Does it Work? - Phentermine

phentermine can be used as a jump start to ur weight loss but be aware that if u dont change ur eating habits and if u dont exercise u will gain back the weight and more. I have lost 82 lbs on phentermine and i feel great and look great. besides the cotton mouth and ocassional insomnia im good. the hardest part was no carbs but now i have added cereal and bread back to my diet but not to much of it still no pasta and potatoes and still no beer lol i love beer lol

i have been on it for 1 month. i am down 17 lbs. the greatest thing it has done for me is give me energy. i am able to exercise 1 hr and 15 min a day.
i have cut my calorie intake down quite a bit, but have not given up anything i want to eat. my rule is if u want it , eat it. I just fix my plate like i was fixing it for my 4 yr old grandaughter. ps she eats like a bird....

Girl, congrats on losing 70lbs. I took phentermine before and lost 10lbs in 3 weeks. I didn't really have any side effects, I just had to take it very early in the morning, so, I can sleep at night. All in all, it does work and I will definitely take it again because I have Hypothyroidism, which increased my appetite tremendoulsly. I have a doctor that prescribes them for me, which I feel is the best way to take them, under a doctor's care.

Hi. I also have Hypothyroidism and I am taking 125mcg of Synthroid a day. The phentermine helps me a lot with my appetite because having Hypothyroidism increased my appetite having my to go back for seconds. Eating more than my husband was a no-no for me and I felt like a fat pig. I am going to start back taking Phentermine when I go see my doctor in a couple of weeks. The only side effect I had was cotton mouth, which made me drink water and Crystal Light. I took the pill about 5 or 6am in order to fall asleep at night. Holla at me anytime, I'd love to chat with you about any weight efforts and maybe we can support each other.

Hi all,

I just learned yesterday that I have arthritis in my hips and my right knee. It has been very difficult to exercise because of the pain. My doctor prescribed physical therapy for the arthritis and Phentermine to help me lose a little more of the weight (relieve some of hte pain associated with weight on joints) She only prescribed it for one month.

Has anyone else had any experience with this drug? I am a little nervous about weight loss medicine - have never taken it.

Any help please? :)

I personally have not taken it because of certain medical issues. However, I used to attend a behavioral support group at a medical weight loss program and they often prescribed it. It does help. However, sometimes it can interfere with your sleep. If that happens, just contact your doctor and have the dose tweaked. Good luck.

Hello,

I have taken the drug. I got it prescribed to me from a weight loss center. It does a great job of taking away your hunger. Be wary though, I would take it very differently now than I did then. Even though you may not be hungry, I would concentrate on eating the healthy foods that your body needs to survive. When I went off of it, I ate normally again and gained all of the weight I lost with it and then some. :) Oh well.

I wish you the best of luck with it. :)

I have taken it in the past and, honestly, I wasn't a huge fan.

It's certainly not a long-term solution, but a month might help give you a kick-start if your doctor recommends it.

For me, it felt like I had consumed too much caffeine. I felt jittery for the first week or so that I started, but it leveled out a bit. Sometimes though, it made me feel flushed or like my heart was beating too quickly- which is why I stopped taking it. But, it really did help suppress my appetite and kept me moving. I would recommend starting with 1/2 of the pill for the first week, if that's OK with your dr.

Phentermine is an amphetamine, and does what most drugs in that class do (including speed) - suppress your appetite and keep you awake. It is very effective in making you feel like you are not hungry, it pretty much lasts all day too so you can go a full day without eating if you dont consciously make the effort. I lived on a bagel and a banana per day for two months and lost 8kg. But there are side effects - very dry mouth, inability to sleep, mood swings, irritability, heart palpitations. Those are just some of the things that most people experience, it can be worse. And then like all starvation diets, once you stop taking the pills and get your appetite back, you will regain all the weight you lost and probably more.

They are pretty expensive from memory, so try them out if you want but they are not a long term solution and are not designed to be.

it def. made me have more energy which i loved. I never felt my heart beat faster than normal. I actually loved it. I took it for 2 mths to help with a jump start, a yr ago. You cant stay on it long term. Its worth a shot. worse case, u stop taking it. Everyones body is diff and everyone will react differently.

I take adipex which is basically the same thing. I love it. It only effects my sleep for the first week, but I recently decided to only take half of a pill instead of the whole thing and it's still effective in taking away hunger and does NOT keep me up at night. I have taken phentermine as well, and I much prefer adipex. Good luck to you!

I have taken it. Alot of people equate it with legal speed, however--since I have actually DONE speed (back in my highschool years) I can tell you its not. Theres no skin crawling, no heart racing for me.

If you do it right, it can be a good jumping off point. What I did was take it for 6 weeks, stop for three and then do 6 more weeks. That seems to be plenty. As far as side effects heres what I had:

Increased thirst. (Not too bad, since you drink lots of extra water--which, incidentally, is good for weight loss)

Difficulty sleeping (not that big of a deal- just take unisom(which is basically benedryl)

Constipation. Take fiber, and have fiber one bars for your snack. Solves this problem.



If your bloodpressure is an issue, don't take this pill. You will get some nasty headaches- according to my sister. I didn't get a burst of energy from the pill. I loved the appetite suppressant though. Its wonderful to just fight the mental battle of eating less for a while, instead of having to deal with the physical cravings.

But its no miracle pill thats for sure...:)

I've heard different things about phentermine, the cons usually being insomnia due to the caffeine. I personally use the ECA stack, (ephedrine, caffeine, asprin) but when I started getting sleepless, I started to take the doses earlier in the day, so the effects would affect my sleeping less.

The others are right though, usually when you stop taking weight loss supplements, the weight is gained back very quickly if you don't live a very active life style.

all this does is suppress your appetite? or does it increase metabolism or something else?

shamrockin32, I read you don't need the aspirin in the ECA stack as it can cause ulcers.

I took it before. It works great at first, but I built up a tolerance pretty quickly.

It can increase your metabolism.

I lost 30 pounds taking Phentermine several years ago. The effectiveness wore off as my body became used to the drug, and the doctor didn't want to increase my dose because it was raising my blood pressure. After getting off of it, I promptly gained the entire 30 back plus 20 more. It works, but you have to be realllly careful about maintaining the loss.

Here's a lot more on it...

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/does-work/81701-phentermine-17.html

I've been on it on weekdays only for 4 months now. The side effects have diminished and I'm down 41 lbs. Really working on eating properly, weight training and cardio. Very pleased!

does anyone know if there is an age limit for phentermine? and when you go to the doctor.. how do you tell him you want to go on it?

I have hypothyroidism and my doctor is talking to me on January 10th about taking phentermine. When he first mentioned it I respectfully declined as I was doing fine losing the weigh on my own...then came a 4 month plateau in weight loss, followed by weight gain, so I decided to give it a shot.

I've noticed a lot of people talking about gaining the weight back. What I wonder is, while you were on the phentermine were you following a healthy diet and exercise program, and when you went off the phentermine, did you maintain said program? I just find it hard to believe that all of these people were eating healthily and exercising regularly and still gained all the weight back and then some. I can see gaining a few pounds back because the stimulant is no longer there, but definitely not the whole shebang and another one.

If anyone would like to discuss their diet and exercise habits while on phentermine and afterwards when they gained the weight back, it would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to experience the joy of losing the weight just to gain it all back and then some!

