Anyone taking Phentermine 37.5?

Everyone I ever knew that took those pills. Gained all their weight back plus some. Not saying that happens to everyone, just seen it too many times. Good luck

Everyone I ever knew that took those pills. Gained all their weight back plus some. Not saying that happens to everyone, just seen it too many times. Good luck

The majority of people who have lost weight, no matter how they did it, fall off the wagon and gain it back. It's not the pill's fault. It's the person's fault. I once lost 75lbs and kept it off for years, even got a tummy tuck. But...here I am again.

I read this entire thread, and feel the need to share my personal experience. I do not believe in absolutes like many of the posters. I agree that the benefits of this drug outweigh the risks for very few patients, but that is for the doctor and patient to decide.

I have had the same family doctor since I was a kid and he also sees my parents. He knows my family history and personal health very well. He prescribed a phentermine/topamax combination to help jump-start my weight loss. My wife is a pharmacist and her opinions echo'd that of the pharmacists in this thread, "don't do it".

I started taking the medicine in December, and after about 12 weeks I've asked my wife to help me transition off of them both. I see my doc again in a couple weeks. During this time I have given up a bad soda addiction, transitioned to a healthier diet, honestly maintained my weekly calorie goals, and re-booted my workout regimen. My eyes are completely open to the "lifestyle change" vs "diet" mentality that is required for this to be successful long-term. I don't need the drugs to be successful long term, but I can't say they didn't give me some incentive and a head start.

All that being said, knowing what I know now, I would NOT do it again, though. The side effects were not pleasant (bear in mind I was taking both drugs), the actual effects at this point seem minimal (though it seemed to help at first), and I know there is risk involved.

Best of luck to the OP and everyone else in their weight loss endeavors. I honestly saw the medicine as a potential alternative to gastric bypass. I watched 4 family members including my mother go through that with varying degrees of complications and success. Now that I found my drive and a strategy that works, I'm not going to need it.

~Joe

Question time. A poll for ALL the people in this thread saying "i took it and when i stopped i gained all the weight back plus some" ... please tell me what you did after stopping the pills. Did you work out? Did you run? Did you still track/control calories? Did the weight all come back even while doing all these things? Are you saying its inevitable that the weight will come back?

Please explain your habits AFTER stopping to take the pills. thanks.

Question time. A poll for ALL the people in this thread saying "i took it and when i stopped i gained all the weight back plus some" ... please tell me what you did after stopping the pills. Did you work out? Did you run? Did you still track/control calories? Did the weight all come back even while doing all these things? Are you saying its inevitable that the weight will come back?

Please explain your habits AFTER stopping to take the pills. thanks.

Well for one it started off slowly ..I ate more because I was hungry because I hadn't learned portion controll .I didn't have to since I wasn't hungry .

#2 I exercised less because I didn't have the energy that the pills gave me

#3 I didn't eat healthy foods because I didn't learn that while I was using the pills which goes back to #1 because I wasn't really hungry

#4 I felt like I was starving I just could not stop eating so I didn't, I got depressed and started eating more and more and exercising less and less ...


That's just my story though:blushing:

THANK YOU for your honest response and experience. This is helpful.

I asked for an appetite suppressant from my doctor some time back because I have a voracious appetite. I also have more than 120 lbs. to lose, not 15, not 25, not 40 lbs. like many of those who are naysaying you right now.

I had a heart attack at 39 at 284 lbs. in weight. After losing 40 lbs., I injured my achilles tendon, quit exercising and slipped into a depression, leading to more and more compulsive eating.

Did a liquid diet.. Lost it and gained it back.

Got a 3-month prescription for phentermine, took it for a month and did not feel less hungry. Felt the jitters, a lot, in my throat and elevated heart rate. Having heart issues, this was not good for me, so I never refilled it.

Have been changing my style of living on a daily basis. Logging food so that there is a record and a history. Logging exercise.

I have more than 100 lbs. left to lose. I have lost 20 or so in three months without any aids. I know this is slower than in the past, but it fills more permanent.

If the phentermine helps you, that is great. If it has noticeable side effects, particularly heart palpitations, racing pulse, etc., you will need to talk about this with your doctor. You already admit to lots of health problems because of your weight. I, too, have many of those, so I have to pay special attention to possible side effects.

