Diet pills may help you lose weight, but they aren't right for everyone. Before your health care provider would even prescribe or recommend a diet, pill, you must meet certain criteria, according to MayoClinic.com. Even if your body mass index, or BMI, is considered overweight, or obese, many other factors must be considered before approving you to take a weight-loss pill.
How They Work
Diet pills may suppress your appetite, block absorbed dietary fat or increase your metabolism; some do all of the above. They may trick you into thinking your stomach is full or keep you from gaining weight by blocking dietary fat, which can lower your caloric intake. They often contain stimulants, such as amphetamines. This can be dangerous for some individuals.
Interactions with Other Medications
Diet pills can interact with other medications, such as those used to treat asthma, blood pressure conditions and diabetes. They may also interfere with other medications such as antidepressants, vitamins and herbs. If you're considering taking a diet pill, discuss it with your doctor and let him know of any medications that you may be taking, including over-the-counter medications.
Why They Affect Medications
The stimulants found in diet pills speed up certain processes within your body such as your heart rate, pulse and metabolic reactions. This is why your health care provider needs to know whether you take other medications and what kind they are. Your physician may monitor your health while taking diet pills and adjust your dosage accordingly depending upon how your body reacts to the diet pills. If your body doesn't respond well, she may recommend that you stop taking diet pills as they can put those who take blood pressure or heart medications at an increased risk of irregular sinus rhythm or heart attack.
Considerations
Even if you do have successful weight loss while taking diet pills, it may not be practical or affordable to continue taking them. Your health insurance provider may not cover any or all of the cost of the prescription, if your doctor prescribes a specific diet pill for you to take. Keeping the weight off after you discontinue taking diet pills may be a concern. While diet pills may help you lose weight, you must make changes to eat a healthier diet and to become more active. If you don't make healthy lifestyle changes, you may regain any lost weight.
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