I started these today. I can say I do not feel jittery at all.. I can tell that I am on something though. My house is spotless lol My mood seems pretty level I was worried that I would become stressed out as other diet pills have done that to me and I had to quit taking them although those usually make me feel jittery as well. I found a weight loss doctor in the phone book and am hoping to lose about 80lbs so hopefully these give me the boost I need. Ill keep an update on this forum as I have a 30 day prescription.

I had a dr. appt. with my neurologist the other day and talked to him about the phentermine, and he said it should be fine, just that I should take half of the required dose. He even sent a note to my family doctor stating as much.
So now I'm just waiting for the 10th to roll around, and I'll keep everyone here up-to-date on my experience! :)

Just wanted to update that I took my first pill yesterday at around 1pm and didn't have much trouble falling asleep. I usually go to bed about 11ish anyways so it seemed to work fine. Took my second today at about 8 after I ate breakfast. I still seem to eat fine just food doesn't taste as good and I do feel fuller faster... so I am definatly eating less. The only thing I miss right now is coffee lol but I read that it can make phen leave your system faster and make it less effective. I guess I just finished going 9 months with out coffee I can go another month :P

I believe this is the same as what you are talking about. I have been taking this product for 2 weeks and it really has been working. I am not a fan at all of fat burners but my girlfriend brought this and left it sitting around so i decided to use it. I lost 8lbs so far. Side effects if your not careful you MAY get dizzy but i was really pushing it with the exercise but it hasn't happened since. I think you should check it out.

You can just google Phen 375.

I may start weening myself off of Phentermine. I found myself waking up at 4am with crazy amount of energy every day last week. I took yesterday (Friday) off and slept through the night and as usual will take the weekend off. I really loved not having to deal with feeling hungry and having more energy, but I don't think taking Phenermine is or was supposed to be a permanent solution.

Just reporting in, one week off Phentermine, sleeping issue has been resolved and down a pound. If I successfully used it to kick-start my plan and am now off of it and keep losing, I will be thrilled!

Just an update been on this for 2 weeks and down about 10lbs. I decided I like to have my coffee and then take the pill about 10 am and have not had any sleep issues.

Yes. I also took another one similar that my Dr had written and rx for.

I did not have energy with either. I was also doing the weekly B-12 injections. I only ended up losing 12 pounds in 4 months and most of that was due to the change in my diet and not the shots or the phen.

I finally quit taking it all including the B-12 injections. It took me about a month to get back to normal. The phen made me severly depressed. I kept waiting for my energy to go and go like the energizer rabbit, but it never happened. I came home from work and hit the bed at my regular bedtime.

I would not take this phen again as I feel the results were not worth the side effects it had on me or the fact that it isn't the best and safest thing to do.

Since I have recently became unemployed I am hoping to see if I can lose some of this weight I gained in my last job.

I have been taking Phentermine since Nov 2,2010 and so far i have lost about 23 pounds, i have about 2 months worth of pills left so im trying to work out much harder these two coming months. My doctor said i can only be on it for about 4 mnths.

I just started taking Phen-Pro (Phentermine and a low dose Prozac) on Monday. It is certainly helping supress my appetite. I am aslo following Dr. Anchors 5 rules trying to change my lifestyle and my relationship with food. I don't feel like I am on speed. I actually feel quite calm. So far so good.

Well it has been 1 week and I have lost 6 pounds. Of course some of our is water.
I am eating 3, 400 calorie meals a day. I am changing my evening routine snds hope
New habbits form, like early to bed instead of the after dinner snackfest. I take my med
At 11am and it works for about 11 hours. I am sleeping very well.So far I am pleased.

I've recently started taking Phentermine and was wondering if I'm the only person out there taking this prescription? I've heard of all the negative things that happened with the Phen-Fen combination but nothing has been said since about only Phentermine... I'm a little nervous about the side effects but since my doctor prescribed it I'm not that worried.

Any comments/experience would be appreciated!!


I LOVE phentermine! It's the only appetite suppresant that actually worked for me. I am just beginning the Atkins diet, but I've used the weight loss clinics with the shots and phentermine and that worked too, its just when I come off of those specific diets I gain because I'm not at all disciplined in my eating habits. :( Hoping to change that this go-round)

As for the side effects, it can make you jittery, so start off taking only half a tablet in the morning. It prevents me from sleeping when I've been on it for a while. Good luck!

As I am sure all of you were, I was very excited about starting Phentermine in the beginning. I had about 30 pounds to lose and went to a weight loss clinic that gave me my first one month prescription. The first month I felt great and lost 8 pounds. It truly suppressed my appetite to the point that I would sometimes forget to eat. The second month was a different story. I began to feel something I can only describe as "brain fog," :?: and it got severe. Being in graduate school, this presented a problem. I also started having migraines and weird shooting pains in my hands. Granted, all of this occurred after an increase in the dosage to the 37.5, which was recommended by the weight loss clinic, because they knew I would have much slower weight loss in the second month. I wanted to keep taking it, because it was working, but I HAD to stop. About a month later, I was thinking clearly again, but I had regained all 8 pounds plus 5 more. I'm sure Phentermine is great for some people, but it was not right for me. I have since started eating healthy and working out and have re-lost the 8 pounds in about a month all on my own. :carrot:

went to my first weigh in- about 1month on phen i missed about a weekand a half of taking them due to vacation and a cold- lost 11lbs 13 inches. Still feel fine on them and sleeping well.

I was at 200lbs and now I'm at 160lbs. I'll be honest, I dont do anything and I dont watch what I eat. I dont eat a whole pizza anymore though, but so far I've lost 40lbs. No side effects other than dizziness but not sure if its from that. I also have low thyroid. People with low thyroid may find that they love Phen. I had so much energy I told my doctor how clean my house got just over night. LOL She said she thought I might need a decrease. So, I lost my first 20lbs just taking a quarter of the 37.5 dosage and now I take half. This is a drug that you should stick with the working dose for a while and then increase over time. You need to decide that and not your doctors. My doc has let me call all the shots on increasing/decreasing. So far no problems.

So I have been taking PhenPro for 4 weeks tomorrow and
Have lost 18 pounds. I am sleeping well ands have no side effects.
Very pleased. The low dose prozac is the key to no side effects
And keeps the phen working.

Down 11lbs in 13 days..it works for me, no side effects . I do experience slight hunger at regular meal times. The difference is I can be satisfied with very small portions. I'm eating around 1000 calories per day, keeping an eye on my carbs..

I am going to a clinic tomorrow for my first appt. I was told they would most likely start me with phen along with the wellbutrin I already take. Can anyone tell me what to expect at this first appt and relay any weight loss clinics experiences? The clinic is run by a bariatric Dr. and he has been on some of the major news channels.

Hello, all! I started taking Phen about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Looks like I've lost 7 pounds so far....goody!! I got mine from an actual doctor, who did blood work and blood pressure check and all that good stuff. Not sure what is done at a weight loss clinic. I assume, much of the same.

So, far the appetite has been greatly reduced. I still get hungry and feel the pangs of it, but I'm just not interested in food, so the hunger doesn't propel me to overeat. The dry mouth is a constant. I have no energy and usually feel totally drained, but I'm an insomniac, so that's to be expected. Of course, there's the constipation but MOM takes care of that. The other odd feeling I've been getting is a burning sensation specific to the left side of my chest, just above the breast. I read on another phen site that combining caffeine with phen can cause this. It could also be heartburn, since I sometimes belch when feeling this sensation.