One thing that has helped with my appetite is drinking water and watching carbohydrates. I try to limit my carbs to those from fruit and vegetables as opposed to highly refined carbs like breads and pastas and refined grains. It seems when I eat those refined carbs that they do less to address my hunger issues than when I eat healthy fats and proteins.

Find what works and implement it.

Hi there. I agree with this post. The pill works differently from person to person. When I took this pill I was even 40 pounds lighter and trying to lose those last ten pounds. I am 50 pounds heavier now but not due to the pill due to doing the HCg diet over and over. But thats another topic.
The phentermine did not help me lose much weight. I lost a measly 2 poiunds in the first week and nothing the next 2 weeks. Plus I was always jittery, couldn't sleep at night, heart racing, feeling just generally 'unwell". Needless to say I stopped the torture after the 3rd week. I was 28 years old then. Yeah The first week it DID curb my appetite, I exercised like a beast I gess thats why I dropped the 2 pounds. But the next week, I was always feeling jittery and lightheaded. And of course I gaind the 2 pounds back once I stopped it. I found that I continued to gain weight at an alarming rate despite working out so I went back to hcg, lost weight but suffered with binge eating. and 2 years later I am at 210 pounds and trying to do things the "right way." whatever that means.
So its up to you, You may decide to experiment. It may work out well for you. But I find that nothing really works in the long term. Only life changes. No miracle pill, shot, fad diet nothing except diet and excerise. No matter how slow it is. I am learning my lesson now after being several sizes from 6-14.
I do hope it works for you, keep us posted.

I just want to read this thread later........Is there any way to save a thread besides posting on it?

I started taking this back in July 2013. I took it for 3 months, losing 36 pounds total. I stopped taking them due to financial reasons for a while. I didn't completely stop dieting, but wasn't really trying as hard as I had been. I started back on my diet and taking the pills just this week. After losing the 36 pounds on the pills the first time, then stopping and going 5 months without a strict diet through Thanksgiving and Christmas, I only gained back 7 pounds of the 36 lost. I have no bad side effects, except it is hard to sleep during the first week of taking them, but then my body adjusts and I have no other issues. I really feel that the pills will boost you to start losing the weight while you are learning your new lifestyle changes. The boost will get you motivated while losing the first pounds off. If you continue your lifestyle change and eat and exercise the way you should after stopping the pills, you will be fine. Good luck to you!

I agree!!! Hope all goes well for you. Good luck!

My doctor actually prescribed it to me a few years ago for the lack of energy I have due to Lupus. I never really focused on it as a weight pill but I only ever took a half a pill a couple times a week. I am severely headache sensitive and unless you are drinking lots of water with this medication, it will cause them due to dehydration. It runs your body a little hotter then normal I read, so be careful.

What happens when you stop taking this drug and your appetite returns? Genuinely curious about this. IMO, you can "jump start" your weight loss all you want, but you need some sort of strategy for how to maintain that momentum without relying on drugs. If you learn to make healthier choices your body size will take care of itself. Changing your body size won't magically teach you how to make healthier choices. It seems you have things back to front in that respect.

Get off the pills, there is no quick fix to controlling appetites, its just making the decision to not eat everytime you want something. You will gain your weight back after you get off them and you will not have learned how to do it on your own which means you will never have long lasting weight loss! Dont look for a kick start if you really want to lose weight and keep it off for good. IT WONT WORK FOR GOOD!

Get off the pills, there is no quick fix to controlling appetites, its just making the decision to not eat everytime you want something. You will gain your weight back after you get off them and you will not have learned how to do it on your own which means you will never have long lasting weight loss! Dont look for a kick start if you really want to lose weight and keep it off for good. IT WONT WORK FOR GOOD!

It really did curb my appetite and food cravings. I watched my friend take it 2 years ago and she lost 50 pounds on it and has not gained the weight back. She is still consistent with her eating habits and working out. It is a jump start for people, as myself and gives some energy. I don't think it's fair to knock those who have tried and evidently, those who commented above me stated they gained some weight back due to lack of exercise and personal issues. It is safe to say it does work and it helps with a doctor monitoring the progress. I've heard more good than bad with phentermine and I applaud those who have stuck it through and made the continuing changes after their RX ended!

