Taken Phentermine? No critics, please. Looking for experiences of those who have taken it

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  • glitterrainn
    glitterrainn Posts: 73 Member
    My husband was on it and he had really bad brain fog. Plus he doctor didn’t tell him the long term effects of it and decided to stop taking it and he gained some weight back. He wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Such a horrible drug.
  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    rhenry2424 wrote: »
    rhenry2424 wrote: »
    I have taken it and will never recommend it. If you want my story from it, feel free to message me (although you may have to friend me first as messages from non-friends are not going through).

    I have permanent problems from taking it that started at the age of 30.

    Pills are never a permanent solution for weight loss. Everyone I know that has ever done diet pills, hcg, etc have all gained it back.

    Yeah, I hear you on it not being a permanent solution. Do you mind telling us your story? It is awful that you still have problems. Sharing that may help some of us.

    Short version...

    I took off and on several times. The last time I did not realize I was not eating at all. I do not remember the dosage I was on, but I was never hungry. I felt great. Instead of being moody like others I knew on it, it made me happy and very outgoing.
    One time after not eating for 2 days, plus my period starting I had to decide take Midol or the phentermine. (I tried not having caffeine when I took the phentermine) Well, my cramps won out and I took the Midol, only I forgot i did and took the phentermine as well. My body had a very negative reaction with the phentermine and the caffeine and diuretic in the Midol. I ended up in the ER thinking I was having a heart attack-chest pain, arm pain, etc.. Dr. immediately took me off and told me to never take again.

    Because of whatever reaction I had, I can no longer have caffeine, inhaled steroids (albuterol etc), any kind of stimulant, birth control, etc.. Imagine no caffeine, imagine getting sick and not being able to take a decongestant.... Yah, it pretty much sucks. Even 10 mg of caffeine causes chest pain, heart palpitations, and really bad anxiety attacks. I had high blood pressure for a while after taking it as well, where I never had those problems before.

    That's a good warning for the rest of us. It must have been so scary. I feel so bad for you. Thank you for sharing your story.
  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    I have been on it for about 2 weeks now. I feel completely fine. no jitters, no heart racing, just a major difference in not feeling as hungry all of the time, and i eat normally. I feel NORMAL. i have a few autoimmune issues so i am very low functioning. no energy, exhausted all the time. so it's really nice to feel "normal". i don't have to force myself, i just eat breakfast, four or 5 hours later i have lunch, and repeat the timeframe with dinner. and ill have usually a piece of fruit or cheese stick or something in the middle of each meal. I am going to try to get my dr. to keep me on it for the max of 12 weeks. after that point i am going to see if they will give me something more permanent to keep me functioning because i dont want to go back to before. it was awful. i also do think that as long as you maintain the same sort of discipline after coming off, you'll be just fine. every story ive heard or read about people gaining weight back is because they didn't to ANYTHING to maintain healthy eating.

    My doctor kept me on it as long as I wanted. After about 10 months I thought it wasn't working. I didn't lose weight, but I didn't gain. So I quit taking it. And pow, I started gaining weight back like everyone else says.

    So it was still surpressing your appetite after all. You just didn't do what it was made for. It was made as a aid to lower your appetite while learning portion control and counting calories. Being on it so long the effects were more mental as most studies say after 12 weeks of continual usage the drug will lose its potency and effectiveness. Same as gastric a large percentage also regain a lot of the weight cause they didn't use the time during and after to learn to eat better.

    I was on Phentermine twice once typical outcome. Lost 30 in a little over a month stopped regained. Second time I started counting calories and learning what a portion really looked like the weight stayed off and I am still loosing thanks to MFP and my desire to change my life.

    I am not trying to be mean, but some medications wether weight loss or anything really is not a cure all. Lifestyle changes make the difference. Could be a small one like the doctor lowering your HBP medications cause you are doing the right things.

    I had diabetes type two. Over time my numbers got better less medication was needed and now no medications are needed. Although I still check it daily.

    You're not being mean. You're being helpful.
  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    I was working with a doctor/nutritionist once a month. I learned to eat good foods and get to a healthy weight. Once I got into maintenance I slowly started eating a little junk food. Gradually over four years it turned into drinking a lot of wine, like I did before I started taking Phen. I paid no attention to what I ate. More junk food. Less healthy food. Big quantities. I wish I knew why my basic instinct is to overeat. Should I see a counselor?
  • jasummers76
    jasummers76 Posts: 225 Member
    I was working with a doctor/nutritionist once a month. I learned to eat good foods and get to a healthy weight. Once I got into maintenance I slowly started eating a little junk food. Gradually over four years it turned into drinking a lot of wine, like I did before I started taking Phen. I paid no attention to what I ate. More junk food. Less healthy food. Big quantities. I wish I knew why my basic instinct is to overeat. Should I see a counselor?

