Diet
Pill Advice
Ask your doctor about weight loss
pills.
Before prescribing drugs or pills for weight loss, your doctor
takes a medical history and performs a physical examination. He
will ask whether any of your relatives has heart disease or
diabetes. Diet and weight loss medications may trigger these
genetic dispositions.
Candidate for Diet & Weight Loss Pills
He also calculates your body mass index (BMI) to see how
overweight you are. The result of this calculation is the primary
guideline used to determine whether you are a candidate for
prescription diet or weight loss drugs. If you have a BMI of 30 or
more (or 27 or greater if you have heart disease, diabetes or
other factors that would make your weight a health risk) you are a
potential candidate for weight loss drugs. Diet councelling from a
registered dietician should always be offered along with the
particular diet medication.
Weight Loss Medication Inappropriate
Taking diet or weight loss drugs is not usually considered
appropriate if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have a history of drug or alcohol abuse
- You have a history of an eating disorder
- You have a history of severe depression or manic-depressive disorder
- You are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor or any other type of anti-depressant medication
- You get migraine headaches and take medication for them
- You have an unstable medical condition, such as glaucoma,
diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease or a heart
condition such as an irregular heartbeat.
Are the Diet or Weight Loss Drugs Working?
After you've been on your weight loss medication for about 4 weeks
your doctor will schedule another visit to see whether the drug
prescription is working and evaluate its effects on your overall
health. A weight loss of one pound per week is considered working.
If the medication doesn't work in the first three to six weeks of
treatment despite adjustments in dosage, chances are good that the
diet or weight loss drug will never work for you.
Precautions When Seeking Advice About Diet or Weight Loss Drugs
Tell your doctor your complete medical history especially if you
have high blood pressure, an over-active thyroid, glaucoma,
diabetes or emotional problems.
Inform your doctor about all the medicines you use, (prescription
and nonprescription) especially if you take high blood pressure
medicine or MAO inhibitors (e.g., furazolidone, phenelzine,
selegiline, tranylcypromine) or other weight loss medicine.
Decongestants are commonly found in over-the-counter cough and
cold medicine.
Are Weight Loss Pills Appropriate for You?
- You are female, 5'3", 121 pounds, and want to drop one dress size
Diet pills are inappropriate for you. You have no health risk
factor associated with your extra pounds. Instead of pills, you
should follow a conventional weight loss plan which is
lower-calorie and combined with exercise.
- You are female, 5'4", 150 pounds and overweight
Diet pills are not appropriate for you. You are overweight but not
clinically obese. You should avoid diet and weight loss pills and
instead follow a conventional low-calorie diet and exercise
program.
- You are female, 5'4" and weigh 190 pounds
Since you are clinically obese, then (subject to your health
status and history) you are a candidate for weight loss drugs.
However, discuss your medication options with your doctor and ask
about side-effects of suggested diet or weight loss pills. Lastly,
don't rely exclusively on your weight loss medication. Be sure to
follow a healthy diet and exercise program.
Diet & Weight Loss Pills, Drugs, Supplements
Diet and weight loss pills, whether prescription or
over-the-counter, are only effective when combined with a healthy
diet and exercise plan.
NOTE: Before using any form of diet pills or weight loss
supplements, please consult your doctor.
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