We are flooded with images of what is considered beautiful every day, and most of these images involve being thin. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that these images are often altered to suit the target audience and / or impossible to achieve. However, we all feel the pressure to be skinny, and to do so sooner rather than later.
We strongly disagree with the use of any prescription drug without adequate supervision. However, we also recognize that people like to do research on various drugs, either before or after seeing their health care providers. It is in this spirit that we list here some of the drugs most commonly used for weight loss with explanations and common side effects.
Amines “sympathomimetics”
Most of you have heard of ‘amphetamines‘ or drugs that make you stay awake for long periods of time or be particularly “vigilant”. Medications for weight loss in this class are similar to amphetamines with the additional effect of appetite suppression.
Drugs in this class are the drugs most commonly used for weight loss medical form with the longest history of use both inside and outside the U.S.
Common side effects of drugs of this class are:
• High blood pressure
• Heart palpitations
• Insomnia (inability to sleep)
• Dry mouth
• Decreased sex drive
Conditions that may worsen because of these medications include:
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Glaucoma
• Combined use with other stimulants
Examples of drugs of this class are:
• Phentermine
• Phendimetrazine
• Diethylpropion (more…)
