I just didn't want anything to touch me. I felt raw and everything that touched me hurt. Even my clothes felt scratchy. I was generally miserable.

    Some of that could have been exacerbated by the fact that I had a chronic illness and that I wasn't obese, but I know of others who have some of the same side effects. If you do find that you have to force yourself to eat, make sure you are getting enough calories so that you don't lose a bunch of muscle-- that'll only make things worse as far as losing weight and keeping it off.

    So yeah, be careful. If you have side effects call your doctor asap.
  • but then again I haven't been on in a while either.

    Maybe that's why your weightloss has been stagnant...
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    Thank you for the advice. I'll definitly be on the look out for heartpalpitations It's my understanding with my doc that it's just a temporary thing, going to be on it for less than 12 weeks. I'm trying to read up completely on it before I start taking it. I'm not supposed to start until Monday as I just has abdiminal surgery on Wednesday and have been advised to wait about a week and get off the narcotics before taking it.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    `Normal diet and exercise` do work and shame on your doc for prescribing you something as controversial as phentermine.

    My advice stay away from it and get a new doctor, he/she are certainly not working in your best interests if they are prescribing meds like that!!!!
  • nanainkent
    nanainkent Posts: 350 Member
    I am 57 and my daughter is 35 we have both been on it before and had zero symptoms. We could take naps on it. We were able to make wise choices and eat portion size because we were not ravenous. Gave us enough energy to work out but not so much that we couldn't sit and read a book. I think it all depends on the person. But what I will agree on is that you must use this time to change your unhealthy habits. Use this drug as a boost to allow you to do those changes so they will be in place once you are off of it. If you don't you will gain all of it back quickly. I am not one who thinks drugs are evil or cheating. I think if it works for you then it is okay, esp since it is wide spread. You will not become a drug addict just because you took a pill that is an amphetimine. If you abuse it and don't take your 30 day break between ea 90 day period then you will have a problem when you get off of them. If you have an addictive personality then be careful. If you find yourself having symptoms or not being able to handle it ask for a lower dose. And actually you should start with the low dose so that if it starts to not be effective you can go to the higher dose. If you start with the higher dose 37.5mg you have no where to go if it starts to not work. Good Luck and don't worry about it.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    I am 57 and my daughter is 35 we have both been on it before and had zero symptoms. We could take naps on it. We were able to make wise choices and eat portion size because we were not ravenous. Gave us enough energy to work out but not so much that we couldn't sit and read a book. I think it all depends on the person. But what I will agree on is that you must use this time to change your unhealthy habits. Use this drug as a boost to allow you to do those changes so they will be in place once you are off of it. If you don't you will gain all of it back quickly. I am not one who thinks drugs are evil or cheating. I think if it works for you then it is okay, esp since it is wide spread. You will not become a drug addict just because you took a pill that is an amphetimine. If you abuse it and don't take your 30 day break between ea 90 day period then you will have a problem when you get off of them. If you have an addictive personality then be careful. If you find yourself having symptoms or not being able to handle it ask for a lower dose. And actually you should start with the low dose so that if it starts to not be effective you can go to the higher dose. If you start with the higher dose 37.5mg you have no where to go if it starts to not work. Good Luck and don't worry about it.

    Thank you very much for the words of encouragement. I'll keep in mind being sure to take a break if I end up using it long term. And don't worry I am simply using it as a tool. About 5 years ago I changed my lifestyle to be healthier. I eat better and exercise regularly. I lost 80lbs initially then got pregnant and gained a bit of it back. Have had a hard time losing it and I suspect it's been beacause of my hysterecomy. Been on HRT, no changes and if it doesn't help I'm not going to continue to take it. I guess I'm hoping for a bit of a boost here.
  • Becky388
    Becky388 Posts: 157 Member
    Turned me into a psycho b****! When I told him, he said "yeah, it does that to a lot of people" then wrote me out another Rx for it. Fire that dr and find a new one.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    `Normal diet and exercise` do work and shame on your doc for prescribing you something as controversial as phentermine.

    My advice stay away from it and get a new doctor, he/she are certainly not working in your best interests if they are prescribing meds like that!!!!

    My docs been with me through everything. I'm not going to fire him. He's awesome and this is a last resort kind of thing.
  • Becky388
    Becky388 Posts: 157 Member
    I was totally compulsive and could not make myself stop doing things. I had to force myself to eat because food didn't sound or taste good to me. And there was this sensation that I can't describe well where I just didn't want anything to touch me. I felt raw and everything that touched me hurt. Even my clothes felt scratchy. I was generally miserable.


    Understand that feeling. I knew I was about to rip someone's head off, didn't want to, but had absolutely no control over my rage. Also remember now that you mentioned something similar, I felt like I had bugs crawling on me or that my skin was crawling.
  • taramaureen
    taramaureen Posts: 569 Member
    I was totally compulsive and could not make myself stop doing things. I had to force myself to eat because food didn't sound or taste good to me. And there was this sensation that I can't describe well where I just didn't want anything to touch me. I felt raw and everything that touched me hurt. Even my clothes felt scratchy. I was generally miserable.


