Is there a Qsymia support group?

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momtoeric
momtoeric Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started a few days ago on Qsymia and was wondering if there was a support group in place.
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Replies

  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Is Qsymia a weight loss drug? If it is, you probably won't find much in the way of support for it on this site. We don't do quick fixes, generally speaking.

    If it's not, I hope you find what you're looking for soon. Good luck.

    edited for a typo
  • emjean76
    emjean76 Posts: 116 Member
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    There's a support group on FB.
  • shopdrop1980
    shopdrop1980 Posts: 7 Member
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    I believe there is tons of support on here for whichever choice you make. Everyone's journey is different I think our end results is our main focus and whatever road you or anyone else decides to take to get there is their choice.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Nope
  • Monkieboo2014
    Monkieboo2014 Posts: 12 Member
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    I would just use mfp to log food/exercise and food/exercise buddies. Probably not a support group for qysmia, but if you never mention it, no one cares, and the diet/exercise part is most important. Of course, this is only a personal opinion, having done medical weight loss and mfp.
  • RielyHarris
    RielyHarris Posts: 7 Member
    edited June 2015
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    I just started it four days ago, I say that at the risk of crucifixion, I see. Feel free to pm me, maybe we can chat!
  • sherryred73
    sherryred73 Posts: 4 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Facebook has good support groups.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    For those who were curious:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phentermine/topiramate

    The combination of the drugs phentermine and topiramate extended-release (ER) (trade name Qsymia) is a medication used for weight loss. In clinical trials, phentermine/topiramate ER was associated with modest but statistically significant weight loss when compared with placebo.[1] This weight loss was associated with improvements in weight-related comorbidities such as improved glycemia, decreased blood pressure, and improved cholesterol.[1]

    Phentermine/topiramate ER was developed by Vivus, Inc., a California pharmaceutical company.[2] Phentermine is a sympathomimetic amine which acts as an appetite suppressant and stimulant.[1] Topiramate is an anticonvulsant that has weight loss side effects.[1] The exact mechanism of action for both drugs is unknown.[1]

    In 2012 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved phentermine/topiramate ER as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of at least 30 kg/m², or at least 27 kg/m² (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia.[1][3] Phentermine/topiramate ER is available in certified retail pharmacies nationwide and also available through a certified mail-order pharmacy network.[4] Approval was denied by European regulatory authorities, who cited potential risk to the heart and blood vessels, psychiatric side effects, and cognitive side effects in explaining their decision.[5]

    *******

    For those of you taking it, did your doctors discuss the possible side effects with you?

    I took phen/fen in the 90s, so I get the desire for a magic bullet. But it is really not worth the risk.
  • lfrazza
    lfrazza Posts: 14 Member
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    There is no magic bullet- none of us taking it think it is.
    Know the possible side effects. Do you read and know the possible side effects of everything out there?
    This is worth the risk
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    lfrazza wrote: »
    There is no magic bullet- none of us taking it think it is.
    Know the possible side effects. Do you read and know the possible side effects of everything out there?
    This is worth the risk

    Jumping off buildings has its health risks but I'm doing it anyway.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,619 Member
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    Unfortunately using a drug for weight loss RARELY addresses the behavior that got one overweight in the first place. While physical hunger is reduced, once one discontinues, it's not uncommon to regain because one falls back into previous habitual eating patterns. Then it's back on the drug and the cycle continues.
    There is NO WEIGHT loss program that I know of that works without calorie deficit and keeping it off comes from habit change................not just from a drug.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Unfortunately using a drug for weight loss RARELY addresses the behavior that got one overweight in the first place. While physical hunger is reduced, once one discontinues, it's not uncommon to regain because one falls back into previous habitual eating patterns. Then it's back on the drug and the cycle continues.
    There is NO WEIGHT loss program that I know of that works without calorie deficit and keeping it off comes from habit change................not just from a drug.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    This.

    To lose weight, you need that calorie deficit and that can be achieved without pills.

    To keep the weight off you need to change your habits and learn moderation. I just don't see how any pill can help a person do that.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    lfrazza wrote: »
    There is no magic bullet- none of us taking it think it is.
    Know the possible side effects. Do you read and know the possible side effects of everything out there?
    This is worth the risk

    Jumping off buildings has its health risks but I'm doing it anyway.

    This is a great analogy because if you know something is dangerously risky, then you are putting your life on the line. To me, that is never worth the risk.
  • buckbrie
    buckbrie Posts: 7 Member
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    it is not always habits that get someone to where they are - you guys are ignoring other factors. I just started it , was on topirimate before. hypothyroid.
    check out my food log - the drug helps me be on the same playing field as normal people.
    side effects of these drugs depend on each person - you have to try to know and have a doctor willing ot work with you and monitor.
  • dzlilo
    dzlilo Posts: 55 Member
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    I was on Qysmia almost two years ago. Please, please read the full side effects of Topamax, as it is being used offlabel for weight loss. It is usually an rx for seizures and migranes. I always felt a bit off on it. I guess it was supposed to help with appetite suppressant. After a few weeks, I started to have memory issues. I would get things mixed up or straight up blank out over the most obvious things. It also put me in a very dark place. I was so depressed and gloomy. I thought I was going to get fired over the *kitten* ups at work. A week after I got off of it, things got back to normal. Everyone responds to medications differently. Please be careful! I think there are forums floating around other weight loss sites.

  • indunna
    indunna Posts: 221 Member
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    In the epilepsy community the nickname for Topamax (brand name of topirimate) is Dopamax because of the cognitive side effects. I was shocked when Quisimia was FDA approved. I don't want my kid taking it for refractory seizures (and he takes some pretty hard core stuff). I know how much it sucks to be overweight but how much more would it suck to drop 10pts in IQ? Anyone considering Quisimia please do a quick google search on Topamax aka Dopamax and read the side effect studies as well as what people in the epilepsy and chronic migraine community have to say about what it feels like to be on this drug before you take the plunge.

    Sorry this doesn't answer OP's question I just want to make sure she and others know the truth about this drug.
  • buckbrie
    buckbrie Posts: 7 Member
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    yes the side effects of memory and brain fog are bad but only when you go up to the dosage that the migraine and seizure people have. weight loss doses are (supposed) to be much less. when I got up to 100mg it was awful. at a qysmia regular dose I do not notice any of it
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
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    Why not just use MFP as designed and lose weight free and easy!?
  • mrtastybutt
    mrtastybutt Posts: 87 Member
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    I take topamax for mood and it also helps greatly with my chronic pain. One of the side effects has been rapid weight loss due to it making most food taste horrible. It also makes many scents (for me vanilla) smell awful. From what I understand, many of those that take it don't incur the weight loss effect. It's more of a bug than a feature.

    It will screw with your memory, language, and reasoning. Although that does appear to be dose dependent from my perspective. I would not recommend it for weight loss. Just my two cents.
  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
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    I was on Topamax for migraines. At one point I forgot to put my car in park and it rolled across the PX parking lot. I forgot to pick my kid up from school. I would start a sentence and be unable to remember simple words. But the final straw was when my hands started to twitch... like big looked like I was playing air piano twitching. I sure did lose 10 pounds in a month but I assure you I was happy to see those pounds come back along with my memory and ability to control my own hands.

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