Prescription Pills/ Alternatives

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I have been going to my doctor regularly to talk with him about losing weight, for the past 3 months I have changed my whole lifestyle around, my family is actually really surprised. I make seperate meals for which do not include anything with starch, or fried, etc. I eat a lot of fish, grilled foods, veggies, fruits, and oats. Anyhow, my doctor has checked my food and exercise journal and he cannot figure out why I am not losing weight. My thyroid test came back normal, there is not much else he can do since he has seen me make a change but the scale has not changed in months. The only thing left is prescription pills. I really rather not here a lot of negative comments on how bad they are for me and how I should just be dieting and exercising, I have been doing that and doing it right and still no change. Does anyone have a success story with diet pills along with diet and exercise during and after the pill. If I did take the pill, I would not take the whole dosage and would for sure not be on it for long

Replies

  • aeaton0828
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    I have a friend whose Dr prescriped her Phentermine (spelling?) and she lost a lot of weight on that! You only take it for a few months and then you are off for a few months. But now she's taking the 1 Db Godess Fastpak which you buy at Supplement Superstore and she loves it! I just started taking it last week so I dont know results yet but I hear great things about it!
  • kebrina1983
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    Try a visiting a nutritionist, they may be able to advise you better about your calorie in-take. Also look at your stress levels as well as your salt and sugar intake, these factors can also lead to no weight loss.
  • jhehle
    jhehle Posts: 88 Member
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    I have been taking prescription Phentermine since Jan 09, 2012 so just a lil over 2 mos and i have lost 29lbs and am still going. I also changed my diet to healthy foods and portions and drink only water. I dont even really feel like i am dieting at all. I am also more active and workout many times a week. I love phentermine, i got the idea from my best friend who has been taking it since Nov 2011 and has lost over 80lbs and still going strong. Its wonderful! People catch a lot of crap on here about taking it, but i dont care because its working! Good luck to you!
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 749 Member
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    Ok, I'm gonna be honest...I have a friend who recently lost about 50lbs taking Phentermine. 20 of it within about a month. I have another friend who joined WITH ME to start taking it...she has lost about 11 lbs on the stuff. I however only lost maybe 1 lb while taking it. I have had health problems because of it...nearly gave me a heart attack and wound up in the hospital as a result. It kept me up all night long most nights. I know you didn't want to hear anything negative, but I just want to tell you our 3 experiences with it. You just have to be real careful and do NOT have caffeine or a lot of sugar with it. I also just found out about a lady who died from it at the age of 30 because she had a heart attack from it. Just be careful. Seriously...avoid caffeine just to be on the safe side.
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 749 Member
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    Try a visiting a nutritionist, they may be able to advise you better about your calorie in-take. Also look at your stress levels as well as your salt and sugar intake, these factors can also lead to no weight loss.

    I agree with this. There are also natural appetite suppressants out there as well such as Satieral saffron extract and Relora regulates cortisol from stress.
  • jhehle
    jhehle Posts: 88 Member
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    Ok, I'm gonna be honest...I have a friend who recently lost about 50lbs taking Phentermine. 20 of it within about a month. I have another friend who joined WITH ME to start taking it...she has lost about 11 lbs on the stuff. I however only lost maybe 1 lb while taking it. I have had health problems because of it...nearly gave me a heart attack and wound up in the hospital as a result. It kept me up all night long most nights. I know you didn't want to hear anything negative, but I just want to tell you our 3 experiences with it. You just have to be real careful and do NOT have caffeine or a lot of sugar with it. I also just found out about a lady who died from it at the age of 30 because she had a heart attack from it. Just be careful. Seriously...avoid caffeine just to be on the safe side.