    Understand that feeling. I knew I was about to rip someone's head off, didn't want to, but had absolutely no control over my rage. Also remember now that you mentioned something similar, I felt like I had bugs crawling on me or that my skin was crawling.

    Oh yikes, I'm glad I've been forward about the side effect then.
  • juliaamilee
    juliaamilee Posts: 262 Member
    plateau for a year and half.. no luck with phenteramine.. insomina, irritable, increased heart rate
  • lrob100
    lrob100 Posts: 122 Member
    PLEASE try this again the natural way! NO DRUGS!!! Diet and exercise and MFP logging DO work. It is just HARD work. Drugs are a 'quick' easy fix and the weight almost always comes back. Please don't risk your health by taking a drug to lose weight. I have lost 82 lbs with no drugs, only diet and exercise, in 5 1/2 months. It can be done. It is HARD. But if you do the right things, you don't need drugs.
  • mwbulechek
    mwbulechek Posts: 162 Member
    My doctor had me on it a couple of years ago. I had no ill effects at all on it, if you are old enough to remember the Dexitrim that actually worked, it has the same effects. I had lost 25 pounds very quickly, however my doctor had moved to another state and the new Doc would not re-prescribe it to me. and I gained back all the weight that I lost.
  • mommatimes4
    mommatimes4 Posts: 12 Member
    My doctor prescribed it for me, & in the first week, I dropped 10 lbs. Sounds drastic, doesn't it? Well, I had to call my doctor because I was having chest pains, left arm was hurting, & I was trying to vomit....so sick. The office asked if I could go in right then. I did, and I had an EKG, and he told me that it was like I was starving, and running on a treadmill. I cannot remember the exact term written down that was my diagnosis after he read the EKG results, but it had adverse affects on me, and he did not recommend it for me anymore. He wouldn't even lower my dose, or anything.

    My brother-in-law was also taking it, and another friend of mine. They both passed out while using Phentermine. One stopped the medicine, and all the weight that was lost has returned....My sister-in-law took it, and she didn't have any reactions....

    My doctor originally told me, "Eat less, move more, and you will lose weight." (It has to be safer than Phentermine!)
  • I tok it and was losing about 2- 3 lbs a week for 3 months. Bad thing was all the doctors appointments to monitor blood pressure and such. However, after 3 month my blood pressure started rsing and had terrible headaches. My advice is be careful, keep stress levels low and if you start to not feel right then come off of it. But it is something to help boost your metabolism to lose weight.
  • pamperedhen
    pamperedhen Posts: 446 Member
    I just have to tell you that a friend of mine was on it and lost a tremendous amount of weight! She had a Cardiac Arrest while driving Christmas Eve years ago and flipped her car over an embankment , landed at the bottom. and her veiwing was closed casket..if I may suggest ANYTHING, PLEASE reconsider. If you do research on the drug, it can lead to heart problems and even death. Lose weight the old fashioned way like many others have!:heart:
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    My doctor prescribed it for me this summer because I hit a plateau and just could not get the scale (or measuring tape) to budge. I took half a pill a day for 60 days. I lost 5-6 pounds. It's not a lot but it was enough to get my motivation back up. I kept up with my healthy habits after I went off it and kept losing.
    I would not take it for any longer than a month or two. And use that time to really work on your habits so you don't regain.
  • I used it and it was successful for me though my doctor said most people gain the weight back. She prescribed it and sent me to a nutritionist and it was to help learn to eat smaller meals when I first started counting calories. She prescribed it for 3 months and by the end of the 3 months I had learned to do just that. I will not attribute my entire weight loss to it because I have worked hard for every pound I've lost. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about taking it. I did not have any side effects from it that others are talking about personally. Good luck with whatever you choose!
  • mommatimes4
    mommatimes4 Posts: 12 Member
    My doctor prescribed it for me, & in the first week, I dropped 10 lbs. Sounds drastic, doesn't it? Well, I had to call my doctor because I was having chest pains, left arm was hurting, & I was trying to vomit....so sick. The office asked if I could go in right then. I did, and I had an EKG, and he told me that it was like I was starving, and running on a treadmill. I cannot remember the exact term written down that was my diagnosis after he read the EKG results, but it had adverse affects on me, and he did not recommend it for me anymore. He wouldn't even lower my dose, or anything.

    My brother-in-law was also taking it, and another friend of mine. They both passed out while using Phentermine. One stopped the medicine, and all the weight that was lost has returned....My sister-in-law took it, and she didn't have any reactions....

    My doctor originally told me, "Eat less, move more, and you will lose weight." (It has to be safer than Phentermine!)

    I also required less sleep while taking it. I had a lot of energy at first. Then, the adverse reactions...