Heres the thing. You should always learn how to curve your own appetite. Its great that it worked out good for you, however as you can see from alot of the previous posts it doesn NOT always work that way. I learned after years of dropping weight and putting it back on it was bc I always went with ways that were not substainable. You cant live on those pills forever, but you can teach yourself how to live like this as your lifestyle. I am 49 pounds down and have kept it off now for 3 years. I did it very slow and taught myself control. It takes time and its hard however it can be done. You shouldnt look at a jump start weight loss as a good thing. Losing weight and maintaning is a life long thing. there is no finish line and you will need to live this life style for the rest of your life if you want to keep it. You should not race to it and you should know there is no finish line to get to.

Get off the pills, there is no quick fix to controlling appetites, its just making the decision to not eat everytime you want something. You will gain your weight back after you get off them and you will not have learned how to do it on your own which means you will never have long lasting weight loss! Dont look for a kick start if you really want to lose weight and keep it off for good. IT WONT WORK FOR GOOD!

It really did curb my appetite and food cravings. I watched my friend take it 2 years ago and she lost 50 pounds on it and has not gained the weight back. She is still consistent with her eating habits and working out. It is a jump start for people, as myself and gives some energy. I don't think it's fair to knock those who have tried and evidently, those who commented above me stated they gained some weight back due to lack of exercise and personal issues. It is safe to say it does work and it helps with a doctor monitoring the progress. I've heard more good than bad with phentermine and I applaud those who have stuck it through and made the continuing changes after their RX ended!

Heres the thing. You should always learn how to curve your own appetite. Its great that it worked out good for you, however as you can see from alot of the previous posts it doesn NOT always work that way. I learned after years of dropping weight and putting it back on it was bc I always went with ways that were not substainable. You cant live on those pills forever, but you can teach yourself how to live like this as your lifestyle. I am 49 pounds down and have kept it off now for 3 years. I did it very slow and taught myself control. It takes time and its hard however it can be done. You shouldnt look at a jump start weight loss as a good thing. Losing weight and maintaning is a life long thing. there is no finish line and you will need to live this life style for the rest of your life if you want to keep it. You should not race to it and you should know there is no finish line to get to.

I don't think you're being rational. Have you read the posts from people who are currently on it and/or who have used it in the past? I think the members on here who are currently on the medication have clearly stated how THIS IS a lifestyle change. I don't think anyone on here taking the medication is shoving pizza and icecream into their mouths hoping for results. This is absolutely a lifestyle change, but the medication also gives a great deal of energy and helps curb your appetite. Why is that such an issue to you?

Saying "IT WONT WORK FOR GOOD" is very negative and ignorant. The reason why all these people have gained it all back is very simple - They started eating poorly again! THEY EVEN SAID THAT. That's with anyone, regardless of how they lost the weight in the first place. If you start eating like crap and you stop exercising, you gain weight. Period. Are you a doctor? Do you have knowledge of the product? Or are you just pulling random things from the internet? Well, I have an actual doctor who I check in with.

Of course, some people have had terrible side effects. This is normal with any medication. Haven't you seen all the commericals for medications? "this will relieve your migranes, but side effects may include nausea, vomitting, fatigue, and possibly death." I mean, come on. However, everyone is different. I have very minimal side effects that do not bother me.

You know what I think is worse than the medication? Weight management plans that give you food. "Here, eat this and you will lose weight". I did Jenny Craig. Lost 35lbs in 3 months. I felt great. However, it got expensive and I was so bored with the food. Once I stopped, I went back to my normal eating habits and gained it all back and then some. I had not learned a thing!

What have I learned since being on this medication? I've been much more aware of portions, I've managed to make much better choices, I try to eat as clean as possible, and I work out on the regular.

On another note, this post is clearly for people who are on the medication or have used it in the past so we can all discuss our experiences. Not for a bunch of people on their high horses trying to put everyone else down because of how they lost the weight. We should be happy for everyone on here for losing weight. Not judging for HOW they're doing it.