    very true which is why you are monitored by a doctor while taking it. It is not for everyone. You cannot have any current heart problems, high blood pressure or anything prior to taking it. Everyone is different. Phentermine may be the answer for the OP and it may not. She and her doctor should decide together the best course of action for her. Most doctors require a physical exam and ekg before taking it, and with any type of medication, there are always extreme complications for a few. Best of luck to us all!
  • MindyG150
    MindyG150 Posts: 1,296 Member
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    I have been going to my doctor regularly to talk with him about losing weight, for the past 3 months I have changed my whole lifestyle around, my family is actually really surprised. I make seperate meals for which do not include anything with starch, or fried, etc. I eat a lot of fish, grilled foods, veggies, fruits, and oats. Anyhow, my doctor has checked my food and exercise journal and he cannot figure out why I am not losing weight. My thyroid test came back normal, there is not much else he can do since he has seen me make a change but the scale has not changed in months. The only thing left is prescription pills. I really rather not here a lot of negative comments on how bad they are for me and how I should just be dieting and exercising, I have been doing that and doing it right and still no change. Does anyone have a success story with diet pills along with diet and exercise during and after the pill. If I did take the pill, I would not take the whole dosage and would for sure not be on it for long

    Your eating sounds really healthy keep it up and get your family on the same program, if you needed a change they probably do too.
    I was watching Oprah one day and a lady in the audience asked Dr Oz; if she was exercising 3-4 days a week why wasn't she losing? He told her that 3-4 times a week is maintenance, losing is 6-7.
    I have a friend on WW, and she was losing on the Points Program but not very much till she started walking EVERY DAY, up to 5 miles a day and now she is down 45 pounds. She’s now walking a every weekday day for a ½ hour and maintaining really well.
    My suggestion is to move more. You will be surprised
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 749 Member
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    Ok, I'm gonna be honest...I have a friend who recently lost about 50lbs taking Phentermine. 20 of it within about a month. I have another friend who joined WITH ME to start taking it...she has lost about 11 lbs on the stuff. I however only lost maybe 1 lb while taking it. I have had health problems because of it...nearly gave me a heart attack and wound up in the hospital as a result. It kept me up all night long most nights. I know you didn't want to hear anything negative, but I just want to tell you our 3 experiences with it. You just have to be real careful and do NOT have caffeine or a lot of sugar with it. I also just found out about a lady who died from it at the age of 30 because she had a heart attack from it. Just be careful. Seriously...avoid caffeine just to be on the safe side.


    very true which is why you are monitored by a doctor while taking it. It is not for everyone. You cannot have any current heart problems, high blood pressure or anything prior to taking it. Everyone is different. Phentermine may be the answer for the OP and it may not. She and her doctor should decide together the best course of action for her. Most doctors require a physical exam and ekg before taking it, and with any type of medication, there are always extreme complications for a few. Best of luck to us all!

    Exactly, and thing is I was perfectly find and healthy before taking it. Even had already lost weight and had been exercising a lot so was in great health. All it took was for me to have too much caffeine and it threw my heart out of whack. I'm still not 100% back to normal. Family dr really got on to me about it because he stressed to me how bad it is. He asked me not to take it again. I guess he sees a lot more problems with that then I'd ever heard of. Just be careful please. Again I say, no caffeine. lol I'mma keep saying it too. lol
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 749 Member
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    I have been going to my doctor regularly to talk with him about losing weight, for the past 3 months I have changed my whole lifestyle around, my family is actually really surprised. I make seperate meals for which do not include anything with starch, or fried, etc. I eat a lot of fish, grilled foods, veggies, fruits, and oats. Anyhow, my doctor has checked my food and exercise journal and he cannot figure out why I am not losing weight. My thyroid test came back normal, there is not much else he can do since he has seen me make a change but the scale has not changed in months. The only thing left is prescription pills. I really rather not here a lot of negative comments on how bad they are for me and how I should just be dieting and exercising, I have been doing that and doing it right and still no change. Does anyone have a success story with diet pills along with diet and exercise during and after the pill. If I did take the pill, I would not take the whole dosage and would for sure not be on it for long

