This is Mrs. Jewbacca.
Not sure if this thread belongs here or in “pharma” but I picked here because this is not a steroid question.
I am OBGYN. While I am not a primary care doctor, I end up being sort of one for patients because they do an annual female check with me, and so I will deal with cholesterol, thyroid, HBP, etc.
A lot of my patients are fitness persons, I think largely because I am deeply involved in fitness (Cross Fit---- Ah!) Also a lot of moms who would fall under the “fit mom” category, often a little pissed about some baby weight.
Anyway, I have been getting pestered by women to prescribe Qsymia, which is a combination of phentermine (the “phen” from phen-fen")and topiramate (an anti-seizure drug that causes weight loss).
I’ve declined except for a special case that was actually overweight due to certain reasons that the drug would directly help with, and with her I just prescribed phentermine and topirimate because I wanted her to take the topiramate at night due to side effects. It worked, and she dropped 40lbs in six months, coupled exercise and a reasonable diet, which she already was doing. Looks like a completely different person, in a good way.
Anyway, my fit patients want this to drop the last stubborn 10lbs. As do new moms who have the usual 20lbs of baby weight.
Legally, I can prescribe this to most of them because the prescribing protocol is based off of BMI, so any reasonable level of muscle knocks them clear off the chart, so no one would bitch about the paperwork.
Medically, I really don’t have a problem with either drug, and tend to let people be grownups about this kind of thing, but am a bit leery because I have limited experience with both drugs (and phentermine is a controlled substance).
And, yes, I am asking this question of other medical professionals, but I also wanted end-users to talk about this, since I’ve found bodybuilders, in particular, to be way ahead of the curve with self-experimentation on drugs, for good and bad, so I wanted meat head advice to add to the pile.
My questions are:
- Anyone do this? Anyone know anyone who does this?
- Anyone work out HARD when on phentermine before? It’s a stimulant, albeit a weak one, and it seems a bit brave to mix the two. A fat person taking a walk on a stimulant is one thing. Doing a cross-fit routine is another.
- Just any observations you have.
I wouldn’t be asking this question, but I’ve literally had 20 patients in the last 20 days ask about it.