Overall, my experience has been good, but there's still time for new side effects to emerge...hopefully not! I only have a month's script and then I must get evaluated again before receiving more. I am glad for this thread and sharing our phen experiences. Let's keep each other updated. Many blessings to everyone on their weight loss journey!!

I had my first appointment with my bariatric doctor today and I am on a diet plan, Phentermine 30mg, and lipo shots 1x a week. Will let you guys know how it goes! I have been dieting for a while so I don't have that bulk water weight to lose - I hope to see that scale move more..

I tried it before and loved it. But I moved and don't have insurance anymore or know where to go to get some to start again. Anyone know somewhere in the city of san diego to go?

I see some people who are taking phen and there at a lower weight than me but I've been told that I prolly couldn't get it cause I don't weight enough or some sorta reason. But I am 30 lbs over weight I'd like to atleast take it a month I think it would really help me. I can maintain my weight great its loosing it I have a problem with.

I am meeting with just my primary physician tomorrow... I am going to talk to him about phen and see what he thinks. I am working on changing my lifestyle and eating habits but I am really needing a jump start.

Anyone have any tips about this drug? Anything I need to make sure and do or not do?

I have taken phentermine off and on for the last year. I didn't have any bad side effects. I lost 20 pounds intially but I did notice I easily gained when I wasn't on it. I worked out 3-5 days a week with it too which helped. I am trying to go at weight loss without now but I was never disappointed while taking it. Good luck!!!

My appointment went really well! My doctor was very cool about it and I am now on phentermine. I have taken my first dose (37.5mg) this morning at about 6am....

WOW! I feel kinda fantastic! I really didnt expect it to hit already but holy cow, it did! I dont feel my heart pounding at all but i think I am more awake than i have been in probably years. Honestly, for me that is amazing. I love it. For someone like me who has fought for so long with my energy it is a major improvement already. I am going to do this for 3 months. Hopefully this will be a good jump start. I had a small breakfast with my pill and I am not hungry at all (major improvement for me as well) I am CRAZY THIRSTY! Which is a bit weird but also good because I have a problem with drinking enough water every day anyway....

So yeah, so far very happy that i had this convo with my doctor and I'm trying it out. Will keep updating!

i have an appt april 11th with my dr to see about getting a precription..::fingers crossed::

I am glad this thread is still alive...the first pages are from 2006! In 2007 I was on phentermine and lost tons of weight, albeit too quickly. In 3 months I lost 70 lbs and won a radio weight loss contest. It was a spin off of the biggest loser and I won 100$, woo hoo! Shortly after that (I got down to 180) I went through some major life changes and quit taking it. It is now 2011 and I weigh 230lbs. I was back up to 250 something and am now here. I started seeing a primary care doctor a month or so ago and brought up phen. She said no right away and didn't really give any reasons. I gave her the short version of how it works, that I had taken it and that it WAS NOT Fen-phen. She then said that she would prescribe it if I got some blood work done first. I did the blood work, all came back well and she wrote the script yesterday. I took my first pill today. To those of you taking 37.5mg who started out on that much, did you know that the lowest dosage available is 15mg and 37.5 is the highest? My doctor didn't know that and was trying to give me 37.5. I asked her to call a pharmacy and they told her the correct mg. So I have 15mg. The only reason I ask is because you build up a tolerance for it, and if you are already on the highest dosage I don't see you being able to continue with it (I could be wrong). It looks like in capsule form you take 15mg, then 30 and then 37.5. In tablet form you can take half (18.75) and then a whole at 37.5. I figure that since this stuff works I want to be able to use it for as long as possible, seeing as I have a lot of weight to lose. Although I am also changing my lifestyle and this is only a tool I want to continue to reap its benefits :) Hmmmm....I actually feel like walking the dogs...I love the energy this gives me as well as the fact that I need to remind myself to eat instead of thinking about food all of the time.

I started phen for the first time March 14. I'm also hypothyroid for 15 + years. The first couple days I was a little over hyper and did not sleep very long. That's evened out, and I'm sleeping just fine now. I started my new eating plan today, so the past two weeks I ate whatever I wanted to. Honestly, I ate junk the past two weeks and still lost a pound using the phen. With hypothyroidism and a sluggish metabolism, I do love the energy and 'awake' feeling I have on the phentermine. I'm excited to see how I do now that I'm on a eating and exercise plan along with the phen. My husband started phen this week and the same eating and exercise plan with me. I know phen is a tool, and I do not want to gain any weight back after I get off the drug, so I'm working very hard to change my eating and exercise habits now.
I do think it works - I still have food cravings, but I can ignore them. I'm also eating less at my scheduled meals. I know I need to eat, but just don't want big plates full of food. I'm even leaving food on my plate sometimes!

a few years ago i went to a weight loss centre and was given phentamine....i didn't mind the side effects and learnt very quickly not to take it to late in the day or i would be up half the night. i lost 49lb in 3 months and it felt great. That was 7 years ago. i stopped taking it fell in love had 2 more children and have put on 67lb so i am worse off than when i started last time. i think as long as you know that you have to work very hard after you lose the weight and not slip back into the bad ways that you had before taking phen then it is a very good helper. i am considering going back to the clinic but going to see what i can achive without it first. good luck to you all and i wish you lots of weight loss xx

Do people have a hard time getting a doctor to prescribe phentermine? I have never taken any diet drugs, but am to the point of where I think I might need something to just start me out. A couple of years ago I broached the subject with my gyno, but she was so against diet drugs that she wouldn't even talk to me about it, so I never looked into it. I have PCOS and ever since I had my daugher 5 years ago, I have not been able to get all the baby weight off and in fact, I think I have gained another 15lbs since then. 5 9 and 240lbs - sick of it.

I am currently calorie counting, but find that I am just starving all the time and just can't sick to it at all. Plus, it never seems like I lose any weight while dieting. I really don't want to "doctor shop" in order to find someone who is willing to give me a prescription. Are there any diet clinics or doctors that prescribe it in the northern Washington area around Bellingham or Everett? I would go as far as Seattle I guess if I knew I could get some help:)

annjenni- look up near by weightloss clinics.

Hello to all!!! I was wondering if there is any possibility to buy phentermine without a prescription? I found a webpage where you can buy them (very expensive by the way) without any prescription,...of course could be an scam, but Im not that sure.
I don't know this medication but for what i read it seems to work. I will tell my doctor if she can prescribe it to me, but I dont know what she would say. I used to take Ipogras (sibutramine) like 2 years ago and it was very good. I know is not approved any more by the FDA, but honestly it worked for me. I lost almost 50 pounds. Now im married and fat again!...need to find something to help me.

You can' t get phentermine without a script. I wouldn't trust those online pharmacy. Talk to your md, If they aren't receptive or seem disapproving maybe you should consider a new doc?

Hello to all!!! I was wondering if there is any possibility to buy phentermine without a prescription? I found a webpage where you can buy them (very expensive by the way) without any prescription,...of course could be an scam, but Im not that sure.
I don't know this medication but for what i read it seems to work. I will tell my doctor if she can prescribe it to me, but I dont know what she would say. I used to take Ipogras (sibutramine) like 2 years ago and it was very good. I know is not approved any more by the FDA, but honestly it worked for me. I lost almost 50 pounds. Now im married and fat again!...need to find something to help me.

