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Phentermine-Tenuate combined with No-Dinner Diet: An interview with Dr. Gary Albertson
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Tuesday, April 06, 2004 7:35 am Email this article
“No eating after 2 pm,” says Gary R. Albertson, D.O. of Monahans, Texas when asked about his No-Dinner diet. As far as diet drugs Albertson’s says “I only use three diet medications—phentermine, diethylpropion and phendimetrazine.”
Dr. Albertson runs The Weigh of Life weight loss clinics. Larry Hobbs spoke to Dr. Albertson by phone.
Hobbs: What diet drugs do you use?
Albertson: Phentermine, diethylpropion and phendimetrazine. Only those three.
Hobbs: What doses do you use?
Albertson: I prescribe up to 37.5 mg of phentermine or 105 mg of phendimetrazine to be taken approximately one o’clock in the afternoon. Then if a patient still complains of hunger after a week or so I will add either 35 to 70 mg of immediate-release phendimetrazine or 25 to 50 mg of immediate-release Tenuate (diethylpropion) or 8 to 15 mg of phentermine somewhere between 4 pm and 6 pm.
Hobbs: Does this cause any sleep problems?
Albertson: Not usually. If so I adjust the timing of the last dose.
Hobbs: What is the average weight loss?
Albertson: 10 to 15 pounds during the first month and 4 to 6 pounds per month after that.
Hobbs: “Have you tried any other diet medications?
Albertson: Yes—Fen-Phen, Redux (dexfenfluramine) and Meridia (sibutramine). But I found that the combinations that I had been using—the phentermine, diethylpropion and phendimetrazine—are more effective.
Hobbs: How long have you been treating patients for weight loss?
Albertson: 18 years.
Hobbs: “How many patients have you treated?
Albertson: We have 25,000 patients in our database.
Hobbs: Tell me about your No-Dinner Diet?
Albertson: There is no eating after 2 o’clock in the afternoon. People can eat a big breakfast and big lunch, but no dinner—nothing after 2 pm. It is similar to the old saying of “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” Patients are given the choice of adding a small dinner after they reach their goal weight.
Hobbs: What are your dietary recommendations?
Albertson: A diet that is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates. I limit carbohydrate intake until a person reaches goal weight, then they can add back some carbohydrates such as potatoes and beans.
Hobbs: Can you give me specifics?
Albertson: Sure. At breakfast I recommend people start by eating fruit and a high fiber cereal. Then at lunch I require that patients eat meats, salads and fruits. I have them restrict their intake of potatoes, corn, beans—except for green beans—and peas. The diet also requires eating no pork, no sweets, no sugars, no alcohol, no nuts, no salad dressing made of milk or cheese unless it is low-calorie, and no products containing white flour. A few other foods are allowed on a limited basis.
Hobbs: What are those?
Albertson: I allow one or two servings per day of low-fat or skim milk, low-fat cheese, salad dressing, rice, barbecue sauce, ketchup, A-1 Steak Sauce, or Miracle Whip.
Hobbs: One or two servings of each or in total?
Albertson: Total.
Hobbs: Why do you recommend against eating pork?
Albertson: Most pork products are higher in fat content.
Hobbs: “Do you prescribe potassium tablets?
Albertson: Yes, especially during the first three months when patients excrete excess water. Without additional potassium muscle cramping and fatigue are common. I prescribe 500 mg of USP potassium gluconate, which contains approximately 80 mg of potassium.
Hobbs: Do you allow fluids after 2 pm?
Albertson: Yes. Low-calorie drinks are allowed such as water, tea, coffee, diet soda, Crystal Lite, etc.
Hobbs: So sugar substitutes are ok?
Albertson: Yes, in moderation.
Hobbs: Do most people add a small dinner after reaching their goal weight?
Albertson: No. Most patients—about 80 percent—decide not to add a small dinner. On maintenance, patients are also allowed to add more complex carbohydrates to their noon meal.
Hobbs: Is your No-Dinner Diet—not eating after 2 pm—difficult for patients to follow?
Albertson: No, not really. It takes a change in people’s way of thinking but after a couple of weeks most patients love it and find it easy to follow.
Hobbs: Are there other benefits to not eating after 2 pm?
