If you are taking prescription drugs for any condition and wish to use over-the-counter or prescription diet pills to lose weight, speak to a medical professional. While you can mix weight loss pills with some prescription medications, you cannot necessarily do this with every medication, especially if you have a serious medical condition such as high blood pressure, warns PubMed Health.
Phentermine
You can take the prescription appetite suppressant phentermine along with many medications, but if you are taking an antidepressant such as Prozac or recently took a monoamine oxidase, or MAO, inhibitor, use caution when taking the drug, advises PubMed Health. Some diabetics can take phentermine but might require more insulin than usual. If you have high blood pressure, are over the age of 65 or have a history of drug or alcohol abuse, you should not take phentermine.
Diethylpropion
Tell your doctor about all recent medications and herbal supplements before taking the prescription appetite suppressant diethylpropion. Diethylpropion, like phentermine, can decrease your appetite but should not be used for more than 12 weeks at a time. Antidepressants such as Prozac and contraceptives such as Depo-Provera will not interact with diethylpropion, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center Drug Checker. But it is potentially dangerous to drink alcohol when taking any type of appetite suppressant.
Phendimetrazine
Your doctor may prescribe another Food and Drug Administration-approved appetite suppressant, phendimetrazine, to help you lose weight. Like similar drugs, phendimetrazine should not negatively interact with most antidepressants and prescription contraceptives, according to the University of Maryland Drug Checker. But diabetics, cardiac patients, elderly people and those with a history of substance abuse may not be able to safely take phendimetrazine. Also, all appetite suppressants even when not taken with other prescription drugs can cause unpleasant side effects, such as dizziness, restlessness, constipation and nausea.
Orlistat
You can buy the fat-blocking drug orlistat over the counter as Alli or ask your doctor for prescription-strength Xenical. Orlistat stops fat from the food you eat from being digested in your body and passes the fat out through your bowel movements. You can safely take orlistat with prescription appetite suppressants such as phentermine, antidepressants such as Pamelor and contraceptives such as Depo-Provera, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center Drug Checker. If you are taking immune system suppressants such as Neoral, take the medication two hours before or after taking orlistat.
References
- Weight-Control Information Network; Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity; December 2010
- PubMed Health; Phentermine; January 2011
- PubMed Health; Orlistat; August 2010
- PubMed Health; Diethylpropion; September 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Appetite Suppressant, Sympathomimetic (Oral Route); November 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Drug Checker
Member Comments