Can You Take Phentermine Long-Term?
While phentermine is very useful and effective in helping you to lose weight, it is important to remember that taking phentermine long-term is not recommended and that phentermine has always been intended for short-term use only.
This is because of how phentermine affects your heart and can cause serious side effects; plus, it can be addictive and becomes less effective over time as your body becomes accustomed to its effects.
Here we explain more about why phentermine is only recommended for limited periods of time, the potential risks of taking phentermine long term, and how you can maintain weight loss without taking phentermine long term.
Why Phentermine Is Recommended For Short-Term Use
Phentermine has been available on prescription since the 1970s for the short-term management of obesity after first receiving FDA approval in 1959.
It is recommended that phentermine only be prescribed short-term, typically interpreted as up to 12 weeks. There are two reasons why phentermine is only prescribed for a short period of time:
How Phentermine Affects The Body
The first reason is because of the effects phentermine has on the body. Phentermine is classified as a controlled substance, recognized as having a structure similar to amphetamine.
Like amphetamine, phentermine acts on the central nervous system to stimulate neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, epinephrine (adrenaline), and nor-epinephrine (nor-adrenaline).
This causes phentermine to increase energy levels, suppress appetite, and minimize cravings, making it an effective weight loss medication that helps you to lose weight quickly.
However, for many patients taking phentermine, the initial effects can be quite aggressive, including feeling ‘wired’ and unable to sleep, with little to no appetite, and a variety of side effects, such as dry mouth, anxiety, depression, nausea, and mood swings.
Over time these side effects reduce, but so do the effects of appetite suppression and energy boosting. This is because the sustained use of many drugs causes adaptation within the body that tends to lessen the drug’s original effects over time, known as drug tolerance.
Many phentermine users experience a reduction in the effectiveness of the medication over time, which indicates that tolerance is occurring within the body until, eventually, patients experience fewer and fewer of the desired effects, with even the maximum dosage of 37.5mg providing very little appetite suppression or extra energy.
This is why it is crucial to take a break from phentermine, and then only take it for a further period if it is deemed necessary by your doctor.
It is not uncommon for patients to take phentermine more than once. However, it is not advisable for patients to take phentermine for several years.
Having to take phentermine many times would indicate that it is not effectively helping the patient to achieve long-term weight loss and so alternative treatment should be considered, such as counseling or more personalized dietary and lifestyle advice.
As a stimulant, phentermine also causes the heart to work faster as a means to enable the body to work more efficiently at processing food into energy.
Over time, this can put stress on the heart, resulting in symptoms such as chest pains and an increase in blood pressure, among other heart-related side effects.
Therefore, due to an increased risk of harm to the body coupled with a reduction in effectiveness, taking phentermine long-term is not worth the risk to the patient.
The Limitations Of Phentermine Research & Development
The second reason that phentermine is only recommended for short-term use is that the drug was never systematically tested for long-term use and, therefore, cannot be considered safe when taken for longer periods of time.
In the research and development stage, including clinical trials where patients took phentermine and were observed for weight loss and side effects, phentermine was only ever tested for short periods of time.
Therefore, the recommendation for it to be taken up to 12 weeks is based on the length of time participants in these clinical trials took phentermine.
Because phentermine was first tested in the 1950s, it was not subjected to the rigorous testing methods that the FDA now imposes, as shown by the extensive year-long trials into Contrave, the latest weight loss drug to be approved by the FDA.
Therefore, when considering the possible long-term effects of taking phentermine, we have to rely on anecdotal reports from individuals and infer results from the long-term effects of taking drugs with similar substances to phentermine, such as amphetamines.
The Risks Of Taking Phentermine Long-Term
As we have explained, phentermine is not intended for long-term use, but despite this, there are still many posts in our Facebook support group from members who have taken phentermine for several years.
Conversations about taking phentermine for extended periods include reports of migraines, heart problems, high blood pressure.
In particular, one user is taking phentermine after nearly 7 years, despite having a BMI of 22, and is now experiencing eyesight problems as a result.
