Phentermine and Topiramate in Dallas, Little Elm/Frisco, TX
Phentermine and topiramate are a combination drug of phentermine and topiramate used for weight loss. The combination of both drugs is sold under the brand name Osymia.
Phentermine and topiramate work together to facilitate weight loss by reducing your appetite for food. The drug is used in combination with healthy, low-calorie diets and exercise.
The drug is prescribed for people who are obese or overweight and may also have weight-related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease. It helps to reduce excess body weight and help maintain weight loss.
How is this medication used?
This drug should be taken orally by mouth with a glass of water once a day. The drug should be taken only in the morning. Taking the drug in the evening is not advised as it can affect your sleep. This drug can be taken with or without food. This drug should be taken whole. Do not chew or crush the drug. Follow the prescription direction of your medical provider. Also, there are directions on the prescription label that you can follow. Don’t take the drug more often than prescribed.
Who can take this drug?
This drug is recommended for adults who are obese or overweight and may also have weight-related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease.
It may be prescribed for children who are as young as 12 years old with certain medical conditions. However, you need to consult with your healthcare provider before using this drug for your child. The safety and efficacy of the drug in children younger than 12 years have not been established.
Certain medical conditions may affect the use of this drug. If you have any of the medical conditions or history of any of the conditions listed below, you should inform your doctor before using this drug.
- Allergy to aspirin, phentermine, topiramate, or similar medicines
- Hyperthyroidism
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- Bone problems
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Glaucoma
- Previous surgery
- Drug abuse or dependence
- Eye or vision problem
- Hypokalemia
- Kidney stones
- Mental illness
- Metabolic acidosis
- Seizures or epilepsy
- Diarrhea
- Kidney problems
- Lung disease
- Breathing problems
- Heart or blood vessel disease
- History of heart attack or stroke
- Metabolic acidosis
- You’re on a ketogenic diet
- Seizures
This drug should not be used by pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant.
It shouldn’t be used by breastfeeding mothers.
Interactions
This drug may interact with some other medications and substances.
Do not take this drug with any of the following medications without first informing your doctor.
- Carbex
- Eldepryl
- Marplan
- Nardil
- Parnate
- Acetazolamide
- Antihistamines for allergy, cough and cold
- Atropine
- Birth control pills
- Carbamazepine
- Furazolidone
- Iproniazid
- Isocarboxazid
- Linezolid
- Methylene Blue
- Moclobemide
- Nialamide
- Digoxin
- Diuretics
- Phenelzine
- Procarbazine
- Rasagiline
- Safinamide
- Methazolamide
- Phenytoin
- sibutramine
- Selegiline
- Sibutramine
- Tranylcypromine
- Medications for diabetes
- Narcotic medicines for pain
- Certain medications for bladder problems
- Certain medications for depression, anxiety, or psychotic problems
- Certain medications for high blood pressure
- Certain medications for Parkinson’s disease
- Certain medications for sleep
- Certain medications for stomach problems
- Certain medications for travel sickness
- Medications for colds or breathing problems like pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine
- Certain stimulant medications
There are some other medications and substances that may have possible interactions with phentermine and topiramate. Inform your doctor if you’re taking any medication, including supplements, herbs, and non-prescription drugs. Also, inform your doctor if you drink alcohol, smoke, or use hard drugs.
Precautions
Take this drug exactly as prescribed and directed by your doctor. Do not stop taking the drug unless advised by your healthcare provider.
Don’t take this drug in the evening to prevent trouble sleeping. This drug may cause you to sweat less than normal.
Drink plenty of fluids while taking this drug to stay fully hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids will also help reduce your chances of forming kidney stones if you have had kidney stones in the past.
You may get drowsy or dizzy while on this drug. You shouldn’t drive or do anything that needs mental alertness, particularly if the drug makes you drowsy or dizzy. Avoid alcoholic drinks while on this drug to reduce dizziness and drowsiness.
