Doctor wants me to take diet pills
Replies
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Don't forget that you can always get a second opinion.
Exactly what I was going to say.0 -
Following up with some more detail in lieu of your more detailed health info...
I'd want to stay away from the pills, especially the ones that act on your digestive system (like Alli that blocks fat absorption) since you already have issues there. Not to mention, some of those side effects are gross!
The endocrinologist and gastroenterologist might BOTH be worth seeing. The endocrinologist can help verfiy the hormone balance or imbalance, you may/may not have. And the gastroenterologist can help you work with the IBS issues.
As for the nutritionist stuff, I go to a nutritional coach. She doesn't give me a list of foods and kick me out of the door. We look at a number of things and work on me as a whole person - exercise, diet, emotion, you name it. She has an education and all the nice paperwork - she's employed by the medical center.
I really think you just need to see another doctor. That's one thing WE ALL agree on.
Good luck!
PS - A very wise person once told me that the doctor you choose should be the one who's opinion you agree with most. You obviously don't agree with yours.0 -
Personally speaking, if there was such a thing as a diet pill that had no adverse side effects and cause rapid weight loss, I'd grind 'em up and snort 'em. I doubt it though.0
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Personally speaking, if there was such a thing as a diet pill that had no adverse side effects and cause rapid weight loss, I'd grind 'em up and snort 'em. I doubt it though.
ROTFLMFAO
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I have not been in your situation but know people that are addicted to diet pills and jump from one to another all the while eating badly being sedebtary and gaining even more weight.
With everything that's wrong with diet pills, I see no problem with taking Xenical for a while. It does not contain any stimulants and it works in the digestive system. It blocks some of your dietary fat from being absorbed by your intestines. This helps in both ways. It will excrete the extra fat with your bowel movement and it will force to eat lower fat because of the side effects. You can take Xenical (Alli is the non-prescription version) all the while increasing your activity levels and ;earning proper eating habits. Don't rely just on Xenical to do the job - it never works that way.
BTW I don't work for Roche (the manufacturer of Xenical).
Edited to correct spelling mistakes. I hope I got all of them. Some keys on my keyboard just don't work properly.
Xenical and Alli are not healthy for you either. It leaches the fat out of the foods and the body, which we are meant to burn, not excrete............and then in the long term, what side effects are they capable of making your body have?
Too low of fat reaks havoc on the body in terms of hair, skin and nails. We need a moderate fat intake for the body to work as nature intends for it to work, not a low fat intake.
In my opinion, there is NO diet pill, prescription or not that should be ingested.
I am not talking about taking them long term. Taking them for two months while increasing activity and learning healthy eating habits can be a great morale booster because she would lose more weight than without them. Then she can slowly wean off and continue with her newly acquired skills. In addition if her IBS causes her to be constipated the Xenical may help with that.0 -
I have not been in your situation but know people that are addicted to diet pills and jump from one to another all the while eating badly being sedebtary and gaining even more weight.
With everything that's wrong with diet pills, I see no problem with taking Xenical for a while. It does not contain any stimulants and it works in the digestive system. It blocks some of your dietary fat from being absorbed by your intestines. This helps in both ways. It will excrete the extra fat with your bowel movement and it will force to eat lower fat because of the side effects. You can take Xenical (Alli is the non-prescription version) all the while increasing your activity levels and ;earning proper eating habits. Don't rely just on Xenical to do the job - it never works that way.
BTW I don't work for Roche (the manufacturer of Xenical).
Edited to correct spelling mistakes. I hope I got all of them. Some keys on my keyboard just don't work properly.
Xenical and Alli are not healthy for you either. It leaches the fat out of the foods and the body, which we are meant to burn, not excrete............and then in the long term, what side effects are they capable of making your body have?
Too low of fat reaks havoc on the body in terms of hair, skin and nails. We need a moderate fat intake for the body to work as nature intends for it to work, not a low fat intake.
In my opinion, there is NO diet pill, prescription or not that should be ingested.
I am not talking about taking them long term. Taking them for two months while increasing activity and learning healthy eating habits can be a great morale booster because she would lose more weight than without them. Then she can slowly wean off and continue with her newly acquired skills. In addition if her IBS causes her to be constipated the Xenical may help with that.