The fact that this user is a healthy weight would indicate that this member has developed a dependence or possibly an addiction to phentermine, whereby she no longer needs to lose weight but is still taking phentermine after years, and now her health is suffering.
Other conversations that discuss addiction to phentermine include people talking about how they continue to take phentermine despite no longer needing to lose weight or becoming dependent on it. They begin to take more and more each day to get the same effects.
Phentermine has a limited period of efficacy due to its amphetamine-like structure and addicting effects, so taking it long-term gives you fewer and fewer of the desired effects of appetite suppression and additional energy and more chance of dependence and suffering from dangerous side effects.
Other threads indicate that users doubt the addicting effects of phentermine or consider that it wouldn’t happen to them, and while individual differences mean that not everyone would experience severe side effects or dependence on phentermine, it is undeniable that phentermine is an addictive medication, shown by the withdrawal symptoms that many experiences once they stop taking phentermine.
For this reason, it is important always to follow your doctor’s instructions, so if you find that your phentermine prescription does not produce the same effects, you should not increase your dosage to manage your tolerance.
Doing this will only lead to a greater dependency and, therefore, a greater chance of withdrawal symptoms once your prescription ends.
This adaptation and tolerance to phentermine is the core reason for withdrawal symptoms, as strong medication can be highly reactive and addictive to the body.
Furthermore, it is important to remember that as phentermine is similar in structure to amphetamine, we cannot be sure that long-term usage doesn’t harm the body in some of the ways that amphetamine does when taken long-term.
Since no medical trials have extensively tested the effects of taking phentermine long-term, we would have to base our knowledge on the long-term usage of other amphetamine-like substances, which would therefore indicate that heart damage might occur, in addition to psychological damage or other unpredictable reactions.
Long-Term Weight Loss Without Taking Phentermine Long Term
Phentermine is not a miracle pill, but rather a tool kick to start your weight loss journey and should be used only as a means to establish a routine of healthy eating habits and exercise to continue for life.
If phentermine is taken without any effort to change the lifestyle in other ways, then it is to be expected that weight gain will occur once the phentermine prescription finishes.
But weight gain following the cessation of phentermine is no reason to take phentermine long-term, as this will just delay the inevitable, in addition to putting your health at risk.
To avoid the possibility of dependence while still taking phentermine, you should build yourself up to face the end of your prescription by using phentermine as a tool to help you achieve a maintainable healthy lifestyle.
As part of the best phentermine weight loss schedule, as well as eating healthily and exercising, it is important to establish a good sleeping routine and to take time to de-stress and look after your own well-being and emotional needs to create a balanced routine whereby you can continue to lose weight or maintain your goal weight without phentermine.
A great way to continue this balanced routine is to use a weight loss supplement such as PhenQ to manage the end of your phentermine prescription.
Like phentermine, PhenQ suppresses appetite, reduces cravings, and increases energy. It has no side effects and can be taken for as long as necessary to achieve long-term weight loss.
Have you been taking phentermine long-term? If so, we’d love to hear from you if you have any feedback or questions, so please comment below!
Did you like the article?
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get our best weight loss tips straight to your inbox!
I have been taking Phentermine off and on for 2 years and I’m convinced that it’s causing me to have Kidney stones. Phentermine has a tendency to make you dehydrated and if taken without the right amount of water intake each day, I believe that this is causing my kidney stones. I am going to stop taking the medication immediately. Has anyone experienced Kidney stones?
