Phentermine is a prescription appetite suppressant that dieters have used since 1959, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. It is the most commonly prescribed diet drug in the United States, but patients should only use it for 12 weeks or less due to its habit-forming potential. If you rely only on phentermine to lose weight, you'll likely end up disappointed. Phentermine must be used in conjunction with proper diet and exercise; the drug is also best reserved for people who have a body mass index of at least 30.
Banned Combinations
The once-popular diet drug Fen-Phen was banned by the Food and Drug Administration in 1997. This medication included a combination of phentermine and fenfluramine. Medical researchers with both the Food and Drug Administration and the Mayo Clinic determined that fenfluramine was unsafe and had caused fatal heart valve and lung problems in an unacceptable number of patients. But phentermine alone is not widely considered unsafe.
Approved Types
Phentermine is most commonly marketed in its generic form and as the brand name Adipex-P. Other pill brands containing only phentermine include Atti Plex P, Ionamin, Kraftobese, Panshape M, Phentercot, Phentride, Pro-Fast, Raphtre, Supramine, Tara-8, Teramine and Termene, according to PubMed Health. Patients can take an instant-release pill or an extended-release capsule, depending upon their doctor's orders.
Potential Side Effects
People with health conditions such as high blood pressure and those over the age of 65 should think twice before taking phentermine, warns PubMed Health. Some patients also may experience drowsiness that makes it unsafe for them to drive. Commonly reported side effects include dry mouth, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, nervousness, sleeplessness, constipation, diarrhea and vomiting. Potentially life-threatening symptoms that require immediate emergency medical aid include increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, restlessness, dizziness, tremors, chest pain, shortness of breath and swelling of the legs and ankles.
Additional Considerations
Patients usually take phentermine three times daily, each dose about 30 minutes before meals. Generally, doctors only prescribe the medication for three to six weeks. Once you stop taking any type of phentermine, you're likely to regain any weight lost, warns Mayo Clinic preventive medicine specialist Donald Hensrud, M.D. The best way to avoid disappointing weight regains is to rely primarily on eating habit changes and exercise rather than phentermine or other diet drugs.
References
- Food and Drug Administration: Fen-Phen Safety Update Information
- Weight-control Information Network; Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity; December 2010
- Mayo Clinic: Phentermine - Can Prescription Medication Help Weight Loss?; Donald Hensrud; October 2009
- PubMed Health: Phentermine
- Mayo Clinic: Weight-Loss Drugs
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