Reported Stories by Users of Phen/Fen
Kent - My wife has been on phen/fen for almost 1 year now and has lost about 60 lbs., her memory, personality, and now her family! She also looks just terrible! Most of her cognitive skills are also gone now. Yet remains on these god-awful drugs (addiction) and is in total denial. She isn't even aware of these changes and will not listen to any one!
Stacy - My brother and sister in law are experiencing a similar event in their lives. They have been married for 16 years. She has been on the Phen Fen program for quite a while now. Why, I am not quite sure. She definitely does not need to lose any weight. Anyway, since she has been taking these drugs, she is NOT herself. She acts and does things like she is crazy. She has filed for divorce and my brother does not know why. She bows to him and her boys and says things like they are God and she is here to do what they want. They just look at her like what the heck? She has destroyed things in their home for no reason at all. She is not the person we have known over the past 16 years. HELP!!!!!!! Who can help me help her?
Connie Eller - Boy has your site ever opened my eyes. I knew there had to be others out there like me or similar to me but never dreamed the numbers. I have now been diagnosed with permanent brain damage involving my central nervous system and cognitive abilities due to the pondiman part of the phen fen it is thought. I took the phenteramine for 10 months with success but four days after adding the fenflouramine I was hospitalized with a neurological episode. I have been to three specialists across this country hoping they could help (I trust my local doctor but there seems to be no help and we wanted to know all we could) and they wouldn't spend enough time with us to do more than say it was psychological. I am under a psychiatrist and psychologist care as well to learn how to deal with what has happened and they concur that I have had a chemical/electrical neurological breakdown in my brain. HOW many people have to be permanently hurt before something is done?
Laurie - I was on Phen Fen for 3 months. I lost 70 pounds in that short of time. While on it I was as high as a kite. Staying up all hours of the night while my family slept. I got the dry mouth, but that's nothing compare to what it did to my personality. I developed an attitude of thinking I was better than everyone. I started doing crazy things that just were not me. I have been married for 19 years to a wonderful man who is also my best friend. I treated him and my 3 kids awful. When my husband asked me to get off the stuff, I told him I wouldn't and if he and the kids didn't like it there's the door. I was in such a state that if they would have left I would not of cared. I also went out one night and or drunk and had a one night stand. This is way out of my league. I don't drink. I haven't drank alcohol since 1988. I would have never had an affair either. I love my husband, plus I didn't even know this person. I could have been hurt or worse by this person. That was the last time I took Phen Fen. My husband did stay with me because he knew I was on the influence of these drugs. I also went to my church leader and faced excommunication, but didn't because even he noticed I was acting weird, but he said he could not put his finger on it. He said he was about to call me in for a talk. My mom and sister begged me to come off of it. I was real voiceterist at work, almost to the point of being obnoxious. Since being off of them I am my old self again. I had nightmares while on the drugs. When I think of last summer it scares me, to think that something that was prescribed to me by my family dr. could have done this to me. Last March I got sick and ended up in the emergency room. I thought the Phen Fen thing was over, well a few days later I had a broncoscopy/lung biopsy and found out that I am sick with a lung disease. I have fibrosis in my lungs and while it is very rare Phen Fen has been known to cause this type of scarring. My pulmonologist also called it Phen Fen lung. I am the second case in the small town I live in. It can be fatal, but my dr. thinks I will come thought it. I had to start steroids which has caused weight gain, but is saving my life and that's what is important. Phen Fen users please be careful.
Nelson - I was placed on phenfen for a short time. Even though I was taking the amount prescribed, I became very sick. I'm still having all the symptoms I had while on the medicine- dry-mouth, chest pains, loss of appetite, loss of cognitive skills, sweating, chills, numbness in lower extremities, tremors,heart palpitations, irregular heart beat, and high blood pressure. I was extremely healthy before going on phenfen. I have been unable to exercise because of the chest pains, chills and sweating. My current doctors are running extensive tests, but have no idea why I'm still having these symptoms months later. They cannot even tell me if any of these problems are permanent or will someday disappear! One doctor says I will have to be monitored for heart and lung problems for at least a year. None of these things were revealed to me by the doctor who prescribed the medicine. I can understand these drugs being prescribed for patients with severe obesity. I was 25 lbs overweight.
Alisa - Just thought I would share my experience with this "cocktail".