Be careful about this. I too have been looking around and it seems there are a lot of scams out there. It is discouraging because I asked my gyno about something to help with weight loss - totally unreceptive and I never asked again...instead ended up gaining more weight over the past couple years. Then just recently asked my internal medicine doctor (was in seeing him about something else) and he shut me down too!! It is like all the doctors are so against diet drugs. I understand they have side effects and everything, but phen is approved by the FDA as a appetite suppressant and I am only looking for something to help me start out (keep me motivated). Do they think that carrying around all this extra weight for a prolonged period is healthy? Ha ha. I would rather take the chance and lose the weight with the help of phentermine than plugging away, never losing anything and getting discouraged and giving up!!!

Back to your question though...I too have started looking around online since my doctors will not prescribe anything to me and would rather me take the risk of ordering online and using something without being under doctor's supervision. I have found that the reputable discussion boards that talk about this, do not come right out and tell you where to order from. It is like you have to read between the lines and do your own research. The reason being is ...once there is a good reliable source, nobody wants to tell where they are ordering from in fear that their source will go away. So, you have to do some digging and researching and once you think you found someplace to order from, just make sure to research them and make sure they are not scammers!

Hi all! Is this thread still going? I'm on day 3 of phentermine and have had a headache all three days. I'm a migraine sufferer, and I was really hoping to escape this side effect. And I'm only on the 15mg! Anyone else have this happen and (fingers crossed) the headache went away?

Not sure it really matters, since I've only lost a pound. I'm not looking for outrageous magical weight loss, but if this isn't going to give me enough of a boost I guess it might not be worth the headache. If it goes away I'm going to try to up it to 30mg.

traceriffic I'm not having any headaches but I it's not curving my appetite. I am on the 15mg also. Just started. Is this dose curving your appetite? What time of the day do you take it? How many calories do they have you on?

traceriffic I'm not having any headaches but I it's not curving my appetite. I am on the 15mg also. Just started. Is this dose curving your appetite? What time of the day do you take it? How many calories do they have you on?

Hi, love2b150! It helps curb my appetite throughout the day, but unfortunately I am a big nighttime eater. I have been making wiser choices in the evening, so that counts, I guess, right? :)

I have tried taking it 30 minutes before I eat breakfast, which seems to help lessen side effects, but then it wears off faster.

I've also tried taking it 90-120 minutes after breakfast, which helps strengthen my resolve in the evening, but tends to make the side effects intensify.

Went into the doc today for a one-week check-in (lost FIVE POUNDS - major for me!), and she put me on the higher dose. I was totally straight with her about every side effect, because I want to make sure this is for me. She seemed fine bumping to 30mg, and I go back in two weeks for another follow-up. I am kind of glad to have this much supervision. I know most people only see their doctor once a month on this, but I take other meds, too, and I like knowing that I'm going to see the doctor soon.

As far as diet, I've been loosely following WW for the past couple of months, but am going back to meetings tomorrow (I skipped the last month). I love my WW leader, so I'm hoping I've got the winning combo in place.

Please share your experience(s)...I'd love to hear how you are doing!

hi traceriffic, I was told to take it after lunch, which for me is around 1:30 but when I do I am hungrier much earlier. So I've been waiting until 2:30 but it's still not helping. According to my scale I have only lost 2lbs but I messed up over the weekend, so I expected the gain. He also has me on other supplements that I don't know if they are working or not. But as far as I'm concerned none of it is yet so we'll see. I weigh in today so I get to see the difference in my initial weigh in there and today's.

I tried Phentermine and it does work. However, I gained all the weight back afterwards and then some. One of the "after-effects" of phentermine is that it can wreak havoc on your metabolism, thus causing your metabolism to slow down and making it harder to lose weight and keep the weight off.

I tried Phentermine and it does work. However, I gained all the weight back afterwards and then some. One of the "after-effects" of phentermine is that it can wreak havoc on your metabolism, thus causing your metabolism to slow down and making it harder to lose weight and keep the weight off.

That sucks, I'm sorry. I've read this a lot. Did you eat continuously while you were on it?

I'm trying to do my part to rev my metabolism by eating snacks every couple of hours, so when I stop taking it I don't go from starvation to calorie overload.

I had the same thing happen to me as well Loli. I went on Phentermine and stayed on it about 7-8 months. At the beginning I lost around 20-25 lbs then after about 3-4 months I wasn't losing anymore weight and staying the same. I then went off of it and gained everything back. I tried it again about 5 months later and lost 15 in a month...however, I gained it back as soon as I went off of it. (it's suppose to be a short term drug).
Now, I'm going about this without any drugs... the "after-affects" of this drug made it pointless...wasted a lot of money for temporary results...it threw my metabolism out of whack and made me very very hungry.

boatgirl were you hungry while taking it or after you stopped. It seems I want to eat more with it. I'm gonna do this 12 week program and hope it helps but like I said earlier I don't see where it is doing very much at the moment. I think if it really curved my appetite I may be a little nervous. My friend was on it years ago, she didn't do any exercise, slept all the time, didn't eat hardly anything because she said she was never hungry and looked great until she had another baby. So I don't want it to stop me from eating just help slow me down. :)

traceriffic had my weigh in, 2lbs down. I eat every 3 hrs also for the most part. I learned that from the 3 hour diet by Jorge Cruise, it does help until late evening when I want to eat again and again :)

Loli how long were you taking it? and which dosage?

I tried Phentermine and it does work. However, I gained all the weight back afterwards and then some. One of the "after-effects" of phentermine is that it can wreak havoc on your metabolism, thus causing your metabolism to slow down and making it harder to lose weight and keep the weight off.

That happened to me too, and I had a LONG plateau (months) after I went off of it. Then I started calorie counting and upped my exercising and started to lose again without it.

Jess that's how I lost last year just calorie counting and walking but I couldn't seem to get it together this go around. I sure hope whatever I lose on it does come back

love2be150,
In the beginning, my appetite was lower. But it didn't last like that...I began getting hungry more often than I did when I began after about 3-4 months on it. The main thing I noticed with it is that I got fuller faster. I didn't have to eat much to feel really full. After I went off of it, I was constantly hungry and required a whole lot more food to get full. Now my body has seemed to even itself out where I eat the appropriate amount to fill me...not too less or too much.
I'm not a big fan of phentermine, I feel it really messed me up in some ways....everyone's body is different though....if you get on it, I hope it works for you! :)

boatgirl thanks for the reply I did start on 5/18 but I don't think it's doing anything. I am a daily (multiple time) weigher and this morning I was up 2.8lbs so it is definitely not suppressing my appetite. Which dose were you taking?

I've been taking this for the past 2 months and it has been a huge reason why my weight loss has gone so well but at the same time I've heard of so many people taking it and effortlessly losing weight.
So I've been going to the gym for regular walks and workouts, eating better and drinking a ton of water.. I'm determined to keep the weight off once I get off of the medication in the future.
I Have 2 friends that have taken the medicine, one regained everything and the other kept it all off and continued to lose after the medicine.
I Believe it is a mind game just as much as any diet. When you get off the pill you're afraid you're going to get hungry and regain everything, and that's just what happens!
So keep your mind in the right place and it will all fall into place!!!

