Phentermine?

Pretty_Mrs
Pretty_Mrs Posts: 20
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I posted on my news feed about this, but since I only have a handful of friends, I'll post again here.

Today at work I was seated beside a heated conversation about Phentermine. I've never heard of this product, but according to one party (Party A), it kills the appetite and makes a person lose a significant amount of weight. The other party (Party B) in the conversation was adamant that these pills were KILLING people and not worth the risk. Party A was quite proud of having lost 30 pounds in the last 2 months and still being (clearly) alive. She is planning to take the pills 30 more days. Since I am failing miserably in my attempt to lose weight for the past 6 weeks or so, I stopped party A in the hall and apologized for overhearing, but asked where she got the pills. She whipped out a business card and I was surprised to see that the pills are prescribed and dispensed by a Dr's office. I am interested in anything that can help me lose weight, but I am worried about some of the risks I've seen when I was looking online for more information.

Is anyone familiar with these pills? Is this another weight loss gimmick? It seems almost too good to be true, but apparently they can only be prescribed by a doctor. I'm looking for info or experience (even 2nd hand experience or stories) from anyone.

Thanks!
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Replies

  • Pirschjaeger
    Pirschjaeger Posts: 15 Member
    I took the maximum dose of a sort of similar drug, Adderall for tiredness issues. It killed my appetite (especially the XR version) and kept me around 95 pounds for the longest time until I got my dose slashed in half and put on a drug that can caused weight gain. I'm guessing it works similarly in that it decreases appetite. I don't know if it will decrease your appetite as much as the maximum dose of Adderall. I can imagine that just like Adderall, that it comes with risks, especially cardiac risks. I kinda think most doctors would be cautious to prescribe such a drug...
  • pulsate
    pulsate Posts: 10 Member
    These kind of pills are iffy, and can be very dangerous.
    Pills that supress appetite and are made to help weight loss can have negative side effects long term..
    I don't ever recommend them, simply because the more you take a medication, the more "addicted" your body gets to them. With this being said, the longer you're on them, the higher the dose you have to take... It takes 21 to make a routine of something.. and when it comes to something like weight loss, it can be even more addictive since you're seeing the results.

    Personally I wouldn't recommend them. Maybe look at some reforming on the stuff you're doing. I've been on MFP for about a month now and have lost almost 5 lbs.

    Give me an add if you'd like. :)
  • Jessicamurray1986
    Jessicamurray1986 Posts: 39 Member
    I was pretty iffy about these as well, but I kept hearing about them from countless people in the tanning salon I used to work for. So, finally after talking to a woman about it who's opinion I could actually trust, I was in. She had lost 50lbs in 5 months. It was prescribed to her by her doctor, and she has also been eating better and exercising on a regular basis. So, I tried them starting at the end of March, and have lost 20lbs in barely over 2 months. I haven't been taking one every day, and some days I only take half of one. But it's working! I have to remember to eat, and I have more energy than ever with my kids.

    Downside- If you have ANY family history of heart or blood pressure issues, these are absolutely NOT recommended. They are proven to raise your blood pressure. I have also heard them called "glorified speed". The most I've gotten as far as heart racing etc... is feeling like I just chugged an energy drink if I don't eat right after taking it. It can be addictive so sometimes I go 3-4 days without taking it, just to be sure I'm not getting "sucked in". I get mine monthly at a weight loss clinic. It cost me $160 for the first visit and 30 day supply, and it will be $125 for each subsequent visit (still have not had to refill).

    Good luck! I don't want to endorse them, although I know they help. Some nights I feel like I can't go to sleep or even stay asleep. They mess with you. The same weight loss clinic also supplys the HCG, which I'm now considering... I hope you make the right decision for you!

    -Jess
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    No.work hard.eat right.period.:flowerforyou:
  • andrea198721
    andrea198721 Posts: 173 Member
    They worked great for me.... but I gained back lol They work for some and for some they don't =(
    You can break them in half which is a plus.... Just talk to your doctor about them.
  • Cmandy67
    Cmandy67 Posts: 108 Member
    Lose weight the natural old fashioned way. It is healthier and safer. And you will learn to keep the weight off forever that way, instead of using a temporary crutch to get you there. You just may need to tweak your diet some more. See a nutritionist or dietician.
  • NakeishaReloaded
    NakeishaReloaded Posts: 1
    I took phentermine for 2 months and lost 45 lbs it supressed my appetite very well, in addition to the supressant i was not consuming sugar or carbs. Now since this time around i cant afford the phentermine im just doing the no sugar no carbs thing with at least 45 min of sweating and im down 11 lbs in 5 days.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    Whatever floats your boat.
    I don't see why you'd need them when you can just reduce your caloric intake and your appetite will go down as you eat less. Sounds like a needlessly risky and addictive 'quick' fix.
  • jayayach
    jayayach Posts: 178 Member
    I have a friend who is on them. She hasn't had any serious side effects thus far and lost 20 lbs in the first month. Her doctor does blood tests monthly and watches her blood pressure closely.

    I know several other people who have tried them. Many stopped taking them because they felt jittery all of the time.