I began taking phen-fen in December of 1996 and stopped taking it last month (July 1997). I was warned of the possible dry mouth, occasional headaches, and slight forgetfulness, all of which I experienced. I was not prepared however to get to the point where I couldn't play a simple game of monopoly because I couldn't count the spaces or the money properly. I went to a training session at work and couldn't remember what the instructor said just moments later. At that moment I decided that it just wasn't worth it anymore. (Although I did lose 40 of the 100 pounds that I wanted to lose). Since then I've experienced occasional chest pain for which I have not sought treatment. (Guess that I'm hoping it will just get better on its own). Now I've given up all formal weight loss programs, I'm losing it through sweat and good eating habits no matter how long it takes. Losing weight quickly
isn't worth risking your life.Donna Santoro - Last year, my now ex-doctor, had me on Phen-fen for 8 straight months. At the time of the incident below, she had me on the highest dose of Phentermine (I believe it was 38 mg.) and she had me taking an additional Phentermine pill of 8mg. At the time of the below incident, I was no longer taking the other pill. Last August, I was out to dinner with a group of friends. We had just gotten through with desert and coffee when this strange throbbing (similar to a heartbeat) came upon my stomach. It was very intense. I tried to ignore it, thinking it was a momentary thing that would pass. But instead of passing, it got more intense. It started traveling up until it landed in my throat and I felt as if my throat was also throbbing like my stomach, and also now, my heart was racing so fast. I got very hot and started to sweat. My ears started buzzing. A friend took me to the bathroom. Halfway there, she turned around and saw I was frozen in my footsteps. She actually tugged me to the bathroom, and I was tripping over my feet. When I got into the bathroom, I stood in front of the sink. I was losing it and having no control is the worst thing that could happen. In the split second she turned to get a wet towel for my head, I fell down, cracked my head on the concrete floor, and passed out. She said my eyes were wide open and my body shook every once in a while. She said I was out for about 4 minutes. I finally came around, and I felt so tired and drained. Instead of agreeing with her that I needed an ambulance, I was quite embarrassed, I just asked her to drive me home. On the way home, she took me to the E.R. They ran test after test on me and found nothing wrong. They also had no knowledge about the Phen-Fen at that time. When I mentioned it to the E.R. doctor, he said he never heard of it. I went home that night, and kept getting palpitations that felt as if my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I went for a catscan the next day and then to a cardiologist. He ran numerous tests, stress test, echocardiograms, blood work, ekgs, etc. It was determined that I had what they call Paroxsimal Atrial Fibrillation (racing heart). I had never had a heart condition prior to taking this medication. To this day, I am still on my heart medication. Every so often, I get this feeling of an electric shock that starts around my heart area and travels through my body. When I told my cardiologist about this last week, he told me that it's a side effect from the Phen-Fen. I will eventually have to go through all the testing again to see if my condition is stable or getting worse. I keep hoping every time I go to the doctor that I'll come off this heart medication, but there always seems to be a problem where I can't. It's almost a year now since my incident. I'm a 36 year old woman who has a long life ahead of her, God willing, and I am so upset that this has happened to me (and everyone else). I hold my doctor accountable for not watching me more closely, as she was the one who gave me the pills at each visit. I hold the government responsible for putting these drugs on the market when they are very harmful.
Sue - I took Phen Fen for 5 months and had serious side effects taking Phen Fen, I experienced blurred vision, severe headaches, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and fatigue.
Laura - Hi, I was on the phenfen diet for only 1 month. I thought I had enough information about these pills to go on them safely. After 1 month of being jittery, airheaded, dry mouth but not hungry, mt doctor said "No more". That was fine with me because I felt scared to take the pills almost everyday. But the want to be thinner overtook any other feelings. I had a hard time coming off the pills, my husband told me anything that effected a person that way after not having it in your bady must not be good for you. I agree. Now it has been about 5 weeks since I was on phenfen, I have still have the mood swings and the feeling of being better than others, even though I have 10 pounds until my desired weight. I don't know if this is a normal feeling or not, I am not sure anyone knows. These are dangerous pills, don't go on them for any reason.