I started taking phentermine 1 year ago, I am currently 37. I wanted to lose 20lbs. My problem is food. I’ve always been on the thin side (maybe high metabolism), but I eat crap food. A lot of fast food… cheeseburgers are my downfall. While others have a sweet tooth, I have a grease tooth! LOL. I’m 5’5 and was 150lbs when I started the drug. I had 3 kids in 2 years (yes, one set of twins) and even though I lost all of my pregnancy weight, very quickly after delivery, it didn’t take long to gain more than half of it back. I am a working mom and I don’t make time for the gym, or I’d never see my kids. I went to my doctor with the question of would taking an over the counter appetite suppressant negatively affect any of the current medications I was on. He said he didn’t know enough about the one I mentioned (that a personal trainer friend was taking and recommended) but he could prescribe one to me that he had been prescribing to patients for over 30 years. My first month on it, I lost 13lbs. 2nd month, I lost 8lbs, 3rd month 6lbs and 4th month 2lbs. After the 4th month, I didn’t lose much more. I fluctuate 3lbs, depending on the time of month. So my weight ranges from 117-120lbs which puts my BMI in the normal range. I had a little trouble sleeping at night, but on those nights, I would take Benadryl and be knocked out. Those first 4 months were amazing, I gave up soda the first day I took it with no “withdrawal” headache. I drank so much water. I was a little worried about how not hungry I was so I knew I had to force myself to eat to be healthy. Only the first month or two was like that. Then I gained an appetite, but it was small. After the 4th month, I didn’t really notice the drug working anymore. The only thing I did notice was that I was able to function throughout the day without feeling tired or sluggish. Even if I was on a few hours of sleep. I asked my doctor to let me stay on them and if it would be bad. He said since I don’t have high blood pressure or any negative side affects, he was ok with it. I haven’t lost any more weight, still maintaining the 117-120lbs range, which is totally fine to me. I have a normal appetite, just not my crazy eat all day one that I previously had. I want to stay on them, for the simple fact that I’m afraid that if I go off them, I will just gain all the weight back. Is that an addiction? I’m not sure… I don’t smoke, I rarely drink. I eat a lot of processed foods. I would say that I’m a fairly healthy person but I don’t have the confidence that I can do this without the drug. I still eat out often. I just don’t eat as much in a day as I used to. And I attribute that to the drug. I wish I could know what other things I might be doing to my body by staying on it. I don’t want to lose my sight or any of the other crazy things I’ve read. But I also don’t know what other things those people have going on. Comparing myself to others could be like comparing apples and oranges. I am just going to trust that if my doctor had a concern, he would take me off of it. I’ve been seeing him for almost 20 years. Just wanted to share my story and say thank you for taking me back to my weight from high school. I feel amazing! 🙂
Hello,
I was on phentermine for almost 30 years with a couple of breaks of maybe a year or two within that time frame. I stopped taking it August 2015 and I am now experiencing shortness of breath.
I have had an abnormal EKG which shows tachycardia. I am scheduled to see a cardiologist on April 11 and I am petrified of what they are going to find. Thank you for listening.
So, what happened?
Please tell us what your results are?
I have been taking this for 17 almost 18 years and I regret the day I ever started!!! Yes it gave me the chancce to be super mom, super wifey, work and have enough energy to work out 4 times a week. I went dow to 9% body fat a size 2 from a size 13 but God as my witness this addiction isnt worth it. I had kidney stones super large ones and then a ridiculous amount of gallstones that was so painful until my insurance approved removal. I have lost almost all the cartlidge out of my nose….I could go on. Let me tell you that bad circulation and dry mouth with the occasional mood swings are nothing if you continue to take this. I pray all the time that I will stop I have tried many times for years. The dehydration makes my skin look bad so I pay for the highest quality hydrating lotions and scrubs I can. My memory at 43 is obviously been affected. I used to be know for my “blessing and curse” as I could and would remember everything. Well, not now. I know its the pills that have caused this. I am so tired if I don’t take them and its so obvious its chilling. I stopped with the pregnancy of my second daughter and while she was born normal she never slept the hours my first 2 kids did before the pills and years later she is still so hyper compared to my other girls. She is always hungry and sadly has a weight problem. It could be coincidental but being just 3 years difference in age it always makes me wonder. I found out I was pregnant at 3 months because mother nature didn’t stop. That was another weird new thing. If I could tell anyone to stay away from these I would. I have never, ever spoken about my addiction because I am too ashamed but now I worry about my health and the fact that I literally feel that I don’t have enough energy to stay awake and perform normal activities without them. P.S I have gained 40 pounds in the last 5 years and taken them all the while. Yes I did take the 3 months breaks several time to get them to work but they only gave me the energy. I cant even imagine breaking now. Makes me sad the hold they have on me.
