phentermine/topomax

ChgingMe
ChgingMe Posts: 539 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I went to the doctor for a check up and she wrote me a prescription for phentermine/topomax for weight loss. I am about 25 pounds overweight. I have never ever been one to take any meds because I figure them cheating. But... lately with falling off the weight loss wagon yet again I am considering it. Please don't beat me up.:blushing: I was just wondering if anyone has had long term success with these two drugs.
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Replies

  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    I think the fact that you seem to have some hesitation in asking about it tells you what you should do. It's not a fix-all med. The drug doesn't do anything that you can't do for yourself.
  • MustangUSN
    MustangUSN Posts: 28 Member
    I don't take these and have no personal experience with them; however, that said, 2 of the girls where I work see a Doctor who prescribes the first one and each has had success and kept the weight off for a long period- together with the carb & protein recommendations that they must follow and lifestyle & food choice changes. They said it helps curb their appetites. I considered joining them; however, wanted to give the "natural" method a concerted effort first for the same reason you state and I want to make better choices for a LIFETIME! If it helps you and is okay with your primary care provider, then I say, what works for you is your choice.
  • ChgingMe
    ChgingMe Posts: 539 Member
    I think the fact that you seem to have some hesitation in asking about it tells you what you should do. It's not a fix-all med. The drug doesn't do anything that you can't do for yourself.

    Yep you hit the nail on the head. I do have hesitation. but only because I feel like its a cop out way to quick weight loss which I have always hated. Thanx for your input
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    You can absolutely do this without drugs.

    Track your food, stick to a reasonable deficit, exercise if you are so inclined, and the weight WILL drop.

    Living a healthy lifestyle has no adverse side effects :flowerforyou:
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Topomax?! That is an anti seizure medication that's traditionally prescribed for migraines. Weight loss is one of the side effects, along with hairloss, lethargy, depression, blindness, irregular heartbeat, etc.... You should look up the rest of the side effects. I have chronic migraines and that is the one medication I refuse to take. I can't believe your doctor gave that (along with phentermine) to you to lose 25 pounds! What a quack.....

    You only have 25 pounds to lose...why poison yourself for it?
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    If you were very overweight and it was causing major health problems... MAYBE.

    Not for 25 pounds. :noway:
  • AJinBirmingham
    AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
    Drugging through it or not is a personal choice - it sounds to me like you'd rather not.
  • dacspace
    dacspace Posts: 109 Member
    Many years ago I took phentermine and while it had a weight loss effect, it didn't last. Most drs only allow you to take it for 3 months at a time and require monthly visits for blood pressure monitoring as it can cause heart issues. I can honestly say that while it was nice to have the appetite suppressant, it doesn't help you long term... you have to figure out how to fuel your body and live with your new lifestyle, not suppress the hunger for x amount of time just to drop the weight. Not long ago I thought about asking for them again just because I felt I was at my wits end. I'm glad I didn't because I'm finally learning to eat for MY body and make permanent changes in my lifestyle (eating habits and exercise). I think your hesitation is warranted... think long and hard before jumping on the pill bandwagon.
  • jesuison
    jesuison Posts: 34
    I used to take Topomax for migraines. Sometimes you would see a weight loss with taking it, but not significant. Although this really helped my migraines, the side effects of blurred vision and strange tremors were enough for me to get swtiched to a new migraine medication. It really bothers me when doctors prescribe medications for weight loss when they are already seriously risky for more serious issues. Avoid it.
  • MzPix
    MzPix Posts: 177 Member
    So I went to the doctor for a check up and she wrote me a prescription for phentermine/topomax for weight loss. I am about 25 pounds overweight. I have never ever been one to take any meds because I figure them cheating. But... lately with falling off the weight loss wagon yet again I am considering it. Please don't beat me up.:blushing: I was just wondering if anyone has had long term success with these two drugs.

    So, did your doctor write you 2 separate prescriptions? One for Adipex and one for Topamax?
    Or did she write you a prescription for Qsymia (which is a phentermine/topiramate combo)?

    The reason I ask is because Qsymia is FDA approved, but it is still patented for about 5 more years. There have been a few cases lately in which physicians have discovered that 2 of the primary active ingredients in Qsymia are Phentermine and Topiramate, so they (for whatever delusional reason) have taken it upon themselves to prescribe this 2-drug cocktail, even though it is not the same as the actual Qsymia pill.