And love2b150, Your body is going to fluctate weight throughout the day due to food, water, etc... the best advice I have for you is to weigh minimum of once a week. I used to weigh daily and I started getting depressed because of the lack of results. but When I backed off and set a "weigh-in" day I did better. I felt more reassured and I have now begun to anticipate Tuesdays(myday) so I can see my weekly results. You'll stress a lot less on your body if you weigh less often!:)
and Also when I started taking the meds, it takes your body a week or 2 to adjust! Stick with it!:)

Thanks mhill, I've been weighing like this for so long it doesn't really bother me, it actually helps if I can get on the scale. I know that when I weigh at night unless I have had a horrible snacking day that I will be 3lbs lighter in the morning. I'm just kicking myself now because last year this time I did well on my own, no medication just counting calories and walking. My actual weigh in day is Tuesday also and you would think on Monday's I would do as I should, eat right and exercise but nope. But hopefully starting tomorrow I'll gain some control with the challenges I just joined on here (same ones I did last year with success). I have 10 more weeks to go so we'll see where I end up. Thanks again :)

You're welcome!:) Good luck!!

This sounds good to me. I'm looking for a doctor as i write this. Though these effects sound identical to meth, I really just want the chance to let it work. even if I can be under 200 pounds for a month it will be worth it. wish me luck.

btw you gain the weight back because your metabolism shuts down when you dont eat. just like you wean yourself off a drug you have to wean your body back into eating normally. either that or dont starve yourself just because your not hungry. permanent damages arent worth weight loss.

Got my duromine yesterday, I'm starting tomorrow-I'd kill to get under 80kgs- I've gone from 107 to 92 by myself and have kept it off for 8 months, let's see what duros will do for me.

I just got mine today. Had to pay out of pocket but rough guess it would be 37 for a month at the highest does. I am using it to help me get back into the swing of things. My doctor explained it and I think this pill is the way to go. I kind of hope it helps with my energy since I'm been a bit lazy due to zero motivation.

I was taking it for about 2 weeks but I was taking a pill in the morning and one at night and I ended up super paranoid so I stopped. I was letting all of it get out of my system but I will restart it on a lower dose.

I currently use Phentermine. I started taking it August 1st, 2011 under the supervision of my family doctor. I was taking 1 pill a day- half when I woke up in the morning with a large glass of water and a banana and the other half around noon. The only side affect that I have had is dryness of mouth. I simply cannot get enough to drink and water is about the only thing that seems to help. Also, a comlete lack of appetite. Even though you aren't hungry you must eat! Talk to your doctor about a healthy amount of calories. I have made many lifestyle changes. I follow a very healthy diet of roughly 1200 calories with only the occassional spurge. I drink at least 64 ounces of water a day and I go to the gym three times a week. I cut out all soda pop and switched to decaf coffee (one cup in the morning with one creamer instead of 5!) The prescription isn't for long term use and I am down to a half a pill a day and do not take them at all on the weekend. It has been enough to motivate me to stick to it, get active, and stay conscious to what I put in my body. I love having the energy to play with my children. I actually enjoy shopping. I don't shy away from cameras. Good luck to you as well!

When I kicked off my weightloss I tool Phentermine for 3 months. It was extremely helpful and although I had trouble sleeping and drymouth, I lost weight a lot faster. Now that I have been plateauing for 3 months, I have a doctor's appointment to go back on it briefly again to get things moving.

I remember a long plateau when I went off it last time, but at least I'd be doing it at a lower weight.

I lost 50lbs in 2 months on phentermine back in 2006. I feel like I was literally a drug addict for those 3 months and I promised myself I would never take that junk again. It totally changed my attitude from being a very easy to get along with person, to being very quick to snap back at someone. I probably slept 3 hours a night and just felt awake and somewhat angry the entire time. I really didn't know what was making feel this way and was in denial that this little pill was causing all of this animosity and anger. I wouldn't say that I ever really felt suicidal, but I really didn't care if i lived or died for some reason. I felt invincible and would have fought a grizzly bear had one threatened me. I remember forcing myself to eat at least something each day. I probably consumed on average less than 500-600 calories each day.

After stopping the madness of taking that drug, my mood shifted completely back to normal in a day or two. Yes, I was 50lbs lighter but it scared me that something could change me that quickly and easily. It opened my eyes to how drug addicts act out without fear or remorse, it's not them.... it's the drug.

Yes, I gained all of the weight back and a few extra pounds but quite frankly I'd rather be fat than ever take phentermine again. I'm not going to try to stop anyone from trying it, but if you experience any paranoia or anger, please stop taking it--- it's not worth it. Try any and everything else first.

I took Phen and loved it! stopped and gained all the weight back. :( Looking into starting again. Only thing- if you have ANY side effect issues STOP taking it immediately! GOOD LUCK! :)

I took Phen back in May of 2011 for a month, then took another month worth of pills over the next 2 or 3 months.

My only side effect was dry mouth and decreased appetite. I did not mind either of these as it got me drinking more water. Also, when I wasn't in binge mode I could consciously choose something healthy and feel full after a regular portion rather than stuffing myself.

I LOVED having the energy to actually get up and work out. I could make it through a day without being tired at 4 p.m. I lost a total of 20 lbs over about 4 or 5 months. I continued to lose after the pills and kept the weight off after the pills because I had "retrained" myself and was keeping up with a healthier lifestyle.

I have been feeling exhausted again and have gained about 8 lbs back in the last month. I just went back to my Dr. and got another prescription. I think I may just take 1/2 pill each day this time.

I realize these work different for each person but wanted to share my story :o)

I lost 50 lbs in 3 months back in 93 on phentermine. I kept it all off until 98 when I got pregnant. After that I still kept off all but about 15 lbs. I was happy with the results and my side effects were minimal. I had the dry mouth and was slightly irritable near the end. I had to limit my coffee consumption while taking it.

So those of you that have taken it, yes or no? I went to a weight loss doctor today and he pretty much seemed like a pill pusher. I have been researching Phentermine for the past week or so and reading the reviews both here and elsewhere and I'm absolutely terrified of gaining the weight back after losing it. At the same time, I'm desperate to shed the pounds.

I expressed my concerns to the doctor and he said plainly that, yes I will gain the weight back after unless I "run a marathon everyday." When I asked about how he prescribes it (x amount of months on, x off), he told me he doesn't do that and will basically give it whenever you want/need it. The guy was friendly, but I don't know... He just seems like a total pill pusher. Part of me wants to try it with the first month's supply and kind of jump start my efforts, but again I'm afraid. Another thing, this doctor automatically starts you off at the highest dosage. He said we're all there to lose weight, so why not.

I've been working on a lifestyle change where both food and exercise are concerned, but I'm afraid that by taking this medicine, I will be taking one step forward and two backwards in the long run. Any additional input, suggestions, opinions or experiences are greatly appreciated!

well I starting taking phentermine this week...I am only on day 2...so i guess we will see where this takes me. I been working out and watching what I eat. I am actually not even hungry but I force myself to eat every 3 hours (something small). I know this might not be healthy but I been doing Lean Shake 25(bought at GNC) for my meal replacements. and yogurts as my snacks. I am trying to lose 100 lbs. so I hope I stay motivated to reach my goal. mY Dr is also giving me B12 shots once a month... I have the options to get two, but Im going to see how my first month goes. I have took this pill before and lost 48 lbs in 2 and half months..I kept the weight off for a few years then just gained it all back. I think it is all about how you eat..there is no magic pill but this does help with my hunger.

I am planning to request this at my appt with my doctor next week. It was offered to me before, and then he reneg'd and offered to sell me some Medifast instead! Kind of a conflict of interest, I felt.

I am apparently "grossly obese" according to multiple doctors I see and need to lose 75-100lbs or something insanely daunting. I know a few friends that lost significant weight with this medication, and I am hoping that maybe a combination of this and something else will help me finally break through the 50 lbs I keep gaining and losing. And keep it off when I get there.

It is my understanding though that you can only take this for a few weeks at a time?

