My doctor just put me on Phentermine, what do you think of this?

In article .com,
wrote:

Chronic severe depression is serious enough to warrant medical
maintenance in the same way that losing your legs is serious enough to
warrant medical maintenance...just one is more obviously mechanical
than the other.

May I chime in... I lurk because I haven't yet made a real commitment to
weight loss, although have begun exercise and eating reasonably (just
not low enough calories to be losing). And I do much appreciate the
inspiration of those who do post.

If the OP was taking Wellbutrin to curb cravings (as it is often
prescribed) then I agree that it might have little to do with weight
loss. But she also describes significant clinical depression. Speaking
both personally and professionally, it sounds like she absolutely needs
medication for depression. Vegetative, negative spinning, absolutely
down-ass kill-yourself depression. If one hasn't experienced this, be
grateful. If you had, you'd never suggest that someone should toss away
"pills" because they are a crutch or some such.

Thank you for listening.

Ilene B

Ilene Bilenky wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

Chronic severe depression is serious enough to warrant medical
maintenance in the same way that losing your legs is serious enough
to
warrant medical maintenance...just one is more obviously mechanical
than the other.

May I chime in... I lurk because I haven't yet made a real commitment
to
weight loss, although have begun exercise and eating reasonably (just

not low enough calories to be losing). And I do much appreciate the
inspiration of those who do post.

My wife's success in that so far is an inspiration to me to work harder
at my own brand of troubles.

If the OP was taking Wellbutrin to curb cravings (as it is often
prescribed) then I agree that it might have little to do with weight
loss. But she also describes significant clinical depression.
Speaking
both personally and professionally, it sounds like she absolutely
needs
medication for depression. Vegetative, negative spinning, absolutely
down-ass kill-yourself depression. If one hasn't experienced this, be

grateful. If you had, you'd never suggest that someone should toss
away
"pills" because they are a crutch or some such.

Absolutely. I have been on wellbutrin for 7 years because of clinical
depression. At one time, I drew disability because of depression, but
*that* was even more demeaning and I worked back into the tax paying
side of things. Medical maintenance of depression is definately nothing
to dismiss as casually as Joni did, nor are the benefits of other
medical treatments.


Thank you for listening.

Thanks for your comment.

Best Regards,
mark evins

Ilene B

Absolutely. I have been on wellbutrin for 7 years because of clinical
depression. At one time, I drew disability because of depression, but
*that* was even more demeaning and I worked back into the tax paying
side of things. Medical maintenance of depression is definately nothing
to dismiss as casually as Joni did, nor are the benefits of other
medical treatments.

You guys are absolutely right on this one, however, like I pointed out on
another reply to the OP, posting a question to an open Usenet group is like
asking around in the park, you may get some good answers but there's always
people who think they know everything & want to go as far as to offer
medical advice to a total stranger on the basis of a bit of text typed on a
message, something even a qualified MD couldn't do. The OP can't really
expect every answer to come from s/one who is well informed & has common
sense, she has to exercise judgement & ignore those replies that are clearly
out of line rather than getting upset or taking it personal.

In article ,
"Polar Light" wrote:

The OP can't really
expect every answer to come from s/one who is well informed & has common
sense, she has to exercise judgement & ignore those replies that are clearly
out of line rather than getting upset or taking it personal.

Yes. However, she seemed to be a new poster and seemed also to have a
lot of cognitive skewing due to depression, so I think it's not a great
time for her to be in a free-fire zone of response. The negative
comments about medications might only play into her already skewed
thoughts.

Yes, you're right about an open forum.

Ilene B

I ALSO take a med for clinical depression and I have ms. MS won't go
away but I NEED help to deal. So I HOPE that NO ONE will toss the meds
away!!! We are each one differant !!! BE CAREFUL !!! TRY ASKING THE DOC
NOT people 'IN THE PARK" !!!!
( OR HERE
glo

I ask my doctor lots of questions. I even do research on the net about
every single medication I take. However, hearing from actual people
that have used medications and have life experiences are far more
realistic to me then a text book answer. The 2 things I wanted to know
from anyone with experience was....... have you taken phentermine?
what did you think of it? (I had never heard of this medication before
my doc gave it to me and quit frankly, the description on the internet
about the drug was a tad bit alarming, so I was hoping there was some
average joes out there that actually used the meds that could spill the
beans) and my other question was about weight loss. I wanted to know
or hear from someone that had succeeded in losing a significant amount
of weight (not with surgery) AND kept it off. Losing the weight is one
thing but keeping it off, now that is another thing entirely! And the
thing I have failed at time and time again. Because I have failed so
many times I am afraid to fail again. Each failure meant after losing
a significant amount of weight, I would not only gain that weight back
but I would gain more than what I had lost in the first place.....
slowly creeping up to a dangerous weight. So, if I fail again where
will I be? Dead probably. I was seeking encouragement and hoped I
could find inspiration.

