Phentermine Side Effects

Weight loss medications have had a tarnished history of side effects ranging from mild to fatal, all of which have prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be on its toes with these drugs as well as to keep a close watch over its milder over-the-counter cousins, marketed as weight loss supplements.

Phentermine was F.D.A-approved in 1959 as a short-term treatment for obesity. Phentermine works by increasing the length of time of satiation or the feeling of fullness. Patients on the drug feel fuller longer and therefore eat less.

Because Phentermine is closely related to amphetamines, it is habit-forming and does have its cabal of side effects. This is not an over-the-counter supplement but a prescription formula that needs a doctor’s approval and close watch.

Minor Side Effects:

These are the common side effects associated with Phentermine. You may or may not encounter any one of these; but if you do, and any of these symptoms are chronic and particularly bothersome, check with your doctor:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Insomnia
• Dizziness
  
• Dry mouth
• Bad taste in mouth
• Euphoric sense or the feeling of being “high”
• Impotence
• Nervousness
  
• Anxiousness<
• Restlessness
• Headache
  

Serious Adverse Effects:

These symptoms more or less constitute an emergency and require immediate medical attention:

• Allergic reactions such as:
• Hives or rashes, whether itchy or not
• Swelling of the face, tongue, lips or mouth
• Difficulty breathing
• Feeling of tightness or heaviness in the chest
• Chest pain
• Fainting
• Strange behavior
• Rapid palpitation
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of legs and feet
• Tremors
  

The lists are not complete but these symptoms are the most commonly reported. In any case, any drug is a health risk. Observation is always key when taking any new drug.

You must consider your doctor a partner in your weight loss program. Don’t hesitate to let him know if you experience changes when you decide to try Phentermine.