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FDA
The Food and Drug Administration has approved two new diet drugs, but both have restrictions about who can -- or should -- take them.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved two new diet pills in a week -- the first new obesity drugs to be approved in 13 years. The agency, usually dry about its approvals, practically gushed about the pent-up demand for new obesity treatments in a country where more than two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese and steadily getting fatter.
“These prescription medications would be taken for the rest of a person’s life,” the FDA says on its website.
“For many people, obesity is a life-long condition, but we don’t always think of it -- or treat it -- as such,” said Dr. Amy Egan, deputy director for safety in FDA’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products
But don’t expect to be able to get either drug easily. Each of the new drugs -- Belviq and Qsymia -- is being restricted in a different way. And consumer advocates say dieters should think twice about taking either.
The FDA was so worried about Belviq, approved last week, that it has asked for the Drug Enforcement Administration to control its use, like it does opiate painkillers. The DEA must now decide what restrictions to put on the pills, a process Belviq’s maker, Arena, says could take several months.
Qsymia, approved on Tuesday, won’t have these restrictions. But the FDA and drugmaker Vivus have worked out a plan to try to ensure that doctors don’t start running diet pill-mills.
“The only way the doctors will be able to prescribe Qsymia is through a certified pharmacy,” Vivus vice president Dr. Barbara Troupin said in an interview. That means they won’t be able to stock it themselves -- and they’ll be barraged with educational materials, Troupin said.
Vivus will track which doctors are prescribing the drug, and which ones undergo training. “If a prescriber wants to write for (prescribe) the drug, they can write for the drug. But we will have their information and continue to inform them about the risks and who the appropriate patients are,” Troupin said. “Hopefully, they won’t view it as being tormented.”
But the FDA and Vivus understand that people are likely to be clamoring for the drug, and there are clear guidelines on who should take it. Women who might get pregnant shouldn’t, for one -- the drug causes birth defects including cleft palates. Nor should people with overactive thyroids or who have heart disease risks such as an irregular heartbeat.
Approved patients should be obese, meaning they have a body mass index -- a measure of height to weight -- of 30 or greater. The National Institutes of Health has a BMI calculator here. A person 5 feet 5 inches tall is considered overweight at 150 pounds and obese at 180 pounds. People with BMIs of 27 may be eligible if they have a weight-related condition such as high cholesterol.
Doctors will be asked to monitor patients closely, watching heart function and looking for signs that a patient may become suicidal --a side effect of drugs related to topiramate, the seizure drug included in the two-drug Qsymia cocktail.
These precautions do not satisfy Dr. Sid Wolfe of Public Citizen, who has campaigned against Qsymia and Belviq.
“I would be very surprised if either of these drugs stays on the market very long,” Wolfe said in an interview.
Food and Drug Administration officials approved the diet drug Qysmia this week.
He points to the long list of withdrawn diet drugs, from Dexatrim, which caused fatal strokes, to fenfluramine, withdrawn in 1997 because it could damage heart valves, and ephedra, banned in 2004 after it was found to cause deadly heart attacks, strokes and other ills. Wolfe was disappointed when Qsymia won approval.
“There are a bunch of problems with it,” he said. “One is there is not remotely any kind of failsafe way to keep pregnant women from using this drug.”
Americans and drug companies are looking for an easy way out, but study after study shows good, old-fashioned careful eating and exercise works better than any diet pill, Wolfe says. And healthy eating and exercise have the added bonus of lowering the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and even Alzheimer’s disease. Wolfe's group approves of carefully designed programs that help people do that.
“People are just so desperate to approve something because they haven’t done anything for 13 years,” Wolfe said. One of Qsymia’s components, phentermine, is on the market as a diet drug. The only other diet drug on the market is orlistat, which stops the body from absorbing fat. A low-dose version, Alli, is even available without a prescription. But that’s it. The only other option for severely obese people, besides diet and exercise, is surgery to limit how much they can eat.
It is possible to get a home-made version of Qsymia. Any licensed doctor can prescribe phentermine together with certain versions of topiramate, the epilepsy drug, although the FDA doesn’t recommend it.
Related stories:
- FDA approves new weight loss drug
- FDA approves first new weight loss drug in 13 years
- Craving a safe diet drug
Leave a Comment:
It is called exercise and a modicum of self-control you fat lazy fukks. Americans are always looking for a shortcut. God forbid you actually had to control yourself a little.
wow!!!
you are very ignorant.
I would rather be fat than to have a personality like yours.
Troy I bet you aren't perfect.
but I would not resort to putting you down and calling you names because of it.
why would you come on here if this has nothing to do with you?
must get that anger out somehow eh?
Hey Troy-2251798
I do control my eating I have diabetes so I must, but I was in a car accident and lost my lower left leg ,, know you see just how much exercise you can get when you can barely walk,, much less exercise................................you let me know how it goes
Robert, I'm sure he didn't mean to offend people in your type of situation, but society at large, and most overweight people, have no motivation to take care of themselves.......too much work,why exercise or eat right when McDonald's, and 7-11 chips and soft drinks are so readily available? It's really not that difficult to realize that what you put in your body, stays there. I'll have to agree with him, to some extend, quit eating things you shouldn't when your overweight....exercise and be responsible with your eating habits....plain and simple. get a health coach, no, instead let's buy some wonder drug that requires no effort at all, and offers all the ill side effects imaginable........makes no sense... this country is lazy
Ever think of getting a hand bike Robert? Exercise is simple as that will make a difference. Even getting yourself around in a wheelchair or with crutches is a heck of workout...I know after a few leg injuries and surgeries. That is, of course, if you do not have a prosthetic...and if not, ever think of getting one? I don't know the personal costs to you or if insurance covers such a purchase? Either way, there are probably foundations that would help you get one if you cannot afford it. If you are having trouble getting around with a prosthetic, then find a different doctor who specializes in such fittings.
Yup...*brushes away donut crumbs* I totally agree.
I would never even think about taking this stuff. If you are concerned enough about your weight to consider havingside effects, then you are concerned enough to exercise and eat right.
NEVER take new prescription meds - EVER. Let all the other suckers your drug-pimping doctor talks into taking them be the guinea pigs. If it stays on the market for 10 years without getting yanked, your are probably OK.
You may as well take low doses of meth amphetamine, basically the ADHD medication Adderall. That's basically what this sh*t is. Well that's what the Qysimia is. The Belviq is more like low doses of Molly (purest form of ecstacy) to suppress hunger and provide a euphoric feeling. This is to mimick the feeling obese people get when eating large amounts of food. So there you go: take meth and ecstacy to fight obesity!
You know - it never fails that this is what people start yelling and screaming whenever a new treatment for obesity comes about.
Eat right and excercise.
*smacks my head* HOLY CRAP I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!!!
Seriously - do you really think that people who have been struggling with their weight have not TRIED to diet? Have not TRIED to excercise... Guess what? It doesn't always work for everyone. I have been on diet after diet, low carb, low fat, Vegan, etc. I'm in weight watchers now. I've been doing well I guess. Lost 14 pounds in 10 weeks.... BUT EVERY DAY IS A STRUGGLE.