    By the way, I'm not promoting Qsymia in any way whatsoever. I'm just pointing out the difference between a physician prescribing an FDA approved pill and writing out a few prescriptions for other medications just because they happen to be present in that pill.

    A second concern I would have is that you are only 25 pounds overweight, which I don't really think could place your BMI within a range high enough to warrant a physician prescribing weight loss medication. Typically your BMI is suppose to be above 30 to warrant this type of medication regiment.

    My advice to anyone contemplating taking any medication is to educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about what these pills are and do, before putting them in your body. Not only the basic info from the internet, but dig into recent scholarly articles that discuss blind studies. You have plenty of time to educate yourself. This isn't a life saving medicine that must be administered immediately.
    On a more personal level, I'd also advise reevaluating your physician's competency and/or level of patient involvement. (For the reasons I stated above about drug combos and BMI.) Ask numerous questions and stay in the position of power regarding your healthcare. She is there to provide you with a service and she has an ethical and legal responsibility to do so in a safe manner.

    We're rooting for you. You can lose this weight regardless of the decision you make about these pills.
  • AJinBirmingham
    AJinBirmingham Posts: 497

    So, did your doctor write you 2 separate prescriptions? One for Adipex and one for Topamax?
    Or did she write you a prescription for Qsymia (which is a phentermine/topiramate combo)?

    The reason I ask is because Qsymia is FDA approved, but it is still patented for about 5 more years. There have been a few cases lately in which physicians have discovered that 2 of the primary active ingredients in Qsymia are Phentermine and Topiramate, so they (for whatever delusional reason) have taken it upon themselves to prescribe this 2-drug cocktail, even though it is not the same as the actual Qsymia pill.

    By the way, I'm not promoting Qsymia in any way whatsoever. I'm just pointing out the difference between a physician prescribing an FDA approved pill and writing out a few prescriptions for other medications just because they happen to be present in that pill.

    If you've been prescribed the patented, name brand formula, ask your doctor point blank when he/she last spoke to the pharma rep for that product, and if he/she is getting any sort of kickback. If you see any hesitation, RUN! (Well, ask more questions, listen to the sales pitch for fun, then run!)
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    Topomax?! That is an anti seizure medication that's traditionally prescribed for migraines. Weight loss is one of the side effects, along with hairloss, lethargy, depression, blindness, irregular heartbeat, etc.... You should look up the rest of the side effects. I have chronic migraines and that is the one medication I refuse to take. I can't believe your doctor gave that (along with phentermine) to you to lose 25 pounds! What a quack.....

    You only have 25 pounds to lose...why poison yourself for it?

    this this this!!!! Also, its nickname is "Dopamax" for a reason. Makes you flat out stupid. I was a wreck when I took Topamax, won't ever take it again.
  • ChgingMe
    ChgingMe Posts: 539 Member
    So I went to the doctor for a check up and she wrote me a prescription for phentermine/topomax for weight loss. I am about 25 pounds overweight. I have never ever been one to take any meds because I figure them cheating. But... lately with falling off the weight loss wagon yet again I am considering it. Please don't beat me up.:blushing: I was just wondering if anyone has had long term success with these two drugs.

    So, did your doctor write you 2 separate prescriptions? One for Adipex and one for Topamax?
    Or did she write you a prescription for Qsymia (which is a phentermine/topiramate combo)?

    The reason I ask is because Qsymia is FDA approved, but it is still patented for about 5 more years. There have been a few cases lately in which physicians have discovered that 2 of the primary active ingredients in Qsymia are Phentermine and Topiramate, so they (for whatever delusional reason) have taken it upon themselves to prescribe this 2-drug cocktail, even though it is not the same as the actual Qsymia pill.

    By the way, I'm not promoting Qsymia in any way whatsoever. I'm just pointing out the difference between a physician prescribing an FDA approved pill and writing out a few prescriptions for other medications just because they happen to be present in that pill.

    A second concern I would have is that you are only 25 pounds overweight, which I don't really think could place your BMI within a range high enough to warrant a physician prescribing weight loss medication. Typically your BMI is suppose to be above 30 to warrant this type of medication regiment.

