Prescription medications to lose weight

Prescription medications to lose weight

Prescription medications to lose weight

The prescribed weight loss medications are administered by your doctor. They can help obese people lose weight. They are usually used when diet and exercise alone do not work. People who use these medications may not feel so hungry. Or they may feel full after eating only a small amount of food. Another type of medication makes it more difficult for your body to absorb fat. Prescription medications for weight loss may be useful when used in combination with a low-calorie diet and regular physical activity.

Who uses prescription medications to lose weight?

The prescribed medications to lose weight are only for obese people. Most of these medications are designed for people who weigh 20% or more above what is ideal for their height and body type. Or they are used with people who have a high body mass index (BMI). The BMI is a measure of your weight in relation to your height. Your doctor may prescribe a medication to treat your obesity if you have:

A BMI of 30 or higher.
A BMI of 27 or more and you have a disease or condition that may be related to your weight (this could include diabetes or high blood pressure).
Your doctor can tell you if prescription weight loss medications may be useful for you.

The road to better health

Prescription medications for weight loss generally work in 2 ways. Most work on the body so that you are less hungry or feel full faster. An FDA approved drug works in your digestive tract. Blocks the amount of fat your body can absorb. Some medications are approved only for a short period of time, usually no more than 12 weeks. Others can be used in the long term.

The following are medications currently approved by the FDA for weight loss. It also includes information on how they work, common side effects and warnings for each one.

Orlistat

Brand Name: Xenical
How it works: reduces the amount of fat your body absorbs
Side effects: diarrhea, gas, uncontrollable stools, fat stool incontinence
Warnings: can reduce the number of certain vitamins that your body can absorb. You should take a multivitamin pill every day
Orlistat is also available in a lower dose without a prescription. That over-the-counter medicine is called Alli. Orlistat is the only medication of this type approved in the USA. UU

The following medications make you feel less hungry or full faster. They share common side effects, which include constipation, dizziness, dry mouth, diarrhea, and nausea. Additional side effects are listed for each medication.

Lorcaserin

Brand Name: Belviq
How it works: helps you feel fuller faster by acting on the serotonin receptors in your brain
Side effects: cough, headaches, tired feeling
Warnings: could cause interactions with medications that treat depression or migraines
Naltrexone-Bupropion

Brand Name: Contrave
How it works: it makes you feel less hungry or more full faster
Side effects: headache, increased blood pressure and heart rate, insomnia, liver damage, vomiting
Warnings: Do not use if you have untreated high blood pressure, seizures or a history of anorexia or bulimia. Do not use it if you are dependent on opioid analgesics or if you are not using drugs or alcohol. Do not use it if you are already taking bupropion (brand names Wellbutrin, Zyban). This medicine may increase suicidal thoughts or actions.
Phentermine-Topiramate

Brand Name: Qysmia
How it works: decreases appetite and makes you feel full before
Side effects: taste changes (especially carbonated drinks), tingling of hands and feet, difficulty sleeping
Warnings: Tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack, stroke, abnormal heart rhythm, kidney disease or mood disorder. Do not take if you have hyperthyroidism or glaucoma. This medicine may cause birth defects. Do not use it if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding.
Liraglutide

Brand Name: Saxena
How it works: Makes you feel less hungry or full before
Side effects: abdominal pain, headache, increased pulse
Warnings: available only by injection. It could increase the chances of developing pancreatitis.
There are other medications that can reduce your desire to eat. These include:

Phentermine
benzfetamine
diethylpropion
Phendimetrazine