You have no idea how frickin hard it is if you have never had to deal with a weight problem. Some people are just more prone to putting on and storing weight. I eat half of what other, thinner people eat. I do not eat at McDonalds every day. I have egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast and salads for lunch. I haven't had soda in 10 years.
Do you have ANY idea how frustrating it is for a fat person to suck it up and talk to their doctor about weight issues only to have that doctor "suggest" that you give up desert? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I only eat desert maybe 5 days out of the YEAR!
People without weight problems all seem to think that those of us with extra pounds are just sitting around eating pie all day. I for one am tired of this crap. I would love to find a medication for my medical problem that might just make it a little bit easier to do what I need to do.
Stop the fat bashing and predjudice and look at it for what it is - A medical problem that is affecting 2/3 of the country. A pill is way more preferable to me than a lap band or something.
Thank you, as one of the people that has the same issues as you, I get soooo sick of the ignorance of the thinner people. I also eat less than my thin friends and am not lazy or sedentary and cannot lose weight. So I agree too please stop bashing overweight people..it is a medical problem, just like diabetes, alcoholism, drug addiction and many other illnesses that those w/o those same issued seem to think there is a solution, ie stop eating, run around the block etc. It would be far better to take medication, than have surgery.
Xina and Katie...have either of you ever tried working with a certified nutritionist and trainer? If you are eating half what others are, you might be making choices that is leading your body to store all the calories it can. Of course, there are medical conditions that affect a person's weight...so I am sorry if you are one of those people. However, two thirds of this country being overweight is not a medical issue. It is a lifestyle issue. Because if that same two thirds ate more fresh fruit and vegetables...they wouldn't be fat. Why not? Two things have to happen in order for a person to gain weight. Either we eat too many calories in comparison to our activity level(the excess is then stored as fat) or fat is too big of a component of our calorie intake...leading to us literally being made of what we are eating. Yes, you are what you eat. There is no way two thirds of this country is suffering from conditions that add to their weight problem. More likely, their eating habits are adding to their weight problem, worsening other health issues.
Xina and Katie:
I wouldn't take these pills and I also was a person who once struggled with weight. In my opinion your thinking here is very very flawed. Your long-term goal in a diet or with regard to your body should not be your WEIGHT...but your HEALTH.
First...head to your doctor (if you have an jerk doctor who says stupid things like you mentioned, get a new doctor)...have a workup. Blood, thyroid, etc...because weight can be a symtom of a thyroid issue or deficiency.
Two....ask your doctor to refer you to a nutrionist to work up a plan for what/how/why/when you eat. Peronalized to you. The one diet for all approach just doesn't work for everyone
Three...accept your body (this is the hardest one). Stop judging yourself by unrealistic expectations. Strive for perfect health metrics instead of stepping on a scale everyday. Think about how you feel...not how you look.
I worry these days about how long and what quality of life I want to live. Ingesting a bunch of dangerous prescription drugs seems a really counter-productive way to achieve health and happiness. Health will become the most important thing in your life when you don't have it. Wayyyyyy more important than weight. Don't sabotage yourself!
Maybe if food was more scarce, we wouldn't need so many diet drugs.
Eat right and exercise. Easier said than done. I eat right, but I have no functioning thyroid and arthritis (at 35). I can't exercise outside of a pool because the weight causing pain on my joints. I can't lose the weight because I can't exercise and forget dieting. I've gone through periods where I starved myself on 500 calories a day and walked as far as my limited mobility can take me. I used to be an athlete, I know how to take care of myself. But, life changes when you have a tumor so large they have to remove your thyroid.
Those of you ask if someone would risk the side effects for the chance at losing the weight. YES! I'm already going to die of diabetes and heart disease. Traditional methods aren't available to me. So, I can take this drug and follow the diet plan with it or I can pay thousands to have them cut my body open and rewire my insides. Having lost a mother-in-law to complications from Gastric Bypass, I'll take my chances with the side effects.
For those of you who never suffer a health problem that prevents regular exercise, count yourselves lucky, but don't judge. Yes, there are fat lazy people, but not everyone who is fat got that way by being lazy. Just like not every skinny person eats right and exercises.
Spyder...I suffered a similar issue that kept me from being active but I found ways around it. I am not saying you should or that you even can. Only you know that. But I just wanted to say there are those of us who sympathize with you that did find ways around our obstacles. Even if all you can do is move your arms, there are things you could do to get yourself in a better situation so maybe your joint pain would subside and you could do more. Like a hand bike. You can get one cheap shipped right to your door and do it in front of the television.
I am not sure why any sensible doctor or nutritionist would allow you to starve on 500 calories a day but trust me, that will do more harm than good. Hope you find an answer that makes you happy.
Actually, most of the people I know that claim to have tried every diet and failed really tried the diet for 3 weeks, decided they weren't losing weight fast enough, called it a failure and quit. Just saying.....I can only speak from my own experience.
The real reason behind these weight loss drugs being approved is because of Universal Healthcare. Obese people cost the Healthcare system billions of dollars for their care and the time is coming they will be FORCED to lose weight. If healthy people are being taxed in order to support a system of healthcare for everyone, you can bet your bottom dollar those people who lack the willpower or drive to live healthy will be crucified. To those who wish a better understanding of weight problems, .. no more sympathy for obese people who think that their weight does not concern everyone else. If I have to pay (taxes) for your problems (diabetes, heart attacks, bad muscle/bones) then you better make a good effort to stay healthy or I will come down on you like a ton of bricks.... You can thank Mr, Obama for this new understanding.
KSC...who knows if you are getting on Obama or you agree with him, but the idea of Universal Healthcare brings back a measure of personal responsibility and would lower the cost to those of us who actually take care of our bodies. The way the system is now? It is already failing miserably because pharmaceutics and unhealthy patients have pushed costs through the roof. At this rate, we'll have more sick citizens who need aid then able bodied ones who already provide it through taxes and having to pay higher costs outright.
I am one of the healthy ones who could easily claim a disability but I'd rather take care of myself and be able to provide for myself instead of asking others to do it.
You know, it occurred to me that when smoking cessation drugs are approved to help people give up nicotine, the smokers who take them are not vilified. No one ever hear someone say "oh you're on the patch? you're weak willed, all you need is a little will power to take care of yourself" or "you're quitting by taking Chantix? Why don't you just stop and take a walk when you get stressed?"
Both Nicotine addiction and Obesity are caused by the choices that people make for themselves. But when a smoker wants to quit, everyone is supportive or whatever they have to do to get over it.
Why? What's the difference? Obesity related illnesses cause more deaths than smoking related illnesses. Yet smokers are encouraged but dieters are a pariah.
Is it because smoking is still thought of as sexy whereas fat is just gross? I wonder...