    Your eating sounds really healthy keep it up and get your family on the same program, if you needed a change they probably do too.
    I was watching Oprah one day and a lady in the audience asked Dr Oz; if she was exercising 3-4 days a week why wasn't she losing? He told her that 3-4 times a week is maintenance, losing is 6-7.
    I have a friend on WW, and she was losing on the Points Program but not very much till she started walking EVERY DAY, up to 5 miles a day and now she is down 45 pounds. She’s now walking a every weekday day for a ½ hour and maintaining really well.
    My suggestion is to move more. You will be surprised

    I agree with this.
  • mommy2boyz09
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    I go to a family doctor not a "weight doctor" and he said he does not like prescribing it but it may be what I need to start losing. I am just wondering if there any other presciption diet pills besides phentermine that do not have as much side effects? And what if I am still counting calories and exercising after the pill, will I gain it all back still?
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 749 Member
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    Basically there are two types of weight loss drugs. My dr doesn't like either of them. There's the appetite suppressant and then there's the kind that stops absorption, and makes you go poo a lot. Think Alli. I hear they have some pretty nasty side effects as well...like you gotta wear a diaper with them.

    I really don't know much beyond that.
  • kag0719
    kag0719 Posts: 48 Member
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    Me too!! I lost 31lbs on it last year in 12 weeks and it gave me heart palpations so I got off it. I recently tried it again last year and after one week, I lost 6lbs but I had the worst side effects. Everyday I was sweating and instead of suppressing my appetite, I was not hungry at all. Ended up in the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack (Iam 32 yrs old). The ER doc told me not to take them anymore because they are throwing my body out of whack! My BP was 170/110 when I was admitted. Recently I lost another 6lbs in 2 weeks on my own with no help from those pills. Its all about portion control, exercising and being fully committed.

    Good Luck!
  • sukatx
    sukatx Posts: 103
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    Here's my phentermine story:

    I went to my doctor in September, 2011 to talk to him about my weight loss. I had lost 20 lbs on my own, but had been struggling with the same 2 lbs for six weeks. I kept losing it and gaining it back. He changed one of my prescriptions (one of the side effects of that medication was weight gain) and ran the gambit of blood tests. Everything came back normal, and he prescribed me phentermine, 37.5 mg.

    I did extansive research online before I even filled the scrip. This medication has been prescribed since the 1950s, and it's fairly safe. It was the "phen" in Phen-Fen. The cocktail of those two ingredients together was fatal and it was taken off the market, but phentermine on its own was deemed safe.

    So, I took it. My doctor prescribed it to me for 3 months. I had to visit him monthly so he could keep track of not only my weight but any other symptoms I might have been experiencing. That first 3 months, I lost 30 lbs. I experienced no side effects, other than being super-thirsty. No heart palpitations, no raised blood pressure, no faint feeling.

    My three months was up right after the New Year. I then went one month without it. During that month, I lost 4 lbs. This encouraged my doctor and me, because often patients' bodies become addicted to the medication and can't lose weight on their own. So he asked me if I wanted to start another 3 months. Again, I researched and thought about it long and hard. In the end I realized that I can lose weight without phentermine, but I can lose it faster with it. So, I'm back. This second round, the weight loss hasn't been as fast as before, but still faster than when I was off the meds for a month. Still no side effects.

    Today, I talked to my doctor about staying on it until I reach my goal weight, which is just 17 more lbs. He's considering it, but I need to go see him in two weeks for my monthly check in and then we'll decide.

    Phentermine is NOT a miracle pill. It is intended to be used with a healthy diet and exercise program. Patients are to use the phentermine to help them learn healthy habits, and then continue those habits once the meds have run their course. People who quit their healthy habits once they stop taking the medication gain the weight back. Those who continue eating healthily and exercising keep it off.

