Phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira) makes you less hungry so that you eat less than you would normally, helping you to shed the extra weight. Along with making you feel less hungry, you will feel fuller for longer after you finish eating. Just remember that while this can help you to lose weight, you will find it most effective when you combine it with eating healthy and exercising daily.
Without a reduced calorie diet and exercise routine, you won’t see the success that it can truly deliver.
This medicine belongs to a class of medications referred to as anorectics. It was designed more as a short-term therapy approved for use of up to 12 weeks. Typically, you take it for 12 weeks and take a break of a few weeks to keep tolerance from building.
Then you take it again for another 12 weeks and take a break again. People will typically do this for up to 6 months losing 20 to 50 pounds in that time.
Because of its addictive nature and side effects, you must take a break. This keeps you from experiencing the worst of the side effects or getting addicted to it.
Most people consider it the same as a weight loss aid that you would use in combination with a healthy diet and exercise routine. Relying on this drug by itself to produce weight loss will lead to disappointing results.
Phentermine ranks as the most widely prescribed medication for weight loss on the market, and it accounts for up to 50% of all prescriptions in the market. It was first introduced in 1959. The drug has a similar structure to amphetamine and classifies as a controlled substance.
Phentermine acts on the central nervous system and stimulates the neuron bundles within the brain, which includes the dopamine receptors, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. The drug increases your energy and alertness levels and lowers your hunger and cravings for food.
Especially when you first start taking Phentermine, the effects can be quite dramatic. You will have little to no appetite, feel wired and be unable to sleep.
Over time, this starts to fade as you build up tolerance, which is why you must take a break from it. The body starts to adapt and the original effects begin to drop with growing tolerance. As a stimulant, it will cause the heart to beat faster and force it to work harder.
Along with the increased pressure on the heart, you may experience higher blood pressure.
The dosage depends on the form you take, but it will range anywhere from 15 mg to 37.5 mg daily. Phentermine does not have approval for use in children under the age of 16. Doctors recommend that you take the lowest effective dose to reduce the risk of negative side effects.
You can find this drug as an oral tablet, ODT, or a capsule. Most of the time, they will take this drug daily with or without food. It would be best to take this in the morning.
Taking the drug at night could keep you awake. Forms, such as Lomaira, will be taken three times before meals, but you will want to take it earlier to avoid staying up all night. Some factors will warrant a lower dosage as well. For example, adults 65 and older may be prescribed a lower dosage.
Phentermine gets removed by the kidneys, so those who sustained kidney damage may need to take a lower dosage. Those with severe kidney damage shouldn’t take more than 15 mg daily.
It isn’t recommended that you take Phentermine at all if you suffer from end-stage kidney disease.
The most common side effects that you will encounter while taking Phentermine include dry mouth and trouble sleeping.
These were only mild to moderate. Dry mouth happens because Phentermine lowers the amount of saliva production. To alleviate this side effect, be sure to drink lots of fluids and try to avoid sweet and salty foods.
Other side effects that you might encounter include:
The most serious side effects, such as heart valve and lung disease, and high blood pressure in the lungs are incredibly rare side effects. Before taking Phentermine, you should be sure that you tell your doctor about your medical history. This ensures that you receive safe and appropriate medication.
Those with a history of heart problems and substance abuse may not be right for this medication.
Trouble breathing, swollen ankles, and chest pain require immediate medical attention because they could be symptoms of a greater problem.
Some of the people that wouldn’t be good candidates for this drug include those with high blood pressure, glaucoma, an overactive thyroid gland, or heart disease. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also avoid it. Speak with your doctor to determine if this would be the right treatment for you.
Taking Phentermine should always take place under the careful guidance of your doctor. Let your doctor know if you experience any side effects while taking Phentermine, and you should seek immediate medical attention for serious side effects.
