Just lost on phen now how to maintain

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  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    ... but I do question your *doc's* competence if he gave you a prescription drug intended for the morbidly obese when you only had 21 lbs to lose.
    ... but my doctor has given it to people who are in the healthy BMI who want to lose those last ten pounds, etc.

    The Physician's Desk Reference (pdr.net) is the standard source physicians use to determine the characteristics and uses of specific drugs. The Physician's Desk Reference listing for the three versions of phentermine states:

    "INDICATIONS: Short-term (a few weeks) adjunct to weight reduction regimen based on exercise, behavioral modification, and caloric restriction in the management of exogenous obesity for patients with an initial BMI ≥30kg/m2 or ≥27kg/m2 in the presence of other risk factors (eg, controlled HTN, diabetes, hyperlipidemia)." (emphasis mine)

    It also recommends regular monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate.

    It also recommends the following:

    "PATIENT COUNSELING: Inform not to use other drugs for weight loss during therapy. Instruct to take exactly ud; inform about the potential for developing tolerance, risk of dependence, and potential consequences of abuse. Inform about the risks and benefits of the drug; advise about the development of PPH, serious valvular heart disease, HTN, and risk for interactions. Inform that therapy may impair mental/physical abilities. Advise pregnant and nursing mothers not to use the drug."
  • Megan101792
    Megan101792 Posts: 3,194 Member
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    ... but I do question your *doc's* competence if he gave you a prescription drug intended for the morbidly obese when you only had 21 lbs to lose.
    ... but my doctor has given it to people who are in the healthy BMI who want to lose those last ten pounds, etc.

    The Physician's Desk Reference (pdr.net) is the standard source physicians use to determine the characteristics and uses of specific drugs. The Physician's Desk Reference listing for the three versions of phentermine states:

    "INDICATIONS: Short-term (a few weeks) adjunct to weight reduction regimen based on exercise, behavioral modification, and caloric restriction in the management of exogenous obesity for patients with an initial BMI ≥30kg/m2 or ≥27kg/m2 in the presence of other risk factors (eg, controlled HTN, diabetes, hyperlipidemia)." (emphasis mine)

    It also recommends regular monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate.

    It also recommends the following:

    "PATIENT COUNSELING: Inform not to use other drugs for weight loss during therapy. Instruct to take exactly ud; inform about the potential for developing tolerance, risk of dependence, and potential consequences of abuse. Inform about the risks and benefits of the drug; advise about the development of PPH, serious valvular heart disease, HTN, and risk for interactions. Inform that therapy may impair mental/physical abilities. Advise pregnant and nursing mothers not to use the drug."

    Thank you for the medical advice and quoting where you got it. As with any medication, it is to the doctor's caution and opinion whether or not to give an 'elective' drug to someone. I'm pretty sure OP has stated her doctor has talked to her. I can ask the same about why would you allow a woman who is pregnant to take benzos/antidepressants with the risks there to the fetus, but a woman who is not pregnant, clearly been educated by her doctor and did research, just simply asking who else has done this, can't take a drug that is deemed safe and has not more side effects than taking a tetracycline antibiotic or even just a man taking viagra or a BPH drug?
  • Brandolin11
    Brandolin11 Posts: 492 Member
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    I joined MFP for help, not critisim.

    Just keep in mind that telling the truth is not criticism, and asking for advice on a public forum certainly opens you up to such truth-telling.

    When people are rude, or share their uneducated/inexperienced opinion like it's a fact, that's one thing. We've all experienced those things on here and it's no fun!

    But calmly and directly speaking the truth is actually something very important we should do for one another. Especially on a site such as this where people are often in denial and do lots of harmful things to themselves. Such as taking potentially harmful diet pills which have never worked long-term for anyone and then expecting this to fix their disordered eating problems simply because they lost some weight.

    The fact that you "KNOW all the affects of phen" and still take it anyway, the fact that you "joke" about "magic pills for exercise" and such, the fact that you feel you are too busy for exercise, the fact that you believe you'll just suddenly start eating better and exercising once you're off the pills...all of these things *strongly* point to a person who is living in denial. I'm not trying to be rude at all when I say that. I'm telling you this from personal experience...this kind of thinking cannot sustain you long term and can in fact make things even worse for you later. The magic pill mentality doesn't just go away.

