I went to visit my mother today and was surprised and happy to see that she had lost about twenty pounds. But she's doing it by using appetite suppressants -- she's literally popping them before every meal. I'm worried about her health because the drop in weight has been very sudden (in about six weeks, I'd say, and she's 46). I am also worried because the pills are costing her about $100 a week and because I don't think she'll be able to maintain this sort of weight loss since she is eating very little. I had breakfast this morning with her and she just had one of those 40-cal pieces of dry toast. I made eggs and grilled asparagus and fruit salad and she wouldn't have any of it.

Has anyone else dealt with a family member doing a crash diet plan that might endanger their health? Did you say anything? My father seems to be supporting her through it, but he doesn't eat well either. I just don't want her to hurt herself.

If the meds are prescription, I'd say leave her be, although I don't know of any prescrip ones that you take before every meal... The effect of appetite suppressants wears off eventually, and when she stops taking them her appetite will come back. If they're ephedra-based, however, she should be careful as they've been known to cause serious problems. Just MHO. (And by the way, from where I sit, 46 seems quite young. )

I don't think that there's anything wrong with mentioning that you're concerned for her. But if she's getting results from these pills then I think you're going to have a battle on your hands in trying to get her to stop. Probably the best you can hope for is to get her to talk to her doctor about this, and hope that she might listen to him or her.

Ephedra is illegal in Canada, so I would imagine they aren't ephedra-based (incidentally, another ethical dilemma I have going on right now is one of my clients who wants me to find her a way to sell it in Canada ... LOL) but they aren't prescription either. She buys them from a weight loss centre. It's very possible they don't do anything, since the weight loss comes from the accompanying minimal diet, but I still worry.

Is she under a doctor's supervision? Just curious because it doesn't matter as it relates to whether you should interfere. If it's working and she's supported by you dad, she's not going to stop because of unrealized potential health problems or the threat of regaining when she quits the drugs. We've all tried some crazy scheme to lose weight assured that "this time it's for good".

My advice is just to keep an eye on her. Ask some questions to get a feel for the details of the situation. If she gets too thin (i.e. below a generally accepted weight for her height) you could speak from a more educated position about the health hazards of that.