Not sure if anyone pays any attention to this forum but on the off chance someone does.. I was wondering if anyone has tried Phentermine as a weight loss tool and what their experiences with it were?

I have a friend that has said if she knew about Phentermine before she had her VSG should wouldn't have had the procedure and just took her time using that product to lsoe the weight. I've read of the possible side effects and they are pretty unnerving.. though no more unnerving than the unknown of having surgery.

I was taking it for years, after awhile it stopped working for me, and I was staring to gain weight while still taking it and my eating habits did not change while I was gaining

I am surprised that Phentermin is still around. Isn't that the drug that caused racing hearts and heart attacks in young people trying to lose weight? There was a particular dangerous combination called Phen-Phen. I hope what your doc has prescribed is something different.

Are you pre op or post op? Yes, I've done the Phentermine route. Like everyone says, as soon as you stop taking it, you gain the weight right back. It doesn't change your eating habits or mentality toward food....it's a quick fix. A band aid. The million and one "diets" that are out there. I had this surgery to CHANGE all that!

Yes, it's pretty much legal meth.

I am pre-op. I have another two months of nutrition counseling. This is just to hold me from gaining anymore weight before surgery. Short term use.

I have used phentermine in the past. It works as long as your taking it. Once you stop taking it, all the weight comes back plus some.

There is a new drug that combines Phentermine and Topamax. My doctor has quite a few patients on it now and says most are finding success with it so far.

Wl warrior,

I've used both of those at different time and had success. I'm sure that combo is going to be great for lots of people.

Hello all,

My Primary Dr is also a weight loss specialist and on top of a prescribed diet he put me on Phentermine.

It takes away all my "hungry" pains/feelings so I'm forcing myself to eat a little something at meal time. I have also noticed if I don't take it right as I wake up that it will keep me awake at night.

Has anyone else used this prescription?

I took phentermine for about 5 months a little over 2 years ago. I didn't want to eat either. I had a terrible time sleeping. I found that if I didn't take the pill by no later than 9am I couldn't go to bed until at least midnight. I was nervous and experienced some irregular heart rhythms occasionally. I did loose about 45 lbs. but as soon as I stopped taking the pills my appetite exploded....... I gained every pound back and then some within 3 months. It was terrible.

Having tried so many diets over the years, and then trying the diet pills and still never finishing the job of loosing all my weight and maintaining it, is what led me to having weight loss surgery.

I'm not saying you absolutely shouldn't take the medication if you think it's right for you, but be careful. I think it's probably ok if you only have a few pounds to loose but if you need to loose more than 50, I wouldn't recommend it. You can't stay on the pills for longer than 6 months....or at least that's what my doctor said.

Good luck.

@GoGoNiner I take it he is not a bariatric doctor...because it would be quite odd that a bariatric doctor would put you on something like that.

If you are planning on WLS then I'd say why put your body thru that with the diet pills...we all know they don't work long term, and if they are making you so "off", I'd tell him how you are feeling and get off them!.... but that's just my opinion...good luck

Nope not my surgeons office just my primary. We talked about taking 1/2 pills to offset some of the negative side effects. I should be having surgery in Jan (no date set) so I'll be off these pills before then.

Edited December 17, 201411 yr by GoGoNiner

I lost close to 100 pounds on phentermine about 7 years ago but after I stopped taking them I gradually gained it all back. I have tried them off and on since but, in my view, they are not an effective long term weight loss solution.

Hello all,

My Primary Dr is also a weight loss specialist and on top of a prescribed diet he put me on Phentermine.

It takes away all my "hungry" pains/feelings so I'm forcing myself to eat a little something at meal time. I have also noticed if I don't take it right as I wake up that it will keep me awake at night.

Has anyone else used this prescription?

Hey,

I used it for about two months and I went from 265 to 220 like it was nothing. But it gave me this weird feeling and my mouth was constantly dry no matter how much Water I had. It was a good 'tool' but after you stop using it you will gain the weight back plus more. This was my experience with it

I took it in 2009 as a last ditch effort to lose weight without the surgery. Yeah, I lost 60 pounds BUT my blood pressure got so high I had to start taking blood pressure medication!

As soon as I stopped taking it---BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!! my appetite came back with an absolutely, wicked vengeance. I put back those 60 pounds AND they invited some "friends" along too!

I sincerely hope I have not damaged my heart muscle taking that crap as I took it for almost a year. Frankly, I don't think the doctor's office I got it from gave a rat's patootie about me truly losing weight and keeping it off. It was about the money I spent on the office visits and other fees I paid them to obtain the prescription. They also sold all the bariatric foods and supplements I took as well. Gee, you think there was a profit motive there? Not that I'm against anyone making money but I think the motivation was profit NOT my health.

Just my two cents worth. I regret spending the money I did on that BUT I think I got my approval for WLS quicker and easier because it was a documented attempt at doctor's supervised weight loss.

Blessings,

Kathleen

I am pre-op. I have another two months of nutrition counseling. This is just to hold me from gaining anymore weight before surgery. Short term use.

If it's just for 2 months before surgery, you shouldn't have a problem.

There is a new drug that combines Phentermine and Topamax. My doctor has quite a few patients on it now and says most are finding success with it so far.

I was taking Phentermine along with Topamax lost weight but the Topamax gave me a headache.