Regrets…
Are you still suffering in silence…? I too am 17 years and still haven’t accepted. To even confess to my Hubberoo, BFF or GP would be unheard of in the UK. Us “Brits” are known for our stiff upper lip and “keep calm & carry on” attitude. I no longer benefit from weight loss… just about maintain my womanly curvature. I just cannot function without. Energy, lethargic and a can do attitude disappear so I result to what I know. What started off as a short term fix to accept being dumped by a 10 year relationship has turned out to be my secret love affair… it’s my secret… only I now know it’s long term effects. Heart, anxiety, insomnia, confused and confidence are on my long list… if only, to turn back the clock. Never shared or opened before. Be kind I am vulnerable… I pray no one suffers or feels the same…xXx
Hi there… I started taking Phentermine 5 days ago. I have now become a little bit scared because I felt like my head was being squeezed a little bit by vice grips. I also had really bad diarrhea and I felt like my jaw and legs were jittery. I was scared to take my pill this morning because I didn’t know if this is the beginning of something serious because I have read a lot of scary things from the side effects but I have also read a lot of good things about the medicine as well. I didn’t know if maybe this is normal and it just takes a little longer to kick in but I’m so scared and confused right now but I have been very unhappy with my weight and as right now I am at 313 pounds and I’m only 29. I have a low metabolism and I was hoping this would really help especially with curbing my appetite….
Hi Kimberly,
Unfortunately these side effects are all quite common with phentermine, especially when you first start taking it. One tip that many people find useful is to start off with half their dosage to help their body get used to the effects, and then they are usually able to work up to a whole pill within a week or less, with reduced side effects.
Hope that helps!
Sally, phentermine.com
I have been taking phentermine 37.5 and b12 shots for a year and I have lost 60 llbs total. However for the past week my hands and arms keep going numb. It feels like pins and needles all the way up to my elbows. It is so uncomfortable and it’s pretty constant. Also it’s not from repetitive use of my hands and arms so I am so nervous. I plan to make a doctors appointment next week. Has anyone had similar issues from taking phentermine? I am scared because it just started out of no where and it’s just really painful. Plus I didn’t get it from a normal doctor it was from a chiropractic office who offered medical weight loss..
I am a 36 year old female. I was having lots of trouble with weight gain. It seemed when I hit 30 BOOM my body quit working like it used to. My Doctor and gyno checked blood work for an array of possibilities mostly thyroid. I was all clear. After a few years of trying everything I could with diet and exercise, I felt hopeless. So my doctor prescribed phentermine AS directed for 3 months. It worked! Lost 25-30 pounds. I managed to do great for months especially through the summer when I could be more active. About a year and a half later.. BOOM hit again… struggled terrible to get it off. Still convinced I had thyroid issues we do MORE blood work…. nope… all clear…so I ask to be put on again. My Doctor allows it for the DIRECTED use of 3 months. Amazingly it works. I never felt dependent on it. I was also directed and educated about the prescription thoroughly.So I feel maybe I was more aware of what to be aware of. I also felt it was a last hope, and I needed to do the work. It’s not a “miracle pill”
The only true bummer for me was I felt it did make my mind feel “right” …. I felt my brain was finally working properly. I felt clear…. as to when I had tried over my 36 years 4 different types of antidepressants which made me 10× more depressed… they now scare the heck out of me and I will NEVER try that again. So is there a reason my brain would trigger like that? Almost a reverse effect?
Hi I’m 26 and have been taking it on and off for about 5 years now. Realistically I’m not over weight at all but I can’t come off of them. I’ve also noticed my eyesight deteriorate over the last 2 years but most recently has gotten really bad to the point where I’m considering laser surgery….I’ve never in my life needed glasses and now I’m considering laser surgery…. is it possible for the pills to effect my eyesight like this?
