What Is Tenuate Sodium 65 Mg?

Tenuate sodium is a medication often prescribed to people to help them lose weight. If you are overweight or obese, you have an increased risk of developing many health problems, including heart disease, arthritis and type 2 diabetes. Tenuate stimulates weight loss but must be used with caution as it may cause side effects.

Identification

Tenuate sodium is the brand name for the medication diethylpropion hydrochloride. Brand-name Tenuate is not manufactured at the time of this publication, but you can purchase generic Tenuate from Watson Laboratories and CorePharma, LLC. This prescription medication is designed for use over only a few weeks to help you lose weight; it is not designed to be taken for more than a few weeks, and may lose its effectiveness when taken for an extended period of time.

Mechanism

Diethylpropion hydrochloride belongs to a class of drugs known as sympathetic amines. Sympathetic amines are similar to amphetamines both in their structure and their effects. If you take Tenuate, your appetite diminishes as a result of the effects of the medication. Tenuate stimulates your nervous system in a way that causes you to feel less hungry, which helps you lose weight. It also increases your heart rate and blood pressure.

Side Effects

Because Tenuate affects your nervous system, it can cause many side effects. Taking Tenuate may cause you to develop an unpleasant taste or dryness in your mouth, restlessness, anxiety and dizziness. You may also develop tremors, an upset stomach, increased urination, vomiting and depression. Tenuate can cause serious side effects that warrant a doctor's attention, such as heart palpitations, an irregular heartbeat, skin rash, blurred vision, chest pain, fever, chills, swelling of the ankles and feet, painful urination and fainting.

Considerations

Although Tenuate may help you lose weight, it is unlikely to cause massive weight loss when taken on its own. You also need to increase the amount of exercise you get and consume fewer calories if you want to lose weight. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of weight loss medications before taking Tenuate or any other weight loss drug.

References

Article reviewed by Carolyn Williams Last updated on: Jul 5, 2011

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