    I sincerely hope you're a rare anomaly. I guess I'm just saying your odds are not good. I would suggest that as you talk to your doc about weaning yourself off this junk, you'd also go talk to a good therapist who specializes in women's body issues. Getting your mind straight is just as important as being a healthy weight. Good luck to you, sincerely.

    +1

    You guys do realize if she's on the new form of phen (no the old one that caused the heart issues), it's just as safe as any other drug right?

    You can look up any website about Phen and see that there are still potentially harmful effects. Sure it's safer than Fen-Phen used to be, but there are still risks. Many health experts believe this stuff will eventually be banned as well as they study the long-term negative affects on the heart, particularly.

    Phen is only recommended by docs for people who are greatly obese and docs are supposed to be emphasizing that you must really work hard on eating healthy and exercising. The OP stated that she did not exercise at all. So there's that. She also said she doesn't have food cravings like she used to...as if this was something that has been miraculously "fixed" inside of her. It hasn't. At all. It's the drug doing that. Period.

    Hopefully you will have noted that the side effects are not the focus of most people's concerns about the OP using drugs to lose weight. The problem is the errant belief that taking a pill is going to magically solve our eating disordered problems just because we lost a little weight. Believing that the food cravings are gone. Believing that exercise isn't that important. And doing all of this in front of two teenage daughters?

    How exactly is that "safe"?
  • SilverG35Princess
    SilverG35Princess Posts: 14
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    I don't even know she obtained the Phen!!!!!!!! It was outlawed. If she lost weight, that's great. Congrats. However, I hate see the overall impact on her cardiac status. Best to do it the old fashioned way - exercise and portion control. It takes longer, yes, but in the end, it will teach us to take control of food and not the other way around. Bless her heart.

    Phentermine is still available by prescription, but is supposed to be reserved exclusively for morbidly obese people.
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
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    I joined MFP for help, not critisim.

    Just keep in mind that telling the truth is not criticism, and asking for advice on a public forum certainly opens you up to such truth-telling.

    When people are rude, or share their uneducated/inexperienced opinion like it's a fact, that's one thing. We've all experienced those things on here and it's no fun!

    But calmly and directly speaking the truth is actually something very important we should do for one another. Especially on a site such as this where people are often in denial and do lots of harmful things to themselves. Such as taking potentially harmful diet pills which have never worked long-term for anyone and then expecting this to fix their disordered eating problems simply because they lost some weight.

    The fact that you "KNOW all the affects of phen" and still take it anyway, the fact that you "joke" about "magic pills for exercise" and such, the fact that you feel you are too busy for exercise, the fact that you believe you'll just suddenly start eating better and exercising once you're off the pills...all of these things *strongly* point to a person who is living in denial. I'm not trying to be rude at all when I say that. I'm telling you this from personal experience...this kind of thinking cannot sustain you long term and can in fact make things even worse for you later. The magic pill mentality doesn't just go away.

    I sincerely hope you're a rare anomaly. I guess I'm just saying your odds are not good. I would suggest that as you talk to your doc about weaning yourself off this junk, you'd also go talk to a good therapist who specializes in women's body issues. Getting your mind straight is just as important as being a healthy weight. Good luck to you, sincerely.

    +1
    Amen to that. Sometimes people only want to hear what they want to hear. The reality is that there are no shortcuts. No magic pills for weight loss or exercise or ANYTHING. You have to work hard and be willing to work hard. The reality is that losing or maintain weight without an amphetamine/speed to suppress your appetite is quite different. Using your own self control and not being on drugs to help you with that as well as taking your own initiative to exercise takes motivation that can't be found in a pill. Sadly, when people " joke" about magic pills for exercise/weight loss or state that they don't have time for exercise (and havnt yet bothered to try) then the odds are again st them and the OP will be back where she started in short order since a pill didn't establish any sustainable habits in her.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Options
    I joined MFP for help, not critisim.

    Just keep in mind that telling the truth is not criticism, and asking for advice on a public forum certainly opens you up to such truth-telling.

    When people are rude, or share their uneducated/inexperienced opinion like it's a fact, that's one thing. We've all experienced those things on here and it's no fun!

    But calmly and directly speaking the truth is actually something very important we should do for one another. Especially on a site such as this where people are often in denial and do lots of harmful things to themselves. Such as taking potentially harmful diet pills which have never worked long-term for anyone and then expecting this to fix their disordered eating problems simply because they lost some weight.

