Most common side effects with phentermine plus topiramate: paresthesia, dry mouth, constipation

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Saturday, November 05, 2011 10:24 am Email this article
The most common side effects in people given controlled-release phentermine plus controlled-release topiramate (Topamax) -- the trade name of this drug combination is Qnexa -- according to a study from the researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, were:

• paresthesia (tingling or pricking of a person's skin, a feeling of "pins and needles"


• dry mouth


• constipation


• altered taste (dysgeusia), and


• insomnia.

Is Sustained-Release Important?

Does it matter that these drugs were sustained-release? No.

Does it matter that these drugs were sustained-release?

No.

The reason they are using sustained released versions of these drugs is to make their product unique.

It does NOT make it more effective, and, I would guess that it even makes it LESS effective.

 

Immediate-Release Diet Pills vs Sustained-Release

Immediate-Release PPA was twice as effective as Sustained-Release PPA

A review by the FDA of the drug phenylpropanolamine (PPA)—which was banned in 2000 because a study from Yale in conjunction with the FDA claimed that it increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, but the study was fatally flawed in many ways which made the results meaningless which was never revealed—found that immediate-release PPA caused twice as much weight loss per week as sustained-release PPA, suggesting that, as a general rule, immediate-release appetite suppressants are more effective than sustained-release.

This makes perfect sense because if you are going to use an appetite suppressant, you want to be able to take it an hour before eating, and then have it peak in the blood right when you are eating in order to get the maximum appetite suppressing effect at that time.

 

Why Are Immediate-Release Appetite Suppressants More Effective?

Why are immediate-release appetite suppressants more effective than sustained-release?

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The reason that sustained-release appetite suppressants are probably less effective as a general rule are that they take several hours for them to peak in the blood—the drug is being slowly released—which, if you take it an hour before eating, does not peak until several hours AFTER you have eaten.

 

An Exception: Sustained-Release vs Immediate-Release Diethylpropion

Sustained-release diethylpropion (Tenuate Dospan, 75 mg) as effective as immediate-release diethylpropion (Tenuate, 25 mg)?

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One exception to this general rule seems to be with sustained-release diethylpropion (Tenuate Dospan, 75 mg) versus immediate-release diethylpropion (Tenuate, 25 mg).

Weight loss with sustained-release diethylpropion (Tenuate Dospan, 75 mg) appears to be just as good as, and possibly slightly better than, immediate-release diethylpropion (Tenuate, 25 mg).

My guess as to why this is, is because diethylpropion is converted in the body to phenylpropanolamine (PPA) in the body, which causes the appetite-suppressing effect, which may take several hours, and therefore it suppress appetite at the next meal.

 

Do Not Be Fooled Into Thinking that Controlled-Release Phentermine and Topamax are Better

Do not be fooled into thinking that controlled-release phentermine and topiramate are more effective; my guess is that they are probabaly LESS effective

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The point of discussing this is that I don’t want you to be fooled into thinking that just because they used controlled-release phentermine plus controlled-release topiramate (Topamax) in this study, that it is somehow more effective than the immediate-release phentermine plus immediate-release topiramate (Topamax) that is available right now.

My guess is that the controlled-release phentermine plus controlled-release topiramate (Topamax) is NOT more effective, and is likely to be LESS effective than the immediate-release version of these drugs.

 

Other Articles

Other articles about phentermine plus Topamax

Here are some other articles about phentermine plus Topamax.

 

3.75 mg of phentermine plus 23 mg of topiramate caused weight loss of 5.1% vs 1.6% with placebo

15 mg of phentermine plus 92 mg of topiramate caused weight loss of 10.9% vs 1.6% with placebo

Depression-related events more common in those given 15 mg phentermine + 92 mg Topamax: 7.3% vs 3.8%

Anxiety-related events more common in those given 15 mg phentermine + 92 mg Topamax: 7.7% vs 2.8%

Attention problems more common in those given 15 mg phentermine + 92 mg Topamax: 3.5% vs 0.7%

Kidney stones 5 times more common in those given 15 mg of phentermine plus 92 mg of Topamax

7.5 mg of phentermine plus 46 mg of Topamax caused weight loss of 17.8 lbs vs 3.1 lbs with placebo

15 mg of phentermine plus 92 mg of Topamax caused weight loss of 22.4 lbs vs 3.1 lbs with placebo

Most common side effects of phentermine plus Topamax were paraesthesia, dry mouth, constipation

Robert Skversky, MD on Dr. Oz talking about Phentermine plus Topamax for weight loss, Part 1

Robert Skversky, MD on Dr. Oz talking about Phentermine plus Topamax for weight loss, Part 2

Robert Skversky, MD on Dr. Oz talking about Phentermine plus Topamax for weight loss, Part 3

