Are there prescription weight loss pills

Your doctor may prescribe you medicine to treat your obesity if you have: A BMI of 30 or greater. A BMI of 27 or more and you have a disease or condition that may be related to your weight this could include diabetes or high blood pressure.

Your doctor can tell you if prescription weight-loss medicines might be helpful for you. Path to improved health Prescription weight-loss medicines generally work in 2 ways. Orlistat Brand name: Xenical How it works : It reduces the amount of fat your body absorbs.

Side effects: diarrhea, gas, uncontrollable bowel movements, leakage of oily stool Warnings: It can reduce the amount of certain vitamins that your body can absorb You should take a multivitamin pill every day. Lorcaserin Brand name: Belviq How it works: It helps you feel fuller faster by acting on serotonin receptors in your brain.

Side effects: cough, headaches, feeling tired Warnings: It could cause interactions with medicines that treat depression, anxiety, or migraines. Naltrexone-bupropion Brand name: Contrave How it works: It makes you less hungry or fuller faster. This medicine could increase suicidal thoughts or actions. Phentermine-topiramate Brand name: Qysmia How it works: It decreases appetite and makes you feel full sooner Side effects: taste changes especially carbonated beverages , tingling of hands and feet, trouble sleeping Warnings: Tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack, stroke, abnormal heart rhythm, kidney disease, or mood disorder.

Do not take if you have hyperthyroidism or glaucoma. This medicine could cause birth defects. Do not use if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Liraglutide Brand name: Saxenda How it works: It makes you feel less hungry or full sooner Side effects: abdominal pain, headache, increased pulse Warnings: It is available only by injection.

Could increase the chance of developing pancreatitis. There are other medicines that can reduce your desire to eat. These include: phentermine benzphetamine diethylpropion phendimetrazine These medicines are only FDA-approved to be used short-term, up to 12 weeks. These include: Difficulty sleeping. Feeling nervous or restless. Raised blood pressure or pulse.

Call your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of liver injury, including: Itching skin. Yellow eyes or skin. Urine that is brown or dark-colored. Pale-colored stool. Loss of appetite. Abdominal pain. Things to consider How can I avoid gaining weight back when I stop using the medicine? How can I lose weight without taking a weight-loss medicine? Questions to ask your doctor What is my BMI? Do I meet the qualifications for weight-loss medicines? Which medicine is the right one for me?

What are the side effects? Are the benefits of taking the medicine worth the risks and side effects? Will my insurance cover it? How long will I take it? Will I gain weight when I stop taking it?

What can I do to prevent gaining weight? If these lifestyle changes are not enough to help you lose weight or maintain your weight loss, your health care professional may prescribe medications as part of your weight-control program. Obesity is a chronic disease that affects more than 4 in 10 adults in the United States, and nearly 1 in 10 Americans have severe obesity. Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity work in different ways.

For example, some medications may help you feel less hungry or full sooner. Other medications may make it harder for your body to absorb fat from the foods you eat. Weight management medications are meant to help people who have health problems related to overweight or obesity. Health care professionals use BMI to help decide whether you might benefit from weight management medications. Your health care professional may prescribe a medication to treat your overweight or obesity if you are an adult with.

If you are overweight or have obesity, you might be able to lose weight with a lifestyle program that changes your behaviors and improves your eating and physical activity habits. A lifestyle program may also address other things that cause you to gain weight, such as eating triggers and not getting enough sleep. Most of the weight management medications approved by the U. Two prescription medications, orlistat Xenical 2 and liraglutide Saxenda , 3 are approved by the FDA for children ages 12 and older.

Studies show that weight management medications work best when combined with a lifestyle program. Ask your health care professional about lifestyle treatment programs for weight management that will work for you. When combined with changes to behavior, including healthy eating and increased physical activity, prescription medications help some people lose weight and maintain weight loss. Losing weight also can improve some other health problems related to overweight and obesity, such as joint pain and sleep apnea.

Most weight loss takes place within the first 6 months of starting the medication. Experts are concerned that, in some cases, the side effects of prescription medications that treat overweight and obesity may outweigh the benefits. For this reason, never take a weight management medication only to improve the way you look. In the past, some weight management medications were linked to serious health problems, and they were removed from U.

Possible side effects vary by medication and how it acts on your body. Most side effects are mild and most often improve if you continue to take the medication. Rarely, serious side effects can occur. Choosing a medication to treat overweight or obesity is a decision between you and your health care professional.

Important factors to consider include. How long you will need to take weight management medication depends on whether the drug helps you lose weight and keep it off and whether you experience serious side effects. If you have lost enough weight to improve your health and are not experiencing serious side effects, your health care professional may advise you to stay on the medication indefinitely. Your health care professional may also.

Because obesity is a chronic disease, you may need to continue your new eating and physical activity habits and other behaviors for years—or even a lifetime—to improve your health and maintain a healthier weight. You probably will regain some weight after you stop taking weight management medication. Some people also use it to prevent migraines. Both of these medicines work together to lower your appetite and control some cravings.

Victoza also called Liraglutide is injected into your skin. When taken at a certain dosage, it helps lower your appetite and control some food cravings. It also lowers blood sugar levels in people who have diabetes. Saxenda also called Liraglutide is an injection that helps people lose weight by lowering appetite and controlling food cravings.

It uses the same active ingredient as Victoza, but you should not use these two medicines together. By combining weight loss medications with diet and exercise, most people lose 7. There are also positive health benefits to losing weight. Losing just five—10 percent of your body weight will lower your:.

Most people taking weight loss medications lose an average of one to two pounds per week. Of course, weight loss medications work best when you combine them with other healthy lifestyle changes like eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise. Most patients start to lose weight within weeks. Weight loss medications work best when you combine them with lifestyle changes like choosing healthier foods, eating fewer calories, and exercising regularly. Depending on your health and weight loss goals, you may need to take weight loss medications for years.

Because obesity is a chronic disease, the FDA has approved these drugs for long-term use. Newer diabetes medications can also help people with diabetes lose weight. These medications work by controlling blood sugar glucose levels inside the body, which in turn helps people feel less hungry and more full.

Another type of diabetes medication called SLT2-inhibitors help people lose weight. These include:. How much you weigh is controlled by complex interactions between hormones and neurons in your hypothalamus. For most overweight people, their body tries to prevent permanent weight loss.

This means your body is actually working against you to lose weight. Our weight management team includes multiple health care professionals who can provide all the care you need, from surgeons and physician assistants to dietitians and even financial advocates. Looking to lose some weight? What does the research suggest? A registered dietitian clears up the confusion about how many meals you should eat.