Albertson: Yes. Patients report having more energy, being more productive in the evening, sleeping better and snoring less.
Hobbs: How did you come up with the No-Dinner diet?
Albertson: Years ago I read a study that used this type of diet which showed it to be effective.
Hobbs: What changes have you made since the Tenuate and Phendimetrazine labeling changes?
Albertson: I’ve added the labeling changes to our 4-page consent form which lets patients know that these drugs are not approved for long-term use or in combination and that we don’t know what the long-term side effects are.
Hobbs: “Do patients continue taking the medicines after they reach their goal weight?
Albertson: Yes, intermittently.
Hobbs: Intermittently—when?
Albertson: On weekends, holidays and vacations—any time that they break their routine.
Hobbs: Do any patients use the medicines daily, even after reaching goal weight?
Albertson: Only if they gain back more than 5 to 7 pounds. Then I recommend that they return to the diet program.
—END
Articles on the same subject can be found here:
COMMENTS
On Jul 13, 2004 at 7:39 pm zen bintang wrote:
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if I want contec with Dr.Albertson , can't I . if can how do I want to ask him by email Pleace
On Jul 13, 2004 at 7:44 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Zen,
Submit your question as a comment here and I will contact Dr. Albertson and ask him to respond.
Thanks.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 6:51 pm Dr. Lu-Jason wrote:
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Dr. Albertson
I AM A WEIGHT LOSS CLINIC DOCTOR IN TAITAN.
I HAVE USED PPA(PHENEYPROPANOLAMINE)+CAFFEE+EPHDRINE TO MY PATIENTS FOR 4 YEARS.
IN MY EXPERIENCE,THIS FORMULA IS BETTER THAN SIBUTRAMINE BUT MORE SIDE EFFECT. THOSE SIDE EFFECT INCLUDED ASLEEP,TREMMOR AND VOMITING.
HAVE YOU EVER USED THIS FORMULA? HOW ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE FOR THAT? AND THOSE MEDICINE,PHENTERMINE,DIETHYLPROPION AND PHENDIMETRAZINE,ARE LEGITIMATE FOR WEIGHT CONTROL UNDER FDA. ? BECAUSE, I ONLY SEE TWO DRUGS(SIBUTRAMINE,OTLISTAT) IN NAASO WEIGHT CONTROL& TREATMENT GUIDELINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER.
2004.8.4 Dr Lu-jASON
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:29 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Dr. Lu-Jason,
I will have to get Dr. Albertson's email and contact him so that he can respond.
In the meantime, I'll give you a little information about what is available in the U.S.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:29 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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PPA
PPA was taken off the market in the U.S. in 2000 because the FDA said that it increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. I spend many months reviewing this study along with 300 other papers on PPA and hemorrhagic stroke and found well over 50 problems with the study -- some which, if corrected, would have nullified the results of the study. Nonetheless, PPA was removed.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:30 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Ephedrine and Caffeine
The research suggests to me that ephedrine and caffeine is as effective as anything on the market and has several advantages over other drugs, however, the FDA has also had a negative campaign about ephedrine and the ephedrine-containing herb, ephedra, since 1994.
The FDA banned the ephedrine-containing herb, ephedra, at the beginning of 2004 because they said it's benefits did not outweigh it's risks. I also believe that this was not justified, but done for political purposes and to benefit the pharmaceutical industry who are large contributors to U.S. politicians. It is an election year this year in the U.S.
Ephedrine is still available in some states, but not all, because it is used as a precursor to methamphetamine, therefore, the government has justified removing it in certains states as a way to try and stop methamphetamine labs.
In states where ephedrine is legal, it is available over-the-counter. Because of this, most doctors that I have spoken to do not use it, because if they did, patients could simply buy it on their own without seeing the doctor. Therefore there is a financial incentive to prescribe drugs that are available by prescription only.
Several years ago, a doctor told me that he felt that ephedrine and caffeine worked very well, but he did not use it because he was afraid of being viewed as a quack because of all the negative press that ephedrine has gotten for the past 10 years.
I see it as very unfortunate.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:30 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Phentermine
Most doctors have said that they prefer to phentermine to all other diet drugs.
I assume the reason that phentermine is not listed in the NAASO Handbook is because it is not approved for long-term use.