Robert Skversky, MD on Dr. Oz talking about Phentermine plus Topamax for weight loss, Part 4

Robert Skversky, MD on Dr. Oz talking about Phentermine plus Topamax for weight loss, Part 5

Topamax (topiramate) caused average weight gain of 5.3 lbs in six months in migraine suffers

Woman loses 40 lbs on Topamax with Robert Skversky, MD

Woman loses 115 lbs on phentermine, Topamax and Lexapro with Robert Skversky, MD

How I use Topamax for weight loss by Robert Skversky, MD

Qnexa (phentermine plus Topamax) causes woman to lose 55 lbs, man 73 lbs

High-dose Qnexa: 15 mg Phentermine plus 92 mg Topamax causes weight loss of 10.4% vs 1.8% w/placebo

Mid-dose Qnexa: 7.5 mg Phentermine plus 46 mg Topamax causes weight loss of 8.4% vs 1.8% w/placebo

High-dose Qnexa: 15 mg Phentermine plus 92 mg Topamax causes weight loss of 11% vs 1.6% w/placebo

Low-dose Qnexa: 3.75 mg Phentermine plus 23 mg Topamax causes weight loss of 5.1% vs 1.6% w/placebo

Qnexa (Phentermine/Topamax) side effects dry mouth, tingling, constipation, altered taste, insomnia

Topamax (topiramate) used by 50% of weight loss doctors surveyed

Topamax and Zonegran can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors according to the FDA

Topamax caused weight loss of 15.8 lbs in 59% of patients who gained weight on psychotropic drugs

43-year-old man loses 50 lbs in 4 months on phentermine plus Topamax (topiramate) - update

43-year-old man loses 44 lbs in 3 months on phentermine plus Topamax (topiramate)

Topamax caused psychosis in brother & sister; 75 mg twice a day in one, 25 mg twice a day the other

Type 2 Diabetics given Topamax lost 13.2 lbs vs 5.5 lbs for those given a placebo

Topamax side effects

Topamax causes 14 lbs weight loss in obese type 2 diabetics

Topmax reduces binge eating and causes weight loss of 9.9 lbs

Overweight bipolar patients lose 8.9 lbs with Meridia, 6.2 lbs with Topamax

Topamax CR unsuitable for treatment of obesity due to side effects

Topamax causes weight loss of 9.1% vs 2.5% with placebo

Type 2 diabetics lost 6.6% of body weight with Topamax

Adding lithium to Topmax increased weight loss in those with bipolar disorder by 3.7 lbs

Topamax plus metformin helped diabetics lose 6.5% of their body weight

Qnexa: Phentermine-Topriamate drug combo causes half of patients to lose an average of 25 pounds

One report of Topamax lengthening the eyelashes

Topamax (topiramate) causes 13.3 lbs weight loss in women who had gained weight on Zyprexa

Topamax (topiramate) causes average weight loss of 6.5% lbs after six months

Topamax (topiramate) causes 11 lbs weight loss and reduces aggression and anger in men

Topamax (topiramate) can cause mania

Topamax helps woman with binge eating disorder lose 26 lbs

Topamax can cause obsessive-compulsive disorder

Topamax (topiramate) prevents migraines

Topamax (topiramate) causes weight loss of 15-17% compared to 9% with placebo

Topamax causes 7 to 9.7 percent weight loss for more than a year

Topamax helps people with Binge Eating Disorder lose 9 lbs in four months

Potassium may help prevent or treat Topamax-induced skin sensations according to Dr. Robert Skversky

Provigil may help treat Topamax-induced fatigue and cognitive dysfunction according to Dr. Skversky

Zonegran reduces sweet cravings, causes weight loss, says Dr. Jay Piatek

Topamax causes 18-20 lbs weight loss in six months

Xenical plus Meridia plus Topamax causes women to lose 66-77 lbs

Xenical plus Meridia plus Topamax causes men to lose 53-77 lbs

Topamax causes 24 pound weight loss in one year in obese epileptics

Topamax causes 13 pound weight loss in three months and reduces binge eating

Topamax causes weight loss of nearly 30 pound for two years

REFERENCE

Allison D, Gadde K, Garvey W, Peterson C, Schwiers M, Najarian T, Tam P, Troupin B, Day W. Controlled-release phentermine/topiramate in severely obese adults: A randomized controlled trial (equip). Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Nov 3, published on-line.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

1] Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA [2] Department of Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professionals and Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

David Allison
Departments of Biostatistics and Nutrition Sciences, Nutrition Obesity Research Center
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1665 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

KM Gadde
Obesity Clinical Trials Program
Box 3292
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710, USA
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Phentermine

• Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate) (formerly Qnexa)

• Topamax (topiramate)