Obesity epidemicWeight loss

As one in three Americans is obese, and another third are overweight, many Americans are looking for ways to lose weight.

Prescription weight loss medications is one of the 5 clinically proven ways to lose weight.
In this article, we will review the various FDA approved prescription weight loss medications.
There are a total of
nine prescription weight loss medications available in the United States

How many prescriptions are written per year?

About 660,000 prescriptions are written for obesity drugs from 2012 through 2016, according to national estimates.

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters.

Overweight is defined as a BMI of between 25-30. 

Obesity (defined as a BMI of 30 or higher) is frequently subdivided into the following categories:
• Class 1: BMI of 30 to <35
• Class 2: BMI of 35 to <40
• Class 3: BMI of 40 or higher.

Class 3 obesity is sometimes categorized as extreme, morbid or severe obesity

Who can take prescription weight loss medications?

Any adult who is over 18, and

  • Have body mass index (BMI) is 30 or greater (obese); or
  • Have BMI is 27 or greater (overweight) and have a comorbid condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, fatty liver, PCOS, or other weight related condition.

Are there any weight loss prescriptions for long term use?

Yes, 5 of the FDA approved weight loss medications are approved for long term use—orlistat (Xenical, Alli), lorcaserin (Belviq), phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), and liraglutide (Saxenda)— for long haul use.

How long these weight loss medications be used?

You can continue consuming these medications as long as you are not getting significant side effects and getting some benefit from the use of the medications.

How do these prescription weight loss medications work?

While the exact mechanism of action depends on the individual medication, most work as appetite suppressants reducing food intake and or increasing metabolism or both.

Orlistat (Xenical)

Accessible as OTC version at a lower dose as (Alli), Orlistat is used in adults and youngsters ages 12 and older

How does Orlistat work for weight loss?

Orlistat works in the gut by reducing the fat absorption

What are the side effects of Orlistat?

  • diarrhea
  • gas
  • leakage of oily stools
  • stomach pain
Rare cases of severe liver injury have been reported. You should also avoid taking with cyclosporine.

Lorcaserin (Belviq)

Who is Belviq approved for?

Adults who are overweight or obese

How does Belviq work for weight loss?

Acts on the serotonin receptors in your brain. May help you feel full after eating smaller amounts of food.
constipation
  • cough
  • dizziness
  • dry mouth
  • feeling tired
  • headaches
  • nausea
Caution if taking antidepressants or migraine medications, since some of these can cause problems when taken together.

What is Qsymia?

A mix of two medications: phentermine, which lessens your appetite, and topiramate, which is used to treat seizures or migraine headaches. May make you less hungry or feel full sooner.
  • constipation
  • dizziness
  • dry mouth
  • taste changes, especially with carbonated beverages
  • tingling of your hands and feet
  • trouble sleeping
Don’t use if you have glaucoma or hyperthyroidism.
MAY LEAD TO BIRTH DEFECTS. DO NOT TAKE QSYMIA IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR PLANNING A PREGNANCY. Do not take if you are breastfeeding.

Naltrexone-bupropion  (Contrave)

Approved for use in overweight or obese adults

What is Contrave?

A mix of two medications: naltrexone, and wellbutrin. Contrave make you feel less hungry or full sooner.
constipation
  • diarrhea
  • dizziness
  • dry mouth
  • headache
  • increased blood pressure
  • increased heart rate
  • insomnia
  • liver damage
  • nausea
  • vomiting
Contraindications include uncontrolled high blood pressure, seizures or a history of anorexia, dependent on opioid pain medications or withdrawing from drugs or alcohol. Do not use if you are taking bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban).
MAY INCREASE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS OR ACTIONS.

Liraglutide (Saxenda)

Available by injection only used in adults
May make you feel less hungry or full sooner.
At a lower dose under a different name, Victoza, FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes.

Side effects of Saxenda

  • nausea
  • diarrhea
  • constipation
  • abdominal pain
  • headache
  • raised pulse
  • May increase the chance of developing pancreatitis.
  • Has been found to cause a rare type of thyroid tumor in animals.