    I know of at least two people who stopped taking them because they suddenly developed severe anger issues.

    I have no personal experience with them, because I want to lose my weight through eating right and hard work. I feel I will be better able to maintain it if I do it this way. The six week plateau was difficult to work through, but I'm still determined to keep going.

    I wish you the best of luck in your weight loss, no matter how you choose to do it. :flowerforyou:
  • paulette1114
    paulette1114 Posts: 4
    Everyone I know who has ever taken Phentermine has had great results, but they have all gained it back in the end. Why? Well they dont teach you how to eat right and exercise, they just make you not hungry and you lost weight. Eventually you start eating again...
  • Chubbyhulagirl
    Chubbyhulagirl Posts: 374 Member
    I tried them after my second daughter. My doctor was concerned because I kept gaining we checked for thyroid issues but nothing . I felt hungry all the time. She prescribed me a 30 day supply to get my appetite under control. I lost about 18lbs. Didnt get any negative side affects other than feeling really up/energized. Got pregnant again about six months later so not sure if it would have been sustained loss or not.
    My best friends neighbor took it and went from a fourteen to a size two with hardly any exercise. She wanted to lose for my friends wedding cause we were bridesmaids. Its been almost four years and shes still a two and still hardly exercises so id say it does work for those who end up following a reduced diet instead of going back to eating copious amounts of food.
    You can ask your doctor about it. Theyll go over the pros and cons with you, make suggestions and if you decide to try it they will prescribe it. Its not over the counter so it is a "drug" and should be considered seriously in regards to the bad side affects.

    Good luck!!!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    No.work hard.eat right.period.:flowerforyou:

    :heart:
  • tacticalhippie
    tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
    My husband lost ALOT of weight combined with a 1200-ish calorie diet.
    Kept it off for a while too.
    He had a bad experience with it when he stopped it.
    Hallucinations, visual and audio.

    I feel like if you use it and lean to eat better and work out, then you'd be okay.
    Most people I encounter at work just don't eat and then get mad when they gain all the weight back.

    ETA:
    my husband gained his weight back after an injury and surgery. not due to meds.
  • wiggle57
    wiggle57 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi, I just read what you said; about Phentermine! It's true! I'm 54yrs old & weighed 184lbs in February, 2012. I lost 9 lbs and it took me 3 months. It's very difficult. I have tried every diet in the book. I told my doctor no matter how much I tried - I could not lose any more weight after the 9 lbs. I eat healthy - but right before dinner I'm starving! My doctor said; I want you to get on a 1200 calorie per day & excercise and I was prescribed Phentermine! It has been 3 weeks & I lost 9 lbs so far! I currently weigh 166lbs. I'm not starving like I was before & I don't crave sweets or junk food. I will return to my doctor in 2 more weeks with my results & my print-outs for the past 30 days. I have read the information about Phentermine - it does have to prescribed by a doctor (preferably your primary care doctor) & you should be monitored - by said; doctor. It is addictive & can only be taken for a period of time. This is nothing to play with or a quick gimmick. You are responsible for youself. If you follow it carefully & stick to it, you will succeed. God Bless & Good Luck.
  • edie1973
    edie1973 Posts: 1
    I took it and lost 30 lbs in 2 months. I had to remind myself to eat. When I got off of them I gained it all back. But now I'm SLOWLY loosing it the old fashioned way. (and it sucks lol)
  • anabell31
    anabell31 Posts: 268
    I tried them and almost ended up in the hospital. My doctor forgot to tell me that I had to stop another unrelated medication because the two would react and nearly stop my heart. I tried again after stopping the other medication and yeah, you do lose a lot of weight really fast, but you gain it all back once you stop
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    No.work hard.eat right.period.:flowerforyou:

    </thread>

    crack also suppresses the appetite (so i've heard). ;)

    there's no substitute for healthy habits and will power.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
    Phentermine works for some people for short term weight loss (you'll gain it back unless you learn new habits.)
    For compulsive eaters though, phentermine makes dieting HARDER. If you find yourself getting stuck on thoughts of food, and you have a hard time pushing those thoughts away, don't take Phentermine.

    This info is per Dr. Daniel Amen, in his NYTimes bestseller "The Amen Solution." I personally find this book a valuable diet/life tool. I also found that staying clean of sugar works better for me than diet pills. Back in the 1990's, when it was legal, I took Phen - Fen, a combination of 2 diet pills that proved lethal for some dieters. I'm grateful that I was not harmed by this.