Jonathon - I am a 30 year 6'1 German/Cherokee old male. I have been overweight since I was 15 years old. I ate for stress at first then just let it over come me! well I balloned up to 500 pounds by the time i was 28 years old. I decided to do something about it! I mean other than being morbidly obese I was in great health. No lung or heart problems good blood sugar low colesterol. Well I heard about the wonder drug Fen-Phen so I asked my doc about it! She knew nothing about it but did say if she was going to put my on pills she wanted me to show her I could lose weight first by changing my eating habits so that when I did start the pills I would not gain the weight back when I got off of them. Well I lost down to 440 pounds in 6 months by dieting. By that time my Doc had read up on everything and warned me of the side effects that were known including Pulmonary Hyper tension. I started taking then jan 7th 1997 I was a happy go lucky faithful guy, but that was soon to change. I imedialy got the dry mouth yuck! well the med worked I forgot to eat for a week! yep I passed out and was put in the hospital. dehydrated and starving! Well that did not deter me at the least I kept on using the pills changing everyday as I took them. I quit talking to my friends and my girlfriend. I could not remember things I found myself cheating with other women! I became very mean and distant I started to enjoy hurting people. I was getting 3 to 4 hours a night sleep, My hair started falling out, my job performance was awful i just didn't care! All I wanted to do was be on fenPhen so I can keep losing the weight! Well I started work one day in April when I started having problems breathing then my heart started beating fast, then I had a pain in my arm! I know I was having a heart attack! well to say the least when all was said and done! I am off PhenPhen and now on a CPAP for the rest of my life just to be able to breath! So I beg you do not take this drug! It does not burn the fat it just makes you starve yourself thin! Killing you on the way!
John H. - I started taking Pondimin and Phentermine At the beginning of 1997 At that time, everything I found on the net said this was the best thing going. I was two tests away from getting my C.N.E (Certified Netware Engineer) No problem Right , wrong when I was on the Phen Fen I could not sleep without bad dreams. and during the day I could not think clearly at all. basic math was a problem for me, but I was so determined to lose use the weight I've carried around since I was 8 years old after getting my tonsils out. (That's 100,lbs) so I stayed on this stuff. Needless to say I have no C.N.E !!! I feel much better now but its been about 4 months since I stopped the pills I lost 40 lbs the first 6 weeks, then stopped taking the pills and gained 50 Lbs. In two months. Some times I think I would do anything to lose the weight and I Know for a fact that good nutrition and exercise works I've done it before, Why so many of us look for the easy way out I don't know, I'm guilty of that and I paid for it . Take care and be healthy! Jdee
Karrie - Here's a good story of phen fen My husband of 6 years started this 4 1/2 months ago the weight loss was extreme, 26 pounds the first month. Then he started to become abusive, emotionally, mentally at first, calling me names, criticizing me and so on. Then our sex life just ended. 2 months on the pills, 37 pounds gone and he began to neglect our 2 daughters, financially, he stopped paying the mortgage, utilities, and started to just spend all of the money on clothes, CD's, car accessories, anything he wanted. Then he physically neglected them. When they were in his care, he wouldn't feed them, he'd leave the baby in a dirty diaper all day. Third month, 46 pounds gone he started to go out drinking and not come home for a couple days, not call, nothing this was his new "thin" life. As he put it. All the while stating that I was crazy, he was doing nothing wrong. Fourth month 58 pounds, I tried to contact his Dr. who wouldn't speak to me but had the nurse tell me that this was normal. Well, he became phsically abusive last week, throwing me into a wall, kicking me in the stomach, and in front of our child. He spent the night in jail. We are getting a divorce. And the man I loved for over ten years is a self absorbed monster, oh , but he's thinner. Great trade off, eh? A beautiful home that we just purchased two years ago, 2 beautiful children, a wife that loved him more than life, and it's gone. For 60 pounds. Stay away from this unstable diet concoction!
John B. - I hope the message gets out that Phen/fen is a highly addictive drug. When my doctor prescribed them he said they were about as addictive as coffee. As a former (14 years ago) meth amphetamine addict I can tell you these drugs are as addictive as any speed type drug. They are very dangerous and should never be prescribed to anyone with a history of addictive disease. I was up to 12 of the 30 mg pills a day when I finally wised up to what was happening and got myself to the hospital. These pills may work on losing the weight but at the expense of your life. I am now exercising daily, eating right, and in a very active recovery program and my life is improving in all areas. You just cannot expect a pill of any kind to make your life better, only you can do that, with all the natural healthy ways that are available.
David - My wife also had many of the same side-effects! Especially "cotton-mouth". And despite what people said, drinking more water didn't help her mouth. She also felt like she was going to crawl out of her skin. Another friend had memory loss. She stopped taking Phen-fen because she was afraid she was going to leave her 3 year old daughter at day-care or even worse, leave the house and leave her 3 year old daughter home alone.
