8 Week Weight Loss Program

My patients frequently ask for phentermine—a popular weight loss medication available by prescription. It has recently been combined with topiramate in the new medication Qsymia. Phentermine is an amphetamine, and it helps people lose weight by suppressing appetite. It does not magically melt the weight off, and it does not help people learn healthful weight management habits. And here’s another reason it’s not effective for long-term weight maintenance: After about three months, your body will have developed a tolerance to it and it will no longer work—even if you stop the medication and restart it.