Meridia pills - Does this RX work?
 

I went to my Primary Care Dr. last week and told him I wanted to try something to help lose weight since my metabolism was so slow because of other RX meds I have to take for physical problems, etc. He prescribed Meridia - 10 mg pills, and told me that this has worked for some patients. I was shocked that they cost $ 99.00 at my pharmacy where I got them. I asked my pharmacist was there a generic and he said NO. but that another product that they have there is very, very similar and it is called,
"Fastin or phentermine is the other name for it". He told me that Fastin is also a whole lot cheaper, but for this month I went ahead and got the Meridia that my dr. prescribed and I planned on bringing this up to my dr. at my appt. in 4 wks. My dr. said I must come in and be monitored by him every 3 to 4 wks or will not prescribe anything.

Do any of you know anything about the Fastin or phentermine as well as the Meridia? And, can any of you tell me what experiences, if any, that you had with these prescription weight loss pills. I gained 70 lbs after my back operation in 2000 and for a long time had to be almost totally inactive, but am now able to pick up exercise but still not a lot since I broke my foot 2 mos ago and it still has not completely healed.

Thanks, April :D

meridia
 

i have indeed taken phentermine and yes it does work along with a diet plan i was on a low calorie diet the pill suppresses your appetite i think i lost about 31 lbs in about 2 1/2 to 3 months but unfortunately i gained it back because i got pregnant im actually thinking about starting back because its a good pill and i know it works i hope this helps good luck oh the price now is about $40 for the generic brand when i was on it about 4 years ago it was a little cheaper it is kind of popular

Thanks for your reply. However, I am taking now the MERIDIA, so do any of you have any experience taking it? Please let me know...Thank You.

There is a program to help you with the cost of the meridia...the phone # is 1-888-340-2159. You save 25% the first month and 40% the next 5 months. I am going to fill my RX tonight.

nance

I am taking marida and it is a god send. It kills my appitite and I just don't think about food anymore. I have not noticed any side effects, but I am montiered every month by a Dr. I go to a wieght loss clinic and since Jan 20th I have lost 55 pounds. It is not for everyone, and thank god my insurance covers it. You have to commit to a program and go to the Dr. But for me it is worth it. Good luck!

Medria is BAD BAD BAD for you I say that because it is in the same famly of drugs as phen-phen. So there for it can have the same risks and side affects.

Also, a word of caution on Meridia:

Do not take this medication if you are on the fluoxetine antidepressants (aka Prozac), or you can have a serious reaction to having both drugs in your system.

Originally Posted by :
Originally posted by Houston456
Medria is BAD BAD BAD for you I say that because it is in the same famly of drugs as phen-phen. So there for it can have the same risks and side affects.

That's not necessarily so. Fen/phen was a combination of TWO drugs and ONE of the drugs was considered to have been the problem.

meridia
 

Meridia does work. I think a lot of it is psychological though. I have been on Meridia since April 2002. I have lost close to 30lbs. During that time I have had my ups and downs. I have gone from excercising and eating super well for months to not excercising at all and heading for junk food. During my lazy months ( due to working full time and school at night ) I knew what I was doing wrong. From February 2003 until April 2003 I only lost 5lbs. During these months I started to eat a lot of fast food again and I was rarely working out. Since getting back on track I have lost 2 lbs in 1 month.
I highly recommend Meridia. It gives you that extra push and it does work. I have had no side effects whatsoever. The downside is that it is expensive. My Aunt first started taking it, she has lost over 45lbs. Meridia works but only with common sense.
You have to eat less ( half of what you normally eat is a good way to go about it ) and excercise at least 3 times a week. Meridia works because it aids you in eating less. You do get to a point where the drug plateaus. You can feel it not work as much. My Dr. bumped me up to 15mg. It has helped a bit. I know I need to just excercise harder and more often. If you do that and try to eat healthy I can promise you that you will lose weight. It is the only thing that has worked for me. Believe me I have tried it all.

To go along with what Lori said.....You should not be taking Meridia with ANY anti-depressants, especially SSRI's. I was talking to my Doc abuut it and she will not let me, and after checking them out through different web sites it just confirms that it can be highly dangerous to your system.