The reason for this is that it was approved long ago. At the time, the belief was that diet drugs should be given until a patient loses weight and then stopped.
The impression I got from reading the old papers was that the FDA said that since phentermine tends to lose its effectiveness after a couple months of use, that there is no reason to give it longer than 3 months.
However, in my opinion, in recent years the FDA seems to have rewritten history, and now they say the reason they did not approve it for longer than 3 months of use was for safety reason. However, that was not my impression for why they did this years ago when the approved the drug.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:30 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Diethylpropion
Diethylpropion is available and some doctors use it and say that it works well.
I assume the reason it is not listed is for the same reason as phentermine noted above -- it was approved long ago and is approved for 3 months use only, not long-term use.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:30 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Phendimetrazine
Phendimetrazine is available and some doctors use it and say that it works well.
I assume the reason it is not listed is for the same reason as phentermine noted above -- it was approved long ago and is approved for 3 months use only, not long-term use.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:31 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Sibutramine (Meridia)
Some doctors find it useful, but other doctors do not. In 1998 and 1999, a number of doctors said that it worked OK for patients who had never been on diet drugs before, but did not work for patients who had previously taken fen-phen (fenfluramine plus phentermine). I assume that was because the effect of fen-phen was so much strong.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:31 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Orlistat (Xenical)
Some doctors find it useful, but other doctors find the side effects to be unacceptable for some patients.
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:31 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Phentermine-Prozac (Phen-Pro)
A number of doctors also combine phentermine with Prozac (fluoxetine) or Zoloft (setraline) or Celexa (citalopram) or certain other serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Michael Anchors, MD, PhD, pioneered this work. You can find more information about this at
http://www.phenpro.com/
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:31 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Topamax (topiramate)
Also see the articles about the anti-seizure drug, Topamax (topiramate). It is not approved by the FDA for weight loss, however, many doctors are using it to help patients lose weight.
To find information on Topamax (topiramate) click on ?Topamax? on the left side under ?CATEGORIES? which will take you to
http://fatnews.com/index.php/weblog/C138
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:32 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Zonegran (zonisamide)
More recently, some doctors ? specifically Dr. Jay Piatek ? has found that Zonegran (zonisamide) is very effective for helping patients lose weight.
Dr. Piatek has given Zonegran (zonisamide) to over 1,000 patients. He considers it to be as good as Topamax with fewer side effects.
To find information on Zonegran (zonisamide) click on ?Zonegran? on the left side under ?CATEGORIES? which will take you to:
http://fatnews.com/index.php/weblog/C73
On Aug 03, 2004 at 8:33 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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Interviews with other Weight Loss Doctors
To read other interviews with weight loss doctors click on "Interviews with Doctors" on the left side under ?CATEGORIES? which will take you to:
http://fatnews.com/index.php/weblog/C40
On Jan 18, 2010 at 8:16 am KJ wrote:
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Hi Larry, I have recently lost 15lbs following the phen pro method of Dr. Anchors, I have been stuck for a month now and have been trying to figure out how to break the plateu. I still have 15lbs to loose to reach my goal of 170lbs. I have tried finding more information concerning the No-Dinner Diet mentioned here to no avail, is it possible that Dr. Albertson has this information posted somewhere or is willing to share the information he provides to his patients via your site?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you are able to provide. You have been a big help to my weightloss efforts by providing this forum.
On Jan 18, 2010 at 4:27 pm Larry Hobbs wrote:
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KJ,
No, I am not aware that Dr. Albertson has this posted his "No Dinner Diet" anywhere else.
I do not have a current email address for him either.
You might call his office and ask them.
I think this is his contact information.
Gary R. Albertson, DO
Roby Institute
4407 Bee Cave Rd Ste 122
West Lake Hills, TX
(830) 693-6473 phone
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A study from 1998 supports Dr. Albertson?s No-Dinner Diet.
A group of obese women who were put on a night-time fast lost an average of 15 percent of their body weight.
There were no calorie restrictions except that the women were not allowed to eat after 5 pm or before 6 am.
Ninety-two percent of the women maintained their weight loss for at least six months by continuing the night-time fast, compared to only 16 percent of those women who returned to their previous eating patterns.
Please feel free to share your comments about this article.
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