At any rate, I realize that losing weight means having to diet and exercise. My point was simply that it's harder than it seems for some of us. Sometimes people need a little help. And I'm not even saying that I would take either of these new drugs, honestly I don't know enough about the risks and benefits yet to determine that. BUT rather than have a knee jerk reaction that all diet pills are bad and that anyone who would choose to use one is weak willed and lazy... I'd rather do what I do before choosing to take any medication, that is research it with my physician to see if it's right for me. Maybe it isn't, but if it is and can help me not develop diabetes, heart disease, atherosclerosis, etc. WTF are you to look down on me if I choose to try it?
FYI - I quit smoking cold turkey. I never look down on any one who has tried and failed and tried again. I never would dream of criticizing someone for trying hypnosis, or nicorette gum, or welbutrin... Because I recognize that they are making a positive choice to help themselves get healthier.
Think about that next time you want to post about how fat people need to see a nutritionist because they obviously eat too much butter.
Xina....no one suggested you "needed" to see a nutritionist. I just asked if you had because there are lots of people who think they are making healthy choices when they are not...misinformation or what have you. A nutritionist will be able to help you gear your diet toward your goals, whatever they may be. That was the only reason I asked.
I agree with a lot of what you said above...like nicotine and obesity being comparable. They absolutely are. However, unlike you think, I do not look down on you if you want to take these pills. I just happen to know there are better options if one chooses to follow them. Think about it. Would you rather tackle the root of the issue, repairing it for good or cover it up with a band-aid while it gets worse inside? Even if you get help from the band-aid, at some point, don't you have to make the effort to do it without the band-aid? If not, you're stuck taking a medication for life that will have side effects. All medicines do, even if the side effects are unseen.
Again, this is merely a discussion on my part. I didn't look down on anyone, nor did I say anything negative of the sort. I don't find cigarettes okay nor do I find fat people gross. It is harder to lose weight/get in shape than it could ever be to quit smoking...and losing weight or the lack there of will absolutely have a greater impact on a person's life. Many ailments are tied to weight. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.
The point is...I have been there, craving foods that I should not eat because of my ulcerative colitis. I craved the foods more than I could stand, even though it was slowly killing me from the inside out. Literally. I knew better and I still had trouble quitting. When I got sick, I lost all hope, had to quit college for a bit, lost a great relationship, etc. I was devastated when the doctor told me my life would never be the same. I tried the retarded drugs and it made me even more sick. That didn't make any sense to me. If I was taking medication to help, how were my symptoms worse? Long story short, it led me to studying all I know about nutrition and health to help others. Not condemn them. Good day.
What makes you think that people who use a weight loss aid don't also tackle the root of the issue. People who use a weight loss drug also have to stop eating the bad foods, they also have to move more. The drug simply makes it easier for them to do so by lessening the discomfort. Do you think that if someone eats big macs and takes a diet pill they are going to lose weight? Of course not, and those are the people who will fail and stop taking the drugs too. But if someone is willing to make a lifestyle change and needs a little support outside of shear willpower, what's so wrong about that? You tried medication and that medication didn't work for you. SO now you think you know about all weight loss drugs and what is right for every person struggling with weight in this world? There couldn't possibly be one person for whom this type of medication might be a life saver? You may not think you are looking down on fat people, but you certainly do come across somewhat like a condescending know it all.
I was born heavy...not obese but just big. I always mantained my weight from getting out of control but Within two and a half years, my sister got leukemia (survived), my brother in-law & my best friend was diagnosed w/ lung cancer (died almost 4 mnths later) & I took care of him every day so he could die at home, then my dad found out he had lung cancer & lived 8 mths. I was so mentally & emotionally drained that I walked away from a long term relationship (unhappy & confused). Quit smoking cold turkey because my kids had nightmares that I would be next. Needless to say I had to work two jobs & with all of the stress PLUS fatty foods were the cheapest to feed my family, I put on 50lbs!! I was ashamed. I felt alone. The worse I felt, the more I ate. Finally I snapped out of this "feeling sorry" for myself stage and YES, I went to a doctor who put me on Adipex. Best thing ever to come along for me. I have lost 50lbs and still losing. Feel great. Get hit on all the time because now I glow when I am around people. My doctor will NOT give refills. She makes me see her once a month for a complete check up to make sure my health is still good w/ no complications. Now if she ever tells me that it is harming me I will stop taking it but until then, I will continue these diet pills. Nobody should judge any person until they have walked in their shoes. I would rather take a chance than to EVER be that heavy lady ashamed and miserable because of not knowing what to do or how to change my mindset.
Why do I think people who use weight loss pills also do not tackle the root of the issue? You really want me to count how many times I have seen it? Girls do it all the time. I once dated a girl who did it. Not only was it not a safe drug, but she also insisted on trying the Atkin's diet which is a flawed system, especially with an inexperienced person. Not to mention she donated plasma twice a week and once passed out because she didn't take the precautions the donation center suggested. Putting that aside, she didn't change what she ate. She didn't even change how much she ate which, in itself, would have made a difference. I noticed it one holiday weekend visiting her family while helping her mother make food. She was eating more than she was helping us, then ate even more when we all sat down to eat. Yes, people really are stupid enough to think pills will make the difference when they still want their Big Macs. People do the same thing with the lap band surgeries---they get it thinking it will fix all without making the changes---and so on. I didn't say there was anything wrong with this drug. If people want to try it, let them. But many people will try it and not use it while also making changes.
I responded to you originally not because of the pill at all. I did so because you mentioned that people like me look down on you. I take exception to that because I use to be you. In some ways, I still am because I struggle every day. Unless you don't want to count being in the hospital with severe dehydration and what not because the only way I could work was to literally starve my body of any food or liquids all day. Every single day was a struggle in ways you wouldn't even understand without me going into too much detail.
I also responded because you mentioned how you eat...and while they are healthy choices, between this thread and the other where you said more about what you eat/weigh...it sounds as if your choices are hurting your ability to lose weight. In other words, I was offering help. That was it. If you choose not to see it that way, so be it. But I certainly am not a condescending know it all. Sure, I know quite a bit...but the only reason I keep coming back here is to help people because my health is important to me and I know how important it is to others...especially, people like yourself who try so hard but get so little.
Ultimately, I am also not a medicine know it all either...this was never about this drug for me. I related my experience because medicines are not the long-term answer. You seem to know that so can you stop attacking me? I seriously was just here offering my knowledge and experiences because I have been where you are. Nothing more, nothing less.
You said you are in Weight Watchers and have lost 14 lbs in 10 weeks? That is good and you should be proud...but you sound like you expect/want more of a change. If you do, like I said, I'd be happy to give a few simple pointers. If not, good luck with your goals.
Robin...are you only taking the pills or are you also making other changes to help with the weight loss? Just curious if your doctor is encouraging such changes and/or if you are eating better, etc.
Sorry to hear you have been through so much but glad to see you have been feeling better and have stopped smoking! It all takes guts so be proud and keep it up!
First the fatties will scheme to get the pill because they always want the easy way out (that's why they are fat in the 1st placew) and then they will sue when it causes them more harm than good...