Other medications that curb your desire to eat include

  • phentermine
  • benzphetamine
  • diethylpropion
  • phendimetrazine

Side effects include

  • dry mouth
  • constipation
  • difficulty sleeping
  • dizziness
  • feeling nervous
  • feeling restless
  • headache
  • raised blood pressure
  • raised pulse
Contraindications include recent heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, or glaucoma.
W8MD weight loss team

Other weight loss medications

Metformin

  • In people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the medication metformin (Glucophage) can reduce weight.
  • Metformin limits the amount of glucose that is produced by the liver as well as increases muscle consumption of glucose.
  • It also helps in increasing the body’s response to insulin.

Upcoming potential weight loss drugs

Cetilistat is a new weight loss medication being studied to treat obesity.

How does Cetilistat work for weight loss?

  • It is an inhibitor of pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides in the intestine.
  • It prevents triglycerides from the diet are prevented from being hydrolyzed into absorbable free fatty acids and are excreted undigested.
  • It is still in the clinical trials stage and a phase 2 clinical trial found cetilistat significantly reduced weight with and was better tolerated than orlistat.

Withdrawn weight loss drugs

  • Rimonabant -Rimonabant (trade names Acomplia and Zimulti) was first approved in Europe in 2006 but was withdrawn in 2008 due to serious psychiatric side effects; it was never approved in the United States.
  • Rimonabant is an inverse agonist for the cannabinoid receptor CB1
  • Sibutramine – withdrawn
  • Fenfluramine – withdrawn

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A-Z list of anorectic medications

3 things wrong with our diet

3 things wrong with our diet

A

acridorex
adderall
adiporon
amfecloral
amfepentorex
amfepramone
aminorex
amphetamine
anorectic
anti-obesity-medication
azalanstat

B

beloranib
benfluorex
benzphetamine
bupropion

C

cetilistat
chlorphentermine
ciclazindol
clobenzorex
cloforex
clortermine
cocaine

D

dexfenfluramine
dextroamphetamine
difemetorex
dirlotapide
drinabant

E

etilamfetamine
etiocholanedione
etolorex
exenatide

F

fenbutrazate
fenfluramine
fenisorex
fluasterone
flucetorex
flumexadol
fluoxetine
formetorex
furfenorex

G

glycoside
indanorex

K

khat

L

levophacetoperane
levopropylhexedrine
liraglutide
lisdexamfetamine
lorcaserin

M

methamphetamine
methastyridone
mitratapide
morforex

N

naltrexone
nicotine
norfenfluramine
norpropylhexedrine

O

obocell
oleoyl-estrone
orlistat
oxifentorex
oxyntomodulin

P

pentorex
phendimetrazine
phenmetrazine
phentermine
phenylpropanolamine
picilorex
propylhexedrine

R

rimonabant
rosonabant

S

setazindol
setmelanotide
sibutramine
simmondsin
substituted-phenylmorpholine

T

taranabant
tesofensine
tiflorex
topiramate

V

vabicaserin

X

xylopropamine

Z

zonisamide

FAQ's about weight loss prescriptions

Frequently asked questions on weight loss medications

  • What is the best prescription weight loss pill?
  • What drug makes you skinny?
  • How much weight can you lose with orlistat?
  • How much weight can you lose with Saxenda?
  • Is there a weight loss pill that really works?
  • What is the latest weight loss pill?
  • Can Xanax cause weight loss?
  • What drug makes you angry?
  • How can I boost up my metabolism?
  • Has anyone died from taking Saxenda?
  • Does Saxenda make you pee a lot?
  • Does Saxenda come in a pill form?
  • Does Xenical remove existing fat?
  • Can you poop fat out?
  • How long can you stay on orlistat?
  • Can a doctor prescribe anything for weight loss?
  • How do I lose weight at 60?

Exernal resources

Government resources on weight loss prescriptions

UpToDate information on weight loss drugs

Weight loss drug information and resources

W8MD diet pills review

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