HELP! Just saw doctor today.

I don't have personal experience of Phentermine, but I've had some friends who have used it with varying degrees of success. It's not meant to be a long term solution but to help curb hunger while getting started. It's the Phen from Fen Phen if you remember that. It's been used for ages for weight loss, but is not without side effects. Several of the people I know who took it said it made their heart race and they couldn't sleep while on it.

Alot of the people I knew who used it either stopped immediately due to the sleep issues or gained the weight back once they came of it. I only know one person who actually used it for a year (which I don't think you are supposed to) and lost significant weight and kept it off.

Have you tried CICO here on MFP first? I'd probably only use it as a last resort. I'm already tightly wound.

Honestly, I don't think you need meds to "jump start" anything.

Log your food (use a food scale to weigh solids, measure liquids). Find a level of deficient that works for you. (2lbs week will be WAY too agressive, start with 1lb, eat what MFP tells you). Increase your activity. Be patient, honest and consistent. I found pre-logging what I'd eat helped me. Having a plan will help when you are stressed and tired.

My sister took weight loss prescriptions for her wedding. Apart from her acting like a super meanie because of the meds, she did see some SHORT term results. She is now 30 lbs higher than when she started them, and she is working on developing healthy habits and losing a healthy, sustainable way.

Keep trying what you are doing. When I had a Dr who wanted to put me on statins, I switched Dr's. I knew it was a diet based issue, and meds we're not the answer. The kitchen was.

Stay persistent. It can be frustrating for us "petite" ladies. You'll figure out what works - just don't give up!

**edit for spell correct

I don't see a big problem like a lot of people here will. But I do recommend taking the lowest dose possible to begin with.

Also the fact that you have "no motivation" out of the gate is a little concerning. I'm all for supervised supplementation, but weight loss is very much a mental discipline. I do think supplements can help but I really suggest examining your relationship with food and working on it. You can't expect the medicine to do the hard work for you. It will not give you the intrinsic motivation you need. The medicine is a not a catalyst, think of it more like a fail safe.

I myself have used this drug and yes it does help you lose weight but like others have said it will make your heart race and cause anxiety and when you stop taking it you will gain more than you last

Do you exercise? Can you make other small changes? Drugs are not the answer.

I've never had experience with Rx weight loss drugs but I have tried OTC stuff here and there over time. None of that worked and I was looking for a "quick fix". There was a point when I asked my doctor for something and she refused. It took awhile for me to learn that eating at a calorie deficit and exercising are what work in the long run. That is something you can do forever - a weight loss drug, meal replacement shakes, etc. don't make sense in the long run because the weight is likely to come back when you stop them.

I also have not been successful until I was truly motivated. For me, it was stepping on the scale and seeing pictures of myself that just made me want to cry. Once I started seeing progress, it was easier to stay motivated.

I'm 5'1"/179lbs/size 10-12 so we have similar stats. I started at 195 in January. Feel free to add me!

I am a little surprised that your doctor recommended as mine has nothing to do with weight loss pills or generic ways to lose weight. I am not trying to be rude because quite often I wished that she would give me something that "jump starts" my plan. Anyway, I do believe that the best way is to keep eating more healthy and try to do more exercise but if your doctor thought it was ok I guess the question is can you use it with no side effects and can you keep the weight off once you do lose. Good luck with you decision.

It's an appetite suppressant. If you want to lose weight why not make a calorie deficit and eat within that? Add exercise and BAM you lose. The palpitations and dry mouth aren't worth taking and the effect (weight loss) is only temporary. You still have to stay within a calorie deficit to lose.

Personal exp.

Phentermine is amazing . I was on the same mg. I loved how alive I felt and how it craved my appetite ..

But Phentermine has a horrible downfall in which I will not go back to it. I am now learning how to eat .

You don't learn how to eat with taking Phentermine . Your appetite is simply gone .
Even though I lost weight with Phentermine and Had the same idea as you 4 years ago, I gained my weight back plus some because I didn't know how to eat ..

Feel free to add me and message me if you would like

I am 5'3 and started at 178 in January. I have a desk job.

I am now 138. I go for a 30 minute walk during lunchtime and i joined a gym. As i eat with my partner at night, I purposefully eat less for breakfast, lunch and mid afternoon snack (~500 calories total) so I can make a higher calorie dinner.

While I haven't had experience with taking prescription weight loss pills, I would say that there is no pill to give motivation. That is all you.

I tried for two years to lose weight, but it only stuck this time around. One day, it was the day. No particular reason why but i was determined to do it.

You need to work on your motivation issues first as if you haven't learned good habits, when you finally come off those pills you will just go back to your prior eating habits and put the weight back on.