I just wouldn't chance putting the first one in my mouth because once you start taking them, the damage is starting to occur to vital organs and then excess loss of fat will wreak havoc on the hair, skin and nails rather quickly.
To each his own.0 -
I am not talking about taking them long term. Taking them for two months while increasing activity and learning healthy eating habits can be a great morale booster because she would lose more weight than without them. Then she can slowly wean off and continue with her newly acquired skills. In addition if her IBS causes her to be constipated the Xenical may help with that.
OMG! Please do not say that it can help with constipation!
When you have IBS, the last thing you need is bound up fat shooting through your colon! IBS also causes uncontrolable diarrhea.
I had a friend who believed that xenical was what kept her regular. Her doctor perscribed it for weight loss. Needless to say, she wound up hospitalized with liver damage. O, and dependant on stimulants to go #2. Now she can't take xenical, laxitives, or drink alcohol. And shes passed 300 pounds now. I bet if you ask her, shed say it wasn't worth it.0 -
I have not been in your situation but know people that are addicted to diet pills and jump from one to another all the while eating badly being sedebtary and gaining even more weight.
With everything that's wrong with diet pills, I see no problem with taking Xenical for a while. It does not contain any stimulants and it works in the digestive system. It blocks some of your dietary fat from being absorbed by your intestines. This helps in both ways. It will excrete the extra fat with your bowel movement and it will force to eat lower fat because of the side effects. You can take Xenical (Alli is the non-prescription version) all the while increasing your activity levels and ;earning proper eating habits. Don't rely just on Xenical to do the job - it never works that way.
BTW I don't work for Roche (the manufacturer of Xenical).
Edited to correct spelling mistakes. I hope I got all of them. Some keys on my keyboard just don't work properly.
Xenical and Alli are not healthy for you either. It leaches the fat out of the foods and the body, which we are meant to burn, not excrete............and then in the long term, what side effects are they capable of making your body have?
Too low of fat reaks havoc on the body in terms of hair, skin and nails. We need a moderate fat intake for the body to work as nature intends for it to work, not a low fat intake.
In my opinion, there is NO diet pill, prescription or not that should be ingested.
I totally agree and would like to add that pills like alli and Xenical do not work well when there are digestive problems in the mix. Because of the way these drugs work they can add extra stress to the digestive system. In my case causing horrible pain and cramping, diarrhea even bleeding (I was prescribed Xenical). I will say I am no doctor, just stating what happened to me. I agree with lioness that we need some fat for our bodies to work properly.0 -
Firstly, I think there is a place for options such as sibutramine or orlistat medications in weight loss. Interestingly they have shown much better results in helping people maintain weight rather than helping people lose weight.
Pills aside, I think you have a much greater issue with your IBS and the vegetables you can't eat. IBS is such a lovely, cushy diagnosis because what it really says is 'you have some bowel symptoms and we have no idea what is causing them'. Seeing a dietitian may or may not help with this, but I would really recommend it (it cant hurt to try!). Try to see an allergy-specialist dietitian if you can. A lot of IBS type symptoms are actually due to food intolerances. Now allergies is hardly my speciality but if you are senstive to something like salicylates, amines or FODMAPS then the foods you are intolerant to may not seem to follow any specific pattern (because one thing may be in broccoli, olive oil and bread and why would you ever think to associate those 3?). A good allergy dietitian can help you work through an 'elimination diet' where you can really pinpoint any sensitivities you have.
Interestingly, I usually see people in the other boat - desperately begging their doctors for the pills and being referred to dietitian instead 0 -
I would absolutely agree with the concept of a second or even third opinion! I would go see a registered dietitian for the IBS and a gastroenterologist (not an endocrinologist I'd think, as they deal with metabolic issues, and this sounds more like something's wrong with your digestion and/or intestinal tract.)
Nope, I'm no doctor, nor do I claim to be anything close, but just as I say I'm no doctor, I would feel much better about the doctor who says "I'm no registered dietitian!" because most aren't.
Side note, be wary of nutritionists, some are good, but some are very bad, you don't need a degree in the US to be a nutritionist, you just need a sign over your door and a Federal tax ID. Dietitians require a degree, a state certification (in most states), and are required to stay current with that certification.
