Experiences with Phentermine?

[mz.newlife54 103]

I tried it also. Lost 50 pounds. Stopped taking it along with the diet shots. Gained the 50 back plus a couple additional. Im now looking to get sleeved.

[shmily 424]

Been there done that, same experience as most others

Edited July 11, 2014 by shmily

[utahgirll 81]

Hi there RellaBelle,

Thanks to all people posting their responses here ... it really helps to see others' experiences. My friend has done a Phentarmine duo recently (no shots) and over a long course of time has lost some 50#. She told me that it does make her a little jittery (she's like that anyway, so I didn't notice, lol) and it is hard to sleep, but over the course of time she has really done well.

RB, I hope to start with meds first, then move on to a gastric balloon or the Endobarrier. I am looking for something to jumpstart me into weight loss, and help me get on the path. Actually, I am not sure of the order of these I will do, but I was almost to booking a sleeve, and read up on complications of the sleeve here on BP and in other places, and decided to research less invasive weight loss processes for now. I may still come to the sleeve, but, as there are some very interesting new bariatric processes that are done endolumenally (through your mouth), without surgery, and are outpatient processes, I will start there.

I am going to post my research here eventually, so others can read up, but the one I am most interested in so far, is the Endobarrier. It is being done in Mexico, South America, Australia, and Europe for a while now, and the USA is doing trials now, in quite a few locations. Sadly, not near me, otherwise I would probably sign up. I am posting my research info under "gastric balloons and other endolumenal processes" forum here under this General forum. These processes are not permanent changes to your body, and some do not give huge weight loss initially, but one can use the balloon or the endobarrier more than once. There is also a way to adjust the endobarrier to make for more weight loss too. I do have a lot of weight to lose but like the thought of non surgical procedures for now.

I appreciate that BP is inclusive of these non surgical bariatric procedures, as well as surgical bariatric methods. After years of research (even attending a Bandster Bash in TJ), I hope to get there, although perhaps a bit more slowly than surgical methods. I do realize that it is all about changes in habits, and I will really have to concentrate on that, as we all have to. I am hoping that others interested in non surgical bariatric methods like meds, and endolumenal methods will join in this conversation. For me, it is all about research, reading doctor and clinical trial reports, evaluating risk (both short and longterm), and being open minded to find the best path for you as an individual.

in support,

triss

[amsterp 19]

I too was on Apidex. It really helped curb my appetite but at the same time made my blood pressure sky rocket!! My doc would no longer prescribe it for me and put me on blood pressure meds. Got my BP down and tried it again and same thing happen. That's when I found out my new insurance covered the sleeve and said to heck with the drugs and I am so excited to get the sleeve! Can not wait!!! My doc is totally on board with the surgery as she has been working with me to try to loose this weight for years.

[SandyM 1,956]

Raised my heart rate, my blood pressure and killed my appetite. Stopped it, heart rate came down, blood pressure came down, appetite came back along with any weight I lost. I didn't like the way it made me feel.

[Dallas_P 34]

I am currently using it as part of a physician supervise weight loss program (optifast). I've had good results with it as an appetite suppressant. The first day I was on it I felt this energy rush but it that eh he t went away the next day. I've lost almost 40lbs on the pre-surgery liquid diet and plan to stay on it until my surgery date. The program has worked so well that I thought that I might be able to do this without surgery but like others here have said I've lost weight before only to see it come back with a vengeance. I've had no side effects since the initial energy rush. I'm looking forward to my surgery date (July 31) with the goal of greeting rid of all my medications and especially my CPAP machine.

[freezepop 13]

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.

Exactly what happened with your friend's vsg surgery that she regrets not choosing a diet pill instead of surgery. That's kinda weird? I would try coffee as an appetite suppressant it really works and is relatively safe. And just change your diet and exercise if you aren't going the surgery route. But even with surgery you need to change your diet and exercise to be successful.

[Debbie3sons 1,936]

See I people do read, they may not respond , & I am in no way trying to be mean but as I am reading , I am thinking and laughing as if this and all the other , pills , diets , fads , weight watchers, tops and all that worked then we wouldn't be here or have or are thinking about was, I am just saying think about it.

[cutiecake 178]

Like most others -been there done that. If skinny can in a bottle, I'd stick with that instead of surgery, but- after you stop taking it the weight comes right back ,too many bad side effects as well . It's not permanent like wls

[nicolee 8]

I have to agree. I've taken phentermine I lost a lot of wieght. I stopped because my liver became hard my attitude changed I cried all the time it almost killed me literally. Please read the side effects it is so dangerous. Now I have a great outlook. Surgery has forced me to make healthy choices and I enjoy doing so. The hunger is gone and I don't have a bunch of scary side effects.

