Please...I need advise!

[BCALONEN716]

Hi, I have not posted much on here. I lost ALOT of weight on Phen and have been trying to loose the last 50 pounds. My doc has me on phen for almost 2 years. Is it safe? I asked because of the 12 week period. I have switched to others in btween but never had a break, if I do not take it my weight spikes up so fast. Any ideas on what to do? I do not want to gain and I do not want to depend on this either. Thanks.

[persia927]

That's a good question. I was on longer than 12 weeks when I took phen before too, about 5 months, I think. 2 years without a break doesn't sound good... I'm hoping someone else on here has a little more insight or maybe some weblinks for you. Has yoru doctor said anything about the safety of staying on so long?

[Trinity524]

I have been on and off of it since Feb 3rd. I like to do 2 months on, 1 month off. I gained weight like crazy when I went off of it last time, but it does give the body a break.

[Jimswife]

My doctor said I could stay on it as long as it took for me to get to goal weight, as long as I continue to lose. Thinking beyond phen, I will continue to do the things that I am doing now, watching what I eat, exercising and taking the B vitamins, which help with my energy level.

Honestly, I do worry about gaining the weight back once I stop taking the phen, but I am praying that I am making solid changes now, so that it doesn't happen.

I think you have to continue to have your blood pressure and heart rate monitored. I think 2 years is a long time to be on this medication with no breaks. Do you have bloodwork done, and an EKG?

[samanthas004]

I have been on and off of it since Feb 3rd. I like to do 2 months on, 1 month off. I gained weight like crazy when I went off of it last time, but it does give the body a break.

You guys are saying you gained weight when you stopped phen. Why was this?Did you begin to eat a lot more makings bad food choices? I just want to know if it was purely the fact that you stopped the Phen or your behavior after you stopped.


Thanks

[SuiteLady]

My Dr. told me the same thing. He said that as long as it is working I am fine. I do go for check-ups and when I am nearing my goal he would start weaning me off. That worked with my Friends mom who took Phen and lost 40 lbs and then once at goal her doctor weaned her off. She has maintained all the positive changes and maintained for over 6 months and counting...

Samantha - I could only assume that it was the behavior.

[alykat06]

I am allowed to take phen until I get to my goal weight, then my doctor will prescribe lower doses for maintenance. He says that weight gain is due to chemical imbalances in the brain, sometimes phen and losing weight fixes that problem, but other times it doesnt, therefore when you come off of phen you gain weight. Its not our faults though, for people like me it feels like there is a never ending black hole that cannot be satisfied by food, we get really hungry off of phen and we lack motivation and have depression symptoms. The chemical imbalances are the lack of neurephinephrine, seratonin, dopamine, and carb intolerance. So its not our fault when we gain weight back, its just the fact that we cannot control ourselves. Most doctors will prescribe for a few months then make you take a break to sort of help phen work better when you come back on, my doctor believes that consistancy with phen is important. Every doctor seems to be different.

[Jasp]

This can be a difficult question to answer or give advice. I can try to explain why many will fall prey to the weigth gain once stopping Phentermine.

One of the major reasons could have to do with the effects of Phentermine on a chemical Serontonin. If you were to research this chemical you would realize that this is one of the majors players. How food, drugs and exercise can alter this chemical and there for manipulate mood or action.

Food is energy, If we don't need it, it gets stored in the body as fat, and we gain weight. Sounds simple. So why do we eat so much? And why do we feel unhappy, frustrated, irritable, depressed and angry when we reduce our food intake? It all has to do with certain chemicals in the brain, called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters act like messengers in the body. One of them is serotonin. Not only do overweight people often have too much insulin, they also suffer from a lack of serotonin.

Serotonin acts like an antidepressant, a natural mood enhancer, and it is released when we are eating. A carbohydrate-rich diet will boost your serotonin levels, and you won't be tempted to overeat, because you will feel satisfied. Avoid feeling hungry, as it will weaken your determination, and it can literally drive you insane! Hunger can easily trigger a binge, and research has shown that people who are prone to binge eating often have extremely low serotonin levels. This I would not address on my own with supplements since one can develop Serotonin syndrome.

