Adipex-P is one of the most common prescription weight-loss medications for obese people. Your doctor will give you a personalized plan for healthy eating and exercise along with this medication. Following such a plan is important, otherwise you are likely to regain the weight you lost while taking the drug once your prescription runs out. Never use someone else's prescription for this diet drug.
Identification
Adipex-P is an appetite suppressant. It is a stimulant that affects your central nervous system, similar to an amphetamine. Its active ingredient, phentermine, formerly was combined with fenfluramine to make fen-phen. Fenfluramine was pulled from the market in the 1990s when it was linked to serious lung and heart disorders.
Time Frame
Adipex-P is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating obesity --- but only for short-term use. If your doctor prescribes this drug you'll take it for 12 weeks or less. Your doctor may recommend Adipex-P if you are obese, but if you just want to lose a few pounds you are unlikely to receive a prescription. The pill is typically only one part of a treatment program that also includes diet aimed at weight control and exercise.
Features
Your healthy eating and exercise plan will be recommended by your doctor. In general, a healthy diet plan consists of 45 to 65 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 10 to 35 percent from protein, and 20 to 35 percent from healthy fats. In addition, MayoClinic.com recommends 21 to 25 g fiber daily for women and 30 to 38 g fiber daily for men. Limit sodium to 1,500 to 2,300 mg daily, limit trans fat to less than 1 percent of daily calories, limit saturated fat to 7 percent of daily calories and cut cholesterol to 300 mg a day or less. You also must avoid alcohol when you take this diet drug.
Considerations
If you take Adipex-P, it's important to specifically follow your doctor's directives. Typically, you'll take Adipex-P once a day, either in the morning or at least 10 hours prior to bedtime. It's best taken on an empty stomach, so people typically pop these pills either prior to breakfast or within two hours following the first meal of the day. You need to stick to this time frame, as it is more likely to interrupt your sleep otherwise.
Warning
Adipex-P can cause numerous side effects. These include dry mouth, dizziness, insomnia, increased blood pressure, blurred vision, nervousness and constipation. It also can cause symptoms of withdrawal if you quit taking it cold-turkey. You should not take Adipex-P if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, an overactive thyroid gland or glaucoma. You also need to avoid combining it with other weight-loss medications. This drug is one that has the potential for abuse, notes Drugs.com.
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