Diet pills, although effective for short-term weight loss, must be combined with changes in eating habits and exercise to achieve long-term weight loss. The average person loses 5 percent to 10 percent of body weight over a year using diet pills with food restriction and exercise, the Mayo Clinic reports. But diet pills also have side effects that can cause serious health issues. Many diet pills have been removed from the market, most recently, as of October 2010, sibutramine, sold as Meridia, implicated in increasing the risk of heart disease. If you take diet pills, medical follow-up is essential to assess for complications.
Elevated Blood Pressure
Several prescription diet pills, including phentermine, sold as Adipex-P; and diethylpropion, sold as Tenuate, can cause high blood pressure. You should not take either of these medications if you already have high blood pressure. Phentermine can also cause pulmonary hypertension, high pressure in the arteries of the lungs that increases the workload of the right side of the heart.
Heart Arrhythmias
Both diethylpropion and phentermine can cause the heart to beat faster than normal, a condition known as tachycardia. Other irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias, including ventricular fibrillation, a potentially life-threatening heart arrhythmia, can occur if you take either of these medications, Drugs.com reports.
Nervousness
Diethylpropion and phentermine cause central nervous system stimulation. You may feel nervous or irritable, have tremors or shakiness, or experience dizziness or restlessness. Difficulty sleeping, intense dreams, euphoria and psychosis have also been reported. Severe headache can also occur from central nervous system stimulation.
Frequent Bowel Movements
If you take orlistat, sold over-the-counter as Alli and in a stronger prescription dose as Xenical, you most likely will experience frequent bowel movements. Orlistat blocks fat absorption in the intestines. Fat not absorbed in the intestines exits as fatty yellow globules that can leak without warning from the rectum. Abdominal pain and cramping, gas, urgency, frequency and incontinence of bowel movements can all occur. Small yellow drops of fat can stain underwear and clothes.
Liver Problems
Orlistat may cause serious liver injury in some people, the Mayo Clinic warns. Jaundice, a yellow tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes, dark-colored urine, fatigue, nausea, lack of appetite, upper right quadrant pain and itching can all indicate liver damage. Call your doctor immediately if you notice any of these side effects while taking orlistat.
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