I just ran into this forum, and yours was the first posting I read. I have been taking
phentermine for approximately 9 years on and off. I'm sure your first reaction is "WHAT THE...?," and I understand, because phentermine is intended for short term use. Let me, however, tell you the some of the problems that surround that concept.
When I first started the drug, I was 19 years old. I had weighed over 200lbs in high school, and had always been an overweight child...it tends to run in my family. When I got to college (in Austin) I entered a whole new environment, and was extremely exited about my new social life. At the same time I was very tired of being told "you have such a pretty face;" in fact the words haunted me. So I discovered phentermine. A doctor from my hometown (Fort Worth) had prescribed them to a distant relative, who appeared to be dropping weight by the second. I went to him, got a prescription, and the miracle began. I went from 206 to 134 in no time flat. I LOVED it, obviously, and was no longer just the pretty face. So many areas of my life changed, it was unbelievable. But one of the things they tell you that you don't really listen to is "you must begin to modify your eating habits while on this drug...it's intended for short term use, blah, blah, blah." All I knew is that once I stopped taking it (took it initially for about 9 months), EVERYTHING changed. I was completely lethargic, and found myself sleeping through my alarm well into the day. When I finally did wake up I was so tired that I had no motivation to do either schoolwork or be social. And then came the eating...ravenous hunger then took over, and in the blink of an eye, I had put back on ten pounds. Of course I freaked out, and went straight to the doctor to get a new prescription. He was an "ethical" doctor, however, who told me that he could not continue to prescribe it to me since I had attained my
weightloss goal. So I went back to Austin, and proceeded to put back on 5 more pounds. At that point my new clothes were no longer fitting me, and I began to freak out. Sad and embarassing as it is, that's when my eating disorder started. I knew that I was unable to control how much I ate at that point, but what I could control was the fact that it could come right back out. I stabilized at about 139, and in the meantime had found another doctor (clearly not as ethical as the first), who put me back on the script.
This is YEARS later, and he still prescribes it to me. It of course doesn't have close to the same effect on me now as it did initially, but I have found that if I don't take it at all, my weight immediately skyrockets (past the 166 I'm at right now). It's clear to see why this medication is addictive, and I've lived through that cycle of addiction with phentermine for the majority of my adult life.
I realize that I've left lots of ends open on this story, but for now I have to get going. If you have any questions, feel free to ask...and good luck to you all, but please be careful, and PLEASE be aware.
MHA
08-18-2005, 03:31 AM
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