In August, 1997, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an urgent press release:
FDA is taking measures to strengthen its recent warning that treatment of patients for obesity with a combination of fenfluramine and phentermine has been associated with the development of a serious heart valve disease.
Doctors had discovered an alarming trend where phentermine, once considered a short-term aid in fighting obesity, was being combined with fenfluramine for a long-term treatment.
Efficacy of Phentermine
Without combining it with another drug, phentermine is quite effective during the short term, particularly if it is taken just once a day during a 3-4 week period. It was not intended to be a long-term solution to obesity. Additionally, the drug is more effective when combined with a proper diet and exercise. Overall, when compared with a placebo in a double-bind study, phentermine produced a 10-15 % greater weight loss than the placebo. With these strong results, dieters are tempted to possibly “overdo it” when they take phentermine.
If used properly, phentermine can be helpful to the dieter. However, there are side effects. Common side effects include:
- An increased heart rate;
- Elevated blood pressure;
- Too much adrenaline.
What to Tell Your Doctor or Pharmasist Before Obtaining a Phentermine Prescription
Despite these effects, the FDA considers the phentermine to be safe. It has been approved since 1959 but, given the potential side effects, it can be obtained by prescription only. According to the U.S. National Instittute of Health, there are some things you need to let your doctor know before taking phentermine, such as:
- Whether you are allergic to phentermine or any other drugs.
- What prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), guanethidine, insulin, MAO inhibitors [phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate)] even if you stopped taking them within the past 2 weeks, medications for weight loss and depression, paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft),and vitamins.
- If you have or have ever had heart disease, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), diabetes, glaucoma, or a history of drug abuse.
- If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking phentermine, call your doctor.
- If you have diabetes, you may need a larger dose of insulin while taking phentermine. Call your doctor if you have questions or problems.
Real Life Reviews and Solutions
Consumer Price Watch has created an informative page called Phentermine Online, where you can read real life reviews from people who have taken phentermine (scroll to the bottom of the link). Additionally, you will find comparative diet pills that may be more effective and/or produce less side effects than phentermine.
Learn more about phentermine, and how it might affect your dieting, at Phentermine Online