Hi Dee,
The changes you’re experiencing may have happened anyway as your eyesight can change throughout your life so needing glasses when you didn’t before isn’t in itself very unusual. However, phentermine does affect eyesight, and it is a problem we have seen more references to when people take it long term. But the real issue here is that you sound like you’re addicted to phentermine, which is something that you should discuss with your doctor to see if there is some way to come off it for good. Your eyesight may even begin to improve if you stop taking it, so it is certainly something which you need to address, for the good of both your mental and physical health.
Good luck!
Sally, phentermine.com
I have been taking phentermine off and on for years. Everytime I stop, I go back to bad eating habits and the weight comes back. I am afraid that I could be doing unseen harm to my body. I was wanting to know if anyone else has seen the effects of long term use of phentermine. I’m not addicted because I stop periodically, but I think I have experienced withdrawal symptoms: low energy and fatigue. I am on the verge of going to get more because I’ve put on weight, but I’m more afraid of what I could be doing to my body than the weight.
Hi Susan,
It sounds like phentermine isn’t really working for you in the long term – you might respond better to another form of weight management such as counselling or a permanent diet plan. I would ask your doctor if there is anything he or she can recommend which would allow you to lose the weight and keep it off. Good luck!
Sally, phentermine.com
My doctor started me on Phentermine in May 2015. I never take any medications of any kind so I was very skeptical to start. But I was close to 100 pounds overweight. A 30 year old, 5 foot 5 inch, female shouldn’t weigh 248 pounds. I was desperate. When I first started, I was feeling great. I could hardly eat anything. I didn’t see any results until after about a month and a half. I have been on it now for 8 months. My total weight loss is around 60 pounds. I took breaks from it. Still there are some days that I just skip. I know I am not addicted because I can go weeks without having it. The only reason I continue to take is simply because I am scared that I will gain everything back once I stop. I have changed lots of my eating habits and I exercise regularly. If I give it a rest, say a week or so, then start again, I get the full effects as if I just started. The only side effect that I seem to have is constipation. I don’t want to take this medication (or any medication for that matter) for a long period of time. I do still have about 50 pounds to lose, so would you recommend I continue taking it or try something else?
Hi Carrie,
If your doctor is still happy to prescribe it then I would say that it’s safe for you to take it to reach your goal, especially as it remains effective for you and doesn’t cause too many side effects. If phentermine were a new drug then it would most likely be tested and approved to be taken for up to a year, but since it was first approved in the 1950s, when people had less weight to lose in general, I assume they didn’t think it was necessary to test it for so long. I am interested to know what happens when you stop taking it though; do you continue with your good habits, and do you still lose weight? Or do you find yourself slipping back and gaining weight? This is the true test of whether you will be ok moving forward without it, so maybe you could make it your aim to concentrate on establishing permanent healthy habits that you can still maintain even while you’re not taking phentermine for those weeks where you give yourself a break. Good luck!
Sally, phentermine.com
I’m mid 40s. I initially took phentermine to lose 20lbs and to help relieve lower back pain (weight in my stomach). During the first year, I dropped 33lbs–the weight melted away. I eased off the dose and gained back 15lbs. I’m now very comfortable with my weight, I do yoga, physical therapy, and walk several times a week. I continue to take 1/2 dose a few times a week to help take my food cravings away–it still works for me. The only side effect is dry mouth. I also take 1/2 dose of a water pill. Sometimes I get headaches–Tylenol helps. I’m entering my 3rd year on this regimen and under a doctors care. It has helped me maintain my current weight and gives me energy to exercise. The combination has done wonders for my back pain….I’m thinner, fitter and can deal with the minor side effects….am I addicted? maybe, but the pros outweigh the cons.
I have been taking this drug for the last 4-5 years off and on for periods of time shorter than 3-4 months at a time. I want to take it again to jump start my weight loss once again. Am I at a great health risk?
