Phentermine for Weight Loss
What to Expect
While phentermine is the most commonly prescribed appetite suppressant, it’s also the most likely to have potential side effects. When using phentermine, most people say they feel less hungry and more energetic and alert. Others have reported symptoms like insomnia, jitteriness, an increase in blood pressure, or a quickened heart rate. It’s important to use phentermine and other appetite suppressants only under the supervision of a medical professional.
Of course, everyone wants to know how much weight they can expect to lose with phentermine. Depending on your lifestyle and the changes you make once you start, it’s possible to lose several pounds the first week as your body sheds water weight. That being said, the recommended weekly rate of weight loss is one to two pounds. Losing weight slowly and steadily ensures your body is losing fat and not muscle.
If you take phentermine as prescribed, which is in the early morning, the drug should offer appetite suppression for the entire day and wear off towards bedtime.
Common & Rare Side Effects
Applies to phentermine: oral capsule, oral tablet
Along with its needed effects, phentermine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking phentermine:
Rare
- Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- Severe mental changes
Incidence not known
- Chest pain
- Decreased ability to exercise
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
- Headache
- Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
- Swelling of the feet or lower legs
- Trembling or shaking of the legs, arms, hands, or feet
- Trouble breathing
- Trouble with thinking, speaking, or walking
- Weakness
Side effects not requiring immediate medical attention
Some side effects of phentermine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Incidence not known
- Decreased interest in sexual intercourse
- Difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
- Dry mouth
- False or unusual sense of well-being
- Hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
- Inability to have or keep an erection
- Increased in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
- Increased interest in sexual intercourse
- Loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
- Redness of the skin
- Unpleasant taste
