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.

Wow! I didn't realize it was available like that... I should have stocked up. I didn't have any heart damage either and really felt like the extra weight damaged my heart worse. (Actually my doctor convincend me of that fact).

I have heart disease in my family but it's caused by obesity and damaged blocked arteries. The Fen didn't cause that type of damage but valve damage. My doctor was convincented that the rick was lower then the benefit for most people. She's still prescribe it if she was allowed.

I've tried the Phen and the Meridia but never together. Does it make you gittery?

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 think I need a primer on this. I did take Phentermine, but only watched as all of my friends and relatives lost weight and mine didn't budge. (wow, that sounds like what is going on with the band )

So phentermine is only part of it? Maybe I was missing the good part? Anybody able to explain these drugs for the simple folk (me :eek: )

I looked up the Acomplia mentioned earlier. I hope that does come out in June as suspected. I hope it works and I can take it!! WEEEE!

Paula,

I liked your answer.

I agree,

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:

So Paula, hey great name btw, what I'd like to know from you is.....are you happy with the band? I know it can't be compared to Phen Fen, but by the looks of your stats, you look like you have had success.

Do you fight with your brain on a daily basis? or does your smaller stomach send messages of satiety to your brain?

Scott, CAMOBODIA?:faint:

Ah, fen-phen. I was one satisfied customer.

Nothing has EVER worked so well for me: when I was taking it food had all the appeal of sawdust. For the first time in my life I had an inkling of what it must be like to have a normal relationship with food.

After the combination was taken off the market I gained all the weight back and then some. Since then I've tried just about everything but nothing comes CLOSE to fen-phen. It was perfect. Sigh. My most recent weight loss attempts have included Optifast shakes (I flunked out after 7 weeks because I could not shake my cravings which may have been brought on by the aspartame in the shakes), and Meridia with Effexor-XR which did nothing for me. Nor did Topamax, the epilepsy drug, which is supposed to curb food cravings.

I know that at least for me the key will be to get rid of the refined carbs/sugar/fake sugar - I just need help sticking to it. I've been able to stick to Kay Sheppard's plan for a few days (as described in "The Body Knows") which advocates a diet that avoids anything that will set off your cravings but I'm never able to get through the period of intense cravings that come with withdrawal without falling off the wagon. Even so I feel much more clear-headed and sane when I'm off the carbs. What confuses me is why I can't stay away from them in the first place even though I know I feel better (though less "comfortable") without them. What a freak.

I'm scheduled for lap-band surgery May 19 and I am sincerely hoping it will help me with the satiety part, if not the mouth hunger. Why oh why did they have to take my fen-phen away??? :cry