It's sad that drugs like this are approved to get people's hopes up when they already know that they will likely be taken off the market just as others have been in the past. For those of you who are nothing but accusatory, I'm here to tell you that I come from a family of very obese (some morbidly) on both sides. I don't eat fried foods, but I also don't eat nothing but brown rice and vegetables either. I do enjoy dark chocolate and yes, I eat it. I started working out last year and am in my mid 30s to try to counteract the future I see coming my way. According to BMI, I am morbidly obese. I've lost about 50 lbs but it's taken over a year and I'm spending way more time in a gym than anyone else I know. I started out at 8 hours a week, increased to 10 and am now spending 14 hours a week doing weights and cardio. I'm trying my best but the weight has stopped dropping and I feel as if I'm trapped in a body I hate.
First, stop selling yourself short. Your biggest hurdle was realizing you have a bleak future unless you make changes and you are. Relish in that and be proud. 14 hours a week in a gym is far too much time...unless you intend to be run a marathon. I don't know your case so I can't comment specifically, but it is likely your body has hit a plateau and you need to challenge yourself in different ways. I would suggest studying a few books and finding alternate ways to be active. Different workouts, different training methods, etc. Also, get out of the gym if you can---it sounds like you have grown tired of it and that could be causing you stress you do not realize. I am not fond of the gym setting so I try to mix things up so that mentally I enjoy what I am doing. It allows me to push harder, where if I were just in the gym all the time, I would lose interest and resent it.
There is plenty more I could say but I hope you realize you have made bigger strides than most people will ever make. You can keep going if you want. You just have to change up what you are doing, challenging your muscles and your mind...along with maintaining a calorie limit and healthy diet. Remember, the more muscle you maintain, the more calories you will burn sitting still...however, as you lose weight, your calorie needs will change. Also, eat a good amount of fresh produce(raw and uncooked) if you are not already. I promise, unless you slam down lots of nuts and avocados(both high in fat content even though healthy), you will see the weight start flying off again. And also have energy you never knew you had.
Again, I hope you are proud of what you have done. I suspect you are but you are stuck and that makes it hard---but you should be proud of yourself. Good luck.
Thats nice Apache. I wish there were more people like you commenting!
If you lost 50 punds over the course of a year that's fantastic! You should only be losing 1-2 pounds per week so it sounds as though you are pretty well on track. Apache had some great suggestions. Another aspect to look at is making sure you are getting enough calories. One mistake is to cut calories so much that your body stays in starvation mode. Keep it up and switch it up - you are on the right path!
Just me--that's amazing that you're taking your health into your own hands and doing something to make your future healthier. That can be really hard to do and you should be proud of yourself! A lot of people who haven't grown up around health and fitness tend to not know some simple things that can help you along the way.
Like Apache said, mix up your workouts! It keeps you from feeling bored, and it keeps your body from plateauing. P90X was SO popular among fit people because it did exactly what it said--muscle confusion. You have to keep your muscles on their toes, so to speak.
If you can, invest in a decent heart rate monitor (I got mine on o.co for 50 bucks but they have much cheaper ones too) so you can keep track of how many calories you're burning and make sure your heart rate is in a healthy place. A lot of people go to the gym, pedal listlessly on the stationary bike while watching TV, then go home and eat ice cream because "I worked out today!" Make sure you're burning enough calories to justify the occasional treat.
REST. I'm very fit and at most, I work out ten hours a week. I typically go over that only if I'm training for a specific event. 14 hours is too much time in the gym per week--if you're actually working out that much, your body is too fatigued to repair itself, and if you're not, then you're just wasting time. You need to let your body rest and your muscles heal or they will never work the way they should.
Mix it up! Lifting AND cardio--you need both! Also, gyms can be boring. Find a Crossfit gym (Crossfit groupons can be super cheap) or go on a nature hike. I'm as fit as I ever was and I haven't set foot in a traditional gym in years. I do Insanity, Tough Mudder and Marine Fit workouts in my house or backyard, run plenty, and hike a lot. I do NOT miss the gym. You have to keep your mind engaged as well.
Diet matters more than exercise. As an exercise fiend, I hate to say it, but it's true. It's way easier to not eat the ice cream than it is to burn it off. I love junk food, but I have to keep it in moderation. I work out plenty, but I feel better when I eat healthy. Plus, you've got to nourish your body. If you eat a lot of junk but are still thin because of exercise, you're not doing yourself any favors. Don't reward your workouts with food.
Get a pro--if you can afford just one session with a trainer, it's worth it. Get a groupon--they're super cheap. And the pro will keep you from hurting yourself or slowing down your progress. A girlfriend of mine is a professional dancer/cheerleader, has been fit her whole life, and she benefited from professional help. Word of warning: trainers at chain gyms like Gold's and 24 Hour Fitness are often just retail grunts hired to sell more supplements and sessions. Find an independent contractor--they're less often bound by quotas and sales goals. Check Craigslist.org.
Hope my wall of text hasn't scared you off. But you don't seem like the type to scare easily. You've already done the hard part, now just keep going! Best of luck to you!
Yes...and eating too many "unhealthy foods" will cause the same "starvation mode" idea. That is often how people get so big. It is not because they eat a fridge full of food for lunch. It is because what they eat is not nutritious and what the body really wants is nutritious food...minerals, vitamins, etc. Without healthy food, the body craves more and more trying to get the building blocks it needs. In other words, a person who eats unhealthy, non-nutrient rich food...his or her brain will crave more food to try and gain more nutrients, even if the body is already full.
One thing I didn't think of Just. You talked about the gym as if you were slightly resenting how much time you spend there. On the same token, you may want to look at when you are eating and how you feel mentally when you do so. I was very guilty of eating emotionally and once I learned not to, getting in shape was a breeze.
For anyone who wants to learn about the lifestyle I am talking about, look up Self Healing Colitis and Crohn's by David Klein. I am not suggesting we all follow a raw vegan diet(although it would make my grocery bill a lot cheaper and make organic produce easier to find). :) However, there is a lot of information in that book that will open your eyes---information on the Standard American Diet that will make you think twice about the way you eat but also plenty of stories about people who overcame an illness without help from medications. It saved my life honestly so it might help someone else, even if it just offers inspiration to overcome whatever you are facing...or gives you a few ideas on ways to improve your life.
I doubt I will take this medication because of the side effects relating to heart rate, however, I am angered that the DEA may become involved. I sincerely feel that there is a concerted effort to crimilalize even helpful medications to drive up costs, and excert stiff mafia-type control and penalties on any institution that doesn't stay in-step.
I realize the followng is very tangential to the discussion of obesity medication, but reading that the DEA may become involved to control which doctors can help people, and essentially, which people can be helped really concerns me, and here is why.