    Like many medications, it affects different people differently. It's a very personal choice that should be discussed thoroughly with your doctor. MFP is definitely one of the reasons it has worked for me, because it helps me to stay on track and encourages me to keep going! Without MFP, it's likely the phentermine wouldn't have done a thing for me at all.
  • Melaniec78
    Melaniec78 Posts: 259 Member
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    I don't know what I am doing wrong. My family doc put me on phen after having me go to a cardiologist for extensive tests because I do have high blood pressue. I lost 11 lbs first 2 weeks and was so excited to get to goal in 3 months. I had already been eating well and exercising lost 30 lbs before phen but fell off track for a month or 2 due to gaining 8 back when I quit smoking and started eating whatever I was craving. Anyway I have friends who had great success with phen and in my second 2 week period (I go for check ups every 2 weeks) I have not lost a single lb!!! He has me on 30 mg and I see most people take 37.5 but that shouldn't mean it doesn't work at all!! So frustrated because the side effects (feeling anxious and a little weird sometimes) are not worth it if I'm trying SO hard and not losing. I even thought it was due to not bm'ing as much because it is dehydrating but I added in metamucil daily and still no weight loss.
  • akiramezu
    akiramezu Posts: 278
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    I don't mean to sound mean, but you are probably over estimating how much you are really eating. Weight loss is simple, you eat a calorie deficit and that is it, don't even need to even exercise. Don't need pills, don't need supplements, don't need any of that stuff. Add me and i can advise you on your nutrition (:
  • Melaniec78
    Melaniec78 Posts: 259 Member
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    I don't mean to sound mean, but you are probably over estimating how much you are really eating. Weight loss is simple, you eat a calorie deficit and that is it, don't even need to even exercise. Don't need pills, don't need supplements, don't need any of that stuff. Add me and i can advise you on your nutrition (:
    I am actually pretty careful about weighing and measuring. The last few days due to the scale not moving I even found alternatives to bring my sodium and fat around where they need to be. I've been eating lean protien and healthy carbs for the most part and try to keep my sugar in check. I was cheating a little on weekends (baked potato stuff like that) but I also work in the yard house and exercise more on my days off. My diary is open and I'm always willing to take advice.
  • sacal96
    sacal96 Posts: 17 Member
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    If its something you want to try by all means try it! But definitely listen to you body! I tried it and yes I dropped about 7 pounds in a week... but the side effects were TERRIBLE. The main one was insomnia.. I literally hate mornings. I roll around in the bed until about 20 minutes until I have to leave because I just don't like getting out of bed! haha! When I was taking that I was literally up at 5:30 running on the elliptical because 1. I couldn't sleep at all 2. I felt like I needed to be moving constantly. I went from doing no exercise to doing an hour and around 3 miles at one time. Then came the nervousness.. I would flip out about the slightest things because my nerves were shot all the time. And then worst of all came the breathing trouble. I wasn't breathing normally. It was almost like I had to take a deep breath for every breath, but you never got that good feeling of the release that you get when you take a really good deep breath and let it out. That was the worst part. And thats why I stopped it in the second week. I even tried it again later taking only half a day but stil had the same results. It definitely does help with weight loss though and if you're having a hard time losing I'm sure it would be the metabolism boost that you need! But just listen to how your body is feeling and if you have any negative side effects I would stop it immediately. Phentermine can cause long term problems. You're only meant to be on it for a short period of time, normally 3 months at the most. I've seen others who have been on it for years but from what I've read and talked with Drs about thats really dangerous. So do you're research before you jump into it! Otherwise good luck in your weight loss whichever route you choose!
  • mommy2boyz09
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    Thanks for the advice everyone, I am pretty addicted to the gym and I even do the 30 Day shred on the days I don't go to the gym or the days I do go and still have energy. I need to be healthy for my family so I am not interested in taking Phentermine for more than 3 months, I am just hoping this gets me going, I have cut my calories in half and I honestly feel better about myself since I am eating more healthy.
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