Appetite suppressants (prescribed) 2 years out...

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

@@Kindle I'm still following you. Can't wait to be rid of my gallbladder and stop being snacky! I also have no ball in this game of regain, as I am still in the losing phase, even though it is slowed down to a snails pace. My calories stay around 600-700, with an occasional 1000 day here and there (being more careful to stop those occasional days). If a rx to help the jump start is needed....I'd totally go for it. So far the resets have been effective for my stalls.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Different response coming here at you ...

If I were in your shoes I'd probably not go the phentermine route based on my personal reaction to phentermine in the past.

Yes, it made me lose weight. But the second I got off it my appetite returned worse than ever, resulting in some of the most rapid weight gain I've experienced in all my 70 years.

This happened to me not once, but twice.

If I struggle with regain I'll have to deal with it somehow other than using phentermine. I never want to be that much out of control again as I was after getting off of diet pills.

[gpmed 623]

@@McButterpants I'm still early in the weight loss phase so no experience with this, but want to offer some words of support. Please don't be embarrassed to talk about these things! What you're going through seems pretty common, based on my time here.

My understanding is that WLS allows us to "easily" lose 100 or more pounds because getting that much excess weight off is damn near impossible for us without it. But it's not a permanent fix. The hunger comes back and work is required not to gain large amounts of weight back.

The weight you've gained is much smaller than the 100 or more extra pounds you were carrying before surgery. You're very smart to catch this early and seek support before it gets out of control. I wish you the best as you hit the reset button.

I'm first glad you posted for your own well-being. But your post also helps us who are still in the weight loss phase know what's coming down the pike and prepare, so thank you for sharing!

[McButterpants 2,846]

Many thanks to all that replied…Here's an update on me.

The first thing I did was have an attitude adjustment with myself - I was feeling sorry for myself and discouraged. So, I pulled on my big girl panties and marched on…I changed my mindset from "this sucks", "the weight gain sucks", etc. to looking at this as an opportunity. There are people that have things much worse than I do - I have a great life, full support of family, a great job and a husband, son and dog that love me. I am blessed.

I did well yesterday with the two appetite suppressants - I didn't feel weird, maybe a little jacked up (I also woke up this morning at 4:00 am wide awake). I had very little food yesterday compared to a normal day lately - I quickly realized how much I have been grazing.

Today - same story. Very little interest in food. I feel like I'm feeling my restriction better - I'm probably more alert and I am going back to mindful eating. I almost feel like I'm at the 6 month post-op mark - remember those days?

So, I'm going to keep on keeping' on for the next 6 weeks with the appetite suppressants until I see my doc for follow up. By that time, I will have had my upper GI and ultra sound on the gall bladder and we will see where the road takes me.

Thanks again for the advice, kind words, and suggestions. This is an awesome forum with awesome people - I'm glad I came back.

[pink dahlia 2,513]

I say go for it. If the meds are a stepping stone to get to a healthy weight, and the side effects are minimal, why not ?? Theres no shame in giving your body a little extra help when needed. If you needed glasses or a hearing aid or a knee brace you wouldn't be feeling bad/ guilty /ashamed / about it would you? The appetite monster is no different !! If this is any help, last spring I finally approached my regular Dr. about what I suspected was a lifelong problem with ADD. . ( Attention Deficit Disorder ) Long story short, she finally prescribed an ADD medication , ( a side effect is decreased appetite) and my appetite really went down. I lost 20 lbs in 5 months and am very close to goal ! While this was an unexpected benefit I don't feel the least bit "guilty " for having some extra help in getting to a healthy weight. You shouldn't feel guilty either. Just happy and healthy !! Good luck !!

[TMG1980TMG 136]

My surgeon told me he does this for some patients 15-18 months out the to help with the last push---

I take Wellbutrin for mild depression and I mentioned I don't think I needed it anymore. My surgeon suggested I stay on it because Wellbutrin can help with cravings/hungry-- it is part of a new appetite suppressant.

I don't think it is uncommon to be used short term. ????

[thisfathasgot2go 235]

I attend a post-op support group with Kaiser and they discussed options that do include the opportunity to use weight loss meds post-surgery, so it is another tool to consider.

[Jack 855]

"I am even more convinced that a large portion go away because they are struggling." This is probably true!