    I would try to stay true too logging your foods here. If you're unable to do that maybe talking with someone could help. You probably hit that comfort zone and that little voice said " I will never be that big again"

    This happened over a 4 year period. I would recommend a counselor if it was to happen within say 6 months to a year. You just got lazy happens too the best of us.

    You did it once you can do it again. This time you are more aware of what can happen when you finally get to maintenance and how important it is to remember what you know.
  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    I was working with a doctor/nutritionist once a month. I learned to eat good foods and get to a healthy weight. Once I got into maintenance I slowly started eating a little junk food. Gradually over four years it turned into drinking a lot of wine, like I did before I started taking Phen. I paid no attention to what I ate. More junk food. Less healthy food. Big quantities. I wish I knew why my basic instinct is to overeat. Should I see a counselor?

    I would try to stay true too logging your foods here. If you're unable to do that maybe talking with someone could help. You probably hit that comfort zone and that little voice said " I will never be that big again"

    This happened over a 4 year period. I would recommend a counselor if it was to happen within say 6 months to a year. You just got lazy happens too the best of us.

    You did it once you can do it again. This time you are more aware of what can happen when you finally get to maintenance and how important it is to remember what you know.

    Thanks. I did gain a lot recently. 20 pounds since my daughter's wedding in May. Maybe I should change my profile picture to what I look like now. That's what I looked like at my thinnest.

  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,001 Member
    I had a friend who blew out her aorta on Phentermine.

    Me too!

    Geez op. Is it really worth your health?! And from your pic, it seems you have a young child. Sooooooo not worth risking it!


  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    edited February 2018
    Mslmesq wrote: »
    I had a friend who blew out her aorta on Phentermine.

    Me too!

    Geez op. Is it really worth your health?! And from your pic, it seems you have a young child. Sooooooo not worth risking it!


    Thanks, that's my grandson and me. Four years and fifty pounds ago. I take Phentermine under my doctor's careful supervision. I go in once a month to get my blood pressure, etc., checked.
  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    edited February 2018
    onematch wrote: »
    It sounds like many people only take it for a month and then go back to old habits. The medication is a tool, not a magic potion. I took it for a long time, learned the habits of measuring/weighing my food, making healthier choices, and working out 5-6 times per week. I've lost a lot of weight and intend to keep it off by continuing with the healthy habits that Phen helped me acquire.

    That's the way to do it! It's heartening to see you could keep up the healthy habits. Did you log your food?

    My plan is to do what you are doing. I lost 50 pounds the first time. This time I want to keep up the healthy eating and exervise. My doctor asked me why I ended up on a one year binge, or whatever you would call it, where I just made terrible choices of food. And gave up on Zumba and workouts. I told him I honestly didn't know why. I think I need to figure that out before I stop taking Phentermine.. My goal is to do what you did. Learn healthy eating and habits, and keep it going.
  • Sandythinandfit
    Sandythinandfit Posts: 58 Member
    edited February 2018
    Francl27 wrote: »
    pills don't work, try KETO, high fat low carb., never hungry, feel soo good, and healthy/ check out you tube a lot of Doctors recommend this way of life.

    Laughing because my doctor asked me to eat fat free everything...

    That's hysterical ;) Anyone else remember when doctors recommended eating lots of pasta?
  • WillingtoLose1001984
    WillingtoLose1001984 Posts: 240 Member
    edited February 2018
    How are you doing with it? I'm back on it after a hiatus. So far so good. Glad it is giving me some appetite suppression.

    My problem is when I stop logging food, I go downhill. Whether I am taking Phentermine or not. . After a year of logging my food, I really got resentful of it. I guess I will always have to log my food!

    What's your experience?

    It worked to help me lose 60 lbs very quickly and i could hardly eat but I did end up fainting which really freaked me out. I fell outside walking at the end of our stairs and hurt my knees. I logged and exercises and pretty much kept the weight off.
  • jasummers76
    jasummers76 Posts: 225 Member
    How are you doing with it? I'm back on it after a hiatus. So far so good. Glad it is giving me some appetite suppression.

    My problem is when I stop logging food, I go downhill. Whether I am taking Phentermine or not. . After a year of logging my food, I really got resentful of it. I guess I will always have to log my food!

    What's your experience?

    It worked to help me lose 60 lbs very quickly and i could hardly eat but I did end up fainting which really freaked me out. I fell outside walking at the end of our stairs and hurt my knees. I logged and exercises and pretty much kept the weight off.

    If effects people differently. Forgetting to eat is one. Heart palpitations is another, my worse side was cotton mouth.