But to all of you that have had success... :bravo:

meridia
 

hi,
i'm new to all this, and i do have a question. my doctor recently prescribed meridia for me, i have not filled prescription yet, because it's so expensive and my insurance will not cover it. i read a few articles about it; both good and bad. does anyone have any first hand knowledge of it? my doctor wants me to try as the first step toward bariatric surgery, anyone have any first hand knowledge of that? i did weight watchers and did really well and then i just got stuck at my current weight and started having major health problems, which is why he is recommending the surgery. i cannot do alot of exercises right now as i have a heel spur that needs to be removed and my hmo is so very slow with referrals to a podiatrist. so i have been doing small walks. i tried using a crossbow(similar to a bowflex) but have problems with my rotators in my shoulders(which hopefully will soon get fixed). just wanted more info on meridia and the surgery; which i have done alot of research on but haven't really decided to go ahead with it. any info would be greatly appreciated.
thanks so much
mick10:?: :?:

I did the lower dose of meridia and did alright. But when my doctor was able to get my insurance to cover it and they prescribed me a stronger dose. I am on the high strung side anyway...I ended up in the Emergency room with benign heart palpatations. My blood pressure is in the normal range and it shot up to 180/110 and they gave me strong tranquilizers to slow down the heart rate and lower the blood pressure. I stopped and was fine the next day.

This was incredibly upsetting for me as I did not tell my boy-friend and he came to the ER to be with me....he was great about it, but I was so upset, that I am sure that when I realized he was on his way (he had no idea what was happening to me and my father died of a heart attack this past year and he was with us) I am sure that my blood pressure went up even more. I say this because stress might have been a part of why this happened to me.

However....I have spoken to others who have had NO problems and love Meridia. As long as you are closely monitored and they work you up and you don't have any heart or blood pressure issues then I would not let my experience deter you. I felt the same way you did when I started it, but I realized that I was so unhappy and physically challenged when I decided to try it that the quality of life convo seemed to take precident.

If you decide to do it, my suggestionis to try the lowest dose and monitor yourself carefully, it may just work for you. But if you really are uncomfortable with it, then listen to your instincts.

Also, check around with some of the smaller pharmacies in your area, sometimes they are cheaper than the bigger pharmacies and they will cut you a deal if they have the meds in house in order to not have the inventory for long.

Good luck whatever decision you make. You can also check on the WLS surgery thread on this site, there are wonderful people there that have all been where your at and made the decision to have the surgery. I was considering the surgery and that is how I found this site. They can tell you more than I, they are kind and generous.

Thanks so much for responding, i have read so much since the doc gave me the prescription. and i just didn't know what to do. i do have blood pressure issues, this really scares me. i am already taking 50 mg of atenolol because my blood pressure goes up when i'm working. so i am really thinking that i don't want to try this, but my doc knew about my blood pressure issues and i get my blood pressure checked twice a week. so if he thinks it's ok should i try it or not?

Is it possible that prescribing the Rx is a first step, or required, by your HMO so that they will cover the surgery, should you decide to have it? (Rx as an alternative treatment to a very expensive surgical procedure and hospitalization.) If that's the case, he has it on his chart he prescribed it; doesn't mean you have to take it.

Just out of curiosity, would you mind posting your age, height and weight? and how long you have been at a weight that would 'qualify' you for the surgery? I'm doing some research of my own. Thanks.

dip

hi
i'm 36 yrs old, soon to be 37(october 10).
i am 5 1 3/4 tall and 260 lbs.
i've been struggling with my weight since my 2nd son was born 15 yrs ago. i just didn't lose the pregancy weight. I went to weight watchers and had lost 25 lbs and kept it off for 2 years. then my dads health went downhill, i worked full time, had 2 sons to raise and just was sooooo tired all the time. i forgot to take care of myself. then i tore 3 ligaments in my knee and was off my feet for 8 months, the pounds just piled on. then when i started exercising again i stayed right around 200 lbs, but then about 5 yrs ago, i just started gaining and gaining and gaining. I was still eating the same way and my mom and i walked 3 days a week at least 2 miles a day. i was sooo tired all the time, all i wanted to do was sleep. 2 years ago they tested my thyroid and said it was a little underactive. In january i switched doctors and he tested me again, and gave me thyroid meds. while i don't feel as tired all the time, i don't see much of an improvement. my sister and i walk 2 miles; 3 times a week and now have added bowflex to our routine, i've lost a few inches but nothing major.
i think that the meridia is a first step toward surgery but i'm so afraid to take it.
i've been doing so good with my diet, more veggies and less fat. it seems like the last 5 years i've been going backwards!!!

mick
if you this concerned then i would not do it. i felt the same way and i did it anyway, i wanted it to work. my md wanted me to have the surgery.....i am 5.4 and was 237, I have just dropped off 10 pounds. It was when I began to research the WLS that was how I found 3fc, did I realize how serious my issue was.

i have made a agreement with myself that if i cannot get my weight under control by next spring, then i will have the surgery. giving myself that deadline it has made take my weight control seriously. the surgery is just a tool in weight control, you still have to diet, it is just a forced diet.