I need to lose 75-100 too!! and I know it is going to suck! BUT I am going to stick to this crap and get it over with..so I guess I am grossly obese too ha...I work with skinny chicks that eat allllllllllllllllllllllllllllll day and never gain weight.. i always tell them I hope they blow up :/ ha...it is just so hard to be around food all the time in a office and not eat it...these pills have helped a lot with that. I am planning on walking today after work... I just wish there was a faster way to lose weight....like maybe....go to sleep and wake up perfect? :) I am on this website to stay focused...not really sure how to work it yet or how to talk to people so I guess I will just randomly post stuff.

Is anyone else taking this pill right now???

Your guy does sound a bit too carefree with it, esbee.

I've struggled with PCOS/IR/Hypothyroid obesity for 20 years. For the first 10 I didn't even know WHY it was so hard because I didn't have the dx. Then I got the dx but took a TTC detour and made it through a high risk pregnancy, infancy, extended nursing etc. My hormones were a wreck and I regained over those years.

Anyway, I'm trying to focus on my own needs now.The first time my GP suggested it in my mid 20's and I said no thanks and that was it for that. I was wanting to lose weight and TTC and I didn't want to think about extra meds in my system. You are NOT supposed to get pregnant on phen!

Many years later my endoc brought it up and I took 2 years thinking it over. I'm mid 30's now. I finally agreed and together we decided on a Feb, Mar and April run and she'd evaluate me at my check up. So it wasn't a decision I made lightly and it was for a supervised short run. I don't want it after my April check up!

She warned me it isn't a magic pill, and that I still need to manage my exercise and food log or else I'll regain again. I'm supposed to call the office if I feel weird at any time. It's a restricted substance and one of her nurses had to clear it with my insurance too.

My side effects are dry mouth mostly.

I've lost 5 lbs this first month and I'm happy with that. I wasn't expecting miracles. Usually I fight to not GAIN!

It does help with appetite suppression for me and with the IR, that's a huge relief. It's fighting the RAVENOUS hunger that drove me crazy. I'm hoping to lose enough while on this phentermine tool to get the IR to improve some from weight lost, and with a better IR be able to continue the rest of the way without the Phen.

I was expecting the appetite suppressant part. I did not expect the much better sleep! I struggled with afternoon fatigue and now I can get through it without a nap. Which means I can sleep properly at night instead of being night owly. I feel rested when I get up, and can actually get stuff done like my workouts, errands and so on.

(PCOS fatigue is another huge obstacle -- not just the crazy IR hunger. )

So while my experience so far is positive, I really want to get to the place in April where I'm OFF it. Diet drugs make me leery. To me it's a last resort, not a first pick.

I'm glad I'm being monitored but I'll be gladder off it.

A.

Is Phetermine legal?

yes it is legal.....you get it from a weight loss doctor....or a doctor.

So those of you that have taken it, yes or no? I went to a weight loss doctor today and he pretty much seemed like a pill pusher. I have been researching Phentermine for the past week or so and reading the reviews both here and elsewhere and I'm absolutely terrified of gaining the weight back after losing it. At the same time, I'm desperate to shed the pounds.

I expressed my concerns to the doctor and he said plainly that, yes I will gain the weight back after unless I "run a marathon everyday." When I asked about how he prescribes it (x amount of months on, x off), he told me he doesn't do that and will basically give it whenever you want/need it. The guy was friendly, but I don't know... He just seems like a total pill pusher. Part of me wants to try it with the first month's supply and kind of jump start my efforts, but again I'm afraid. Another thing, this doctor automatically starts you off at the highest dosage. He said we're all there to lose weight, so why not.

I've been working on a lifestyle change where both food and exercise are concerned, but I'm afraid that by taking this medicine, I will be taking one step forward and two backwards in the long run. Any additional input, suggestions, opinions or experiences are greatly appreciated!

I have taken it on and off for years but have gain the weight back everytime, but my doctor said 2 refills only then off for a month.

Yes, it is legal but it is a controlled substance. My doc has me on a half tablet for a short run to see if it helps. I thought it over for 2 years before taking the plunge.

My first time on it and I'm a little leery but it is helping with the crazy hunger from the PCOS/IR. I'm looking forward to coming off. Hoping that I lose enough on it so that the IR chills out some so I can go the rest of the way alone.

A.

would a regular doctor be able to give a script for this? how overweight do you need to be for them to give it to you?

Ringmaster, there is no rule about how overweight you need to be to take it. I was not a big girl by most standards and found some diet doctor that was more than happy to take my money for the pills. It was one of the more stupider things I have done in my life. Phentermine works...no doubt about it. Side effects are usually dry mouth, palpitation, insomnia and a lot of people get cranky while on it. In the beginning it works great, but then your body gets used to it and it doesn't work as well. The drug is not meant to be used forever, I think the recommended time to be on it is six to eight weeks..it is supposed to make it easier to make lifestyle changes. I don't want to burst anyone's bubble here but I know many people who have taken it, and they all put the weight back on when they stopped. I also think the drug has side effects we aren't told about.....like it effecting our hormones. To each his own, just know that is a tool to help you, not the only thing to help you. YOu are still going to watch what you eat and exercise.

I find it's a good appetite suppressant/energy boost WHILE YOU GET YOUR NEW HABITS IN PLACE. It is JUST like ANY other weight loss method - if you go back to your old habits, you will go back to your old body. Don't blame the method, you know?

As for me, it makes me mean and cranky so it's just not an option now that I have a child I don't want to scar for life and a husband I don't want to run off.

people that regained, is it just from going back to old food habits and lack of exercise (from less energy)? there is no boost to your metabolism or any magic in the pill that just melts the fat, right?

I took phentermine in the past, and it worked beautifully. I will say that it gave me splitting headaches if I didn't drink enough water, and if I didn't exercise...the extra energy made me jittery. I'm on Phenobestin now, which is non-prescription and supposed to be similar to phentermine. So far, no headache, no dry mouth...but I do have the jitters. Time to get out of this classroom for the day and work some of that energy off!

I'm taking phentermine at the moment, and I think what you get out of it is entirely based on your attitude to it.

The first time I took it, years ago, I lost 8kgs in two weeks (which was a lot considering I was only 4kgs overweight when I started). I slowly slipped back into old eating habits and put 5kgs back on within a few months (and kept gaining thereafter!)

I started taking it again last week and have so far lost 3kgs in 6 days. I think the best way to look at it is as a tool to wipe the slate clean and start a blank canvas. As sad as it sounds I think I was actually addicted to junk food and coke and when I take Duromine I don't have cravings at all! I never feel hungry and I have to literally FORCE myself to eat (which I assure you, has never been a problem before haha). It's so much easier to apply yourself to a healthy diet of five small meals a day when you're not craving junk and you never feel hungry. Once the habit is formed the idea is you will no longer need the phentermine, you will have adopted the tools needed for discipline and portion control. And that's where the work starts!

As for the side effects - to me the biggest was the constant thirst. On the upside though I drink in excess of 3 litres a day now! I also experience a fair bit of nausea but a lot of the time it's only when I forget to eat. I'm a bit of a control freak and sometimes I notice that my head feels really "thick" and foggy which I don't like at all but in the end none of the effects aren't manageable.

I've struggled with weight my whole life and I've learnt that the only way I'm going to lose it is to love myself at the size I am now, and love myself more 1kg down at a time. :D

people that regained, is it just from going back to old food habits and lack of exercise (from less energy)? there is no boost to your metabolism or any magic in the pill that just melts the fat, right?

