by Monica K

Created on: July 18, 2007

Phentermine, often used as an appetite suppressant, is a stimulant in the amphetamine family which can have addictive effects. The drug has sparked some controversy, as Phentermine is the "Phen" component of the drug Fen-phen, which was once the subject of many liability lawsuits due to a multitude of reports of valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension experienced mostly in women who had used the drug. As a result, the "Fen" component, Fenfluramine, has been completely removed from the market. However, Phentermine remains available to be used in certain circumstances of obesity. I am not here to argue whether or not Phentermine should or should not be used, as it certainly does have both its pro's and con's. However, I am here to share my experience with Phentermine and the effects that it may have on potential users.

I began using Phentermine in July, 2006, while at 230 pounds, I found much difficulty in manipulating the scales to reflect a loss of weight, but continued to succeed in gaining. I had attempted various diets, including Atkins, Grapefruit, Mayo-Clinic, South Beach, Cabbage.you name it, regardless of how unappealing it might have been, I tried it! At the time I began taking Phentermine, I had been visiting my local gym several nights per week and spent at least an hour walking or jogging on a daily basis. However, it seemed that metabolism had escaped my body when I had my twin daughters in 2004, and I just wasn't exerting enough energy to lose much, if any, weight. Many of my co-workers had jumped on the gastric bypass bandwagon with very successful results. Although extremely desperate to lose weight, the risks of gastric bypass surgery just weren't worth taking as far as I was concerned. However, I was willing to take some risk. Increasing my knowledge and being aware of my own body's reactions were important in minimizing the risk, which is the first thing that I caution all potential users of Phentermine to consider.

There are many side-effects that can accompany Phentermine. Many of the side effects are common to other ailments however, and could be indicators of more serious health conditions. Therefore, it is very important to know your body, and practice continuous awareness of the changes occurring in your body as you take this medication and as you lose weight. Also, if you have battled with any type of addiction in your life, I encourage you to reconsider, as this medication can be addictive and continued or long term use could

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