[Marathongirl 106]

My psychiatrist prescribed phentermine to me, and I'll tell ya that if I had to choose, I would choose my surgery over and over again. Eventually the body becomes used to medications like phentermine and it begins to not work anymore. I loose weight healthier and faster by using the tool of my surgery. Phentermine is great in the short term, but long term I think it would eventually stop helping.

[LumpySpacePrincess 594]

I have been on this medication twice in my life, and for a good year I was on the over-the-counter Ephedrine. They all work. However, the drawback is you become tolerant of them very, very quickly; sometimes to the point that a dose that will keep you from getting hungry may be beyond what is safe.

That being said, I do still take it occasionally. It has great anti-anxiety properties and kills my appetite when I need it to. This last time I was prescribed Phentermine by my OB/GYN who also does weight management for women. I have ED-NOS (eating disorder-not otherwise specified) with bingeing components and the Phentermine is sometimes the only thing that prevents me from going into binge mode. I use it just as that: a preventative tool when I feel my brain is working against me and I need help taking a step backward. To be clear, however, I also go to therapy for my eating issues several times per month; the Phentermine is just a backup when I feel really out of control.

Currently, I only take half of a dose and that usually does what I need it to do: temporarily puts my cravings on hold and my hunger at bay so I can work through whatever issue is driving me to eat. If you are looking for something that will create massive, permanent weight loss, however, Phentermine is not your drug. At most you'll lose about 40-50 pounds, and then when you become tolerant you'll have to either go through detox and most likely gain all the weight back, or keep upping your dose to the drug's safety ceiling, at which point you'll have to detox and probably gain the weight back. Phentermine is not permanent, it is temporary.

I do think for some of us, using Phentermine and other drugs like it to occasionally (and always under doctor and therapist supervision!!) have relief from psychological eating patterns in conjunction with weight loss surgery is not a problem. What is a problem is when you start expecting to see results from Phentermine alone. In that case, you will most likely be highly disappointed and possibly even addicted to a controlled substance.

[DebraO 14]

I tired it several years ago, lost the weight had tons of energy but was very jittery. It was had to sleep and concentrate. My doctor took me off of them because of the side effects. Please consult with your doctor before taking these pills, everyone reacts to them differently.

[utahgirll 81]

I am probably going to start my journey with a phentermine + cocktail, then move on to some less invasive type of bariatric procedure, like the Endobarrier sleeve (knifeless bypass), Vagal Bloc gastric pacemaker, or Obalon capsule that you swallow that turns into a balloon in your stomach.

I am doing a lot of research on new procedures. Originally I came on bariatric pal already having decided to go with VSG and to select a surgeon. After all the research I have done on the latest procedures and the fact that I really am a bit nervous about permanent change to my stomach, I have decided to not get the VSG or plication and go less invasive to start with. I am not absolutely ruling out VSG or plication, but really want to know what things are new on the horizon for non invasive weight loss procedures. I guess I would encourage all newbies, have a look at some of this research, just to know there are other methods out there, brand new. Oh, the fact that they are so new to USA, these are not available here. The endobarrier is on FDA trials here in the USA and you can get all the procedures in other countries. Actually most of them have been around for years and used with good results in Europe and Australia, South America.

If you are interested in my research, please go to

http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1015-gastric-balloon-endolumenal-bariatric-procedures-forum-new/

and check out what I've been researching. Personally, I am really excited about the endobarrier and if I lived closer to a city that have the trials (many major cities) I would have it (for free). I think the endobarrier is amazing. It mimics the bypass, without any permanent change to your stomach. The other one I like is the Obalon. It is really an exciting time for new bariatric processes, and I hope to try one of them.

in support,

triss in utah

[Dallas_P 34]

I had my pre-admission testing yesterday. When I told the nurse that was taking my history that I was taking phentermine her faced turned white and she put a big red flag comment about it on my record. She asked me if my surgeon knew about this and I said yes and it was actually another bariatric surgeon that prescribed the medication for me as part of the Optifast physcian supervised weight loss program. I had not taken it yesterday and decided based on her reaction to stop. I haven't felt any side effects and my EKG results had acutally improved to normal. So I think I'm cleared for surgery (July 31) unless somehow this comes back to bite me.