However, I can not escape the notion that "Life ITSELF is a struggle". We of the Tribe of the Morbidly Obese, have to find a path through our personal wilderness, to reach whatever glimpse of the Life as Normo Weight we can manage.

Depending on how we look at our own progress, we can motivate or justify a wide range of eating behavior.

And yes it becomes frustrating at times.

After a year long struggle I've managed to drop 17# of what had crept back on somehow. And I'm 20# above what I weight at my best postOp weight.

The other side of the coin can not be ignored.....I'm within 10# of what I weighed 50+ years ago at high school graduation!

Still.....my drive to reach "size 40" pants has failed, as 46 fits pretty good. Day of Banding I wore size 56-58.

So the Dance continues....who would have thought 12 years postOp I'd still be in a daily Battle with the Dragons of Overeating!!!!

[Kindle 8,667]

I just gotta throw this out there. These drugs taken for appetite suppressant are not entirely "without serious side effects". Pherntermine is an amphetamine that has very similar effects on your heart and central nervous system as cocaine. Would you take cocaine to lose weight? At the very least, you are getting high each time you take one, and Long term use of appetite suppressants can result in convulsions, heart arrhythmias, heart disease, high BP, and death...even when taken at the prescribed dose.

As for the antidepressants, my mom was rushed to the hospital twice for tachycardia and fainting. Turned out it was the anti anxiety medicine they prescribed for her. My younger brother died from a heart arrhythmia that the medical examiner attributed to the Adderall he was taking for ADHD. The amount in his blood stream was normal, therapeutic levels, but after an extensive autopsy and toxicology screen, that was the only plausible finding. He was 42. And, BTW, he was adopted so this is not a "genetic" thing.

The other point I'd like to make is that appetite suppressants simply do not work as a long term weight loss solution. We KNOW this or we wouldn't have needed surgery. Sure, you'll feel great (why not, you're stoned) and lose a few pounds. But as soon as you stop taking them you are right back where you started, fighting your appetite and weight gain. Sure, drugs are another "tool" we can use, but all the tools in the world can't build a house without lumber. Our heads and ability to make good choices is the concrete foundation AND the lumber required for our lifetime fight with obesity. That is what we need to work on, not short term, temporary Patches.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Kindle

[pink dahlia 2,513]

I say go for it. If the meds are a stepping stone to get to a healthy weight, and the side effects are minimal, why not ?? Theres no shame in giving your body a little extra help when needed. If you needed glasses or a hearing aid or a knee brace you wouldn't be feeling bad/ guilty /ashamed / about it would you? The appetite monster is no different !! If this is any help, last spring I finally approached my regular Dr. about what I suspected was a lifelong problem with ADD. . ( Attention Deficit Disorder ) Long story short, she finally prescribed an ADD medication , ( a side effect is decreased appetite) and my appetite really went down. I lost 20 lbs in 5 months and am very close to goal ! While this was an unexpected benefit I don't feel the least bit "guilty " for having some extra help in getting to a healthy weight. You shouldn't feel guilty either. Just happy and healthy !! Good luck !!

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Sorry my response posted twice ! It showed a minute ago that it hadnt posted so I hit send again . Ooops . Anyways, Kindle pointed out something to discuss with your Dr. , yes, appetite suppressors are amphetamines with pros and cons. Some people can have heart problems , etc. When I went on the ADD meds, I noticed my heart rate sped up, which is normal considering they are technicaly "Speed".( I dont drink coffee or soda, only a little tea). My Dr. had me do a 2 week test of keeping track of my pulse before, and after taking the meds. Combined with a previous heart rate test, it showed my heart to be perfectly fine on the meds. Having the test put my mind at ease, so you might want to discuss ALL the pros and cons of any medication with your Dr., short term or not. Hope all goes well !!!

[psychprof 141]

I just gotta throw this out there. These drugs taken for appetite suppressant are not entirely "without serious side effects". Pherntermine is an amphetamine that has very similar effects on your heart and central nervous system as cocaine. Would you take cocaine to lose weight? At the very least, you are getting high each time you take one, and Long term use of appetite suppressants can result in convulsions, heart arrhythmias, heart disease, high BP, and death...even when taken at the prescribed dose.

As for the antidepressants, my mom was rushed to the hospital twice for tachycardia and fainting. Turned out it was the anti anxiety medicine they prescribed for her. My younger brother died from a heart arrhythmia that the medical examiner attributed to the Albuterol he was taking for ADHD. The amount in his blood stream was normal, therapeutic levels, but after an extensive autopsy and toxicology screen, that was the only plausible finding. He was 42. And, BTW, he was adopted so this is not a "genetic" thing.