This drug may affect blood sugar levels. Consult with your doctor if you have diabetes. Also, consult with your healthcare provider if you have severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or you sweat a lot. It may be dangerous to use this drug if you lose too much body fluid.
This medicine may result in skin reactions. You may start to experience skin reactions weeks to months after starting the medicine. If you notice skin reactions, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
This medicine may cause you to sweat less, resulting in increased body temperature. Avoid contact with heat when taking this medicine. Avoid hot baths, saunas, tanning beds, and other objects that cause heat.
This medicine may cause agitation, irritation, depression, display of abnormal behaviors, or suicidal thoughts in some people. If you’re experiencing any of these side effects, you should consult your healthcare provider immediately.
Do not stop taking this medicine without first consulting your doctor. Stopping this medicine suddenly without your doctor’s consent may cause adverse side effects, such as seizures to return or occur more often. Your doctor may reduce your dose to assess your condition before completely stopping the use of the medicine.
This drug can cause serious side effects in pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant. It can cause harm to a fetus. It is not advised to take this drug while pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Dosing
This medicine should be taken according to the prescribed dose. The dosage is different for different patients.
The dosage for you depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, and the duration of time you take the medicine depend on your weight loss goals and associated medical conditions for which you are using the medicine.
Oral dosage form (extended-release capsules)
Dosage for adults
- 1-14 days – One tablet of 3.75 milligrams (mg) of phentermine and 23 mg of topiramate once a day.
- After 14 days – Your dose will be increased to 7.5 mg of phentermine and 46 mg of topiramate once a day for 12 weeks.
- After 12 weeks – Your dose will be increased to 11.25 mg of phentermine and 69 mg of topiramate once a day for 14 days. After which, your dose may be increased up to 15 mg of phentermine and 92 mg of topiramate.
Dosage for children who are 12 years of age and older
Use and dosage in children should be determined by your doctor.
Missed Dose
In case you miss a dose of this medicine, you should take the missed dose as soon as possible. However, you should skip the missed dose if it is almost time to take your next dose. Do not take double doses of this medicine if you missed a dose.
If you have taken this medicine for a few weeks and you do not see any changes, or you feel it’s not working for you, you should consult your doctor. Do not increase your dose.
Side Effects
Just like any medicine, there are certain side effects that may occur when taking this medicine.
These include:
- Changes in taste
- Dry mouth
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Mood changes
- Muscle pain or cramps
- Seizures
- Increased blood pressure
- Chest discomfort
- Trouble breathing
- Trouble sleeping
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Decreased urine
- Fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat
- Feeling of numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
Rare side effects include:
- Blood in the urine
- Pain in the groin or genitals
- Sharp lower back pain
FAQs
How much weight can you lose on phentermine and topiramate?
People who took the recommended dose of this medicine in clinical trials for about 3 months lost an average weight of 15 lbs, while people who engaged in exercise and dieting lost only 5 lbs.
How long does it take to lose weight on phentermine topiramate?
People taking this medicine lost 3% of their initial body weight after 3 months and 5–7% of their initial body weight after 6 months.
How long does it take to see results from phentermine and topiramate?
How long it takes to see weight loss results while taking this medicine can vary from person to person depending on various individual factors such as metabolism, diet, and exercise habits. Typically, many people taking this medicine start to see weight loss results within the first few weeks. You may start to see noticeable weight loss in about 3 months.
What happens if you don’t eat while taking phentermine and topiramate?
Most people trying to lose weight usually make the mistake of skipping meals. While not eating too much is recommended, not eating at all can negatively impact your results. You shouldn’t skip meals as doing this can slow down your metabolism, making it difficult for you to lose weight. Only reduce the amount of foods that you eat and eat low-calorie meals.
Can you lose weight on phentermine and topiramate without exercise?
Phentermine and topiramate medicine should be taken along with healthy diets and exercise. This will help you lose weight quickly and more effectively. Taking this medicine without exercise may not result in weight loss or may result in negligible weight loss.