    My advice to anyone contemplating taking any medication is to educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about what these pills are and do, before putting them in your body. Not only the basic info from the internet, but dig into recent scholarly articles that discuss blind studies. You have plenty of time to educate yourself. This isn't a life saving medicine that must be administered immediately.
    On a more personal level, I'd also advise reevaluating your physician's competency and/or level of patient involvement. (For the reasons I stated above about drug combos and BMI.) Ask numerous questions and stay in the position of power regarding your healthcare. She is there to provide you with a service and she has an ethical and legal responsibility to do so in a safe manner.

    We're rooting for you. You can lose this weight regardless of the decision you make about these pills.

    Thank you for your kind words.. She prescribed them seperately. the topomax and the phetermine. My bmi is 30. Before everyone starts on me. Yes that is obese and I am but losing 25-30 pounds is really all I need as I am currently wearing size 10. Ive had this discussion before and have taken the wrath of people who say I am in denial.. My problem is my middle. I have too much belly as most of us do. The BMI gives me 30 so that is what she is seeing. I really don't want to go down the obese path again, based off the bmi. But my guess is that is why she prescribed them for me. Thank you again for your kind words.
  • ChgingMe
    ChgingMe Posts: 539 Member

    So, did your doctor write you 2 separate prescriptions? One for Adipex and one for Topamax?
    Or did she write you a prescription for Qsymia (which is a phentermine/topiramate combo)?

    The reason I ask is because Qsymia is FDA approved, but it is still patented for about 5 more years. There have been a few cases lately in which physicians have discovered that 2 of the primary active ingredients in Qsymia are Phentermine and Topiramate, so they (for whatever delusional reason) have taken it upon themselves to prescribe this 2-drug cocktail, even though it is not the same as the actual Qsymia pill.

    By the way, I'm not promoting Qsymia in any way whatsoever. I'm just pointing out the difference between a physician prescribing an FDA approved pill and writing out a few prescriptions for other medications just because they happen to be present in that pill.

    If you've been prescribed the patented, name brand formula, ask your doctor point blank when he/she last spoke to the pharma rep for that product, and if he/she is getting any sort of kickback. If you see any hesitation, RUN! (Well, ask more questions, listen to the sales pitch for fun, then run!)

    Its funny you ask that. She was saying how so many of her patients love it and are having great success so my guess is she is prescribing it for a lot of her patients. I'm gonna listen to my gut and get back on the exercise tip and do this myself. I can't even believe I entertained this foolishness. Thanx everyone.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member


    Thank you for your kind words.. She prescribed them seperately. the topomax and the phetermine. My bmi is 30. Before everyone starts on me. Yes that is obese and I am but losing 25-30 pounds is really all I need as I am currently wearing size 10. Ive had this discussion before and have taken the wrath of people who say I am in denial.. My problem is my middle. I have too much belly as most of us do. The BMI gives me 30 so that is what she is seeing. I really don't want to go down the obese path again, based off the bmi. But my guess is that is why she prescribed them for me. Thank you again for your kind words.

    When I started 5 months ago, my BMI was 29. That puts me one away from being obese. I don't think I look obese, nor would I need to take medicine to lose the weight. But I am 5'2 and weighed 157. BMI is horrible for some because I am still considered overweight at my current stage. Being short doesn't do me any favors. I don't really put a lot of faith in dr's that use BMI as a guide. It's not a good tool.
  • bamabutterfly83
    bamabutterfly83 Posts: 73 Member
    Topomax?! That is an anti seizure medication that's traditionally prescribed for migraines. Weight loss is one of the side effects,

    This^ I took it for migraines for a little while but I did not see the side effect of weight loss. All it did was make stuff taste wrong. I didn't like how I felt on it and it didn't really help with the headaches so I didn't stay on it long.
  • Melissa22G
    Melissa22G Posts: 847 Member
    Just say no to drugs, OP.

    Say No.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member

    Its funny you ask that. She was saying how so many of her patients love it and are having great success so my guess is she is prescribing it for a lot of her patients. I'm gonna listen to my gut and get back on the exercise tip and do this myself. I can't even believe I entertained this foolishness. Thanx everyone.


