Phentermine and topamax

hugsnkisses1
hugsnkisses1 Posts: 15 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
My doctor just prescribed me both of these to aid in weightloss I'm on 15 mg phentermine and 50 mg topamax, my question is what kind of results should I see in 60 days!! I'm trying to keep my calories around 1100-1200 per day however it's hard for me I never feel hungry I am eating about 800-900 calories currently and feel like I just ate thanksgiving dinner! Any help or tips and tricks would be amazing!! Also any successful results from this medication would me awesome as well! My profile should be open so you can view what I am eating and working out!! I work out 60min riding a bike Aprox 8-10 miles a day Aprox 3-4 miles on treadmill in 40-50 min as well as a beach body work out like p90x or cize dance because it's fun! Today is only day three of my medication. I am currently 220 lbs and would like to get down to 160 lbs by dec or January
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Replies

  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    Eat the calories Mfp says to eat

    From my understanding these medicines are meant to suppress your appetite, so not feeling hungry is normal. But it is not healthy to eat that little.

    Be sure to weigh and measure all of your food to ensure an accurate calorie count.

    I recently started topamax for migraine prevention and have had few side effects. It leaves a bit of an aftertaste and carbonated beverages taste....odd. I wouldn't expect miracles, just a little help with appetite. So continue to be aware of calories and what you are eating. Good luck
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
    Yeah...you definitely need to eat more, especially with that exercise routine. If you don't you're setting yourself up for a burnout and likely hormonal issues. As someone who has dealt with hormonal issues brought on by inadequate nutrition (from too low cal) I can tell you it's an absolute nightmare to try to get them balanced again. If you're having a hard time getting calories try to eat some calorie dense food. Full fat greek yogurt, nuts, peanut butter, etc. It wouldn't take much of those on top of what you're currently eating to bring you up to a reasonable calorie level. If you're still having a hard time getting lots of calories you might want to cut back on the exercise, though, I would do that as a last resort as getting into the habit of exercising regularly is going to help a lot with maintenance. Talk to your doctor about the doses of your medication and what you're dealing with.
  • brishaw18
    brishaw18 Posts: 20 Member
    I agree with what everyone is saying. I took topamax for migraines and I didn't notice any weight loss from it. Just like slaite1 said, certain things taste weird. Anything carbonated I couldn't drink because it tasted almost like it was flat.
  • hugsnkisses1
    hugsnkisses1 Posts: 15 Member
    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.
  • TheGaudyMagpie
    TheGaudyMagpie Posts: 282 Member
    I was on Topamax for migraine prevention too, and suffered horrible cognitive side effects. I couldn't finish thoughts and forgot words. Some people do fine on it but most people don't and the side effects are terrible (and in some cases -- permanent). I did not lose any weight, but I did lose the ability to drive. I get why some doctors are willing to try it for migraine prevention or for mental health (it's supposed to help with some mental health disorders too), but I am mystified by doctors prescribing it for weight loss. If you're actually eating the calories you say you are, it won't help you anyway, because it's an appetite suppressant and you're already eating at a significant deficit.
  • Carillon_Campanello
    Carillon_Campanello Posts: 726 Member
    edited May 2017
    FWIW I've been taking 50 MGs of Topamax for over 4 years with no noticeable side effects that I would attribute directly to the drug.
  • bapity88
    bapity88 Posts: 98 Member
    Why would you need both Phentermine AND Topamax? It seems odd to prescribe both at once. Toss the Topamax.
  • thielke2015
    thielke2015 Posts: 212 Member
    I was on topamax for 2 years for migraine prevention. I have been off it for 2 years now thank god and no further migraines....
    The neurologist thought it would suit me better as I was quite overweight. I didn't lose any weight with this drug. Although I have now lost 21 pounds in 6 months by using this app and tracking
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
    I took topax for migraines and I would not risk the side effects for weight loss. I ended up developing pre osteoporosis as a teen because it is detrimental to your bone mass. Not worth it when if you don't have uncontrolled migraines or seizures and the benefits outweigh the risks.
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    I'm on Topamax 50mg for migraines and it's been wonderful for me. No weight loss that I can attribute to it (no appetite suppression, anyway), but I've been going down since I started paying more attention to CICO and working out. Like others have said, it makes carbonated beverages taste strange, so I don't want beer any longer, so maybe that's a plus for weight loss ;). The most important benefit for me is that I'm not having migraines all the time now (maybe once a month or so that I attack with imitrex), and I'm lucky the lower dose is working.

    I'm surprised that your doc has you on both medications for weight loss. Phenteremine is no joke- I've heard way more scary things about that than I have on topamax. I had an Rx for it a few years ago to counteract post surgical/medication weight gain because my job had weight standards and lost about 20lbs in 6 weeks, but I was on a much lower dose. I started on 25mg, worked my way up to 50. I would be a wreck on 150! That's a lot of substance in your system all at once :/. Just some non-medical advice: these sound like they're optional for you. If you start to feel really 'off' on them, or they start to make you feel worse, or make you grind your teeth or clench your jaw too much, or what-have-you, talk to your doc about stopping to reducing the dose. Don't stop cold turkey on your own.

    I know what you mean about it making you feel full, but especially with how much you're working out, you need to make sure that you're eating way more calories. You need to NET 1200. Avoid anything low fat or 'diet', and prioritize your macros.

    It's going to be tough once you come off the meds, though, as you're going to have to adjust your eating and probably your exercising. Phenteremine is basically legal speed, so you may be more lethargic when it's out of your system. Try very hard now to develop sustainable habits, because you're going to need them if you want the meds your on now to work for you long term. You can't take them forever (the phenteremine, anyway), so be prepared.
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    I agree with everything people are saying about Topamax I had all that and tingling/numbness in hands and feet, and I lost no weight. Also I agree please eat more even if you are not hungry stay within your deficit and you will lose weight. Good Luck!
  • hugsnkisses1
    hugsnkisses1 Posts: 15 Member
    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.
  • hugsnkisses1
    hugsnkisses1 Posts: 15 Member
    I'm going to try and eat 1200 calories today!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    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/p1
    itschanelle 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.
  • Blitzia
    Blitzia Posts: 205 Member
    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.
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
    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.
  • hugsnkisses1
    hugsnkisses1 Posts: 15 Member
    edited May 2017
    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
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    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!
  • Lorilynn_37
    Lorilynn_37 Posts: 87 Member
    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.
  • noclady1995
    noclady1995 Posts: 452 Member
    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.
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