Steve here is what bothers me about the medical community. When you hurt your shoulder, the PCP sent you straight to an Ortho, right? He didnt try to give you a shot or diagnos the issue. He sent you to a specialist.
Mine has sent me to orthos, gyns, podiatrists.....but when I asked to see an nutritionist to lose weight he said it was not in the insurance to do so.
So a dr can write a script for meds that can cause potentially severe side affects, but cant send you to a specialist for obesity.
Slays me to think about it!
I asked the workers comp adjuster if I could go to PT and a nutritionist instead of having surgery on my neck-the answer was no.
Can you imagine where you and your wife will be in 10 years if the medical community and ins industry catch up to this problem? A nice lil clinic with trainers and dietitions and nutritionists! Oh, one can dream cant one?0 -
So I am a physician (an Internist) and I think that most of us in the medical community would seriously disagree with your physician. There are only two FDA approved "diet" pills, both of which have significant and sometimes serious side effects and I myself do not prescribe either and I know my colleagues feel similarly. The problem with Xenical (orlistat, Alli) is that not only does it cause you to lose the good fat with the bad but you can also end up with serious vitamin deficiencies. Vitamins A,D,E and K are fat soluble and deficiencies lead to problems with bone health, clotting problems and visual problems. Not to mention all the undesirable "treatment effects" (stool leakage!) and very modest results. The other FDA approved drug is phentermine which is actually of the amphetamine class. It does cause appetites suppression but has such serious side effects (significant elevation in blood pressure, worsening of heart disease, stroke risk, addictive potential) that I don't know anyone who still prescribes this. Unfortunately there isn't a magic pill to help with weight loss. I agree with getting a second opinion, seeing a nutritionist and a lot of the other strategies that have been mentioned (fyi a visit with a nutritionist is approved by all insurances I know including Medicare/Medicaid if you are overweight/obese by BMI, have diabetes, heart disease or hypertension).0
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Personally speaking, if there was such a thing as a diet pill that had no adverse side effects and cause rapid weight loss, I'd grind 'em up and snort 'em. I doubt it though.
Isn't that the truth. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
So I am a physician (an Internist) and I think that most of us in the medical community would seriously disagree with your physician. There are only two FDA approved "diet" pills, both of which have significant and sometimes serious side effects and I myself do not prescribe either and I know my colleagues feel similarly. The problem with Xenical (orlistat, Alli) is that not only does it cause you to lose the good fat with the bad but you can also end up with serious vitamin deficiencies. Vitamins A,D,E and K are fat soluble and deficiencies lead to problems with bone health, clotting problems and visual problems. Not to mention all the undesirable "treatment effects" (stool leakage!) and very modest results. The other FDA approved drug is phentermine which is actually of the amphetamine class. It does cause appetites suppression but has such serious side effects (significant elevation in blood pressure, worsening of heart disease, stroke risk, addictive potential) that I don't know anyone who still prescribes this. Unfortunately there isn't a magic pill to help with weight loss. I agree with getting a second opinion, seeing a nutritionist and a lot of the other strategies that have been mentioned (fyi a visit with a nutritionist is approved by all insurances I know including Medicare/Medicaid if you are overweight/obese by BMI, have diabetes, heart disease or hypertension).
Woowooo! Seeing this makes me very happy! Not only are you a doctor providing good information, but you use MFP!
I love it!0 -
try Mediweightloss clinic at least to get another doctor opinion
http://www.mediweightlossclinics.com/locations/0 -
I don;t know which pill he wants to put me on. he has let me try for a year to lose the weight and i have only lost 6 lbs and I have been trying so hard. with my IBS I can not eat a lot of fresh fruits or veggies ( I double over in pain). Like I said I have it really really bad, Like episodes daily. I have for 13 years. he checked my thyroid yesterday and it came back ok. I have also been checked for celiac disease, chrons, ext.... He also scheduled me for an ultrasound today to check for fybroid tumors because of some other trouble I have been having. I will find out the results later on today or tomorrow. they will also check for pcos. Um.... He also instructed me on dieting and eating healthy and exercising but after looking through all my food diaries and exercise logs he said I was doing the best I could with the foods that I can eat. (lots I cant cause of my IBS). So... he really is trying to help I just still don't know about the pills.