    Good choice.
  • Luwright321
    Luwright321 Posts: 38 Member
    Topomax?! That is an anti seizure medication that's traditionally prescribed for migraines. Weight loss is one of the side effects, along with hairloss, lethargy, depression, blindness, irregular heartbeat, etc.... You should look up the rest of the side effects. I have chronic migraines and that is the one medication I refuse to take. I can't believe your doctor gave that (along with phentermine) to you to lose 25 pounds! What a quack.....

    You only have 25 pounds to lose...why poison yourself for it?

    Agreed! I have seizures and my neurologist wanted me to try Topomax because she thought it was better than the current meds I was on. Since one of the side effects is weight loss and I was trying to lose weight I agreed to try it. As a seizure med it was no better than my old med but did help me lose weight. The bad thing though is that the depression side effect also kicked it. I was a total mess! Mood swings, crying fits constantly!! I told the Dr. no more! Taking the chance of this side effect to lose a few pounds is just not worth it. If you want my opinion here it is: DON'T TAKE IT!
  • rowanwood
    rowanwood Posts: 509 Member
    This thread just continues to cement for me that BMI is utter garbage.

    Size 10 is not obese.
  • ktliu
    ktliu Posts: 334 Member
    I highly recommend this book, I read it 2 years ago before I started on my phentermine journey.
    http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-The-Hunger-Switch/dp/0735203008/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374860927&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=shutting+off+the+hunger+switch

    All I can tell you is the drug gave me the motivation to hit the gym hard everyday. And subsequently need to eat clean. I have 6 months and lost close to 40 lbs. This is not a magic pill. For me the excess energy from this pill is energizing yet somewhat irritating, So the only way to fight this off is to exercise hard.

    Also I would recommend NOT doing the full dose. Get the pill and experiment with it, , I started with half a 37.5 mg and it was okay. nothing crazy, and one day I decided to see what happen if I take a whole pill. I don't like that feeling at all. So I start cutting it with an Xacto knife and found out 60-75% is my sweet spot, got the energy to go out and not having that laser focused feeling.

    Some people worry about the heart rate issue, right now, my standing heart rate is between 60-75. I'm on track to lose all my meds in Diabetic, High cholesterol and High blood pressure. You are the only one that can be the judge of this pill. Not anyone else.

    By the way, I'm in the best health of my life. I have muscle tone, I enjoyed Zumba classes 3 times a week. I work out everyday, Just did over 1400 calories worth of biking this morning. The pill can only do so much, if you sit on it and not wanting to change your life. Pill won't do it for you.
  • Bakernicolep
    Bakernicolep Posts: 6
    I'm currently taking topomax for migraines... I don't know much about the first medication but I do have allot of experience with topomax. I get migraines called hemiplegic migraines and they are incredibly awful and there is nothing you can do once you get one except deal with it cus currently there is no medication that will make the migraine stop or lessen its effects. The Dr. put me on the medication to prevent ever getting a migraine, but I still do not have any medication if in case i do get a migraine. I would never take this medicine if I didn't have to, I always outweigh the risk-benefit factor but because my migraines would stop me from having a normal lifestyle i do take them. MY first question is how much medication the Dr prescribed, because the different levels can influence you. WIth this medication comes allot of risk factors and side effects. I didn't notice them the first few months but after awhile when taking 2 pills I had awful feelings with the medication and again i couldn't function regularly because I could hardly finish a sentence and I always got a numb sensation/weird bodily feelings. The Dr. reduced my meds to 1 pill and it's been a whole world better still have some side effects like mixing words up, having trouble with memory and takes me longer than usual to recall things. However the good side effect is that soda tastes like crap. ANYWAYS long story short I am almost shocked your Dr. would prescribe this medication for weightloss being the side effects can be very extreme and at times hard to handle, even my Dr. was hesitant with keeping me on the medication but do to the alternative I am still on it. As for weightloss taking one pill doesn't really do much... when I took 2 pills I could shed weight like no problem. But i'd rather no weightloss than deal with the awful side effects i had been dealing with on 2. Anyways you could just try the meds out, everyones different, but I do caution you that with this medication it is an anti-convulsion medication and is extremely strong... take it if you absolutely believe you should.
  • angelwings0110
    angelwings0110 Posts: 45 Member
    Just an fyi, being in the medical field myself, I just want to clarify the reason that doctors prescribe the two seperate pills. It is because insurances will not pay for the Qysmia alone. The doctor I work with prescribes Adipex (phenermine) all the time. It works for a short period. It does help those that want to surpress their appetite in order to figure out how to eat healthier and less. It is not a permanent fix by no means. I would not take it any longer than 3 months. Which should give you enough time to "revamp" your eating habbits and get into a routine of eating ealthier and exercise. That is what we advise our patients to do.
  • ostrichagain
    ostrichagain Posts: 271 Member
    Its funny you ask that. She was saying how so many of her patients love it and are having great success so my guess is she is prescribing it for a lot of her patients. I'm gonna listen to my gut and get back on the exercise tip and do this myself. I can't even believe I entertained this foolishness. Thanx everyone.

