Phentermine and topamax
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I'm going to try and eat 1200 calories today!3
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hugsnkisses1 wrote: »I am 5 foot 5 inches she originally prescribed me qsymia however my insurance doesn't cover that brand drug so she gave me two separate rx that are the same as qsymia. I am starting at 220 and need to be around 160.... but I would be okay at 170lbs.
You said that you'd like to be at goal by Dec/Jan, which I think is pretty reasonable. Based on where you are now, that's an average of about 1.7lbs a week. Assuming that you're completely sedentary (not true) and about 30 years old (just a random guess), your TDEE for your ht/wt is about 2063 calories a day. So, with zero exercise, you could create a 1.5 pound deficit and eat 1250 calories a day, and reach your 'okay at' goal in seven months. Considering that you actually do a lot of working out and seem really motivated, you could eat far more and still achieve healthy weight loss all on your own
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OP - if you feel like you need the medications to get a jumpstart on things, then I'm not one to tell you otherwise, but it sounds like you could do this with fewer things going into your body that might make it tougher for you to develop lifetime habits. Just something to consider. MFP is a great place to get a lot of ideas and support for healthy weight loss at reasonable rates, so look around and maybe get a second medical opinion, and you may decide that you don't actually need the weight loss meds. 5 -
I am 5'5, I started at 220lbs, I am currently 160lbs with a bit more to lose. At absolutely no point did gastric surgery cross my mind, that's "only" obese class two, which of course is high but not out of this world high.
It also seems odd to prescribe two drugs with potentially horrific side effect together when they are completely unnecessary for most people. Weight loss takes commitment and consistency and there's no pill for that. I take and have taken psychoactive medications for severe mental health issues and if I could manage without them I would because they are no jokes with short term and long term side effects. The first one I was prescribed I'm pretty sure left permanent cognitive issues and the one I'm on now has some unfun side effects too.
The dietician is the great thing about this, hopefully you get a good one and she gives you sensible advice about making lasting, achievable changes. And I wouldn't set hard and fast goals, make them "would be nice to" than "I must", some people get really hung up on dates and feel like a failure if they don't meet them when in reality progress is progress.6 -
Phentermine plus fenfluramine (phen/fen) worked marvelously for me, but once fenfluramine was withdrawn from the market I didn't get the same results from phentermine alone or with some drugs similar to fenfluramine. Plus the whole fenfluramine being withdrawn from the market due to damaging hearts soured me on the whole diet pill thing.
Phentermine also has potentially dangerous side effects http://www.drugs.com/phentermine.html
I didn't learn healthy eating habits when my appetite was artificially suppressed by taking a legal amphetamine-like drug and I gained all the weight back when I stopped taking it.
Here's my new favorite post about Phentermine: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10329901/phentermine/p1itschanelle wrote: »I have seen a lot of posts on and off about this and other weight loss drugs. I can vouch that they absolutely work. I have lost a lot weight using Phentermine on and off throughout about a 10 year span.
BUT...
The weight doesn't stay off. And those side effects? They are real.
You could take Phentermine and lose the weight, but you might end up like me. I'm 30 years old, slightly over weight, and have moderate tricuspid valve regurgitation. As in, I might need open heart surgery because my heart was damaged by Phentermine. To be clear, I never took it for more than a few months at a time, was monitored by a doctor, and did everything "right".
My lifespan has likely been shortened to lose a few pounds. Weight I could have lost on my own with a little bit of gumption. It wasn't worth it.3 -
Here's a forum thread with food ideas for calorie dense food. If you need to get more calories but you're feeling stuffed, these foods might help you reach your goal:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
I'd also say that if you're eating the bare minimum, you should pay more attention to your macros than someone eating more. Are you getting enough fat and protein? If you're low on either of those, try to prioritize foods that are high in protein or fat.0 -
I was on Topomax for years for migraines. No effect on weight, I still lost or even gained depending on diet and exercise. No side effects either. So in other words I still had to do the work. BUT when my new doctor decided he no longer would prescribe it I gained 7 lbs in two weeks after my appetite took a huge upswing. I've lost 3 of that already by increasing my protein and tightening up my calorie intake. No decrease, just getting more accurate so there's less risk of error. Still gotta do the work.0
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So today will be
1200 calories
110 protein.
54 carbs
33 sugar.
62 fat
Yesterday
837 calories
109 protein
45 carbs
22 sugar
31 fat
Any suggestions1 -
hugsnkisses1 wrote: »So today will be
1200 calories
110 protein.
54 carbs
33 sugar.