A carbohydrate-rich diet can be useful to combat stress and to prevent cravings. Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you eat when you're stressed? Sugar helps us produce serotonin, a "happy" substance, which relaxes us. When the brain lacks this essential neurotransmitter, we feel nervous, anxious, and irritable. Our instinct is to reach for something sweet, as we instinctively know it will make us feel better, and there is a biological reason for it.

Food alleviates stress and helps us overcome loneliness, frustration, boredom and fatigue. By eating we can enjoy ourselves without harming others. But then we feel unhappy and worthless because we're too fat, and to forget about it, we reach for another piece of chocolate.

If this sounds familiar don't despair. If you understand how serorotonin makes you feel good, and how carbohydrate foods help your brain produce it, you can use this knowledge to your advantage. Serotonin is produced by your own body, and always available with the right fuel: carbohydrates. Insulin and carbohydrates together will trigger the production of this neurotransmitter in the brain.

The bulk of our meals should consist of complex carbohydrates. Legumes like peas, beans, lentils and chick peas are very rich both in complex carbohydrates and vegetable protein. To amplify their effect, we can combine them with other carbohydrate foods like brown rice, wholegrain bread or pasta.

A generous carbohydrate meal with vegetables is great for weight loss and as a mood enhancer. The effect can last for many hours. From my experience, I know it helps me be more patient with my family. Most will avoid carbs and increase protein. Now this will cause you to feel fuller longer but Carbs play a very important role with the brain.

The reason why we love to eat is not only psychological, it is also biological and invloves serotonin. Only carbohydrate foods can increase the production of this important "feel-good" substance without the threat of a rare and sometimes deadly condition known as Serontonin Syndrome.

Now this isn't a plug for you to go out and tak 5htp because in reality we don't know if we have too much or too little of this chemical to mess with it.

There has been studies in the medical community that have stated that being on Phentermine for a long time can prevent ones ability to have the Serotonin levels return to normal on their own but this is still being research. There has also been quite a few studies about what can happen when manipulating this chemical. But I think it's too long and to medical intense for this question.

I think if you would devote some time to researching what you can do once you reach goal and how to adjust your eating and exercise plan along with a plan as to how to address the withdrawal if this were to occurs then you will be successful with keeping your weight off. You also need to ween from this drug over a period of time. Most doctors will not address this issue so it's up to you to bring it to their attention.

Most will make mistakes by not recognizing withdrawal symptoms and are ill equipped to handle the symptoms that develops once the drug is stopped. This is the most important time to make sure that your body is in the most healthiest state. A good multi vitamin, Vitamin D should be tested and addressed. B complex which is called a stress complex. Eating protein and carbs. Getting adequate sleep and drink plenty of water. It's also important while going through withdrawal that you avoid alcohol. Let your body rebuild itself. Although the drug can be completely out of your system in as little as 72 hrs or as much as 5 days the effects form manipulating Serotonin may be felt for a month or two maybe even longer. This is where some will get off track and revert back to old habits.

Knowledge is power and having the right outlook being prepared for coming off the drug and continue with a healthy eating plan will set you up for success. Not everyone will go through this but many will. You also need to realize that being obese will have an effect on insulin resistance which means the body is not utilizing the glucose you need and in turn is stored as fat. Once you get the weight to a healthy number the IR should either be resolved or at least under control. If your cells are not getting the fuel that it needs then it will cause you to feel very sluggish and the body is geared to address this by sending you signals that you need to eat more to compensate for overweight people this is a vicious circle. If you can get this under control that is half your battle.

[shoefiend]

Great info Jasp! Thank you for sharing and explaining! I now understand why I crave carbs and sweets so bad.... thanks to your info I now have some knowledge to combat that issue