I have slowly over the past two months have integrated the south beach diet/low carb and hypnoisis along with this message board and now the dr phil challenge. the next step is exercise for me. i figure that if i don't do everything (and i pretty much have at this point) then i will do the surgery. that is what motivated me to get here, and, if i don't stay, then i will have the surgery.

good luck to you, just stay out of your head....if you go to the fat chicks on the beach thread, frannymae does these great posts every day and she did one that talks about sabaoteurs of our diets...and it is us, it is a good thread to read every day, it keeps thing focused....and keep remembering, we all share a weight issue and we all can be working on it, or not.....at this point i would rather be working on it then hiding from it, and with 70 extra pounds, that makes it darn impossible.

there are so many inspiring women and men who have lost 100s of pounds, they inspire me every single time....i keep waiting for a time that one of these stories doesn't touch me, and it just doesn't happen.

Good luck and keep posting!!!

-rb

Hi I just wanted to drop a quick note I too took merida and I was doing pretty well on it but my bloodpressure shot up and when I went off it came back down stayed off for awhile and tryed again samething so I can not take it! I will say if you really read the papers that come with it Meridia doesn't promise a big weight loss I think it says something like 3 lbs a month are normal! And that is a big price to pay for just 3 lbs!
I hope this helps
Sami

Sami,
I tend to agree with you....I get the same results when I just stop eating sugar and white carbs. I don't know if I would take that chance....I know for me I would be stressed just knowing that I was taking it and then would probably experience more issues.

Take care of yourself and be careful....good luck!!

rb

I took Meridia for one month a few years ago when the commericals were on every channel. My heart rate and blood pressure shot up. I normally am around 112/68. I don't remember how high it was but it was enough for our nurse at work to have me come in daily to be checked. At the end of the month I had lost no weight and was still hungry. Since my insurance wouldn't cover the pills, I decided to discontinue them. I was on the higher dosage.

wow! i made a resolution to explore more of the forum, and here i am!!!! rowan. mick. you are welcome on the wls board ANYTIME!!! we LOVE answering questions. there's so much that goes into this decision that sometimes being able to ask any little tiny thing makes the difference.

we don't push the surgery. it's a VERY individual decision that must be made very very carefully. so.. if there's ever anything we can do, just holler!!!

and it sounds as if you are both off to a great start. i wish that this surgeon weren't necessary for some of us. i wish that another alternative existed. but it doesn't. not at the moment.

Has anyone tried Meridia?
 

I'm thinking about trying that and/or Xenical for that extra needed boost........or incentive. I'm plum out of willpower but see the drastic need for change in my current diet.

Thanks for any help! Kathy :)

I've never tried meridia, but I've used Xenical for several months. I think Xenical is probably a good drug for folks who eat too much fat. In my case, Xenical became a ticket for me to eat more because the bad stuff, well...got flushed down the toilet :o So, I really didn't have good results with Xenical because I didn't exercise restraint and portion control.

Originally Posted by deepfried:
I've never tried meridia, but I've used Xenical for several months. I think Xenical is probably a good drug for folks who eat too much fat. In my case, Xenical became a ticket for me to eat more because the bad stuff, well...got flushed down the toilet :o So, I really didn't have good results with Xenical because I didn't exercise restraint and portion control.

Thanks for the info! I also looked at past posts (I haven't logged into this website for a "Long" time) and found others opinions.

Kathy :)

If your heart is OK, go for Meridai - per my doctor pal who is a well-known endocrinologist. Xenical works too if you can stand the side effects!

from what i understand, meridia and xenical increase your weight loss by about 10%. they're not magic pills, but they can help boost the weight loss..

Originally Posted by pkall:
I'm thinking about trying that and/or Xenical for that extra needed boost........or incentive. I'm plum out of willpower but see the drastic need for change in my current diet.

