While the weight loss market features many over-the-counter and prescription diet pills, the Food and Drug Administration has given its approval to only four diet drugs. The appetite suppressant phentermine is the most commonly prescribed weight loss medication in the United States and it can potentially help overweight people lose excess pounds, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Phentermine Basics
Phentermine is available under the brand name Adipex-P or in its generic form, according to the Mayo Clinic. Doctors have prescribed the drug since 1959. You should only take phentermine if you have quite a bit of weight to lose. If you do not eat properly and exercise regularly, phentermine will not help you lose weight. Also, you risk regaining any weight lost once you stop taking the drug if you do not make long-term lifestyle changes.
Contraindictions
If you are pregnant, nursing or plan to become pregnant, do not take phentermine, warns PubMed Health. You also cannot take phentermine if you are over the age of 65 or have a history of drug or alcohol abuse. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, thyroid disease or narrowing of the arteries, your doctor may be unwilling to prescribe phentermine due to the risk of serious side effects.
Potential Side Effects
Phentermine is habit-forming, and you should not take it for more than 12 weeks at a time, warns PubMed Health. Most doctors will only prescribe the drug for three to six weeks. You may experience dry mouth, an unpleasant taste in your mouth, diarrhea, constipation or vomiting after taking phentermine. Call your doctor immediately if you experience increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, restlessness, dizziness, tremors, swelling of your legs or ankles, shortness of breath or chest pain. If you notice signs of allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, hives or itching, seek immediate medical assistance.
Fen-Phen Facts
Until 1997, some doctors often prescribed a blend of phentermine and the appetite suppressant fenfluramine, or fen-phen, to help people lose weight. But Mayo Clinic researchers discovered an unacceptably high link between fen-phen and serious heart valve and lung damage in some patients. Some people who took fen-phen did not have symptoms indicating heart damage, but echocardiograms showed significant cardiac problems. In response, the FDA banned fenfluramine and the similar drug dexfenfluramine. Years after the ban, FDA officials still received reports from patients who suffered heart and lung damage after taking fen-phen.
References
- Weight-Control Information Network; Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity; December 2010
- PubMed Health: Phentermine; January 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Phentermine - Can Prescription Medication Help Weight Loss?; Donald Hensrud, MD; October 2009
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; FDA Announces Withdrawal Fenfluramine and Dexfenfluramine (Fen-Phen); July 2005
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