That's right, if you regain it's from going back to old habits. At least that was true in my case. I took it for over a year and lost a decent amount of weight, but I never found it to be such a tremendous appetite suppressant. It was really just a tool to help me get jump-started when I hit a plateau, and once my weight loss started moving again I'm not sure it was all that necessary. My doctor seemed to think it was, though, so I took it longer than I really felt like it was working.

Once I stopped there was no real difference in either my rate of loss or my energy levels. The reason I gained back weight had nothing to do with stopping my prescription and everything to do with getting lazy about cardio and going back to binge behaviors to deal with work stress.

Having said all that, I have had better results as far as my rate of weight loss and lack of hunger from giving up wheat products than I ever did when I was on phentermine. It was great for road trips when I had to drive long distances alone, though, I'll give it that.

people that regained, is it just from going back to old food habits and lack of exercise (from less energy)? there is no boost to your metabolism or any magic in the pill that just melts the fat, right?

Well, it's my first time on and I take half a tablet. I haven't gotten to being off it yet. That happens next month.

I am glad it turns the "volume" down on my hunger so I can focus on making better eating choices.

But it's keeping ON making those better eating choices that will keep this weight off. If I go back to bad habits this whole thing will have been for naught. I didn't need to be on this pill to learn that one! :D

I lost 80 lbs before without it. And it slowly crept back on not just because of the extra PCOS/IR challenges but because I wasn't doing the work.

Fine. PCOS/IR means it takes me a bit extra OOMPH to keep it off than a nonPCOS person putting in their oomph. But I still gotta pay my oomph! It's not a free ride.

When I quit working out regular and food logging regular -- here came the slow gain. I had good reasons -- I was in a high risk pregnancy, dealing with baby, dealing with other life problems like eldercare. That's fine. Life happens.

But I wasn't paying my oomph so I wasn't surprised to regain.

I don't expect this pill to do anything other than help jump start me again into good habits. Turn the appetite volume DOWN for a few weeks so I can THINK without hunger distraction and get it together again. But I fully expect to do the work on and off pill.

A.

Having said all that, I have had better results as far as my rate of weight loss and lack of hunger from giving up wheat products than I ever did when I was on phentermine.

I gave up gluten last year and lost weight, but didn't make it long. I love bread...and was going into the holidays. I called it Glutenfest..lol It just hurts my stomach and gut so much that I'm giving it all up again. I hadn't really attributed the weight loss to giving up gluten, as I also gave up other things at that time. I'm interested to see what happens for me this time!

I hadn't really attributed the weight loss to giving up gluten, as I also gave up other things at that time. I'm interested to see what happens for me this time!

You might be interested in a book that came out last year called Wheat Belly. It's about gluten and its effects on weight gain.

I've been taking it for two weeks now and have lost 10lbs. I'm so happy and I really feel a difference in my energy level. I'm only taking 1/2 a pill so thats been great.

I was expecting the appetite suppressant part. I did not expect the much better sleep! I struggled with afternoon fatigue and now I can get through it without a nap. Which means I can sleep properly at night instead of being night owly. I feel rested when I get up, and can actually get stuff done like my workouts, errands and so on.

(PCOS fatigue is another huge obstacle -- not just the crazy IR hunger. )


hey astrophe, are you still getting an energy boost from phentermine? just wondering since your comment perked my interest in it (again). I was reading other forums and some people say the energy boost goes away after a week since you build up tolerance on it.
Pretty interesting if you have PCOS and hypothyroid and get a decent energy boost from it, maybe it's something else this drug could be looked into treating.

Um... I'm not sure. The sleep quality is still there -- sleeping great, deep, rested when I wake up.

But I quit BCP for a break so I'm all distracted from bloat, breast tenderness, cramps, and stuff from that. Off BCP my cycles are kidna painful so my attention is all on that right now. On BCP it reduces in intensity and it's just the one week rather than 3 weeks of UGH. So I don't think I'm a good judge right now. LOL.

A.

I just started taking Phentermine on Thursday, 4/12. So far, I have lost 8 lbs! One of my biggest downfalls is that I have always been a hungry person. When I'm hungry, I want to eat whatever is closest to me, even if that means a candy bar from the vending machine. It has really curbed my appetite and helped me make much healthier choices.

I have suffered from insomnia for years, but recently got it under control without a prescription. Phentermine threw me back into my not able to sleep stage, so my doctor prescribed me some Lunesta as well. So far so good!

Well phentermine is illegal in the UK. However pseudo-phentermine isn't and you find it in certain flu and cold remedies. A friend of mine swears by it.. anyone else tried it? I'm curious more than anything else tbh.

I took phentermine and loved it! It curbed my appetite and gave me lots of energy and the weight came off really fast and I am a very impatient person and fast is what i needed to keep me motivated! I kept the weight off for 2 years. Came down from 263 to 192 but then major stress came into my life and was not taking the pill anymore and started putting the weight back on slowly...I do want to get back on the pills because i think once i get it back off i will be able to maintain like before now that my life is somewhat straightened out.

Hello all, congrats to everyone who has met with success!

I took phen a few years ago with tremendous success, lost about 35 pounds in 5 months. Of course I was not on any particular eating plan so when I stopped taking phen, it all came right back.

In my opinion, we regain the weight because of our lifestyle habits, not from coming off the meds. From the research I have done, phen does not cause you to gain weight when you stop taking it, eating too much and moving too little does. It really is that simple.

This time I have been on Weight Watchers for awhile, lost about 17lbs, then went on phen as I had stalled. I have greatly changed the way I eat and the way I view food in general. I do hope I am able to stick to this new outlook. I felt that phen was a good tool to use on my plan, but by far not the answer. I wanted to make sure that I was eating the foods that I should in the quantities that I should, before I got started with phen again. I know that is why I regained last time, I did nothing else but take phen, I had little appetite so I ate much less, but pretty much ate what I wanted. NOT GOOD!

Just my two cents! Good luck to all!

hey astrophe, are you still getting an energy boost from phentermine? just wondering since your comment perked my interest in it (again). I was reading other forums and some people say the energy boost goes away after a week since you build up tolerance on it.
Pretty interesting if you have PCOS and hypothyroid and get a decent energy boost from it, maybe it's something else this drug could be looked into treating.

I was sent to a pain specialist when I hurt my back at work and he said to ask my doctor to prescribe this too me since it helps with back pain and the weight loss. My doctor would not give it to me since he does not believe any weight loss pills. But I found it interesting that the pain doctor said it would help with back pain. He could not give it to me since he was a workman comp doctor I was sent to. He may have but I had no further appts with him :(

I was sent to a pain specialist when I hurt my back at work and he said to ask my doctor to prescribe this too me since it helps with back pain and the weight loss. My doctor would not give it to me since he does not believe any weight loss pills. But I found it interesting that the pain doctor said it would help with back pain. He could not give it to me since he was a workman comp doctor I was sent to. He may have but I had no further appts with him :(

funny, I also have a bad back. gotta love meds that can help with multiple things!

I started Phentermine (aka Apidex-P, Ionamin, Pro-Fast) yesterday and I am very excited to be starting my journey and am going to start logging my progress. I am starting at a half dose of 37.5 mg pill a day (so 18.25 mg/day). I have seen a lot of mixed reviews on Phentermine on this forum and there are a few guidelines I would like to establish because I have seen a lot of misinformation on this forum.