I have known so many strong, promising you people suffer from using, and eventually die from overdosing on heroin, (which is where they end up when they can no longer afford to buy illegally sold opiate based pain pills). The pills are enourmously expensive on the street, while $20 can get enough heroin for two highs. I have never met a heroin user who wanted to start, or wants to continue taking this terrible drug, but the addiction is of a degree that most of us just cannot comprehend. Opiate use causes changes in the same part of the brain that is used to make us breathe, make our hearts beat, all those essential funtions for life - so it isn't much of a stretch to understand that trying to overcome heroin addition is no easier than trying to consciously control your heart rate.
Suboxone is a drug that eliminates the opiate cravings that keeps heroin addicts hooked, yet it is so tightly controlled that only the wealthy have access to it. Just as described in this article, only certain doctors are allowed to prescribe it, and about the only ones who do are the ones who have been addicts themselves and have true empathy for the addicts they seek to help.
Suboxone does not get one "high", you cannot overdose on it, a person using suboxone is able to maintain normal function - they just are relieved from the addictive properties of opiates. But by categorizing it as a controlled substance and restricting the doctors ability to prescibe this treatement, the DEA has keppt millions of our children, neighbors, friends, and families in the trap of being criminal addicts which props up the illegal opiate/heroin trade, drives up the demand for illegal pain killers (of which makes up to nearly 30% of sales for the pharmacutical giants), and keep our prisons full.
In the case of suboxone, it should be provided free from cost to those addicted to heroin and other opiates. It would eliminate the criminal behavior of buying/using/selling illegal drugs and paraphenalia, and possibly all crime related to theft committed by the drug seekers. Heroin dealers would go out of business overnight because like I said - you will never meet a heroin addict that doesn't want to stop using.
SO, I'll say it againi, I am suspicious that the DEA would become involved with a diet medication, unless there are alterior motives.
Amazes me how concerned they are with these 2 new diet drugs. Were they that concerned when they came out with ALL of the pain medication they have out there??? Look what that has done to people.
Something has got to be done about all of these obese people. Give them what they want-a pill-because they sure don't seem to want to do it the diet and exercise way. And if the diet pill doesn't work for them- then they will just have to stay obese.
Amazes me how concerned they are with these 2 new diet drugs. Were they that concerned when they came out with ALL of the pain medication they have out there??? Look what that has done to people.
Something has got to be done about all of these obese people. Give them what they want-a pill-because they sure don't seem to want to do it the diet and exercise way. And if the diet pill doesn't work for them- then they will just have to stay obese.
Amazes me how concerned they are with these 2 new diet drugs. Were they that concerned when they came out with ALL of the pain medication they have out there??? Look what that has done to people.
Something has got to be done about all of these obese people. Give them what they want-a pill-because they sure don't seem to want to do it the diet and exercise way. And if the diet pill doesn't work for them- then they will just have to stay obese.
I lost 50 pounds just walking every day usually around three or four miles a day,I am in my 60's so I do not walk fast,my main thing that keeps me from becoming bored with it is my mp-3,my music,listening to it you forget how far you actually went..good luck.
Didn't the FDA just approve of another one earlier this week?
Yo Rick---do you have a prejudice against overweight people??? Sure sounds as if you do!
Maybe you are suffering from your own disorder, possibly OCD or Orthorexia? Sure sounds like it!
I know there is a reason this drug was approved and that it will benefit those who truly need it. But the 2 of you sound so condesending about the people who need this drug, I certainly hope your backyard is clean and tidy. There is a old adage about people who say things like the two of you have.. "I may be fat, but you sure are butt ugly and I can always diet, you'll always be ugly".
Rick-546746
First the fatties will scheme to get the pill
Troy-2251798
It is called exercise and a modicum of self-control you fat lazy fukks
You have no idea what having a family genetic predisposition of obesity on both sides of the family is like. I have struggled all my life with weight, sometimes I lost, sometimes I didn't, but in my late 50's, I still have to struggle; my sister lost her life to obesity, while trying to control it,. I wish she had the opportunity of trying these new drugs. And for you who agree with Troy, what goes around, comes around.
From what I can read...Ranger did not agree with Rick. He/she condemned Rick and Troy for being so callous.
I feel sorry for people who believe genetics has a lot to do with weight. A kid with the fattest parents in the world will not grow up fat in a family that encourages healthy eating and exercise. It is more about lifestyle than genetics.
I second that Apache.
Maybe someone was born with a naturally slowish metabolism=solution=eat a little less than your neighboor. Most people have no CLUE how many calories they eat, and whine about not being able to eat as much as the person next to them. I gain weight if I eat over 1,500 calories, despite being tall and active, but I eat lots of fruits, veggies, work-out and then have to take crap from overwieght people that make rude comments about how I'm lucky to be "naturally" thin. Nope. I work very hard at it. Thanks very much. you can to!
Glad to see others agreeing lividladylynx. Being in shape takes work regardless of genetics and any fit person is certainly not counting on luck to be that way.
Dear ApacheRose, unless you tell me otherwise I am going to assume you are not a doctor or have a medical background. If so, I don't think you should be lecturing to obese people about what causes their problem and how to remedy it. My understanding is that obesity is a mixture of genetics and lifestyle, and that the exact mix depends on the individual. Therefore different approaches will work for different people. A drug may be necessary for some people, a rigorous exercise program may be sufficient for others. As part of my own work in medical research (immunology) I have looked at a condition called metabolic syndrome, that seems to be caused in part with immune system disorders. So people with this condition may require yet another, very different, immune-based treatment. Drugs, when they work, can have a great benefit/cost, but deciding when they should be used and who should take them and which is better etc is not a subject that amateurs should be weighing in on.
Just saying.
Where did I lecture anyone? I merely said genetics has very little to do with the equation. In comparison, lifestyle has a boat load to do with obesity. Notice what I said. Genetics is a small part of obesity compared to lifestyle. Of course there will be people whose genetics play a larger role...but they are few and far between.
And my background? I am studying to be a certified nutritionist and also a natural health practitioner(I refuse to say doctor because a doctor is supposed to help a person lead a healthier life and only reach for a script pad when necessary. All too often, doctors reach for the pad first and could careless about preventative measures)...one very clinical and the the other out of the box but backed by the first. Aside from the fact that I have been very sick myself and struggled with eating habits, this is a field I know all too much about considering I healed myself from an illness doctors think is incurable and only manageable with powerful medicines. Thanks for weighing in and adding barbs for no apparent reason. I'll refrain from doing the same because that is not what I am here for.
Nice work! :) I hope you are proud of what you have done and keep that healthy mindset. It will do wonders all by itself!
"Topamax, the epilepsy drug"--really? How about "the anti-seizure medication, Topamax"? The poor editing continues....
Topamax does keep a person thin. My daughter used it to control seizures for nearly 4 years until she started having breakthrough seizures and went on to other meds. For her, it was not a healthy-looking thin, 90 lbs does not look good on someone 5' 4", 110 looks so much better. Topamax is also called "dope-a-max", my daughter said that it seemed to damp down her emotions. She used the med from age 11 to age 15, and seemed to be a very mellow, happy kid, nothing seemed to upset her--there were also no teen crushes, no joy in anything. When she came off Topamax, she discovered emotions and it was a lot of work for her to get used to feeling joy, pleasure and sadness. Four years of living as a robot were enough for her, she will never take this pill again. Not something to be sold over the counter, ever.