You know, the other day when I posted I was having a really really bad
few days. I am usually not that emotional (well, on my meds anyway,
off them is a different story). I feel tons better now.

In article .com,
"wsherry72" wrote:

The 2 things I wanted to know
from anyone with experience was....... have you taken phentermine?
what did you think of it?

I took it briefly when it first came out, although I had seen something
on TV ("60 Minutes?") about how it can cause a rare form of pulmonary
hypertension, leading to death, and some heart valve damage. I took it
for about four weeks. For a couple of days, it stopped my appetite and
cravings. I thought, "This must be how it is to be normal about food." I
only ate when I was hungry and didn't eat much and didn't want tons of
bad stuff. It felt wonderful. Then the effect ended, so I stopped taking
it after a few weeks. I was taking the Phen/fen combination. I think
it's fentermine with the Phentermine or something. I forget.

However, the potential for lethal side effects is very real. I don't
think it's worth the chance, unless there's been some change in that
possibility.

Ilene B

"wsherry72" wrote in message
oups.com...
I ask my doctor lots of questions. I even do research on the net about
every single medication I take. However, hearing from actual people
that have used medications and have life experiences are far more
realistic to me then a text book answer. The 2 things I wanted to know
from anyone with experience was....... have you taken phentermine?
what did you think of it? (I had never heard of this medication before
my doc gave it to me and quit frankly, the description on the internet
about the drug was a tad bit alarming, so I was hoping there was some
average joes out there that actually used the meds that could spill the
beans) and my other question was about weight loss. I wanted to know
or hear from someone that had succeeded in losing a significant amount
of weight (not with surgery) AND kept it off. Losing the weight is one
thing but keeping it off, now that is another thing entirely! And the
thing I have failed at time and time again. Because I have failed so
many times I am afraid to fail again. Each failure meant after losing
a significant amount of weight, I would not only gain that weight back
but I would gain more than what I had lost in the first place.....
slowly creeping up to a dangerous weight. So, if I fail again where
will I be? Dead probably. I was seeking encouragement and hoped I
could find inspiration.

You know, the other day when I posted I was having a really really bad
few days. I am usually not that emotional (well, on my meds anyway,
off them is a different story). I feel tons better now.

In addition to the advice you've received I highly recommend reading Thin
for Life. The author interviewed two hundred people who have lost weight
and kept it off and has summarized the things that were common among the
successful people. It's very motivating and has some great information in
it. It might help you find both the inspiration and encouragement you seek.

--
the volleyballchick

"Nunya B." wrote in message
nk.net...

"wsherry72" wrote in message
oups.com...
I ask my doctor lots of questions. I even do research on the net about
every single medication I take. However, hearing from actual people
that have used medications and have life experiences are far more
realistic to me then a text book answer. The 2 things I wanted to know
from anyone with experience was....... have you taken phentermine?
what did you think of it? (I had never heard of this medication before
my doc gave it to me and quit frankly, the description on the internet
about the drug was a tad bit alarming, so I was hoping there was some
average joes out there that actually used the meds that could spill the
beans) and my other question was about weight loss. I wanted to know
or hear from someone that had succeeded in losing a significant amount
of weight (not with surgery) AND kept it off. Losing the weight is one
thing but keeping it off, now that is another thing entirely! And the
thing I have failed at time and time again. Because I have failed so
many times I am afraid to fail again. Each failure meant after losing
a significant amount of weight, I would not only gain that weight back
but I would gain more than what I had lost in the first place.....
slowly creeping up to a dangerous weight. So, if I fail again where
will I be? Dead probably. I was seeking encouragement and hoped I
could find inspiration.

You know, the other day when I posted I was having a really really bad
few days. I am usually not that emotional (well, on my meds anyway,
off them is a different story). I feel tons better now.

In addition to the advice you've received I highly recommend reading Thin
for Life. The author interviewed two hundred people who have lost weight
and kept it off and has summarized the things that were common among the
successful people. It's very motivating and has some great information in
it. It might help you find both the inspiration and encouragement you
seek.

--
the volleyballchick

We should get back to discussing this book. I haven't finished it yet but I
have managed to read another couple chapters.

Beverly

I took phentermine for a while...be careful, it's the equavalent of
speed. Highly addictive!