What Is Adipex?

Adipex diet pills are considered a prescription diet medication. The generic name of this diet medication is phentermine. This pill is one of the oldest prescription weight loss drugs on the market today. Phentermine was first approved for use in the U.S. by the FDA in 1959. It gained popularity and started being used regularly by physicians for weight loss in the 1970′s. In the 1990′s phentermine was combined with another weight loss drug called fenfluramine. This diet pill was known by most dieters as Fen-Phen. It was widely used by dieters at this time. However in the late 1990′s there were reports of women who had developed heart valve defects and pulmonary hypertension who had also used this drug for weight loss in their past. The correlation of the medical conditions and the prescription drugs could not be ruled out. The FDA then banned fenfluramine for weight loss at that time.

Is Adipex Safe?

Adipex or phentermine is still considered safe by itself and is still on the market. It continues to be a very popular diet pill today. It works in the same way as a synthetic ephedrine. It has amphetamine like actions. By increasing the heart rate and speeding up the body functions, this pill suppresses the appetite and increases the dieters energy levels. Adipex is designed for short term usage and should be used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise routine to achieve optimum weight loss.

The FDA recommends that this drug be taken no longer than 12 weeks in duration. This is for two reasons. The first reason is that after a period of time the body gets used to the drug and no longer has the same effect on the appetite as it did previously. The second reason is that this type of drug can become habit forming. The FDA also recommends that this drug only be used with a good solid dietary program that includes a low calorie diet and weight loss exercise regimen.

Adipex Side Effects

Frankly speaking, the FDA definition of safety does not exaclty mirror our own. Some of the side effects or problems that have been seen with use of the drug include irritability, insomnia, personality changes, skin problems and drug dependency. Others as you might expect with fen-phen, could also include serious heart valve damage and even psychosis. Withdrawal symptoms have been reported when stopping this medication abruptly. This medication should not be taken unless the person is being monitored carefully by a medical professional who is a weight loss specialist.

People that should not take this diet medication include those who are taking an MAO inhibitor such as Mardil or Emsam. Those who have sensitivities to stimulants should be extremely careful about taking this type of medication. This medication should not be taken with any other type of diet medication at the same time. People with high blood pressure, thyroid disease, heart disease, glaucoma, anxiety disorder, history of drug abuse, or coronary artery disease should not take this type of medication.

Conclusion

Anyone else that has any type of chronic medical condition or takes any type of medication on a daily basis should consult with their physician or medical professional prior to starting any diet program or medication such as this. Frankly, most should never use Adipex in the first place. However, if you are set on it, just make sure you qualify medically speaking.