Phentermine
DESCRIPTION Phentermine
Drug Uses Phentermine
Obesity is a chronic disease that affects many people and often requires medical
treatment to promote and sustain weight loss. Phentermine, a prescription
medication, can be used to assist with the battle of obesity. While most
side effects of Phentermine are mild, serious complications involving Phentermine
have been reported. Phentermine should only be used by patients who are at
increased medical risk because of their obesity. Phentermine should not be used
for "cosmetic" weight loss.
Phentermine is a tablet that is used in the short-term management of obesity. It
comes in various colours, in tablet or capsule form and in strengths of 15, 30 and
37.5 milligram.
Phentermine works by suppressing appetite via a central mechanism in the
brain. Use of Phentermine in combination with other appetite suppressant medicine
is generally not recommended.
Phentermine is an effective form of therapy for obese patients who need to
lose weight to decrease diseases associated with obesity. The magnitude of the
weight loss through using Phentermine will depend on the degree of caloric
restriction and the use of a graded exercise program.
Phentermine should be used as a short term drug to help patients to start losing
weight while the patient is undergoing permanent long term changes in their
attitude towards food and exercise. The body starts to build up a resistance to
the effects of Phentermine after a few weeks of treatment, by which time the patient
should be well on their way to a new lifestyle and ready to stop taking Phentermine
while continuing to maintain a healthy weight on their own. Taking Phentermine
is not a substitute for proper diet. For maximum effect, Phentermine must be used
in conjunction with a diet and exercise program.
Phentermine is the generic name of the drug. It is distributed under different brand
names including ADIPEX-P and IONAMIN. There are many popular brand names of
Phentermine. In terms of fighting obesity, they are all considered clinically
equivalent in producing weight loss. Phentermine comes in immediate release or
time-release formulas. Immediate release Phentermine pills enter the blood stream
as soon as they are taken and time-release Phentermine capsules release their
medication into the body over an extended period of time,
generally 8 or 12 hours.
Since Phentermine has a similar chemical structure to amphetamines, taking
Phentermine may cause a positive result in urine screening tests for
amphetamines.
After a patient ceases taking Phentermine, their body may need time to
adjust. The length of time this takes depends on the amount of Phentermine
they were using and how long they were using Phentermine.
Phentermine may be appropriate for carefully selected patients who are at significant
medical risk because of their obesity. Phentermine is not recommended for
use by people who are only mildly overweight unless they have health problems
that are made worse by their weight. Phentermine should not be used only to improve
appearance. For most severely obese people, achieving an "ideal body weight" is
both unrealistic and unnecessary to improve their health and reduce their risk
for disease. Most patients should not expect to reach an ideal body weight using
the currently available medications. A modest weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of
the patient’s starting body weight can improve their health and reduce their risk
factors for disease. Use of Phentermine for cosmetic purposes is not appropriate.
It is important to remember the use of Phentermine alone cannot treat obesity.
Phentermine should be combined with a healthy lifestyle including physical
activity and improved diet to lose and maintain weight successfully over the
long term. For short term use, Phentermine has been widely successful in achieving
weight loss and reducing the risks of medical problems associated with obesity.
Drug monograph "Phentermine"
Product description Phentermine
Phentermine was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
in 1959 as an appetite suppressant for treatment of obesity. Phentermine is
currently sold under the brand names Ionamin® (Medeva Pharmaceuticals) and
Adipex-P® (Gate Pharmaceuticals) and is also available as a generic medication,
known as "Phentermine". It is a prescription based diet pill that works as an
appetite suppressant and a central nervous system stimulant. Phentermine is one
of the leading weight loss drugs, recommended for people who suffer from obesity,
have an elevated body mass or need to lose more than 10 pounds. Clinical trials
reported that use of Phentermine with a 1,000-calorie-a-day diet reduced weight by
26.9 lb (12.2 kg) compared to a 10.5 lb (4.8 kg) weight loss with diet only.
Note Phentermine
Few people know that many products marketed on the internet as Phentermine
are in fact not real Phentermine and produced of cheap, relatively familiar
ingredients. Unfortunately several online pharmacies sell these to achieve
a higher profit without even informing their customers of this fact.
Phentermine Side Effects
As your body adjusts to the medication, it may cause dry mouth, sleeplessness,
irritability, an upset stomach, or constipation for the first few days. The
side effects are mild, and they usually improve with continued treatment. If
these side effects persist over a prolonged period of time, discontinue use and
contact your doctor.
Missed Dose Phentermine
If you miss a dose, do not double the next dose. Instead, skip the missed dose
and resume your usual dosing schedule.
Phentermine drug interactions
Inform your doctor about all the medicines you use,
(prescription and nonprescription) especially if you take high blood pressure
medicine or MAO inhibitors (e.g., furazolidone, phenelzine, selegiline,
tranylcypromine) or any other weight loss medicine. Decongestants are commonly
found in over-the-counter cough and cold medicine.
Phentermine Precautions
Tell your doctor your complete medical history especially if you have
high blood pressure, an over-active thyroid, glaucoma, diabetes or emotional
problems. Consult with your doctor if you think you are pregnant or before
breast-feeding. Alcohol can increase unwanted side effects of dizziness. Limit
alcohol use. This drug is not recommended for use in children. Consult your doctor
or pharmacist for further information.
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