In general, I would advise against any kind of diet pills. However, for people with special health issues, I'm far from qualified to voice an opinion. I would do two things:
1. Ask your doctor for more information. What pills? What are they supposed to do. What are the benefits? What are the risks? What are the side effects? How long does he think you need to be on them. etc. What potential issues are there with these pills and other medication you're using. Do you have a choice of the pill and can he explain the differnces. What are your options if you choose not to take the pills. What would he recommend as next steps. Prior to making a decision, get educated.
2. Get a second opinion, preferably from a specialist. Look for a licensed dietician who specializes in special health/dietary needs.
If you're doing everything right that this site recommends and you're not getting results then this is a medical issue, not a diet and exercise issue.0 -
I would absolutely agree with the concept of a second or even third opinion! I would go see a registered dietitian for the IBS and a gastroenterologist (not an endocrinologist I'd think, as they deal with metabolic issues, and this sounds more like something's wrong with your digestion and/or intestinal tract.)
Nope, I'm no doctor, nor do I claim to be anything close, but just as I say I'm no doctor, I would feel much better about the doctor who says "I'm no registered dietitian!" because most aren't.
Side note, be wary of nutritionists, some are good, but some are very bad, you don't need a degree in the US to be a nutritionist, you just need a sign over your door and a Federal tax ID. Dietitians require a degree, a state certification (in most states), and are required to stay current with that certification.
Steve here is what bothers me about the medical community. When you hurt your shoulder, the PCP sent you straight to an Ortho, right? He didnt try to give you a shot or diagnos the issue. He sent you to a specialist.
Mine has sent me to orthos, gyns, podiatrists.....but when I asked to see an nutritionist to lose weight he said it was not in the insurance to do so.
So a dr can write a script for meds that can cause potentially severe side affects, but cant send you to a specialist for obesity.
Slays me to think about it!
I asked the workers comp adjuster if I could go to PT and a nutritionist instead of having surgery on my neck-the answer was no.
Can you imagine where you and your wife will be in 10 years if the medical community and ins industry catch up to this problem? A nice lil clinic with trainers and dietitions and nutritionists! Oh, one can dream cant one?
I so agree with you! I can go and get help with obesity by having surgery, but if I want to go do things the natural way, I have to pay out of pocket! I work for a very nice academic medical center that has a number of support/health services available that aren't traditional MD/DO offices, however, I still have to pay out of pocket for it - and I have our insurance from a big name insurer. I'm glad I have these services available, but it really goes to show how biased things can be. Perhaps the force isn't so much from the doctor, but the insuring agencies? (My PCP has been very supportive of my going to the nutritional coaching and such and NEVER gave me the slightest suggestion of seeing a weightloss MD or pill. I love my doc!)
And to the poster about the food allergies - I'm starting to notice the same type of trend with foods. My nutrition coach had told me of her various health maladies that were corrected by her switching to a diet that worked with her body.0 -
I would absolutely agree with the concept of a second or even third opinion! I would go see a registered dietitian for the IBS and a gastroenterologist (not an endocrinologist I'd think, as they deal with metabolic issues, and this sounds more like something's wrong with your digestion and/or intestinal tract.)
Nope, I'm no doctor, nor do I claim to be anything close, but just as I say I'm no doctor, I would feel much better about the doctor who says "I'm no registered dietitian!" because most aren't.
Side note, be wary of nutritionists, some are good, but some are very bad, you don't need a degree in the US to be a nutritionist, you just need a sign over your door and a Federal tax ID. Dietitians require a degree, a state certification (in most states), and are required to stay current with that certification.
Steve here is what bothers me about the medical community. When you hurt your shoulder, the PCP sent you straight to an Ortho, right? He didnt try to give you a shot or diagnos the issue. He sent you to a specialist.
Mine has sent me to orthos, gyns, podiatrists.....but when I asked to see an nutritionist to lose weight he said it was not in the insurance to do so.
So a dr can write a script for meds that can cause potentially severe side affects, but cant send you to a specialist for obesity.
Slays me to think about it!
I asked the workers comp adjuster if I could go to PT and a nutritionist instead of having surgery on my neck-the answer was no.