The other point I'd like to make is that appetite suppressants simply do not work as a long term weight loss solution. We KNOW this or we wouldn't have needed surgery. Sure, you'll feel great (why not, you're stoned) and lose a few pounds. But as soon as you stop taking them you are right back where you started, fighting your appetite and weight gain. Sure, drugs are another "tool" we can use, but all the tools in the world can't build a house without lumber. Our heads and ability to make good choices is the concrete foundation AND the lumber required for our lifetime fight with obesity. That is what we need to work on, not short term, temporary Patches.

I have a lot of concerns about the claims in this post.

People taking appetite suppressants and/or amphetamines as prescribed by their doctor should not experience the kinds of side effects you report here. Sometimes things happen, yes but the chances are very minimal. The claims you make here are as irresponsible as claiming that no one should embark upon WLS because they'll die.

Many, many people rely on antidepressants and have had a significant improvement in quality of life as a result. The same is true of amphetamines for people with attention disorders. The same is also true of appetite suppressants.

I rely on antidepressants and amphetamines to help me manage my clinical depression and ADHD. I come from a long line of family with serious mental health problems and drug addiction, and I have been incredibly fortunate because my only struggle is with these (and food addiction, presumably). For the record, I also hold a PhD from one of the top ranked programs in the world in my field, have landed a tenure-track professorship in a research-intensive university (no easy feat these days), and consult for such agencies as the American Psychological Association, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health on a regular basis. I really resent the implication that I manage all of this "stoned." I have never been stoned.

Folks, don't listen to horror stories. Listen to your doctor. Get advice from people on these forums and then ask your doctor if what this or that person did is a good solution for you.

I don't suspect anyone thinks appetite suppressants are the solution to weight struggles. They are a tool as much as the surgery itself is a tool. Those of us unlucky enough to be assigned to the battle against obesity will most likely need to rely on tools to help us in our battle for our entire life.

That said, there is a risk when using any prescription medication. With proper medical supervision, your risk should be a non-issue. Your doctor will guide you toward wellness.

[SeahawksFan 444]

Great thread. After 14 months I can definitely tell I am more hungry and can eat more now. I am still within my 2 lb bounce range but was thinking about doing 3 day Protein liquid diet Jan 1-3 since I'll be off work and hoping it would shrink my tummy back a little bit. It's a daily struggle but I am really glad I chose to do this and found this site.

~LA

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Well, as someone who also has a Ph.D. in psychology and who has used phentermine twice (for 3-4 months each time) to lose weight (see my post above describing my personal experiences with phentermine) and who back in the 1960s and 1970s tried to do my fair share of marijuana, psilocybin, hash, speed, and LSD and knows very well what "stoned" feels like, I think Kindle has a valid point.

For me, living on phentermine was a frenetic, altered state that didn't continue after I stopped taking the drug.

For the record, I've never taken Adderall, anti-anxiety meds or anti-depressants, so I can't comment on those.

[Jack 855]

re: "appetite suppressants simply do not work as a long term weight loss solution. We KNOW this or we wouldn't have needed surgery."

My own personal Battle with Obesity began circa 1964 with the little miracle pills then common for appetite suppressant.

I'm not posting to batter anyone/anything, just report my own journey.

After a couple years of ever-increasing doses of (yes, it was amphetamines) I began to imagine it was not abnormal to be up at 3am. It was helpful for other reasons as well, because I was taking 21 semester hours at college and working 3 part time jobs.....

So the last time I saw my physician, he gave me 'the strongest formulation' they had.....dark dark purple/dark dark amber capsule. And no, I wasn't hungry. At first. Then I saw a new report, my doc had been arrested for running some kind of illegal mill, whatever that was.....(ok call me naive)....

In any case, pill routine I got for a couple years ages 16-19, were absolutely of no long term benefit, and probably complicated/delayed better treatment for a problem essentially of behavioral adaptation to various stresses then unidentified.

Personally I was aghast last year when a physician gave me a list of 3 current appetite meds as part of one of his weight management plans. The potential side effects left me with the determination to continue the struggle without them.

But 'your means may vary' and our job is to seek the best solution to our individual problem.

Good luck.