62 fat
Yesterday
837 calories
109 protein
45 carbs
22 sugar
31 fat
Any suggestions
That sounds like a good balance, just remember to replenish if you workout, so that your NET is at least 1200. Oh, and you really don't need to worry about sugar unless you have a medical reason (diabetes, or other). You can change the setting in MFP to track another nutrient, if you like (I track iron, just for fun). Prioritize protein, fat, and carbs, and you'll be okay. Drink lots of water!
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I will never take topamax again..
I know everyone is different but I had complete brain fog when I was on it for migraines. I forgot everything! And my speech was slurred when I talked, when first came out it was used for seizures. It's a serious medication.
I was on it for about a year and never lost weight but again everyone's body is different.
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Topamax? Interesting, I've only ever heard it prescribed for migraines. I was prescribed Topamax for my migraines once, and my doctor said I might probably lose weight on it. I stopped taking it because it would make my food taste weird, so I'd have no desire to eat. Maybe that's how it affects appetite? Plus, I had other side-effects that I didn't like.0
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Topamax is nothing to play with. I was on Topamax for about three years to control my migraines. Topamax was originally used to control seizures. My doctor warned me early on to ONLY take Topamax at night before you go to bed. A lot of people call Topamax 'Stupid-Max' - here's some of the side effects: fatigue, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, memory impairment. I would find I'd be in mid-sentence and I could NOT find the words to use - being in sales, it's pretty horrific. I'm really pretty surprised doctors would prescribe Topamax for weight loss. I hope your Doctor discussed all of the side effects of this drug with you. Please be careful.
We call it dope-amax here. It really can make you foggy and stupid.
I was also on it for migraine. It was years ago and I dropped weight rapidly in the short time I was on it and I was slender then and didn't need to lose. I had an adverse reaction and had to stop using it. Bad reaction enough that I list it in meds I'm allergic to.
Know the facts and pay attention to your body and listen to the doctor/pharmacist0 -
Why would you need both Phentermine AND Topamax? It seems odd to prescribe both at once. Toss the Topamax.
Sadly, that combination has been rolled into one pill and given a new name (Quismia) and is being marketed as a miracle weigh tlos combo. Despite the usual issue that the "statistically significant results" work out to a couple of kilograms lost over what someone NOT on brain-altering medications would have lost.
(from Wikipedia, but its what I've read elsewhere:
In clinical trials, people treated with the highest dose of phentermine/topiramate ER in combination with a program of diet and exercise lost 10% to 11% of their body weight compared to 1% to 2% for those who received placebo.[1] In addition, 62% to 70% of subjects receiving the recommended dose or top dose of phentermine/topiramate ER achieved ≥5% weight by week 56 (ITT-LOCF) compared to 17% to 21% of those receiving a placebo.).
So a 220-pound woman taking it might lose 20 pounds, and 70% of 220-pound women taking it will manage to lose 10 pounds in 56 weeks.
In exchange, of course, you're taking something that was nicknamed "Dopamax" by people who have to take it for seizures or migraines.
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Why would you need both Phentermine AND Topamax? It seems odd to prescribe both at once. Toss the Topamax.
Sadly, that combination has been rolled into one pill and given a new name (Quismia) and is being marketed as a miracle weigh tlos combo. Despite the usual issue that the "statistically significant results" work out to a couple of kilograms lost over what someone NOT on brain-altering medications would have lost.
(from Wikipedia, but its what I've read elsewhere:
In clinical trials, people treated with the highest dose of phentermine/topiramate ER in combination with a program of diet and exercise lost 10% to 11% of their body weight compared to 1% to 2% for those who received placebo.[1] In addition, 62% to 70% of subjects receiving the recommended dose or top dose of phentermine/topiramate ER achieved ≥5% weight by week 56 (ITT-LOCF) compared to 17% to 21% of those receiving a placebo.).
So a 220-pound woman taking it might lose 20 pounds, and 70% of 220-pound women taking it will manage to lose 10 pounds in 56 weeks.
In exchange, of course, you're taking something that was nicknamed "Dopamax" by people who have to take it for seizures or migraines.
Or bipolar disorder/mental illness.0 -
Topamax is nothing to play with. I was on Topamax for about three years to control my migraines. Topamax was originally used to control seizures. My doctor warned me early on to ONLY take Topamax at night before you go to bed. A lot of people call Topamax 'Stupid-Max' - here's some of the side effects: fatigue, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, memory impairment. I would find I'd be in mid-sentence and I could NOT find the words to use - being in sales, it's pretty horrific. I'm really pretty surprised doctors would prescribe Topamax for weight loss. I hope your Doctor discussed all of the side effects of this drug with you. Please be careful.