    Sounds like she's running her own little informal clinical trial. I hope you consider finding a new doctor who's long-term health goals are more in line with your own.
  • shortmomma81
    shortmomma81 Posts: 62
    I took phentermine at one point many years ago and it made me completely crazy. I had incredible strenght and focus, I was moving heavy furniture around and I could workout for 4 hours nonstop, I was running marathons with no effort. BUT I was picking fights with everyone. It's not at all like me, I'm usually sweet as sugar but then I was swearing like a sailor. I wanted to fight, physically hurt everyone. I got off of it when I got into a parking lot fight with someone that took the parking spot I wanted.
  • Tamilda
    Tamilda Posts: 1
    My Internal Med.Dr. prescribed Topamax for me to lose weight, period. A. I didn't become stupid. B. My hair didn't fall out. C. My heart doesn't beat erratically. D. I am not fatigued. etc. Everyone reacts differently to every medication. Become informed and keep your Dr. up to speed on any and all side effects if any. Sheesh, you can bleed to death from aspirin too.....
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    quick fixes are just that. Once you get to where you want to be with the drugs you will stop taking them and that's when you will gain the weight back. Form good eating habits, eat at a deficit, exercise and have long term success.
  • twentytwentythree
    twentytwentythree Posts: 22 Member
    I was prescribed topamax a few years ago as an alternative mood stabilizer. It ended up just making me extremely irritable as I was on it for an extended period of time. I had hand tremors, blurred vision, slow thinking etc. It definitely affected my ability to communicate and i felt dumbed down on the medication. I did lose weight while on it, but I was also eating healthy and working out. with a trainer, so who knows what exactly the weight loss was attributed to.

    I've heard that long term use of topamax can cause metabolic problems or thyroid issues. I'm not sure if that's fact or not, but I did develop a thyroid issue a few years after taking it. I ended up gaining about 50 lbs back and I'm struggling to lose it now. I wouldn't advise anyone to rely on medication for weight loss, especially with all the side effects. It's not worth it and the likelihood of you gaining weight back after stopping the medication is pretty high especially if you aren't teaching yourself proper portion control, exercising regularly and eating within calorie ranges. Meds will only cure symptoms (weight gain) and will never solve the actual problem (unhealthy eating, inactivity, large portions, eating disorder, medical problem attributed to thyroid or metabolic issues etc)
  • hzliiz
    hzliiz Posts: 166 Member
    Just be wary of side effects. I've already posted a long bit about my heinous experience with phentermine. Short version = seriously feared that I would keel over dead from a heart attack at the tender age if 38. And gained all plus more back. As for topamax, yep took that for a bit as well for migraines. Dopamax/stupemax -- yes it turned me into an idiot. Couldn't think clearly, would lose track of what I was doing midstream. I am so happy to be med free other than birth control. Side effects -- the cure becomes worse than the sickness sometimes! Best of luck to you OP and please do be cautious!
  • Cindy393
    Cindy393 Posts: 268 Member
    I'm really surprised she prescribed it to you with only having 25 lbs to lose. I was about 85 lbs overweight and my doctor gave them to me. I was on them for 3 months, and it was a miracle. What it did for me was took the cravings away, as well as gave me energy (not bouncing off the walls-type) and also surpressed my appetite. It cause dry mouth which made me drink a ton of water. It also helped me realize that while I had no cravings, I learned that I could really do without all that bad food. I learned so much during those 3 months, and for the first time ever (I'm 51) I got my head on straight, so that when I got off the phen, I continued my journey on my own. It was just a tool that I needed to jumpstart my weight loss journey. It's not a miracle drug. It worked for me and I'm thrilled with what I learned to keep going for the rest of my life.

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