    On Phen-Fen, I felt like a "normal" person who could control her cravings and make mature decisions.
    Now, on a sugar-free diet, I feel like a "normal" person who can control her cravings and make mature decisions.
    At least, most of the time!:blushing:

    I wish you success in finding the healthiest solution!
  • anabell31
    anabell31 Posts: 268


    crack also suppresses the appetite (so i've heard). ;)

    My doctor described it as legal crack XD
  • bcatgray
    bcatgray Posts: 41
    I took it several years ago. I lost MAAAD weight. But, as you can see, I'm back here trying to lose it all again. The pill made it so easy. It even made it easy to exercise because it gave me lots of energy. But these things aren't meant for long term. So as soon as my body adjusted to not having the pill I gained the weight back plus more!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Back before it was banned, 'diet' pills containing amphetamine sulphate (speed) were 'the rage'. Amphetamine sulphate became a controlled substance years ago. Phentermine has a lot of similar effects and negative possible side effects of both amphetamine sulphate and methamphetamine and has similar pharmacology. Now while both speed and meth actually are used for certain medical conditions (obesity being one), I do not really understand why 1) and doctor would prescribe and 2) someone would take something similar unless there was a strong medical reason to do so.
  • Spokez70
    Spokez70 Posts: 548 Member
    I started trying to loose weight in January (new years resolution time) and lost the first 30lbs or so taking Phentermine and eating between 900-1200 calories a day. After a couple months I was feeling terrible with these heart-racing-dizzy-spell-panic-attack type episodes happening more and more frequently. We took a 10-day vacation mid-March and even though the Dr gave me an extra week's worth of the diet pills I decided to just leave them at home and kind of detox from it since I was pretty sure the medicine was to blame for making me feel so bad. About Day-4 of the vacation the crazy heart-racing thing stopped and by the end of the vacation I felt 100% better. When we got home I had only gained back a couple pounds and decided to not go back to the Phentermine clinic and started on MFP instead. Since then I have continued to loose at about the same pace without the pills and feeling much much better. Despite all that I don't really regret taking them since I think it jump-started the process. To me the hardest part of loosing weight has always been getting started- once you start seeing and feeling the results it's usually enough to keep up the momentum.
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member


    crack also suppresses the appetite (so i've heard). ;)

    My doctor described it as legal crack XD

    True! I took it ages ago (looking back I don't know why the Dr gave it to me as I wasn't overweight) and it is exactly the same as speed. You will find yourself up at midnight doing the ironing and cleaning the house. Dry mouth, constantly drinkling water, it's actually hard to eat.

    Then of course you lose muscle mass and of course when you stop taking it your metabolism is slower and you put it all back on. I think it's a quick fix.
  • Glucocorticoid
    Glucocorticoid Posts: 867 Member
    It's a legitimate appetite supressant. There are others as well though, that may be better suited. Note that there's always going to be variance - some people will not react well to it, some will. And there will always be the ones who think more must be better and overdose and end up dead. But that's with any drug.
  • byrnet18
    byrnet18 Posts: 230 Member

    I know of at least two people who stopped taking them because they suddenly developed severe anger issues.

    The two friends I know that took this had great weight loss but one of my friends was on this for almost a year and she had to quit because of unexplainable rage. I'd say to proceed with caution.
  • Tristis
    Tristis Posts: 288 Member
    I think Party B was referring to fenfluramine/phentermine, also known as fen-phen. There was a big lawsuit because the fenfluramine caused some sort of heart problem. I don't know about the health risks for phentermine alone. I'm sure it will give you results, but those results may not be sustainable. Learn to eat healthy and exercise...those skills will be your lifelong buddies. ;) Good luck with whatever you choose.
  • noogie98
    noogie98 Posts: 451 Member
    Trust me, step away from the diet pills. They are nothing more than old fashioned snake oil.

    Gimmicks don't work in the long haul ~ you will gain it back & then some. Changing eating habits, getting more exercise and becoming healthy will work ~ you didn't gain weight overnight; you cannot expect to lose it overnight.

    Patience & hard work. period. :flowerforyou:
  • proctor78
    proctor78 Posts: 51
    bump
  • ash12783
    ash12783 Posts: 82 Member
    I've had it before by prescription and I love the stuff... I would only take 1/2 a pill per day...long days that I was super busy, i would take one early in the day then mid-day. I had no negative side effects such as the jitters or racing heart or anything.... it just made me feel so much more energetic, alert, and of course less hungry.
    Phentermine is NOT to be confused with the diet pill craze Fen-Phen which proved fatal in some cases and caused serious Cardio related abnormalities/diseases. Fen-Phen was a COMBINATION of two drugs: fenfluramine & phentermine- presumably a bad combo judging by the adverse effects it had on people.
    I personally feel that if you take the smallest dose you need to help you under the care of your doctor that it is fairly safe. Obviously, if you're able to do it the good old-fashioned way (eat healthy & exercise) than that is by far your best option...but if it seems like it is still not working than this really can help. Be truthful to yourself when you are deciding if you are REALLY giving 100% to your weight loss before taking this step though because the less unnatural things you put into your body the better :)
  • majones_orl
    majones_orl Posts: 195 Member
    Several years ago Phentermine was sold in a set of Phen/Fen (I think that is what it was called). Don't know the difference and what the 2 drugs did. I do know there was a class action law suit filed because of the side effects due to the Phen/Fen.

    Like others have said, it works for some, other not. This is a great forum for weight loss, and if you follow the guidelines outlined for you with calories, carb, proteins.....and add exercise you will lose. Most folks who go the drugs route, or fad diet route, usually end up gaining it all back. With MFP you are learing to plan and eat better. With the drugs you are not changing your habits, you are letting the drugs do the work for you. So unless you have great displine, you may gain the weight back.

    Is your health worth the risk.
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