...sorry, "topiramate, the epilepsy drug", sorry for the use of a brand-name--but it is NOT "topiramate, the seizure drug", it's "topiramate, the anti-seizure drug". Big difference, editors!
so not only will they be scarce(so they can get away with outrages cost) you have to take them for the rest of your life?...obesity is a condition to be cured with a pill for the rest of your life? and for those who are obese and dont work because they cant move or have other conditions related to being overweight will the taxpayer be paying for them to take a pill so they can be thin, enjoy whatever food they want(how fair is that!..I have to get on a treadmil for an hour if I want a piece of cake and they get a miracle pill) and be lazy?...what happened to teaching folks to get a diet, get an excersice plan and stick with that?
Yet another example of our society and the never-ending motivation for a shortcut. Two-thirds of the population is already overweight because many take the easy way out, buying take out or fast food or already prepared frozen meals rather than making less expensive and healthier homemade meals. The only true answer to maintaining a healthy body weight is through eating the proper foods and exercise. Pills, so-called diet foods, reduced calories because real sugar is is replaced with fake sugar, etc...all will just add more problems to the equation.
I am sure the overweight, unhealthy people will give this post crap...but have any of you seen an unhealthy person who maintains a eating lots of fresh produce? I don't mean corn or green beans slathered in butter or broccoli covered in cheese. I mean, eating at least 5 small meals a day....every single one having a raw fruit or vegetable?? No processed juices from concentrate. How about a fresh made juice or smoothie made in the blender? Hell, just remove soda from your diet. The average person would lose 15-20 pounds over the course of a year with minimal exercise and a conscious effort to replace sugary, caffeinated drinks with water.
Before I waste my day preaching, I have been one of the unhealthy people before. I was stuck in the E.R. one night, with my body massively betraying me. I didn't know what was going on. Months later, I was diagnosed with a chronic digestive illness that no doctor believes can be cured...only managed through powerful drugs that do more harm than good. Long story short, after years of trying it their way and being even more sick on the medications, I decided to listen to my instincts. I started following a natural fruit diet...void of cooked foods and animal products. Everything I eat is fresh and comes from nature untouched. I am now healthy, not on medicines, and feeling better every day.
Any person can be healthy if they so choose, however, it takes discipline and dedication. Sadly, that is all it takes for the majority to get back to a healthy body and yet, they refuse. They enjoy their cake and pizza and ice cream and burgers...all the while believing pills will fix the problems their choices create. Example. If you have high cholesterol, try removing all animal products from your diet. Stop eating meat, drinking milk, eating eggs, etc. Your cholesterol will drop, despite what doctors tell you about it being genetic and you needing a medication to lower it. Why? Cholesterol is only present in animal products. Leading a plant based lifestyle might seem like a crazy idea to most of you, but humans were never meant to eat meat in the first place. It causes cancer and it is just a calorie dump. We are natural fruit eaters and a plant based diet contains everything we need to live a healthy life.
While your approach may work for you, it won't work for everyone. I don't eat out either but sure I'll have a frozen food meal occasionally. I eat meat and I can't see myself ever going to strictly a vegetarian diet. We weren't meant to eat meat? Really? The bottom line is that some people really do try all the while enjoying some things they like to eat and yes, it might be burgers. This life is lived once. Why should people only eat things they don't enjoy? Whatever one thinks of the current culture, it's idiocy not to think that the technological innovations that have taken over the workplace and made everyone sedentary sitting in front of a computer for hours along with all the hormones and crap that is put into our foods hasn't affected all Americans in a negative way. If society hadn't gotten to this point as a result of job types and the way in which food is produced, we would not see so many people overweight.
I think you missed my point. I agree our lives are more sedentary and our foods are pumped with things that should never be in our bodies. I have a book in front of me that says there are hundreds of chemicals added to our foods that are not digestible by the human body....so our livers and kidney are already behind the eight ball when they don't have to be.
Either way, my approach would work for anyone who wanted to do it. I am living proof. Yes, at first, it was hard as all hell. I struggled and I hated it. But after I made it a few weeks, my body stopped craving the bad foods I had been eating and it became easier. I learned to listen to my body for true hunger, never ate in a hurry, and never ate to curb or change emotions. Symptoms from my illness subsided, an illness doctors say cannot be cured, and I am well as ever. Sure I see normal food sometimes and I dream about it. But why eat it if it is bringing my body down and adding hormones, additives, and such to my system?
Our food is a product of us. If we didn't eat it, no one would make it. The reality is Americans seem to think that if it is allowed in the store, it must be safe to eat. It is definitely not safe to eat...or two-thirds of America would not be overweight.
I haven't had juice or soda in any large amount for 10 years. I don't eat sugar or simple starches often. My meals are made up of a lean protein, steamed veggies and whole grain (usually brown rice or quinoa). I don't eat many "diet foods" because I don't like them. I only have desert on Christmas day, Thanksgiving day, My birthday, My son's birthday and my husband's birthday. I excercise as much as I can, though I admit I'm not a gym rat. Mostly I try to go on walks and dance with my son. My caloric intake is approximately 1200/day. I don't eat much cheese and when I do it's reduced fat. I am doing everything right and I weigh 240 at 5'8". I have never EVER been a junk food feind. I simply gained as I got older eating regular, everyday foods.
Please stop with the judgemental view that people who are fat are so by stuffing their face with greese all day. I don't know very many people who do that but I do know many overweight people.
I haven't had juice or soda in any large amount for 10 years. I don't eat sugar or simple starches often. My meals are made up of a lean protein, steamed veggies and whole grain (usually brown rice or quinoa). I don't eat many "diet foods" because I don't like them. I only have desert on Christmas day, Thanksgiving day, My birthday, My son's birthday and my husband's birthday. I excercise as much as I can, though I admit I'm not a gym rat. Mostly I try to go on walks and dance with my son. My caloric intake is approximately 1200/day. I don't eat much cheese and when I do it's reduced fat. I am doing everything right and I weigh 240 at 5'8". I have never EVER been a junk food feind. I simply gained as I got older eating regular, everyday foods.
Please stop with the judgemental view that people who are fat are so by stuffing their face with greese all day. I don't know very many people who do that but I do know many overweight people.
I don't have a judgmental view that all fat people eat grease all day. I am one of the few people who understand the hold food can keep on a person chemically, no matter how hard they try to make the proper changes. Even still, did I condemn anyone? No. You can live as you wish. I will do the same. I also realize people can think they are making great choices when they are not. Just like the diet you described above. I'd love to help but you have to be willing to get away from the way you think...eating and in terms of what is healthy. That is healthy to most people...but you are doing things that are actually causing your body to stay unhealthy. Let me know and I would be happy to share a few pointers. But please do not judge me. I did not judge anyone else, nor do you know anything about me or my health to do so.