1. Phentermine is not a “magic pill” and doesn’t “cause” you to lose weight.
Phentermine acts as an appetite suppressant and decreases your appetite, so individuals who take it will typically lose weight because they eat less. It’s not a fat burner.

2. Phentermine is not a permanent or long-term solution.
Phentermine is meant to be a temporary tool to help overweight or obese individuals jump start their weight loss. It temporarily suppresses the sometimes overwhelming cravings or binges to help allow individuals to reset their lifestyle into a healthy lifestyle. This allows you the opportunity to shrink your stomach by eating less and gives your taste buds the opportunity to reset. Your body will get used to Phentermine after several months and it will no longer be effective.

3. Phentermine cannot singlehandedly BE your weight loss plan
Phentermine is like training wheels. It gives you a head start on your weight loss plan, but it cannot singlehandedly BE your weight loss plan. Before starting Phentermine, I began a new weight loss plan of diet and exercise for a month before starting Phentermine to help establish a proper mindset that before, during, and after using Phentermine I will need to have a healthy diet and exercise plan to lose weight.

4. If you go back to your wicked ways after stopping Phentermine, you will absolutely gain the weight back!
Phentermine can help you lose weight but it is up to you to keep it off or even continue to lose weight after going off of Phen. Let’s look at how this works. At my weight (180lbs) and height (5’1), I need to eat 1900 calories a day just to maintain my weight just with a sedimentary lifestyle. With 3500 calories in a lb, I would need to cut 500 calories a day for 7 days to lose 1 lb/week. So cutting back to 1400 should cause me to lose 1 lb a week. If Phentermine causes me to lose 50lbs over 6 months and I go down to 130lbs, I can eat just 1680 calories a day to maintain. If I go back to eating the 1900 calories a day I am accustomed to eating to maintain my current weight, I will gain it all back over time. I have seen people keep off large weight losses for years and never gain it back and I have seen others gain it back, and then some. It all depends on whether the individual is actually committed to weight loss after transitioning off of Phen (see point 2 & 3 for how to keep it off).

5. Phentermine does not affect your metabolism (for better or for worse).
Many claim that Phentermine damaged their metabolism, making it difficult for them to lose weight after going off of Phentermine. This is a fallacy because Phentermine by itself cannot affect metabolism. It is likely that those who take Phentermine and report lower metabolisms after transitioning of Phen have temporarily damaged their metabolism by eating too little while on Phen. Whether or not you are on Phen, eating less than 1,000 calories (will vary by person) will cause a person to go into starvation mode, which will lower a person’s metabolism. Phen decreases appetite, making it very easy for a person to eat less than 1,000 calories because people on Phen do not feel hunger as strongly. Therefore, my doctor was very clear that I must count calories and be sure to have at least 1,200 healthy calories a day.

6. Phentermine is not for everyone and should only be taken under close supervision.
Before beginning Phen, you must discuss your health, this medication and your weight loss goals with a doctor. Before beginning Phen, I met with my doctor and learned more about the medication (after over a year of extensive research on my own). We also discussed possible drug interactions, and anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds like Prozac interact with Phen. Like most legitimate doctors will before prescribing Phen, she took my blood and tested it for things like high blood pressure, diabetes and glucose levels. My glucose levels were slightly low and we discussed techniques to improve my glucose levels. She also gave me a B12 shot and called in my prescription only after my blood results came back and we discussed my glucose levels.

DO NOT DO NOT buy Phentermine online unless it is from a reputable pharmacy (like Walgreens, CVS) and you have a prescription. There are plenty of online vendors that would love you to spend your hard earned money on something that is at best ineffective and at worse life threatening. I have insurance (Blue Cross) and I only paid $6 for generic Phentermine and I’m not sure about the cost without insurance (but I think it’s like $30 a month).

Hope this helps! I will update this forum regularly with updates:carrot:.

I will keep checking in on you. I have been holding on to a prescription, and delaying starting it. Thanks for some straight talk regarding it. Good luck!

I have been prescribed phentermine since January when I told my doc it was time to take serious action about my health concerns. I had convinced myself lapband was the only way. Doc told me my insurance wouldn't approve it without at least 6 months attempted weight loss. I was willing to try it as I'd prefer to not have surgery.

I didn't fill the dosage for the month of January. I personally needed a month to see what I could do at my best without it. I lost 2 lbs. I think it was a healthy realization that I needed help more than I wanted to admit.

I have the same generic, but along with the 37.5 I take in the morning, The doctor also has me take another 1/2 of the pill mid-afternoon. This is apparently highly unusual as the standard prescript seems to be 30/month, and CVS has hosed it up 2 times already by only dosing out the 30 and not the 45 to account for the 1/2 midday.

My insurance does not cover the med for me at all. I think I pay $40 for it a month for the 45 pills, and another $36 for another med the doc prescribed me. It's not cheap, but to some extent, it makes me accountable for the fact I don't want to be on it forever, and its not a magic pill. I don't want to rely on it. I also rationalize that the $80 or so is still cheaper than paying for surgery and the bonus of not getting invasive surgery.

The first month, I experienced some significant adjustment difficulties. I think the first 3 nights I was on it I slept very little if at all. At times I felt a little spacey. I didn't see these as being significant side effects, as I've had the same effects from having brain surgery 2 years ago. What I didn't like and still have to be cautious of is the way Phentermine exacerbates the chronic drymouth I already have as a side-effect of my brain surgery. I'd already gotten accustomed to being prepared by carrying something to drink all the time. I go through Burt's Bees lip balm like mad.

I digress. I agree, it is not a magic pill. After losing 15 lbs in February, I was scared when I followed up with my doctor, I was afraid I'd taken the wrong dosage, I was convinced I was losing too much weight too quickly, etc. My problem is that I was allowing the med to let me not eat. I was skipping meals, not good. I found a happy balance of exercise and calories. I have to follow a fairly strict sleeping schedule or else it's easy for me to stay awake for 48 hours straight.

My doctor wants to move me down to a lower dosage. He's going to give it another month, I saw him Tuesday and my blood pressure was better than its been in 10 years. He's been monitoring my bp pretty closely.

I won't say I look forward to being removed from the med, but I do know that it has changed my habits in many ways. I don't drink as much as I used to, because it aggravates my dry mouth. I don't eat nearly the same amount. I still allow myself treats, but I find that I don't crave them in the insane manner I used to. I don't think of Phentermine as making me succeed, it allows me to prevent myself from sabotaging my own success.

RandomPaige-

I think you are right to be concerned about losing 15lbs in February. On one hand, its exciting but on the the other hand, loosing weight too quickly (as a result of a very low calorie diet) can damage your metabolism and increase your likeliness of access skin. Losing weight too fast can also cause a higher percentage of weight loss from muscle rather than from fat. And my favorite saying-- the quicker it comes of, the quicker it can come back on. But for people (like myself) who don't weight themselves very often, huge weight losses can creep up for you on Phen if you are not counting calories to be sure you are getting enough.

I have been on the half dose and honestly, I really have to force myself to eat. Right now, I couldn't imagine being on the full dose of 37.5 but since Phen becomes less effective over time. I think the full dose was really originally intended for those for which the half dose is no longer enough.

Keep up the good work! :)

I am thinking about trying Phentermine but not sure what type of doctor to talk with about it. Have you guys just gone to your family doctor for it? Are most of them willing to put you on it? I have an appointment with my diabetes doctor Thursday, but wasn't sure if she is the one I would ask about it.