I was prescribed topamax for bi polar disorder 2 and had the same side affects as you. It was horrible. I left my jacket on the bus multiple times. I couldn't remember what I was doing for the day or what I had for breakfast. I also got really bad pins and needles in my hands and feet to the point of pain. I can't believe a Dr would prescribe this just for weight loss, esp for only 220 lbs0 -
hugsnkisses1 wrote: »My doctor initially suggested gastric bypass for me which I told her no because I gave 5 kids and can not be out for that long. I see her monthly and she hasn't said much about my my food intake or exercise she just wrote a rx for the medication. I do have an apt to talk with a dietitian next week and hopefully she can help me with my low calories! Thank you all for your comments ! I appreciate them.
How tall are you? At 220 lbs you don't seem big enough to need desperate measures like medication or surgery. Why not just create a caloric deficit and lose weight naturally?2 -
I'm 5 foot 5 inches0
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My oldest son has epilepsy and took Topamax to control his seizures. It was an absolute nightmare and didn't last long. Doc didn't mention anything about weight loss and if I remember correctly, his appetite was out of control while on the drug.
And I suffer migraines and my doc has never mentioned Topamax - instead, I'm on imitrex (sumatriptan) and fiorinal (combination of aspirin/butalbital/caffeine) as needed. Initially, he also had me on a maintenance dose of propranolol 1x/day, but that was only when I was dropping by the office for a shot of toradol once a week to kill migraines that wouldn't go away with either imitrex or fiorinal.0 -
Just 2 additional things you should know about dope-a-max: It has the potential to cause kidney stones. My sister had to come off this med because she got so many kidney stones. I know 2 other people who had to come off of it for the same reason. Second....it' not a drug you should come off cold turkey. There is potential for seizures if you try to do that. You have to be weened off this drug slowly.
I currently still take it for my migraines....but it does cause severe cognitive impairment. Never did anything in terms of weightloss for me. So please be careful with this medication.1 -
rakowskidp wrote: »My oldest son has epilepsy and took Topamax to control his seizures. It was an absolute nightmare and didn't last long. Doc didn't mention anything about weight loss and if I remember correctly, his appetite was out of control while on the drug.
And I suffer migraines and my doc has never mentioned Topamax - instead, I'm on imitrex (sumatriptan) and fiorinal (combination of aspirin/butalbital/caffeine) as needed. Initially, he also had me on a maintenance dose of propranolol 1x/day, but that was only when I was dropping by the office for a shot of toradol once a week to kill migraines that wouldn't go away with either imitrex or fiorinal.
Topamax is a preventative medication if migraines are occurring over a certain amount of times per month (for me-I literally had a migraine 7 days in a row, in addition to an average of 3-4 every two weeks). I also have sumatriptan, but was pretty uncomfortable with the idea of taking it daily (I did not). It was also becoming less effective after the 4th or 5th time in about 6 months. Their are numerous preventative medications for out of control migraines, and topamax (I believer) is considered one of the safer options.
In addition, the recommended dose of topamax for migraine prevention should be significantly less than for seizures. And it's not actually approved as a weight loss aid-although it does get prescribed off label. I believe what the poster is talking about is a combination that makes up another drug, that may actually be approved for weight loss. And includes a relatively low dose of topamax compared to seizure prevention.
I only started a week ago, and my doctor has me building up very slowly. (25 once a day then 25 twice a day, assess and move forward). I'm hopeful it will help. If I have side effects I will try something else. If it doesn't help I will increase the dose, then try something else. If it helps I will be ecstatic. I guess I don't see the big deal. Their are way scarier drugs out there-especially at the low doses we're talking about. I hate the idea of someone with horrible migraines reading this thread and getting scared away from what could be a life-changing drug.3 -
Yep... I don't know anyone who takes imitrex daily. I was at the same point (not quite 7 days a week, but at the beginning of treatment, it was 3-5 at least and practically living at the doctor's office, and then after I started propranolol, it went down to 3-5 per month, and now only once every 3-4 months, thank God). Losing weight helped a ton - I no longer have to take propranolol.Topamax is a preventative medication if migraines are occurring over a certain amount of times per month (for me-I literally had a migraine 7 days in a row, in addition to an average of 3-4 every two weeks). I also have sumatriptan, but was pretty uncomfortable with the idea of taking it daily (I did not). It was also becoming less effective after the 4th or 5th time in about 6 months. Their are numerous preventative medications for out of control migraines, and topamax (I believer) is considered one of the safer options.
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