LINDA - HI, I AM 35 YEARS OLD ALSO WITH TWO CHILDREN. I STARTED USING FEN-PHEN THREE MONTHS AGO I LOST 18LBS. AT FIRST I FELT GREAT ALSO WITH NO OTHER SIDE EFFECTS EXCEPT DRY MOUTH. I COULD'NT BELIEVE HOW EASILY THE WEIGHT CAME OFF AND HOW TERRIFIC I STARTED LOOKING AGAIN. I WAS ON 15MG A DAY IT BECAME LIKE I WAS TAKING NOTHING AND THE HUNGER CAME BACK SO I MOVED UP TO 23MG A DAY I STARTED HAVING SEVERE PROBLEMS BREATHING I WOKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT UNABLE TO BREATHE AT ALL AND MY HEART WAS GOING CRAZY I WAS REALLY SCARED. I TRIED GOING BACK TO THE LOWER DOSAGE BUT IT WAS THE SAME AS BEFORE I WAS WASTING MY MONEY I'VE BEEN OFF FEN-PHEN FOR THREE WEEKS AND THE WEIGHT IS COMMING BACK ON AND I ONLY HAD 10-15 MORE POUNDS TO LOSE. I WISH I WOULD OF LOST THE 18LBS. ON MY OWN WITHOUT USING THAT DRUG. IF SOMEONE I CARED ABOUT ASKED IF I WOULD RECOMMEND IT I WOULD SAY NO WAY!
I just read your message and I am overwhelmed with sadness. I too took Fen/Phen because I hated being fat. I think of how much of my life I've wasted obsessing on my weight, missing out on things because I decided I was too fat. Well now I am 45 and I have PPH (Primary Pulmonary Hypertension)caused by the Fen/Phen. You think you're out of breath with a few pounds..well this disease gives a new and terrifying meaning to out of breath. I think your message got to me, because like you, I bought the crap that my self worth was tied to my weight. How could I be OKAY as a person if I was FAT? How could I deserve to have a full wonderful life if I was fat? How could the people in my life really love and respect me if I was fat. How could I hold my head high with the shame of being fat (the crime!!) How could I be all I wanted to be if I was fat. Well now I have a death penalty hanging over my head and I realize that my self worth is in just being.. just being who I am. I see in the eyes I all the people who love me and know they may soon lose me, anguish and pain. Now I know how much I have always been loved. The saddest thing about all of this is knowing how much pain my husband, my sons, my sister, my parents, my brothers and my friends are in. How did I ever get so confused about my priorities. If being healthy had been my goal, not being thin, what a difference that would have made in my life (somehow I thought they were the same..but now I know they are not). You say you have the will to be thin...taking a pill to be thin is not about 'the will to be thin' it is about the obsession. The obsession for food, the obsession to be thin....the obsession. It's the obsession that tricks us and hurts us and uses up our time our energy our love our life.
I also had side effects while taking Phen-Fen.I went to a "Medical Weight Loss Center" where I knew they would prescribe it to me.They promised nutritional guidance,behavior modification classes, etc. Yea,right. They gave me the drugs in a hand-typed bottle, a supposed shot of B-12 and send me on my way, for only a mere fee of $400.00. I felt 'stoned', constantly after a day. I had tremendous short term memory loss. I was actually driving to my parents home where I had lived for 20 years, and couldn't remember which street to turn on. I had chest tightness,depression, abnormal menstrual bleeding ( I am on the pill. Does it affect that too?), I couldn't concentrate on anything or think clearly and logically. I definately shouldn't have been driving a car while taking this. I also had horrible nightmares when I did actually fall asleep. I did tell the Dr's 'assistant' about these effects, he said it was the first time in 25 years that he has ever heard of even 1 side effect. If you really want to use this stuff,BEWARE. I have decided to go back to the gym,no matter how bad I think I look,to lose these 10-12 pounds.Thanks for reading my message.God Bless.
Robin - I took Phen/fen for 8 months and lost 50 lbs. I have since gained all of the weight back and more because I did not alter my eating pattern and exercise. I feel I have ruined my body because I did not eat right and exercise while I was taking Phen/fen. During my time on Phen/fen I developed a flushing of the skin and heart palpitations. I was afraid to tell my doctor because I did not want to get off the diet drugs because I was finally losing weight (which was stupid!). It has been 2 years since I was on Phen/fen and I still have the flushing of the skin and heart palpitations anytime I exert any type of exercise or when I eat something. I have not told my doctor that I have now that I was on Phen/fen because I do not want him to gripe at me. My doctor has taken several tests on me including looking for adrenal tumors and have just resorted into giving me inderal which has helped. Has anyone encountered these type of symptoms taking these drugs? Do you think that these symptoms could have been caused by the drugs?
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