Appetite Suppressant FAQ

The medical weight loss is intended for people who have had a hard time losing weight by only diet and exercise. It is also for people who have certain health issues that affect their weight. It is based on your body mass. Before you are prescribed to the medication, the health professional will go over all side effects and if your on other medication, they will go over any interaction if any.

Some medications that can interact with Appetite Suppressants include but are not limited to certain, anti-psychotics, anti-depressants and amphetamines.  Please check with your physician to make sure any medications you are taking do not interact.

Do not use phentermine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.

You should not take phentermine if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• a history of heart disease (coronary artery disease, heart rhythm problems, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension)
• severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure
• overactive thyroid
• glaucoma
• if you are pregnant or breast-feeding
• if you are in an agitated state
• if you have a history of drug or alcohol abuse; or
• if you are allergic to other diet pills, amphetamines, stimulants, or cold medications

Taking phentermine together with other diet medications such as fenfluramine (Phen-Fen) or dexfenfluramine (Redux) can cause a rare fatal lung disorder called pulmonary hypertension. Do not take phentermine with any other diet medications without your doctor’s advice.

To make sure you phentermine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• kidney disease; or
• a thyroid disorder

FDA pregnancy category X. Weight loss during pregnancy can harm an unborn baby, even if you are overweight. Do not use phentermine if you are pregnant.

Phentermine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while taking phentermine.

Do not give this medication to a child younger than 16 years old.

Phentermine may be habit forming. Never share phentermine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion
• chest pain, feeling like you might pass out
• swelling in your ankles or feet
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest
• confusion or irritability, unusual thoughts or behavior
• feelings of extreme happiness or sadness; or
• dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure)

Common side effects may include:

• feeling restless or hyperactive
• headache, dizziness, tremors
• sleep problems (insomnia)
• dry mouth or an unpleasant taste in your mouth
• diarrhea or constipation, upset stomach; or
• increased or decreased interest in sex, impotence

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

ADIPEX-P^® ( Phentermine Hcl ) is a prescription medication that is an appetite suppressant and can be used to treat obesity for a short period of time, as an adjunct to exercise, behavior modification, and a low-calorie diet.

Qsymia can cause serious side effects, including:

• Birth defects (cleft lip/cleft palate). If you take Qsymia during pregnancy, your baby has a higher risk for birth defects called cleft lip and cleft palate. These defects can begin early in pregnancy, even before you know you are pregnantWomen who are pregnant must not take Qsymia.Women who can become pregnant should:
  • Have a negative pregnancy test before taking Qsymia and every month while taking Qsymia
  • Use effective birth control (contraception) consistently while taking Qsymia. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to prevent pregnancy

  If you become pregnant while taking Qsymia, stop taking Qsymia immediately, and tell your healthcare provider right away. Healthcare providers and patients should report all cases of pregnancy to:

  • FDA MedWatch at 1-800-FDA-1088, and
  • The Qsymia Pregnancy Surveillance Program at 1-888-998-4887
• Increases in heart rate. Qsymia can increase your heart rate at rest. Your healthcare provider should check your heart rate while you take Qsymia. Tell your healthcare provider if you experience, while at rest, a racing or pounding feeling in your chest lasting several minutes when taking Qsymia
• Suicidal thoughts or actions. Topiramate, an ingredient in Qsymia, may cause you to have suicidal thoughts or actionsCall your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:
  • Thoughts about suicide or dying
  • Attempts to commit suicide
  • New or worse depression
  • New or worse anxiety
  • Feeling agitated or restless
  • Panic attacks
  • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
  • New or worse irritability
  • Acting aggressive, being angry, or violent
  • Acting on dangerous impulses
  • An extreme increase in activity and talking (mania)
  • Other unusual changes in behavior or mood
• Serious eye problems which include:
  • Any sudden decrease in vision, with or without eye pain and redness
  • A blockage of fluid in the eye causing increased pressure in the eye (secondary angle closure glaucoma)

  These problems can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new eye symptoms

