Trying to lose weight is not an easy task. Some people have been trying to do it for years. In fact, there’s even a reality TV show about it, the Biggest Loser, where contestants try to lose as many pounds per week.
The contestant who records the least weight loss percentage is eliminated. By watching that TV show, you’ll know that losing weight is not just about exercising and working out. You also need to watch your diet.
Eat the right healthy food, and avoid food that contains a lot of sugar and bad fat. It will surely test how you discipline yourself throughout your weight-loss journey. Luckily, with the help of technological advancements, medicines are now available to you with that journey. Medicines that would help speed up the process of losing weight.
One of these medicines is phentermine, one of the world’s most popular weight loss drugs.
Cons
In 1959, phentermine became a prescription weight loss medication for short-term use of up to 12 weeks. Seventeen and older were allowed to drink the medicine if they had a doctor or medical professional prescription. Unfortunately, several cons have also been discovered when taking phentermine.
Have Side Effects
The number one con of phentermine is its side effects. Female individuals who took phentermine reported experiencing an unpleasant taste, dry mouth, headache, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and changes in sex drive. The male counterparts also experience these phentermine side effects in females.
Other people have also said that more severe side effects like heart palpitations, insomnia, chest pain, and shortness of breath are possible. Tremors, restlessness, decreased ability to exercise, and swelling of the lower legs and ankles are also experienced by individuals who took phentermine.
If you experience any side effects, immediately contact your doctor and get medical attention. You need to seek emergency medical care without delay.
Dangerous for Some People
Given that phentermine usage has caused side effects to other people, people with serious health issues are not advised to use this for weight loss. Phentermine usage when you have heart disease could be fatal if you experience heart palpitations and shortness of breath side effects.
Pregnant women should also not use phentermine. It’s very toxic for the fetus and can cause a miscarriage. That’s why when females want to use phentermine, they must have a negative pregnancy test before getting a prescription.
During the intake period, they must use effective contraception and take a pregnancy test monthly to ensure their safety.
Intake can be Habit-Forming
This medicine can be habit-forming. Do not increase the dose when you think that taking phentermine is not working and you’re not getting the desired weight-loss results.
Increasing the dosage doesn’t change its effectiveness; rather, it makes you prone to being too reliant, to an extent, addicted to it. Instead, You should call your doctor about alternative options without phentermine in the picture.
Pros
Phentermine doesn’t only provide cons; instead, it has more pros. Taking phentermine provides the same benefits to both males and females. It has been a reliant partner for individuals who want to lose weight for years.
Effective Medication
This FDA-approved medication is considered the most effective medication for weight loss. Numerous clinical studies have shown that when you use phentermine, there’s indeed a significant weight loss compared to when you’re not taking it.
The average weight loss when you use phentermine is around three percent of your initial body weight after three months. That number increases to five to seven percent after six months. There are even people who have reported that they’ve experienced even more weight loss.
Its effectiveness is anchored on its ability to reduce the appetite of the individual taking the medication. Due to this reduced appetite, the individual doesn’t get hungry often and is quickly full. Leading to them having less sugar, salt, and bad fat intake, making weight loss much more manageable.
Helpful for Some Eating Disorders
Studies show that taking a drug combination of topiramate and phentermine may lessen the binge eating tendency in people with BED and bulimia nervosa. A 12-week study showed that people with BED who had excess weight experienced fewer episodes of binge eating when they took the drug combination.
These studies are still not universally promoted, but it shows promising results. More extensive studies about this are still needed to confirm the results. If you have or think you have any eating disorders, consult your doctors before using this drug combination as a disorder medication.
Can be Taken Once a Day
Since phentermine has an extended-release (long-acting formulation, this medication can be taken once a day. It removes the burden on you to remove when you take the medicine or recall if you’ve taken it already. Ensure that your daily phentermine intake aligns with what was written in your doctor’s prescription.
Available in Low-Cost Generic Form
Buying medicines is sometimes very expensive, especially for medication like phentermine that you use not to cure a disease but for your weight-loss journey. You could undergo a long budgeting adjustment process if you’re on a tight budget. Fortunately, phentermine is available in a low-cost generic form which has the formula with its branded counterparts.
Final Thought
A lot of people in the world want to lose weight. They will do everything from rigorous exercises to a strict diet to taking weight-loss medication like phentermine. Just ensure that when taking this kind of medication, you research first its pros and cons and then consult your doctor if you’re eligible for a prescription.
