Appetite Suppressants

PHENTERMINE VISIT:

Phentermine is a medication classified as an “anoretic” medication, meaning it helps you lose weight, and has been an FDA approved medication since 1959.  Simply stated, phentermine stimulates the brain to increase activity of the sympathetic nervous system.  In doing so, appetite is suppressed and cravings are decreased, while metabolism is increased. The medication lasts about 10-12 hours in most patients and is usually taken in the morning. Phentermine is only approved for short-term use and has a risk for increased tolerance (having to take more of the medication to get the same effect), abuse and dependence. It is classified by the DEA as a controlled substance and can only be obtained with a prescription from a doctor. This is only one out many of the appetite suppressants available at Indian Lake Medical.

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SIDE EFFECTS:

Side effects related to phentermine include insomnia or trouble sleeping, feeling jittery or anxious, dry mouth, dizziness and headache.  If you have high blood pressure or other cardiovascular condition this medication can cause it to worsen. 

SR COMBO VISIT:

We also offer SR COMBO as a combination of phentermine and topiramate / topamax and many of their patients have been successful using this combo medication. The quick-release phentermine in SR COMBO starts working immediately, and is thought to reduce your appetite, while the topiramate, often dosed in the afternoon works throughout the day to help you feel full and additionally help with night time eating. It may also alter the taste of certain foods, helping to reduce the pleasure of eating and potentially reducing cravings for sweet or salty foods.

 

 

CONTRAVE® VISIT:

Contrave, combines two generic drugs, naltrexone and bupropion.
Naltrexone is used to help kick an addiction to alcohol or narcotics. Bupropion® is used to treat depression and seasonal affective disorder. Many people also take bupropion to stop smoking. Neither naltrexone nor bupropion by itself has been approved for weight loss.

When used as directed in combination with a healthy lifestyle that includes a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, Contrave® provides another treatment option for chronic weight management.  Specifically, Contrave® was approved for use by adults who are obese (meaning a body-mass index of 30 or higher) and by overweight adults (body-mass index between 27 and 30) who have at least one other weight-related condition or illness, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.

 

(Don’t know your body-mass index? Calculate it using Harvard Health Publications BMI calculator.)

DOES CONTRAVE® WORK?

The FDA approved Contrave® based on the results of several clinical trials that included 4,500 overweight and obese men and women. Some had significant weight-related conditions, others didn’t. All were treated for one year.

 

In one trial of people without diabetes, 42% of those who took Contrave® lost at least 5% of their body weight, compared with 17% of those who took a placebo. In a trial of people with diabetes, 36% of those taking Contrave lost at least 5% of their body weight, compared with 18 % of those taking a placebo.

Across the studies, some people lost much more than 5% of their body weight. But it’s important to note that more than 50% had minimal or no weight loss.

If Contrave does not work after 12 weeks, the FDA says its use should be stopped.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Why should the combination of a drug for addiction and one for depression help with weight loss? It’s likely that the drugs act on impulse, reward, and/or hunger centers in the brain to decrease appetite and dampen the reflex to seek food for comfort.

DOWNSIDES TO CONTRAVE®:

Like any drug, Contrave® can cause unwanted side effects. These include:

Since the use of bupropion has been linked to the onset of suicidal thoughts, Contrave® will carry the same black-box warning about this that bupropion does. Naltrexone® use has been linked to seizures.

Given the side effects and warnings, Contrave® shouldn’t be taken by anyone with:

• a seizure disorder
• uncontrolled high blood pressure
• an eating disorder
• a narcotic addiction or who is taking medication to treat one.

You can check further about appetite suppressants at Indian Lake Medical Weight Loss.