Thanks for any help! Kathy :)

Kathy, don't waste your time or money on Meredia or Xenical. I took Meridia for four months last summer and lost no weight. I would have better spent the money ($350.00 on four months RX) on a good pair of walking shoes and a better pedometer. Meredia is supposed to cut your appetite back but I didn't notice that I ate any more or less. Xenical doesn't allow you to absorb fat but it has a lot of very unpleasant side effects too. Get involved with Weight Watchers. It isn't a drastic diet, you can eat anything, you can do it for life. Forget the supplements. I have tried every one of them and none of them work. Good luck

I have to agree with the others, neither Meridia or Xenical worked for me or a close friend. One of them (can't remember which) gave my friend some terrible gastric problems, in the form of occasional abdominal pains.

I used Xenical...
 

I am using Meridia now! I love it!! But of course I follow the plan! I exercise 6 days a week at least and eat no more than 1200 calories a day! My sister used it for 4 months and lost 40 lbs and reached her goal weight. After I saw her success I asked my doctor about it and Started it on May 1 I have lost a total 14 lbs since then and I am beginning to get my self esteem back :) I also havent had any side effects my blood pressure actually went down probably because of the weight loss, and no gastric problems what so ever, the only thing I noticed was in the first 2 days that I had a little headache but that is gone now and I am having wonderful success! Yes Meridia is very expensive but my insurance covers it so I only pay 20 bucks a month for it!! I would recommend it to anyone!!
Michelle

IMHO the people who didn't experience a loss did not follow the diet of lowered calories and exercise!! but thats my 2 cents! I know my doctor is impressed with my weight loss :)
Michelle

Surely you're bound to lose loads of weight if u only eat 1200 calories a day. Sounds like you should give yourself more credit Michelle :)

Yes very true, but meridia helps me feel full, where maybe I wouldn't have before :) I don't get that feeling as if I'm "starving" any longer. Meridia is reported to also help you burn calories at a faster rate than normal too. I give myself loads of credit because I work my butt off quite literally I do walk aerobics almost everyday, and I eat healthier :). I am hypothyroid and I'm fairly sure that if I didn't have some sort of help my weight would come off a lot slower :)
MIchelle

I don't want to 'scare' anyone but i did an online search about Meridia for another girl who was thinking of taking it and what i found out was'nt good :fr: in less than 4 years on the market it has been linked to 34 deaths worldwide, 29 of them being in the states :( side effects include heart disease, increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, stroke, seizure and mental impairments! There is currently a lawsuit pending :( if it is working for you..Congratulations :) but i for one will stay well clear of ANY of these drugs.
As with any drug consult a doctor before taking them :D for info on meridia or the lawsuit go to www.meridia-news.com/ and www.meridia-recall-lawyers.com/

Cat - don't worry hasn't scared me away from it at all!! I'm monitored by my doctor and take my bp daily and my bp has actually gone down! I feel great!! I know 3 different people who have used it and they didn't experience the side effects either, I think that it is the carefully screening by a doctor that determines whether or not a person would be a good candidate for meridia. :)

Thanks for the stories though
Michelle

You know....I was reading over this thread and thinking that the only thing I am really scared of....is being OVERWEIGHT! *sigh*

Cathy!!! Bingo girl!!!!! That is exactly my fear too being overweight and unhealthy!! I'm working on that now, and I feel better than I have in a long time part in thanks to meridia. Keep up the good work Cathy!!

Michelle

Hey Michelle! I knew you would understand what I was saying!

I just wanted to say that you are doing really great!
Look at how many miles you have walked this month! WOW!
62 miles already! MAN AM I IMPRESSED!
and a weight loss of 22 lbs! YOU ARE DOING AWESOME! :cp:
glad you're feeling better too!

hugs,
cathy

:) You are walking up a storm too girl!! Keep it up!!

Michelle

Anyone take Meridia??
 

:dizzy: hi, i am new to 3fc and i just wanted to know if any of yall take or have taken meridia for weight loss?? my doc put me on it last week. i am on a low fat diet and plus the meridia, i cant even finish a whole lean cuisine. i know that this is gonna sound ridiculous, but i weighed yesterday and have lost 11 lbs. since feb 21, 2005. plus i am gorging myself with water, (like 2 or 3 gallons a day so i am constantly in the bathroom). i know that i have lost mainly water, but it feels so good. i am not going to take the meridia for long just 2 more weeks, but i would like to get some input on it!!!

I have started Meridia today actually.....I don't feel any difference, but ate a small , normal breakfast and don't feel the urge to go hunt up a donut. However, my real problems begin at night.....so we'll see.

I would appreciate comments feedback from others who have taken it. Does it take a couple of days to get into your system?