A friend of ours is taking Phentermine 37.5 mg.

Ive looked this up and seen some things that are like other diet pills - symptoms etc.

Anyone ever taken this before or after being banded?

Good or bad side effects?

I want to try something for the next month while waiting for my surgery and maybe have something for after if I have a problem with appetite.

Hiya Thewomanwithin.

I saw that you said "to lose weight before your banding you have to exercise". Is that something your Dr has instructed? I only ask because I weigh almost 90lbs more than you and I only had to do the 2wk preop diet (to shrink my liver).

Phentermine causes all of the side effects everyone has talked about. I even tried it thinking..this will be great! I can lose weight and get some energy. Well, it made me jittery and I felt like I was in a constant race. I didn't even finish the month on them and trashed them. Obviously, I didn't lose much weight. But I am glad I got off of them. My other friend was on them and she got headaches constantly and felt her heart was going to pop out of her chest and she was sweating alot. She trashed hers too.

But, out of curiousity and please forgive me if I seem rude...If you are considering phentermine as a quick way to lose weight before surgery..you have to question....if you aren't satisified with the rate that you are losing now with all the exercise and diet (unless a certain weight is required by your Dr of course)..what happens when you aren't losing as fast as you'd like with the band? Will you continue searching for a faster way to lose weight?

This trip is not easy. It is going to take a lot of self discipline and control. Because after surgery when the swelling has started to go down...about week 3 or 4...the hunger comes back. You have to make yourself not eat that next bite when you know you want to and can. It's a struggle. For some it's easy. For me...I love the taste of food..I have to constantly train my mind that the 3/4 -1c of food infront of me is exactly what I need (I am on week 3). The old me would inhale that and move on to the pan! I am still new to the band and still learning how to use it. Just keep that in mind...like I am sure you have read everywhere...it's a tool not a magic wand that will make the weight fall off simply because it's there.

Good Luck on your journey

Cheryl

p.s. I didn't mean to come off as preachy.

I asked my PCP for a script.... that's when she referred me to my bariatric surgeon.

Prior to being banded I had taken Phentermine for years and years on and off (supervised by my docs). I never had any ill effects from it other then not being able to sleep. I would lose while on it and then gain everything and then some back when I went off it.