Hi Simone,
Thanks for your message. Taking it now and again over a longer period of time certainly has fewer health risks than taking it continuously, but it’s not ideal to need to rely on phentermine to jump start cycles of weight loss before you then put it on again. It would be better to establish a routine of healthy eating and exercise which you could maintain over time and then not yo-yo between weights. I would speak to a dietitian or your doctor to see if there is a program they would recommend so that you don’t have to keep taking phentermine.
Sally, phentermine.com
I’m 34 been taking phentermine for 4 years I try to stop from time to time but I start over eating and go back right away. I been buying it in Mexico so no doctor has ever prescribe it to me. I do annual biometrics check ups and I come out normal none of my family members know I take phentermine. Don’t know how to stop and find a better way to lose weight. HELLLPPPPPP
Hi Breloza,
We would really recommend that you speak to a doctor as it sounds like you need to be referred to a counselor or psychologist for overeating and for your potential addiction to phentermine. If that seems like too big a step, please just speak to someone you trust to be helpful, objective and non-judgmental to help persuade you to see someone or to support you during this time. Best of luck.
Sally, phentermine.com
Do you mind me asking how do u go about getting them in Mexico? Is it a site you buy from?
I’ve been taking phentermine for three years now and it’s lost its effectiveness .. I needed to lose 15 lbs and I achieved that but every time I try to quit taking them I feel so sluggish and the weight starts to come back on .. the sluggish part is unbearable cause I can’t concentrate on my job . I HAVE to go back and get some more which I believe I’m addicted. Even though it’s lost the effect to lose weight it still helps a little with the energy.. And that’s not as good as it once was. I just can’t bring myself to quit. I thought of taking a second dose but that would only make things worse.
Hi Cori,
It really does sound like you are addicted to phentermine. You need to talk to your doctor about getting help and weening yourself off the medication slowly, or perhaps there is something that you can take to help you with this process. Please speak to someone about this, it’s not normal to need to rely on a weight loss medication to concentrate on work, you may have an undiagnosed condition which your doctor can help you with.
Sally, phentermine.com
I took phentermine for about 5 months. I had extreme dry mouth and notices that I had developed a nervous habit of constantly moving my lips and tongue. I am becoming very aware of doing this weird constant movement with tongue and mouth and becoming very self conscious. I have been off for three months now and was wondering how long this tick / nervous habit will continue.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for getting in touch. We haven’t heard of anyone developing this kind of habit. Do you do it now when you are thirsty or have a dry mouth, or is it more random? The best way to try and stop doing it would be to get people close to you such as friends and family to tell you when you’re doing it if you’re not always aware of it, then you should gradually do it less and less.
Hope that helps!
Sally, phentermine.com
I know this is an old post put I too have this issue with my lips
I am constantly grinding my teeth or some type of mouth movement as well. Chewing gum helps.
I’ve only been taking it for 2 days and already my tongue is sore from rubbing the inside of my teeth. I remember doing this last time I took these as well.balso when I lay down to sleep at night my leg muscles are so achy it’s almost impossible to fall asleep.
I initially took phentermine for a kick start to my weight loss but found that it helped my ADHD symptoms and I’ve been on and off it for approx. 5 years. I have tried close to 20 other medications over the years for my ADHD but phentermine is the only thing that works for me. (Note: as was stated in the article, the appetite suppression is no longer there.)
Going through peri menopause now it helps with my brain fogginess and depression.
