The FDA is, once again, considering approval of a new drug for weight loss that will combine two already existing drugs. Phentermine (half of phen phen) and topiramate (used for epilepsy and migraines) known by it’s brand name as Topomax, combine to make Qnexa. This very drug, developed by Vivus failed to get approval back in 2010 due to the risk of heart problems and birth defects. At this point, it appears that the FDA will require more research, particularly into the risk of cardiovascular events, since this drug does increase the heart rate. Of course it does. It’s a form of speed.
What concerns me even more than the obvious is that in already existing trials, there are no questions the drug helps people lose weight, but the second year patients began to regain up to 20% of the weight lost the first year. This is my big concern with ALL weight loss programs that are not based on healthy eating and regular exercise. THERE IS NO MAGIC BULLET. Personally, I have seen way too many people lose 10, 20, 100 and more pounds only to find themselves overweight once again. Diet pills, fad diets, surgery, and other weight loss methods can and do work for weight loss. Weight loss, however, is NOT a permanent thing and needs daily maintenance! Your weight loss journey absolutely needs to be something you can live with for decades to come. To damage your body, including your brain, to get there is crazy. The newest craze is the “Bride Diet,” which sounds romantic, but translates to being tube fed. Really? People that are limited to feedings on a tube would probably do ANYTHING in the world to experience eating.
The madness has to stop. Until we change our brains, we will never get out of this weight loss rat race. With heavy hitters like Big Pharma playing the game, we will never win. Research shows many of that over eat have a food trigger. As Carol and I discussed recently, the trigger can be anything. It can set us off in spiral of binge eating, and it might be something as simple as a food item like a pretzel or a jellybean. On the other hand, it might be a person, place or thing. Find out what your triggers are and stay away! Do the work on your psyche that needs to be done. Figure out why it is you sabotage all your hard work because something inside you doesn’t say you are worth being healthy and happy. When faced with challenges ask yourself questions that set you up for success. As I have often said, asking “Do I want the cookie or not?” is a question that will set you up for failure. OF COURSE WE ALL WANT THE COOKIE! Instead ask “Do I really want this cookie knowing it might set me into a binge or would I rather feel great in my bathing suit next month?” That answer is simple. Stay focused on your long term goals and set yourself up with lots of short term rewards. While getting started with your lifestyle changes and weight loss program, consider a cheat meal instead of an entire cheat day. Sometimes one cheat day can set us back almost an entire week. (Go back and read about the triggers!) Binge eaters average eating for almost 2 hours and consume about 3,500 calories!
Grab that steering wheel of YOUR life and get busy driving. There are no magic bullets and the ones that pretend to be, come with awfully risky side effects. Do the work. Don’t risk your health; instead gain control of it and all good things will follow.
Related articles
- FDA Will Take 3 More Months To Review Mountain View Firm’s Diet Pill (sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com)
- Advantages and disadvantages of diet pills (weightloser7.blogspot.com)