Can you imagine where you and your wife will be in 10 years if the medical community and ins industry catch up to this problem? A nice lil clinic with trainers and dietitions and nutritionists! Oh, one can dream cant one?
Now this stuff solely depends on your carrier. We have Blue Cross, and they cover a percentage of trainer fees (for certain certifications) and dietitians, along with some specific types of medications associated with weight management. I think that many of the more credible insurance companies are recognizing that keeping people at a healthy weight increases their long term profit margin (by reducing future persistent long term costs, like diabetes medications...etc.).
Incidentally, my PCP did give me a cortisone shot when I went in, but I have no problem with that as it is a standard procedure for shoulder injuries and the type of pain I have (I did a lot of research into it before I went). But he still referred me. The cortisone shot was basically a "1 in 100" shot and he didn't give me any false hopes about it's chances of success, so I wasn't surprised when it did nothing for me. but since I pay a BUTTLOAD of money for my insurance (somewhere in the neighborhood of $5500 a year for the two of us), I'm not crying over costing the insurance company a few extra bucks. Overall they've gotten about 75 or 80K out of me in my life, and I've probably had about 5 to 10K worth of medical services (just checkups and a few X-Rays here and there).0 -
My uneducated opinion is this:
If I were in your shoes, first I would see a GI doc. They can help you with the IBS. If you can get that under control and start eating some healthy fruits and veggies, it may likely have a good impact and help you lose. Then, it would be clear that there isn't a hormone imbalance. IBS can be a very general term for a range of digestive issues. For a long time, my doc used that term to generalize my former issues. After a while, I saw a GI and it turns out, the issues I was having were actually residuals from having had my gall bladder removed. I was put on a bile acid binder and I live a great, healthy, normal lifestyle now. I'm not saying, that's your issue, just giving my own example of how a specialist may be able to help.
I also do agree that a chiropractor and or accupuncture may also be able to help. I'd try those avenues before trying any diet pills.0 -
Wow! I sure got a lot of responses to this! i love to hear others opinion and their experiences with different senarios. At this point I am going to wait and see what my pelvic ultrasound says. ( I should find out today) as for my IBS I have been to so many docs and specialists. I even went out of town to a bigger city to see their top specialist. No one seems to be able to help me with my IBS but i have learned how to cope. I am on pills for a spastic bladder and that helps some with the IBS also. I can't eat many foods but I have been able to at least make some healthier choices. For example the one "veggie" i can eat is fresh green beans and lettuce. So instead of french fries or a bag of chips I have a salad instead. So I can't make big changes but I can make a few. i can also eat canned veggies so I am trying to find ones that are lower in sodium and such. After my test results come back I will think about the diet pills but I am not sold on the idea yet. I still think if I try I can do this the old fashioned way. I weighed in last night and had dropped 2 lbs so if I can keep it off I will make it. I wll keep everyone updated on what i decide! thank you all for caring so much to listen to me and respond!0
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This is just my opinion.I don;t know which pill he wants to put me on. he has let me try for a year to lose the weight and i have only lost 6 lbs and I have been trying so hard. with my IBS I can not eat a lot of fresh fruits or veggies ( I double over in pain). Like I said I have it really really bad, Like episodes daily. I have for 13 years. he checked my thyroid yesterday and it came back ok. I have also been checked for celiac disease, chrons, ext.... He also scheduled me for an ultrasound today to check for fybroid tumors because of some other trouble I have been having. I will find out the results later on today or tomorrow. they will also check for pcos. Um.... He also instructed me on dieting and eating healthy and exercising but after looking through all my food diaries and exercise logs he said I was doing the best I could with the foods that I can eat. (lots I cant cause of my IBS). So... he really is trying to help I just still don't know about the pills.
Diet pills aren't the devil. They can be a useful tool in weight loss. You can get a new doctor if you feel like he isn't listening to you, but he is reading your reports and seems to be trying to help.
Why don't you call the office and ask what the name of the pill is that he wants you to take? You can do some research online about the medication. Benefits and side effects and all. Educate yourself before making a final decision and remember that your the one who has the final say. Don't take them if you really don't want to, and if he pushes you to take them, find another doctor who will listen to you. :flowerforyou:0
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