I have been searching and searching for people that feel the same as me. I was on it off and on (prescribed by the Dr on off) and lost 50lbs…my life was amazing on it. BEST antidepressant ever. I wanted to do things socially i never had before…i felt confident and happy…no anxieties…i could breathe better…like it opened my nose to smells…my body didn’t ache to move…I WANTED to move and stretch like a new born baby giraffe. I can only explain my love for my new best friend as THANK GOD i finally all my life feel comfortable in my own body…and i was wanting to finally live!!!!…..then i got off them ?…..now there’s fogginess…EXTREMELY DEPRESSED….like cry all the time and don’t want to get out of bed for ANYTHING. I’m 42…maybe premenopausal….history of depression in the family…I’m talking to a new Dr now and hoping to find me again. But my research so far….why not give me this… Adipex was helping me with pain in my joints…no more feelings of self esteem that i hated feeling everyone that looked at me judged me..there’s SOOOOO many medications that have worse side effects…i need more studies done of the WAY more benefits then just energy and weight loss…I’m happy i did lose the weight….but i was more happy with the confidence and anxiety loss i felt
I feel the same way. I have been on and off for almost a year, so the appetite suppressant still works, but I often have to stop taking them for a few days and start agsin to have it kick back in. Anyhow, I love all the other benefits I seem to have. It has helped with my ADHD and my confidence. I worry about every bad effect it can have, but not enough to stop yet.
Are the phentermine capsules safer? Does anyone know? I’ve been on the tablet off and on I use to loose weight to bring my A1C down so I won’t get diabetes, I am borderline. Phentermine helps me in that way
I have been taking phentermine for about 3 mths. And like you i find that it helps my depression also i havr osteoarthritis and I dont hurt when i take it. My narcolepsy completely disapers and I no longer have to take meds for fibromyalgia or neuropathy. That to me makes it very worth it as phentermine is the only thing that I’ve found that actually helps
I have used phentermine on and off for 15 years, managing my own dosage. My dosage is very high at this point and believe its seriously effecting my health. I have been able to deal with the side effects until recently. I’m experiencing many new issues, ranging from foggy head to sore muscles to skin rash to vision issues, etc. I worry I have permanent damage. I’ve known for awhile I exhibit signs of addiction, I have never been able to stop taking them for good. I think its alarming.
Hi RLB,
Thanks for sharing. Your story shows the dangers of taking short-term drugs for long periods – we urge you to see your doctor about this immediately; risking your health for phentermine isn’t worth it. Please at least confide in someone you trust to help you through this to find a way out.
Good luck,
Sally
I completely empathize with you!! Its so crazy how these pills have a hold and makes matters worse that these doctors who name is on the bottle may see you once for 2 minutes and never again. I will have you in my prayers as I am in the same boat almost 18 years later.
Did you, were you able to stop?
I’ve been taken phentermine for 17 months now. I have acid reflux and have had it for yrs. I take 30mg of Prevacid twice a day. My stomach is getting real bad to the point I’m afraid that anything I eat or drink will upset it. Just a thought if this could be contributing to the problem? I am also a diabetic. That has gotten better though.
Thx Kim
Can phen be broken up to take every other or 3rd day? I’m loosing almost 20# in the 15 weeks on it. I’m already not taking it on the weekends, since starting this last go around, I’ve used it 20 months ago and lost 30# in the 12-13 weeks, but was taking it every day, back then. Main reason to take it now, was hernia surgery and no way to really exercise.
Hey Bridez, it’s best to ask your doctor about taking it less often than prescribed. It could certainly help to wean you off it if you’re about to come to the end of your prescription but I would just check to make sure.
Sally, phentermine.com
I’ve been on phentermine 4 months and have lost 50lbs. I initially got on it to lose weight for my wedding in May of 2015. I had a baby in Nov of 2014 so I had a lot of weight to lose. I was 275lb. I’m a 31 yr old stay at home mom w 3 kids and lost the hope of ever being thin again. I ate out of boredom…ALL the time. My fav thing to do was get as stuffed as possible on the most junky crap I could find then take a nap! I felt hopeless. Phentermine jump started me like nothing else. The first 2 wks I was NEVER hungry, the thought of my fav foods lost all appeal!! I had to make myself eat only cause I would begin feeling dizzy from not eating at all. Even then I could only eat a few bites. After the 1st two wks I began getting that hungry feeling about once a day. No cravings for junk though. I actually wanted salads & baked chicken! I don’t know (or care) whether it was the rx or my will power I WANTED to eat differently. After the first 25 lbs I began working out & the rest just fell off! Great tool to kick start ya, but I will say after 4 months the effects are much less. If I hadn’t changed my entire lifestyle w working out & eating healthy I would’ve already began gaining weight. I mostly take it now because I’m scared I’ll gain it all back if I stop.
using this medication has changed my life, its the best energy boosting apetite supressant ever. Thers a dependecy problem. I uped the dose to feel the effect and it no longer works. I took it 9 years but quitted cold turkey for my 2 pregnancies.
