Apidex/phentermine and less than 1000 cals a day.....

KameHameHaaa
KameHameHaaa Posts: 244 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So all you people who have been on apidex/phentermine, I have a few questions for you.

1) How many calories did you eat a day, did it seem like too little?
2) Did it actually give you energy, or were you mentally wired and physically tired?
3) Did you experience any bad side effects (diarrhea, leg swelling, etc) ?

Would just like some insight from people. I went to the dr recently for depression/anxiety/fatigue. I've been dealing with depression and eating disorders my entire life, literally since I was 7-ish. It's been worse the last few months since I've seriously decided to start losing weight again (started at 410 LBs, currently at 356 LBs but hit a plateau). Every time I eat I feel guilty and have to resist the urge to throw up. Then I end up crying, binge eating, and it just repeats itself every single day. So i went to my dr, she put me on wellbutrin and apidex (generic phentermine, never heard of it til the dr brought it up)...

Well i'm on day 5 of taking it, and i'm not really feeling the energy boost she talked about. Mentally im wired, physically i just ache but that could also be from the depression. I did lose 4 LBs but i'm afraid it's not being done the healthy way. See, just from eating a NORMAL amount of calories per day I'd get depressed and have trouble swallowing/digesting etc... but on this pill that's suppressing my appetite, just consuming 700-900 cals a day has been taxing. I feel guilty every time I eat when I'm not hungry, but the rational part of me KNOWS i need to eat more. Wondering if anyone else has this issue, or has had issues with side effects as I am. The dr told me side effects such as diarrhea would go away in time and to stay on the pill.... but i think maybe she didn't take into mind my mentality when I eat...dunno what to do :( Thanks for any advice in advance...

Replies

  • Brandolin11
    Brandolin11 Posts: 492 Member
    Oh hon, my heart just breaks for ya. I was depressed myself years ago and went on Prozac so I know how you feel (to a certain extent). Sounds like you've had some tough stuff to deal with, so KUDOS to you for trying to make it right. They say that if you get hit by a car, it's not your fault. But it IS your responsibility to get good care so you can heal. Way to go for doing that for yourself!!

    One little concern I have. You mention that a doctor prescribed you this medicine. Is this a psychiatrist? Or your primary caregiver? If the latter, then I would HIGHLY encourage you to go talk to a talk therapy counselor (and one that specializes in eating disorders) and have them work with a psychiatrist to make SURE you're getting not only the proper Rx, but the proper therapy as well. You CAN be free from this (or at least manage it to the point you can have a happy life), but you've got to get the right care. Do you mind sharing your plan (or lack thereof) for this with us?
  • westwifey
    westwifey Posts: 5
    I've struggled with diagnosed depression (and my weight) for most of my life. Was on Wellbutrin for over 3 years, at times combined with Zoloft and Xanax. Also took phentermine off and on for a couple of years. Here are my own personal observations. (Sadly, everyone's experience can be vastly different!) Wellbutrin helped me "feel" real emotion again, rather than the numb, "underwater" sadness that I was dealing with previously. Phentermine made my heart race, gave me dry mouth and made me SUPER cranky and irritable. I lost a few pounds in the first few weeks, but only from extreme calorie deprivation. It didn't last, and eventually I decided that the way I felt on phentermine/Adipex was simply not worth the possibility of losing weight. It didn't make me a rational, careful eater, it made me simply not want to eat at all. I thought at first this would be a good thing, but ultimately I was just a wreck on it. I was also nervous about exercise when I took it since it already elevated my heart rate, and I was scared my heart would incur damage or simply give out if I taxed myself too much.

    Medication CAN help, but I believe in the case of depression, that real, "talk-therapy" is a better solution for long-term improvement. I have been off of all anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds for a few years now, and while I will always struggle with my depressive tendencies, I am learning that healthy eating and regular exercise literally makes me feel better than any prescription I ever took. For me, that means 5-6 days a week of 45 min to hour long workouts, including strength training. I know that can be daunting, and trust me, it has taken me forever to accept that this is actually the best "prescription" for myself. However, within 10 days of eating a reduced sugar diet and exercising almost daily (I like elliptical/recumbent bike and weight machines), I could finally start to identify some real improvements in my mental state of mind. It is miraculous to feel "normal and happy" without any outside influence.

    Good luck, stay patient, and don't go cold turkey without telling your doctor, but just know that you DON'T have to take pills for weight loss - and I'd bet that you'd be amazed at how good "feeling pretty normal" can feel when you've gotten so used to feeling lousy.
  • KameHameHaaa
    KameHameHaaa Posts: 244 Member
    One little concern I have. You mention that a doctor prescribed you this medicine. Is this a psychiatrist? Or your primary caregiver? If the latter, then I would HIGHLY encourage you to go talk to a talk therapy counselor (and one that specializes in eating disorders) and have them work with a psychiatrist to make SURE you're getting not only the proper Rx, but the proper therapy as well. You CAN be free from this (or at least manage it to the point you can have a happy life), but you've got to get the right care. Do you mind sharing your plan (or lack thereof) for this with us?

    No, she's my new primary caregiver. I lost my insurance over two years ago, and it was my first dr visit since. I can't afford a therapist, so I just did what my mom suggested and went to her dr uninsured because she said she'd let me do payment plans.
  • KameHameHaaa
    KameHameHaaa Posts: 244 Member
    When it comes to exercising, I guess i'm lucky lol. I LOVE the gym and i love being as active as I can (i have an array of physical problems). I go to the gym 6-7 times a week, 40 mins to an hour per session. Thankfully i don't think exercising will be the hard part of my weight loss journey.... it's my bad relationship with food.

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