If humans were not meant to eat meat why do we have canine teeth? Canines, your eye-teeth, are meant to rip and tear flesh, the incisors, front teeth, are meant to break larger, harder foods, like fruits and veggies, into smaller pieces, and the molars, back teeth are meant to grind the food up so you can swallow it. So tell me why we developed canine teeth, a tool, that we are not supposed to use.
lol. Sorry but I had to laugh. Regardless of if we think the same or have differing views, your way of thinking is a bit flawed.
For starters. there are apes and monkeys who have canine teeth. They primarily eat fruit and leaves. Second, who says we had to develop canine teeth to eat meat? Did we develop thumbs to stick them up our butts? No...but we can do that with them if we wish. Maybe we developed the teeth for a number of other reasons. Third, if we were meant to eat meat as you suggest, why is it cancer causing? Why, if a person eats a lot of meat, is their body more acidic and prone to disease? Does meat offer any health benefits? Outside of being calorie dense, it is nutritionally a waste. Compare that to fruit...eat a lot of it and keep the residue simple sugar from destroying your teeth...and your body will be able to fight off disease and not age as quickly as a person who eats meat. I could keep going and tell you that it is far cheaper to eat a plant based diet(biologically more sound as well---it would be less work for your body to eat the plants than it would be to feed them to an animal then eat the animal), how we can get plenty of everything we need from plant sources, and so much more...but you are welcome to have your own beliefs as I am mine.
I never said we couldn't eat meat. All I said was we were never meant to. If we were, meat would be better for us than where meat comes from....plants.
Not to mention that meat is one of the hardest things for the body to digest! I am vegetarian, and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have a sensitive stomach, so I do need to cook most of my vegetables and therefore cannot do a raw diet, but I would never go back to eating meat.
MusicGirl...yes, meat is very hard for the body to digest...sometimes requiring 20% of the calories we eat just to perform the process of digestion. Good point. If you can't do a raw diet, steaming vegetables lightly is okay. I couldn't have raw veggies either when I started but once I healed things up, I was able to eat them. The key is combining the right foods together.
I like how the idiots commented first!!!!
They sound really dangerous to me. If the FDA is worried about it, then you should be too! No telling what it will do to you in the long run, and taking the drug the rest of your life would be a pain.
I hate the fact everyone is giving overweight people a hard time. It makes them feel bad and try dangerous drugs like this. Overweight, underweight and everyone between has body issues. Noone is ever going to be truely happy with their body. Like Tyra Banks says "We are all Flawesome!"
I eat very healthy but I am still considered obese. I can only exercise my arms as I am in a wheel chair. So I guess that makes me one of those lazy fatties you are talking about.
I can't quite wrap my head around why people like @Troy-2251798 and @Rick-546746 feel the need to pass a moral judgement on people who are overweight or choose to take advantage of a technological advancement to help with a very real problem.
Couldn't the same argument be made for any technological advancement? "Why do you have to use a dishwasher, are you just too lazy to wash dishes yourself?" "You must not have any character, you go to the grocery store instead of growing your own food."
If 2/3 of us are overweight, and of those who actually do make an effort to lose weight, 95% of them put the weight back on after they have lost it. What's more likely, that it's a moral failing or lack of character, or is it more likely that we just don't yet understand the problem well enough to solve it?
And btw, I'm a good deal below the average weight for someone my age and height.
The problem others will have with these pills have to do with the fact that of the people who do make an effort to lose weigh, many go back to their old ways and that is why the weight comes back. It doesn't come back because being overweight is like cancer...that can go into remission. It comes back because of choices a person makes.
While I agree with your thoughts on Troy and Rick, I do not see these medications as any advancement. I have seen people who maintain healthy weight try to take diuretics because they have no idea what good health consists of. Some of those people will try these pills too. The reality is and you said it...what happened to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise plan? Doctors will not get paid nearly as much with healthy patients...so why would they suggest such a sensible idea when they can prescribe a pill and give the false illusion that pills are the answer?
I'm not sure I agree w/ you Rose. If a problem affects 2/3 of the population, I would have to conclude that it isn't as simple as just making a choice. I wouldn't necessarily equate it with cancer. On the other hand, I wouldn't minimize it by saying it is just about choices and a lack of willpower.
The more people study the problem, the more they come to realize how complicated the problem is. Our bodies and minds have evolved to develop a large number of mechanisms designed to thwart our attempts to shed fat. Some people are lucky to be naturally thin, but for at least 2/3 of us, it is a constant battle.
This problem is extraordinarily costly on a lot of levels. If smart people are able to come up with tools that help with the problem, why wouldn't we give it a shot? Smart people came up with a cure for Polio and Smallpox? There aren't too many people who pass judgement on those who took the opportunity to take advantage of those advances, why is this one any different?
I'm sure there are a good number of people who are naturally thin that might lose the ability to be condescending to those who are not, but I think that the overall benefit to our society would far outweigh that.
All I meant is that if 2/3 of the population is affected, maybe it is a product of other means. What about the way we prepare food? Frozen, processed foods, additives, etc. Maybe that is where the issue starts.
There are diseases in the western world that cannot be found in other countries to prove this. I agree the problem is complicated and harder than just making a few choices. I am proof positive that even when you want to make changes, the cravings your body has compare to drug addictions. However, if given the time, the body can learn to crave the healthy foods it really wants.
I am not against giving it a shot but are drugs the answer? Why are our doctors on average only exposed to one or two classes on nutrition in medical school? Why are there hundreds of chemicals in our food the human body cannot digest? Why is prevention not more at the forefront? Why do we regulate cigarettes and alcohol but allow foods to be sold that contain more than half fat when we know the human diet should not contain more than 20% fat? The last one might seem silly but it is the truth. This is why our healthcare costs are shooting through the roof. We keep coming up with pill after pill after pill...and all too often, a few years after they are on the market, they are taken off. Why? They are not safe and not the answer. That was all I was saying. But hey, if people want to try it, go for it. I just think there are far better answers.
Whatever happened to diet and exercise? Seriously, its not that hard. A walk everyday of a few blocks, and sticking to 3 healthy meals a day, is all it takes. Pretty sad state of affairs, if people think pills are the answer to this..
It is far more difficult for a myriad of reasons---one being the human body literally treats salt and sugar like nicotine and will crave it until it learns differently---but you are correct.
I would just add 5 small meals a day would be better :P along with adequate rest and low stress levels. Americans are not associated with rest or low stress by any means.
do they ask these questions just so they bullies can come out and play ? People can never be as hard on an overweight person as they are on themselves. It bother me that diet pills are somehow an answer. if you are obese a pill is not going to "do the trick", it will be like every other diet WE have tried. I too have lost 60 lbs over the last twelve months - very challenging and totally worth it. It isnt easy - there is no quick solution unless you opt for bariatric surgery which also isnt always the solution except those at severe risk for death who really want to live and be healthier. You simply have to decide one bite at a time to eat a little less. If you would eat five cookies eat four, get a medium fry instead of a large, overtime you will find you want less and less of the foods that are super unhealthy. I discovered that myself. Now when I want a piece of chocolate I am happy with one of those small snack size ones at Halloween.. Crash diets, starvation diets and excessive exercise don't work. Watching the Biggest Loser will only make you fatter and make you feel even worse about yourself because you wont be able to replicate what you see on tv. To those who choose these drugs I wish you well, remember whatever is in these drugs usually comes with a price - remember all those folks who tried that last round of diet pills - maybe had heart problems, strokes etc from the pills - would they have had those without the pills? maybe maybe not.