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

• Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• Have had a heart attack or stroke
• Have or have had an abnormal heart rhythm
• Have or have had depression, mood problems, or suicidal thoughts or behavior
• Have eye problems, especially glaucoma
• Have a history of metabolic acidosis (too much acid in the blood) or a condition that puts you at higher risk for metabolic acidosis such as
  • Chronic diarrhea, surgery, a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates (ketogenic diet), weak, brittle, or soft bones (osteomalacia, osteoporosis, osteopenia), or decreased bone density
• Have kidney problems, have kidney stones, or are getting
  kidney dialysis
• Have liver problems
• Have seizures or convulsions (epilepsy)
• Are breastfeeding. It is not known if Qsymia passes into your breastmilk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Qsymia or breastfeed. You should not do both

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Qsymia taken with other medicines may affect how each medicine works and may cause side effects.

Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• Birth control pills. Tell your healthcare provider if your menstrual bleeding changes while you are taking birth control pills and Qsymia
• Water pills (diuretics) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ)
• Any medicines that impair or decrease your thinking, concentration, or muscle coordination
• Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors [such as ZONEGRAM^® (zonisamide), DIAMOX^® (acetazolamide) or
  NEPTAZANE^® (methazolamide)]
• Seizure medicines such as Valproic acid (DEPAKENE^®
  or DEPAKOTE^®)

Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of these medicines, if you are not sure.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine. Do not start a new medicine without talking to your healthcare provider.

• See “What is the most important information I should know about Qsymia?”
• Mood changes and trouble sleeping. Qsymia may cause depression or mood problems, and trouble sleeping. Tell your healthcare provider if symptoms occur
• Concentration, memory, and speech difficulties. Qsymia may affect how you think and cause confusion, problems with concentration, attention, memory or speech. Tell your healthcare provider if symptoms occur
• Increases of acid in bloodstream (metabolic acidosis). If left untreated, metabolic acidosis can cause brittle or soft bones (osteoporosis, osteomalacia, osteopenia), kidney stones, can slow the rate of growth in children, and may possibly harm your baby if you are pregnant. Metabolic acidosis can happen with or without symptoms. Sometimes people with metabolic acidosis will:
  • Feel tired
  • Not feel hungry (loss of appetite)
  • Feel changes in heartbeat
  • Have trouble thinking clearly

  Your healthcare provider should do a blood test to measure the level of acid in your blood before and during your treatment with Qsymia.

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Weight loss can cause low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (such as insulin or sulfonylureas). You should check your blood sugar before you start taking Qsymia and while you take Qsymia
• Possible seizures if you stop taking Qsymia too fast. Seizures may happen in people who may or may not have had seizures in the past if you stop Qsymia too fast. Your healthcare provider will tell you how to stop taking Qsymia slowly
• Kidney stones. Drink plenty of fluids when taking Qsymia to help decrease your chances of getting kidney stones. If you get severe side or back pain, and/or blood in your urine, call your healthcare provider
• Decreased sweating and increased body temperature (fever). People should be watched for signs of decreased sweating and fever, especially in hot temperatures. Some people may need to be hospitalized for this condition

Common side effects of Qsymia include:

• Numbness or tingling in the hands, arms, feet, or face (paraesthesia)
• Dizziness
• Change in the way foods taste or loss of taste (dysgeusia)
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Constipation
• Dry mouth

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

These are not all of the possible side effects of Qsymia. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to VIVUS at 1-888-998-4887 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Store Qsymia at room temperature 59°F to 77°F
  (15°C to 25°C)

Keep Qsymia and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use Qsymia for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Qsymia to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.

The Medication Guide summarizes important information about Qsymia. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider for information about Qsymia that is written for healthcare professionals.

For more information, go to www.QsymiaREMS.com or call
1-888-998-4887.

Active ingredients: phentermine hydrochloride and topiramate extended-release.

Inactive ingredients: methylcellulose, sucrose, starch, microcrystalline cellulose, ethyl cellulose, povidone, gelatin, talc, titanium dioxide, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #3, FD&C Yellow #5 and #6, and pharmaceutical black and white inks.

Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. Do not use BELVIQ® for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give BELVIQ® to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.

This Patient Information leaflet summarizes the most important information about BELVIQ®. If you would like more information, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about BELVIQ® that is written for health professionals.

For more information, go to www.BELVIQ.com Website or call 1-888-274-2378.

Do not take BELVIQ® if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, as weight loss offers no potential benefit during pregnancy and BELVIQ® may harm your unborn baby. BELVIQ® should not be taken while breastfeeding.

Before you take BELVIQ®, tell your doctor if you:

• have or have had heart problems including:
  • congestive heart failure
  • heart valve problems
  • slow heart beat or heart block
• have diabetes
• have a condition such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia
• have a deformed penis, Peyronie’s disease, or ever had an erection that lasted more than 4 hours
• have kidney problems
• have liver problems
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
• are breast feeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if BELVIQ® passes into your breastmilk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take BELVIQ® or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

BELVIQ® may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how BELVIQ® works.

Especially tell your doctor if you take medicines for depression, migraines or other medical conditions such as:

• triptans, used to treat migraine headache
• medicines used to treat mood, anxiety, psychotic or thought disorders, including tricyclics, lithium, selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or antipsychotics
• cabergoline
• linezolid, an antibiotic
• tramadol
• dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter medicine used to treat the common cold or cough
• over-the-counter supplements such as tryptophan or St. John’s Wort
• medicines to treat erectile dysfunction

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of these medicines, if you are not sure.

• Take BELVIQ® exactly as your doctor tells you to take it.
• Your doctor will tell you how much BELVIQ® to take and when to take it.
  • Take 1 tablet 2 times each day.
  • Do not increase your dose of BELVIQ®.
  • BELVIQ can be taken with or without food.
• Your doctor should start you on a diet and exercise program when you start taking BELVIQ®. Stay on this program while you are taking BELVIQ®.
• Your doctor should tell you to stop taking BELVIQ® if you do not lose a certain amount of weight within the first 12 weeks of treatment.
• If you take too much BELVIQ® or overdose, call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Do not drive a car or operate heavy machinery until you know how BELVIQ® affects you. BELVIQ® can slow your thinking.

• Serotonin Syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)-like reactions.
  BELVIQ® and certain medicines for depression, migraine, the common cold, or other medical problems may affect each other causing serious or life-threatening side effects. Call your doctor right away if you start to have any of the following symptoms while taking BELVIQ®:
  • mental changes such as agitation, hallucinations, confusion, or other changes in mental status
  • coordination problems, uncontrolled muscle spasms, or muscle twitching (overactive reflexes)
  • restlessness
  • racing or fast heart beat, high or low blood pressure
  • sweating or fever
  • nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • muscle rigidity (stiff muscles)
• Valvular heart disease. Some people taking medicines like BELVIQ® have had problems with the valves in their heart. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while taking BELVIQ®:
  • trouble breathing
  • swelling of the arms, legs, ankles, or feet
  • dizziness, fatigue, or weakness that will not go away
  • fast or irregular heartbeat
• Changes in your attention or memory.
• Mental problems. Taking BELVIQ® in high doses may cause psychiatric problems such as:
  • hallucinations
  • feeling high or in a very good mood (euphoria)
  • feelings of standing next to yourself or out of your body (disassociation)
• Depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes, in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you.
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Weight loss can cause low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus who also take medicines used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (such as insulin or sulfonylureas). You should check your blood sugar before you start taking BELVIQ® and while you take BELVIQ.
• Painful erections (priapism). The medicine in BELVIQ® can cause painful erections that last more than 6 hours. If you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours whether it is painful or not, stop using BELVIQ® and call your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
• Slow heart beat. BELVIQ® may cause your heart to beat slower. Tell your doctor if you have a history of your heart beating slow or heart block.
• Decreases in your blood cell count. BELVIQ® may cause your red and white blood cell count to decrease. Your doctor may do tests to check your blood cell count while you are taking BELVIQ®.
• Increase in prolactin. The medicine in BELVIQ® may increase the amount of a certain hormone your body makes called prolactin. Tell your doctor if your breasts begin to make milk or a milky discharge or if you are a male and your breasts begin to increase in size.Most common side effects:
• • headache
  • dizziness
  • fatigue
  • nausea
  • dry mouth
  • constipation
  • cough
  • low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in patients with diabetes
  • back pain

Store BELVIQ® at room temperature between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).

