Does anyone here take Phentermine?

[MScott1851]

I just started Phentermine yesterday to kick these last 15 stubborn pounds that simply will not respond to diet/exercise. My doctor said I'm a good candidate because I have never taken it before and my BMI is 25, so it's borderline. I already eat pretty well, I exercise 3-4 days per week, my BP is 100/65, my heart rate is in the low 60's, and I don't drink caffeine anymore. I just love to eat. I can eat an appetizer, a salad, my whole meal, dessert, and still want food when I get home.

I have been having some joint pain (currently being tested for RA as well as being definitely diagnosed with OA...that sucks) over the past few months that has affected my ability to run, so my exercise has fallen off a bit, but on the plus side, my diet has been a lot better since I found out I have borderline high cholesterol. I hope this can kickstart me into my target weight.

Anyone have any stories to share? Any success stories, or alternately, warnings?

 

[JadenLayne]

I took it and it worked fantastically for me. The only problem was once you come off of it the hunger is still there and it's not something that you should take longterm as it can become addictive.

It gives you TONS of energy though and the weight will fall off. You just have to be stubborn once it gets off and not let it sneak back on like I did. Good Luck!

 

[Dismom+two]

I lost a ton of weight on it years ago. I SO wish I could go back on it however my current Dr. won't prescribe it to me. You do have to watch yourself after you are off because you can go right back to eating badly!! LIKE ME!
WHICH is why I want to go back on.....ok ok, lesson learned!!

Anyway, you will like it! It does give you tons of energy and you will lose that last few stubborn pounds!!

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[JadenLayne]

My Dr. won't let me take it again either because I'm on Paxil. I told him I was on Paxil when I took it before (different Dr.) and he said there were possible drug interactions with the two pills. It didn't interact before, LOL! Oh well! Sometimes I think I'm just meant to be fat!

 

[Sparx]

Goodluck with the weight loss!

 

[tinkerrn]

I took it years ago with great results. I went from a size 14 to a size 2!!!! I started feeling bad and my MD took me off of it. I felt even worse, basically having withdrawl symptoms. Its a stimulant, so be carefull. I have tried to get back on it, but no doc I know will even prescribe it. I am on adderall now and have similar effects. I was prescribed the phentermine for adult ADD, not weight loss.

 

[drgnfly30]

Worked like a charm when I was on it (years ago) but like others said, it was easy to put the pounds back on after I stopped taking it...

 

[ilovepcot]

I can't find a doctor that will prescribe it for me.

 

[Poohnatic]

They prescribe it for adult ADD? Hmmm...

Good luck, Misti. Like others have said, its all in re educating yourself once you come off it.

My problem is that I gained 50 pounds when I discovered I was allergic to Nutrasweet. I gained all that weight and have only recently has it started to come off. I need a kick start, too-because I eat reasonably well.

Suzanne

 

[aide4]

I am actually on it for the 2nd time. I lost 40 lbs the first time, and after I went off it, the weight slowly crept back, though not all of it. When I went in for my last physical I spoke to my doctor about all my habits, good and bad, and she said I could go back on it, but not for more than 6 months. Been back on for 2 months and down 17 lbs.

 

[buzzz1]

I too, was on it and had GREAT results !! I kept all my weight off for 2 years... now I feel like it is slowly creeping back on. I would LOVE another RX of it, but the doctor won't prescribe it because I am not that much overweight. I am considering ordering it online, but it just costs SO MUCH !!! Anyone here have any experience ordering a RX online ??

 

[tikilyn]

I want to take this too but my doctor won't prescribe it for me. I want to order online too but it's so expensive!

 

[Dismom+two]

I want to take this too but my doctor won't prescribe it for me. I want to order online too but it's so expensive!

I was checking it out online at one point and decided NOT to order it, however I didn't think it was that expensive only because when I was on it before, my insurrance did not pay for it so I was paying like $60 a month.

 

[SpectroMouse]

I am so interested in finding the best place to order online. Anyone have success?

 

[Acklander]

I've ordered it online before. It was pretty expensive since there wasn't the insurance coverage, but that's OK, I felt it was worth it.

 

[unfreshdiva1]

I'm taking it and it really curbs the hunger urge! Unfortunatley I made the mistake of drinking two diet-Mt. Dews today! Tons of energy (house is now completely dusted/vaccummed).

 

[SamIAm21]

I've ordered it online before. It was pretty expensive since there wasn't the insurance coverage, but that's OK, I felt it was worth it.

