How many of you tried Phen Fen when it was on the market? What was your sucess rate?

I tried it - lost all the weight I wanted and felt great! I was never hungrey and ate only to survive. Most things made me sick to my stomach to think about eating so I ate a lot of raw veggies (which I hate now) and salads.

Other then the sick feeling in my gut I felt great... happy... fun.... not pre-occupied with food.

I wish it wasn't bad and cause heart valve problems. The lap band helps with 1/2 the battle which is the amount you can eat. But Phen Fen had the emotional component that I think really made the difference.

Did anyone else have similar experience.

I loved Phenfen. First month I took it, I dropped 16 pounds. Second month I lost 12.... loved it.

My only problem was that by the 3rd month, my mind was always so pre-occupied. Seems like I stayed in a day-dream.

Didnt feel like eating, didnt even THINK about eating. Who does when they are spaced out??? LOL

I had a major heart attack and bypass surgery. That is the only response I'm giving. It is pure, unadulterated speed and I'm glad they took it off the market. I should have known better than to have taken the risk.

Only half of it was speed the other half was a sertonia enhancer which is what keep my mind off of eating.

If I take Merida, Phethermine, or anything Over the Counter for weight loss my heart races and I feel like general crap. The second part of the Phen Fen is what balanced that out. It was like a combo of speed and mood enhancer. I don't want the speed part but would like the mood part.

Sometimes (and I'm sure i'm not the only one) I just stand in the refridgeraor looking for satisfaction even though I know I'm not going to find it in there.

I thought about one of the anti-depressents but I don't think they help wth that part of the emotions.

Sorry for my awful spelling. :confused:

I loved Phen Phen.. it was the best thing I had ever taken that actually helped me loose weight!.. I still wish that it would come back on the market!.. maybe one day...

Cashley,

I completely understand where you are coming from. As much as Im a thinker - Ive never thought of that one.

hmmm...

Cashley ~ I haven't taken Phen Fen, but took Meridia for a short period of time....the effectiveness wore off. I am also an emotional eater. That has been the most difficult issue for me and I'm sure it will continue after I'm banded. Head hunger is a HUGE thing to overcome. I am taking Effexor XR, but it doesn't do anything for my head hunger. :scared:

I wonder if there is something on the market that contains the second ingredient that phen fen offered....the sertonia enhancer. :confused: It is my understanding that antidepressants help raise serotonin levels. I'm not sure what sertonia enhancer is, but it sounds like something good. :biggrin1:

i loved phen fen. I found I just didn't care if I ate and was easily able to make healthy choices.

So-I have heard from some their obsession with food decreases and others state that they are super hungry two hours later...

I don't think it as somuch was emotional eating but no appetite....

I almost took phen-fen. What kept me from doing so was I didn't have insurance or a way to pay for it.

It would be nice though if they could make something as effective as phen-fen but not dangerous. I remember talking to a lot of people who had lost weight from it.

I loved it too. Is it illeagal everywhere?

I lost 100 lbs on phen-fen. I actually lost my ability to imagine a meal before I ate, which made me a terrible cook - but it was so wonderful to be free of constant thoughts about eating.

I had no heart damage from it after 14 months. When researhers come up with something similar but safer, the band is gone.

Dody, what a nightmare, I am so sorry your body reacted that way.

But for me, Phen Fen WAS THE ANSWER! Now you got me started. I believe that we all have weight problems for different reasons. Personally, I have been addicted or obsessed with food since I was a child. Always fat. Phen Fen taught me that my food obsessions were brain related and that all completely stopped while I was on the drug. I was a late starter, and was only on it for 3 months before it went off the market. It altered my brain and made me think like a NORMAL person.

I would buy it on the black market it I could, but know that it caused terrible problems in some people like Dody.

This is also one of the reasons that I am wavering on the decision to get banded. This is not a physical problem for me, it is a brain chemical problem for me. My obese female, middle aged doctor agrees and she did put me on a combination of antidepressants which enhance the seratonin levels in the brain, but to no avail. After this year experiment she then agreed to refer me to the surgeon who does lap bands in western British Columbia.

I PRAY for the return of a similar drug.

I've never taken Phen Fen but was on Phentermine and Prozac until my doc said oooops...they are coming out w/bad studies on these two taken together..oy vey. I liked how I felt on the combo.

They say the next breakthrough weight loss drug coming up is ACOMPLIA (Rimonabant) from Sanofi-Aventis. Reports about the drug's possible benefits which include not only suppressing appetite but also curbing the urge to smoke and improving cholesterol and blood sugar levels have people on the edge of their seats waiting for this drug.

I almost wish it was still around. I never took it before, but I wouldn't mind having it now to lose the weight fast and then have my band to help me keep it off. lol...

Paula,

I liked your answer.

I agree,

Phen Fen taught me that my food obsessions were brain related and that all completely stopped while I was on the drug.

ok, so why cant they take the BAD part (that caused the heart valve troubles) and just give us the good part. I dont need the energy - losing 60 something pounds has given me that.

Just give me the mental part of the drug... thats ALL I want and need. :clap2:

Fen Phen worked wonderfully for me. I lost 60 pounds, all my extra weight. This made for two wonderful years of biking, hiking, etc.

I still take the Phen (phentermine) part, with Meridia. It is somewhat effective in this combination.

For sometime after the Fen part was taken from the market I was able to get it from Cambodia via the Internet, but no longer.

I had no heart damage.