Is it okay to take Phentermine while on the liquid diet?

[Clementine Sky 708]

UGH, I just HATE the sanctimonious hate for phentermine around here! ESPECIALLY from people who had to resort to major surgery to be used as a tool to aid in the fight against obesity. It's just another TOOL.

But I digress. Ask your surgeon before taking ANY medication before a major surgery!

Sorry if I sound sanctimonious. It is a tool, yes, But, it is a dangerous one.

All medications have risks. It's up to the doctor and patient to weigh the benefits vs risks in a particular case and make an educated decision together.

Sanctimonious is trying to make that decision for someone else.

I certainly don't make decisions for other people. I share my experience and opinions. I actually suggested that the OP talk to their surgeon.

You're right my word choice poor--and I apologize. It's just that calling it a dangerous tool is judgmental though, it's coming to a conclusion about the risks vs benefits that should be left to the physician, in my not so humble opinion.

So many people label it dangerous... Yeah of course it has risks. So does surgery. Surgery has MORE risks.

Many other medications have but can be life saving. Why isn't this one of those?

It's more about context. There are many medications, and even Vitamins, that have the potential to be dangerous when taken before a surgery, and that's why it's critical to always inform your physician in advance of everything you're taking even if it might seem harmless or inconsequential. A friend's mom died from the interaction her antidepressant (that she hadn't disclosed she was taking) with her anesthesia during a routine surgery. A woman we know with aggressive cancer had to delay her treatment because of the massive amounts of Vitamins she'd been taking since her diagnosis that her oncologist said could interfere with the chemotherapy.

I will add that many doctors no longer prescribe phentermine because of the high risk factors. The doctor who prescribed it for me in my early 20s (when I was not even overweight but wanting to slim down) stopped prescribing it altogether because of negative experiences other patients had endured. It was too much of a liability for her. I discussed phentermine with my endocrinologist a couple of years ago, and she said she did not prescribe it either, nor did anyone practicing with that hospital. By that point with PCOS and a miscarriage I'd gained quite a bit of weight and wanted it so desperately I went on an online hunt for a doctor who does prescribe it, and discovered several Reddit threads and other sites discussing that there are few in LA who still do. I ended up seeing a nurse practitioner in my hometown who had me take an expensive and elaborate blood test, have my metabolism tested to confirm that it was abysmal, and then after all that said I met her qualifications but she no longer was prescribing phentermine to anyone. Grrrr. So I do think it has a higher degree of risk than many other medications. That isn't to say that it hasn't been beneficial to many people. I was willing to jump through so many hoops to get a new prescription precisely because it had been so effective for me. I loved how it zapped my appetite, gave me a boost of energy, and even helped me to be more mentally focused.

[jess9395 5,449]

You're right my word choice poor--and I apologize. It's just that calling it a dangerous tool is judgmental though, it's coming to a conclusion about the risks vs benefits that should be left to the physician, in my not so humble opinion.

So many people label it dangerous... Yeah of course it has risks. So does surgery. Surgery has MORE risks.

Many other medications have but can be life saving. Why isn't this one of those?

No, phentermine is not a life saving medication. Opinions aren't "judgmental" - they are shared opinions in response to someone asking a question. Our opinion is that phentermine is dangerous - that's not being sanctimonious. If people don't want others opinions then please don't ask. Phentermine can cause significant complications during surgery. As everyone said - of course discuss with the surgeon.

I disagree. I believe opinions can be judgmental in the way they are phrased. But disagreements make the world go round.

And stating that phentermine "is not" lifesaving is claiming a fact, not stating an opinion. And I have read stories that claim the opposite. So let's leave that as an opinion, fact not proven either way. Some believe it can save lives some believe it can't.

[jess9395 5,449]

UGH, I just HATE the sanctimonious hate for phentermine around here! ESPECIALLY from people who had to resort to major surgery to be used as a tool to aid in the fight against obesity. It's just another TOOL.

But I digress. Ask your surgeon before taking ANY medication before a major surgery!

Sorry if I sound sanctimonious. It is a tool, yes, But, it is a dangerous one.

All medications have risks. It's up to the doctor and patient to weigh the benefits vs risks in a particular case and make an educated decision together.

Sanctimonious is trying to make that decision for someone else.

I certainly don't make decisions for other people. I share my experience and opinions. I actually suggested that the OP talk to their surgeon.

You're right my word choice poor--and I apologize. It's just that calling it a dangerous tool is judgmental though, it's coming to a conclusion about the risks vs benefits that should be left to the physician, in my not so humble opinion.

So many people label it dangerous... Yeah of course it has risks. So does surgery. Surgery has MORE risks.

Many other medications have but can be life saving. Why isn't this one of those?

It's more about context. There are many medications, and even Vitamins, that have the potential to be dangerous when taken before a surgery, and that's why it's critical to always inform your physician in advance of everything you're taking even if it might seem harmless or inconsequential. A friend's mom died from the interaction her antidepressant (that she hadn't disclosed she was taking) with her anesthesia during a routine surgery. A woman we know with aggressive cancer had to delay her treatment because of the massive amounts of Vitamins she'd been taking since her diagnosis that her oncologist said could interfere with the chemotherapy.

I will add that many doctors no longer prescribe phentermine because of the high risk factors. The doctor who prescribed it for me in my early 20s (when I was not even overweight but wanting to slim down) stopped prescribing it altogether because of negative experiences other patients had endured. It was too much of a liability for her. I discussed phentermine with my endocrinologist a couple of years ago, and she said she did not prescribe it either, nor did anyone practicing with that hospital. By that point with PCOS and a miscarriage I'd gained quite a bit of weight and wanted it so desperately I went on an online hunt for a doctor who does prescribe it, and discovered several Reddit threads and other sites discussing that there are few in LA who still do. I ended up seeing a nurse practitioner in my hometown who had me take an expensive and elaborate blood test, have my metabolism tested to confirm that it was abysmal, and then after all that said I met her qualifications but she no longer was prescribing phentermine to anyone. Grrrr. So I do think it has a higher degree of risk than many other medications. That isn't to say that it hasn't been beneficial to many people. I was willing to jump through so many hoops to get a new prescription precisely because it had been so effective for me. I loved how it zapped my appetite, gave me a boost of energy, and even helped me to be more mentally focused.

Very well stated and I agree with all you've said.

I just think the way some of these comments were phrased they came off as very judgmental and then hid behind the "talk to your doctor" at the end. Like one of my kids said to the other when they were very young "well if you want to ruin your life, go ahead, but ask mom first."