Once again a new drug approved by the FDA with zero long term studies showing it's affects. These are the same people who think Monsanto's terminator seed frankenveggies were a great idea, among other public health debacles. This time targeting the obese population because many of them are desperate to lose weight. The pressure that overweight people feel from society doesn't help matters, therefore there is a ready market for these dangerous drugs. People keep saying it over and over --- drink more water, abandon the SAD (Standard American Diet), sodas, high fructose corn syrup, and frankenfoods. The weight will come off fairly easily actually...I am living proof. If you are overweight and need help, find a good support group and find the love within yourself to treat yourself better. You don't need drugs that may not even work or could possibly kill you.
Well, the drugs will kill you...even if it doesn't show. The SAD(Standard American Diet) kills more people than probably any other cause on this plant...but few will ever see it that way because the people dying would go under various cancer deaths, heart disease, etc. When in reality, if they just did as you suggested, they would live a longer, more fulfilled life. Glad to see there are still people out there who will not turn to a doctor to put a band-aid over an issue.
I'll have two Big Macs, a Quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, a large vanilla milkshake and a diet Coke.
I need longer arms so I can push away from the table.
The Pill isn't THE ANSWER. You must change your diet. A little exercise is good, but it's really all about the types of food you eat. I have seen people take the diet pills and GAIN weight!
You have to change your diet. There isn't any magic in the pills!
Wow, a prescription pill that you have to take for the rest of your life...these companies are looking to milk the long-term cash cow.
Taking medications for a lifetime is a fact of life for many people with chronic diseases- think hypertension, diabetes, bipolar disorders, incontinence. Obesity can be a chronic condition as well; furthermore, controlling the obesity may also help control diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic conditions.
I'm an older nurse, and just yesterday I was thinking how much more time I spend passing meds than I did 25 years ago- I give approximately 150-200 medications a day (for 5 patients) as opposed to 25-40 a day back in the 80's. My patients who are 75+ years old are thinner than my 55-65 year olds. I hate to think what the Gen X's will weigh when they hit the multi-system failure years, and how much sicker they'll be. As scary as these new obesity drugs sound, the alternative is even scarier.
Good points California...however, how will it be scarier when so many die before those years due to their lifestyle choices? At some point, maybe we will realize a little personal responsibility and prevention will go further than any medication.
Also, a number of the diseases you mentioned that "need" to be controlled by medication do not need to be controlled by medication at all. Many can be managed through dietary changes, particularly diseases whose cause was eating habits in the first place. The body has amazing abilities if given the chance.
I realize some people would rather do the medicines than make other changes...my mom is one of them...but it is just the truth. Some people refuse to make choices to better their health until it is too late. That is not a problem with increasing disease but what is causing the disease...and the majority of us could change it if we choose.
Hey Troy and Rick.. come call me fat to my face. It is people like you that make this world difficult for the rest of us. I have a college education, work in a professional field for 30 years, probably make twice what you do in salary and you have the audacity to call me and others like me fattie and lazy! I grew up in a family of five kids. My father was a drill instructor and mom was a beautician, on her feet for forty years. I was the only one that ended up heavyset. I did not sit on my a**, I played sports in school, both baseball and football. was active as an adult. But god made me with a tendency to put on and keep weight. Eat right and more exercise is not the answer. It might work for some, but it does not work for all. some of us have bodies that defy this method of weight control and we need something else. You obviously have never had to deal with this issue, because if you had you would have more compassion for those that struggle with it everyday. do you think anyone wants to be overweight, with all the discrimination we have to face in this country? It's morons like you that make it harder for all of us.
Exactly my point...they don't get "it" and honestly not every wants to be THIN...healthy is the goal. I'm overweight but I have not ailments, issues and have been healthier than most of my naturally thin friends all of my life. No HBP, Hypertension, Diabetes, sore joints nothing, just predestined to be larger than my siblings. I feel you Gumdrop!
I don't agree with the use of a life long "aid" but I won't disagree with it either. I highly doubt that if someone doesn't change one or more habits that the introduction of a pill will automatically drop the weight off. I've seen MANY of my friends get surgery and I have also in turn seen MANY of them gain the weight back, only to become depressed and suicidal at the thought of wasted funds, time, and happiness. In the end, this is no different than someone taking a pill for the rest of their life for high blood pressure, diabetes, a heart condition, or whatever other condition that, YES, they could have prevented, but didn't pay attention to their actions that led up to it. Oh well...I'm overweight and no, I'm not okay with it, but when I get good and ready to attack the challenge of working out and not caring about my vanity (sweating, etc.) then my change will come. Until then, I have a great health insurance plan that I PAY FOR and if I choose to PAY for this pill as an aid then SHUT UP AND LET ME PAY! It's not your life people...please stop preaching about work this out, eat this, change this like this isn't plastered on every magazine and doctors wall every day, all day! Again, if you don't need it, then don't worry about! All I know is that I've invested in this company for all of those who do want it and need it....let the money roll in so my fat arse can enjoy life!
My only issue with your post is that when or if you ever become too sick to work, it will no longer be just you paying for it. The rest of us will have to foot the bill and that is right. There should be an element of personal responsibility in the healthcare system or we should have a national one. Everyone complains about the idea but it would cut costs and not allow the big "pharm" attitude that runs rampant now.
Typical of the FDA! I would rather be 100 lbs( easy for me to say)overweight than to give these a holes any more control over my life. Why did they give people hope, hurry up and approve it and then put controls on it?
Well, as you eluded to, who are they to run my life? There in lies the issue. I hope I never have to rely on an outsider to run my life. If I do, that means there is an issue with me, not necessarily the outsider. In other words, if fewer people listened to the FDA and learned for their own good, we would never need a drug to help overweight people in the first place.
For a country that takes more drugs then any other, we add one more to the bunch. Never mind that the World Health Org. rated us 72nd in overall health. So we just keep treating the symptoms, are to lazy or busy to actually address the causes as usual.
The average person over 65 takes 11 prescriptions, and the Pharm companies want to keep it that way.
When are we going to wake up and realize obesity isn't caused from a lack of drugs.
It's no wonder the healthcare system is so bad here, we spend 4 times more on medicine then the country rated #1 in health. Maybe we should reassess our system and treat it first, but not with drugs.
I couldn't agree more. It is the very reason our healthcare system is failing. You can't cover an ever expanding group of sick citizens with a smaller and smaller body of able bodied citizens. At some point, the system has to changed---where personal responsibility plays a role for consumers and the pharmaceutical companies alike---or our society will never recover.