If you order it on line, do you not need a Dr.'s prescription? I'm definitely not up on this at all? You can just buy this stuff on line? Seems odd, no?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Any success stories, or alternately, warnings?

I know you're a nurse like I am, so I'm going to tell you nurse to nurse my experience/opinion and you can take from it what you will.

I take care of patients who are critically ill with primary pulmonary hypertension. Most of them are young women, and some of the cases have been related to the use of fen-phen (the phen being the phentermine). With PPH, functional capacity is extremely limited and mortality rates are high.

I do understand the hazards of obesity. And I understand that we're talking about phentermine alone. For 15 lbs, I honestly don't think I'd risk it. But that's your choice to make. You may be just fine. I don't know if you're a worryer, but if you are, do you really want to worry for the next several years every time you feel a little short of breath or your ankles swell after a long shift? I wouldn't. (I have enough to worry about, LOL.)

Here are some articles. It seems that the combination fen-phen was the biggest problem, but the results aren't conclusive yet since people are still being diagnosed from use years ago. (There have also been heart valve problems sited with some of these drugs.) I think most of the medical community sees the benefit vs risk isn't worth it since many won't prescribe the drug (as seen here - and also the fact that weight was gained after coming of the drug anyway).

Interestingly, when I was searching for articles to post, many were from lawyers suing diet drug makers on behalf of ill clients. Try googling pulmonary hypertension related to diet drugs/phentermine, you'll see there's a lot of info out there. Some cases of PPH occurred even when using the drug for less than a month.

http://www.mediafact.com/pph/diagnosis.php

http://www.flolan-center.com/pages/pph_causes.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10807073&dopt=Abstract

 

[SamIAm21]

I know you're a nurse like I am, so I'm going to tell you nurse to nurse my experience/opinion and you can take from it what you will.

I take care of patients who are critically ill with primary pulmonary hypertension. Most of them are young women, and some of the cases have been related to the use of fen-phen (the phen being the phentermine). With PPH, functional capacity is extremely limited and mortality rates are high.

I do understand the hazards of obesity. And I understand that we're talking about phentermine alone. For 15 lbs, I honestly don't think I'd risk it. But that's your choice to make. You may be just fine. I don't know if you're a worryer, but if you are, do you really want to worry for the next several years every time you feel a little short of breath or your ankles swell after a long shift? I wouldn't. (I have enough to worry about, LOL.)

Here are some articles. It seems that the combination fen-phen was the biggest problem, but the results aren't conclusive yet since people are still being diagnosed from use years ago. (There have also been heart valve problems sited with some of these drugs.) I think most of the medical community sees the benefit vs risk isn't worth it since many won't prescribe the drug (as seen here - and also the fact that weight was gained after coming of the drug anyway).

Interestingly, when I was searching for articles to post, many were from lawyers suing diet drug makers on behalf of ill clients. Try googling pulmonary hypertension related to diet drugs/phentermine, you'll see there's a lot of info out there. Some cases of PPH occurred even when using the drug for less than a month.

http://www.mediafact.com/pph/diagnosis.php

http://www.flolan-center.com/pages/pph_causes.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10807073&dopt=Abstract

I don't usually question medical professionals because they are far more knowledeable than I am, but the three articles you provided all seem to conclude that the PPH symptoms are due to dexfenfluramine or fenfluramine, which is actually the Fen part of Fenphen, not the PHEN-Phentermine. None of them specifically state that Phentermine is a cause of PPH.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I don't usually question medical professionals because they are far more knowledeable than I am, but the three articles you provided all seem to conclude that the PPH symptoms are due to dexfenfluramine or fenfluramine, which is actually the Fen part of Fenphen, not the PHEN-Phentermine. None of them specifically state that Phentermine is a cause of PPH.

I did note that in my post.

Here are some articles. It seems that the combination fen-phen was the biggest problem, but the results aren't conclusive yet since people are still being diagnosed from use years ago.

Questioning is a good thing.

I think the issue is that nobody has yet proven that phentermine alone is NOT a problem. That's why many doctors aren't comfortable prescribing it. There are many other articles to view, I happened to post those because I knew the OP would understand pulmonary hypertension and how serious it is and that was my point to begin with. People can individually decide if they want to run the risk of taking the drug (assuming they can find a doctor to prescribe it) but to me it's really important that they understand the risks first. PPH is a rare but serious disease, and treatment is limited. It's heartbreaking to think that in cases related to diet drugs, it could have been avoided.