Its soo hard to stop … Im concerned i was having heart aches but i dont wanna get an addiction to my medical file so i havnt told my doctor. I buy phentermine from a private practitioner who sells them by the week supply. (Shady)
I searched for a post like yours! I’ve been taking this “medication” for several years (off & on). If you don’t mind me asking, how are your babies doing? Any birth defects or difficulties? How were you off the diet pill before getting/trying to get pregnant?
Where do you buy them if you don’t mind me asking?
Med clinics
Med Clinics. Where I live they have Doctors in the office, and they make sure you are able to take it. They don’t want anyone with high blood pressure to take this.
I have been on 37.5 Phentermine off and on for several years. The main reason I take it is to keep me awake. I am constantly falling asleep. I have sleep aphea and use my machine every night but still hasn’t helped a lot. I have been tested 3 times and not too long ago they raised my pressure on my machine but still hasn’t helped much. The Phentermine gave me just enough energy to get things done that I need to do most of the time and I have never abused it. It hasn’t helped me a lot to lose the weight but it helps me not to overeat. When not on it. I eat everything not tied down. Yes I guess you can say I’m addicted to it but I do not abuse it. My blood pressure is fine even though I’m on blood pressure med but have been on the same dosage for several years. My Dr just took me off of it so got to find some more somehow. Can’t function without it. Don’t care what it may be doing to my body but I feel it’s worse without it because I have no energy to do anything. I work a part time job where I am on my feet sometimes 10 hrs a day so I need the extra boost. I think the more energy you have to do things the better off you are than just sitting around and sleeping all day which is what I have been doing
Same I can totally relate…I was given all manner of meds a few years ago by a consultant physician ( expensive specialist) fornFibromyalgia and ptsd ( I was shot). Only Duromine has helped and I was put on it due to massive 60 kg weight gain. Now 7 months later and 31kg lighter, my life is great and getting better..l29kg to go. Sleeping, well energy to burn and happy.
I’VE LOST LIKE 75 POUNDS WHILE WORKING OUT ALONG WITH PHENTERMINE.INITIALLY I LOST WEIGHT”5 MONTHS” THEN STABILIZED WHILE STILL EXERCISING AND TAKING PHENTERMINE “FIVE YEARS”. MY BLOOD PRESSURE WAS ALWAYS GREAT.WHEN I QUIT TAKING IT,I ALSO SLOWED WAY DOWN ON THE WORKOUTS AND GAINED THE WEIGHT BACK ALONG WITH ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE FROM GAINING WEIGHT. MY POINT IS I MAINTAINED A HEALTHY WEIGHT, EXERCISED AND KEPT HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE WHILE ON PHENTERMINE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT.IT IS LIKE TAKING “A.D.H.D. MEDICINE” EXCEPT FOR WEIGHT AND EXERCISE. PEOPLE WITH A.D.H.D. DON’T HAVE TO STOP THIER MEDICINE. PEOPLE MAINTAINING HE
ALTHY WEIGHT “SHOULD NOT” HAVE TO STOP THIS MEDICINE EITHER. BEING FAT IS JUST AS BAD AS ANY A.D.H.D. AND IT SHOULD BE PRETTY EASY FOR THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO SEE THIS AS A “MAINTENANCE MEDICATION”.IT MAKES ME WONDER WHY AND IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A SHAME.MAYBE THERE WAS A VALAD CONCERN IN THE 70’S BUT I’M HERE TO SAY IT’S SAFE AND EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT AND LIFESTYLE.
I agree