Prescription Diet Pills are drugs that only doctors can prescribe. These are most always reserved for those who are considered obese and as a result are having other health related issues associated with their obesity. Prescription diet pills are not to be treated lightly or as a simple method to lose a few pounds because although effective, they can have side effects and as a result must be only taken under a doctors recommendations.
If one has a body mass index (generally that of 27-30 or more) that classifies them in the obesity range and they are considering help in the fight to lose weight, they should go see their doctor and discuss the positives and potential negatives associated with such a treatment. Also it should be noted that in most cases any weight loss medication is to be taken in addition to a change in lifestyle that reveals your desire to lose weight. They are most likely never to prescribe them if the patient taking them simply wants to treat them as a “wonder pill” but not make some attempt to eat a healthy diet and get some degree of exercise.
There are few medications on the market currently that are being used as weight loss aids. In the US, there is Phentermine, also known as the trademarked name Adipex and there is Sibutramine or the trademarked name Meridia. Generally speaking, they work as appetite suppressants, a kind of tricking the body into thinking it is full thus it suppresses ones hunger. They also can increase your body’s metabolism so the rate at which you burn calories increases. A former prescription diet drug Orlistat, now more commonly known as Alli, is available over the counter at a pharmacy works in a different way. It decreases the amount of fat absorbed by your body which in essence reduces the amount of calories you absorb. There are also some potential new prescriptions in the works for weight loss which may or may not ever be passed, these are Qnexa®, Contrave®, Lorcaserin and Tesofensine to name a few of the more popular ones.
Some of the warnings or side effects that are issued with weight loss medication are that they can become habit forming thus there is an abuse potential. Talk with your doctor about possible signs of becoming addicted if you are considering this approach. Other issues such as increased blood pressure, a faster heart rate, insomnia, head ache etc can occur. Consult your health care official for a more indepth list of possible side effects and interactions that can happen.
It should also be noted that prescription diet pills can lose their effect as the weeks go by and that they are usually only prescribed in the short term of upto three months at a time. This is one of the reasons why it is important to involve a healthy diet and exercise into the mix. Losing weight is not to be thought of by simply taking a pill but rather think of any diet drugs as a supplementation to the presence of exercise and a healthy diet. The combination will ensure you have created healthy habits to keep the weight off.