Safely throw away medicine that is out of date or no longer needed.

Active Ingredient: lorcaserin hydrochloride

Inactive Ingredients: silicified microcrystalline cellulose; hydroxypropyl cellulose NF; croscarmellose sodium NF; colloidal silicon dioxide NF; polyvinyl alcohol USP; polyethylene glycol NF; titanium dioxide USP; talc USP; FD&C Blue #2 aluminum lake; and magnesium stearate NF.

CONTRAVE contains two well-known FDA-approved drugs, naltrexone and bupropion that, individually, have been on the market for over 30 years. Naltrexone is an anti-addiction medication approved to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. Bupropion is an antidepressant approved to treat depression and seasonal affective disorder and is an aid to smoking cessation treatment. (These individual drugs are not approved for weight loss and CONTRAVE is not indicated for the treatment of depression, smoking cessation, or alcohol or opioid dependence.)

The most common side effects reported with CONTRAVE include nausea, constipation, headache, vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth, and diarrhea.

In general, it is recommended you drink plenty of water when taking CONTRAVE. If you experience nausea, you may also want to eat a small amount of dry toast with CONTRAVE. If symptoms do not improve, please consult with your doctor who may also recommend an over-the-counter anti-nausea medication for you.

Saxenda^® addresses one of your body’s natural responses to weight loss.

• Your body naturally produces an appetite hormone known as glucagon-like-peptide (GLP-1) that helps to regulate your hunger
• Saxenda^® works like GLP-1 by regulating your appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight
• Saxenda^® is not a stimulant

Chronic diseases like obesity usually require long-term treatment. Your health care provider will create a plan tailored to your weight-management goals. You’ll need to visit your health care provider 4 months after you begin taking Saxenda^® to review your progress and renew your prescription. 

Saxenda^® is a once-daily, self-injectable medicine that comes in a prefilled pen. Your health care provider must teach you how to inject Saxenda^® before you use it for the first time. If you have questions or do not understand the instructions, talk to your health care provider or pharmacist. See the full Patient Instructions for Use that come with the Medication Guide for detailed information about the right way to use your Saxenda^® pen. 

Nausea is the most common side effect when first starting Saxenda^®, but decreases over time in most people as their body gets used to the medicine. If you do experience nausea, here are some things that may help:

• Eat bland, low-fat foods, like crackers, toast, and rice
• Eat foods that contain water, like soups and gelatin
• Don’t lie down after you eat
• Go outside to get some fresh air

The dosing schedule is designed to reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal symptoms. Tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Learn more about Saxenda^®, including possible side effects, in the Medication Guide.

You’ll work with your health care provider to follow a low-calorie meal plan and increase your physical activity while taking Saxenda^® for weight management.

Saxenda^® has not been evaluated in combination with other prescription weight-loss medicines or weight-loss supplements. Saxenda^® has the potential to change how other medicines are absorbed. Use caution when taking Saxenda^® with oral medicines. Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The starting dosage is 0.6 mg per day for 1 week. You should increase the dose each week until the dose of 3 mg is reached, as prescribed. The dosing schedule is designed to help minimize gastrointestinal side effects. If you start with a sample pen, you will need a prescription in order to complete the dose escalation.

Store new, unused Saxenda^® pens in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F (2°C to 8°C). After first use, store in a refrigerator or at room temperature between 59°F and 86°F (15°C to 30°C). Pens in use should be thrown away after 30 days even if they still have Saxenda^® left in them. Don’t freeze Saxenda^®. Saxenda^® that has been frozen must not be used.