    The fact that you "KNOW all the affects of phen" and still take it anyway, the fact that you "joke" about "magic pills for exercise" and such, the fact that you feel you are too busy for exercise, the fact that you believe you'll just suddenly start eating better and exercising once you're off the pills...all of these things *strongly* point to a person who is living in denial. I'm not trying to be rude at all when I say that. I'm telling you this from personal experience...this kind of thinking cannot sustain you long term and can in fact make things even worse for you later. The magic pill mentality doesn't just go away.

    I sincerely hope you're a rare anomaly. I guess I'm just saying your odds are not good. I would suggest that as you talk to your doc about weaning yourself off this junk, you'd also go talk to a good therapist who specializes in women's body issues. Getting your mind straight is just as important as being a healthy weight. Good luck to you, sincerely.

    + A MILLION!

    So much better than my partial sarcastic illustration filled comment was going to be.

    And to person who thinks this is about taking an unsafe drug, save for couple of comments - read all the others.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
    Options
    I joined MFP for help, not critisim.

    Just keep in mind that telling the truth is not criticism, and asking for advice on a public forum certainly opens you up to such truth-telling.

    When people are rude, or share their uneducated/inexperienced opinion like it's a fact, that's one thing. We've all experienced those things on here and it's no fun!

    But calmly and directly speaking the truth is actually something very important we should do for one another. Especially on a site such as this where people are often in denial and do lots of harmful things to themselves. Such as taking potentially harmful diet pills which have never worked long-term for anyone and then expecting this to fix their disordered eating problems simply because they lost some weight.

    The fact that you "KNOW all the affects of phen" and still take it anyway, the fact that you "joke" about "magic pills for exercise" and such, the fact that you feel you are too busy for exercise, the fact that you believe you'll just suddenly start eating better and exercising once you're off the pills...all of these things *strongly* point to a person who is living in denial. I'm not trying to be rude at all when I say that. I'm telling you this from personal experience...this kind of thinking cannot sustain you long term and can in fact make things even worse for you later. The magic pill mentality doesn't just go away.

    I sincerely hope you're a rare anomaly. I guess I'm just saying your odds are not good. I would suggest that as you talk to your doc about weaning yourself off this junk, you'd also go talk to a good therapist who specializes in women's body issues. Getting your mind straight is just as important as being a healthy weight. Good luck to you, sincerely.

    + A MILLION!

    I second the + A MILLION sentiment. It is SO hard to see the errant thinking when you are in the middle of it. SO SO right that we NEED to speak truth to each other and not just assume everyone is fully appreciating the potential pitfalls of things they are doing. Beautifully written post!
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I don't even know she obtained the Phen!!!!!!!! It was outlawed. If she lost weight, that's great. Congrats. However, I hate see the overall impact on her cardiac status. Best to do it the old fashioned way - exercise and portion control. It takes longer, yes, but in the end, it will teach us to take control of food and not the other way around. Bless her heart.

    Phentermine is still available by prescription, but is supposed to be reserved exclusively for morbidly obese people.

    I believe what was posted above from the PDR are the prescribing guidelines bmi ≥30kg/m2 or ≥27kg/m2 in the presence of other risk factors (eg, controlled HTN, diabetes, hyperlipidemia)." My insurance considers morbidly obese bmi >40.

    It still doesn't sound like the OP fell in that category and it is frustrating hearing about magical exercise pills.

    You have been given some sound advice on how to continue. I hope you come back and prove us wrong.
  • tia530
    tia530 Posts: 60 Member
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    [/quote]
    Amen to that. Sometimes people only want to hear what they want to hear. The reality is that there are no shortcuts. No magic pills for weight loss or exercise or ANYTHING. You have to work hard and be willing to work hard. The reality is that losing or maintain weight without an amphetamine/speed to suppress your appetite is quite different. Using your own self control and not being on drugs to help you with that as well as taking your own initiative to exercise takes motivation that can't be found in a pill. Sadly, when people " joke" about magic pills for exercise/weight loss or state that they don't have time for exercise (and havnt yet bothered to try) then the odds are again st them and the OP will be back where she started in short order since a pill didn't establish any sustainable habits in her.
    [/quote]



    +1

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