Adipex-P

Adipex-P is a prescription medicine used for weight loss. It is taken for a limited amount of time (a few weeks) by overweight adults, along with exercise and a low-calorie diet. Adipex-P belongs to a group of drugs called anorectics. It works by decreasing appetite.

Adipex-P comes in tablet and capsule form. It usually taken by mouth once daily in the morning before breakfast or 1 to 2 hours after breakfast.

Common side effects of Adipex-P include dry mouth, fast heart beat, insomnia, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Adipex-P affects you.

Adipex-P is a prescription medicine used to help adults lose weight. It is taken for a limited amount of time by overweight people who are exercising and eating a low-calorie diet.

• Teva Select Brands

Adipex-P can cause primary pulmonary hypertension, a rare but serious and sometimes fatal side effect. This is a condition where the pressure of the arteries in your lungs increases, causing more pressure on your heart which can lead to heart failure and death. The first symptoms is often shortness of breath or lightheadedness during activity. Other symptoms include:

• Ankle and leg swelling
• Bluish color of the lips or skin 
• Chest pain or pressure, usually in the front of the chest
• Dizziness or fainting spells
• Tiredness
• Increased abdomen size
• Weakness

Common side effects include:

• High blood pressure
• fast heart beats
• insomnia
• dizziness
• rash
• diarrhea
• tremors
• constipation

This is not a complete list of Adipex-P side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• fluoxetine (Prozac)
• fluvoxamine (Luvox) 
• guanethidine
• oral hypoglycemic medications for diabetes
• insulin (you may need to increase your dose of insulin while taking Adipex-P)
• medications for weight loss and depression
• paroxetine (Paxil)
• sertraline (Zoloft)
• monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar) and tranylcypromine (Parnate)

This is not a complete list of Adipex-P drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Adipex-P including the following:

• Primary pulmonary hypertension. This is a condition when there is high blood pressure in the arteries to your lungs. Your doctor may stop treatment with Adipex-P if you develop this complication. Symptoms include
  • shortness of breath during routine activity, such as climbing two flights of stairs
  • tiredness
  • chest pain
  • a racing heartbeat
  • pain on the upper right side of the abdomen
  • decreased appetite
• Development of Tolerance. Adipex-P is a controlled substance. There is a potential for developing tolerance. Tolerance to the anorectic effect usually develops within a few weeks. When tolerance to the Adipex-P develops, the recommended dose should not be exceeded in an attempt to increase the effect. Instead Adipex-P should be discontinued.

You should not take Adipex-P if you have:

• are allergic to Adipex-P or to any of its ingredients
• heart disease
• lung disease
• hyperthyroidism
• glaucoma
• a history of drug abuse or dependence
• agitated state
• depression being treated with certain antidepressant medications called MAOI inhibitors

Adipex-P should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Before taking Adipex-P, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Adipex-P or to any of its ingredients
• have high blood pressure
• drink alcohol
• a history of drug abuse or dependence
• decreased kidney function
• have diabetes
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Adipex-P falls into category X. Adipex-P should not be used during pregnancy because weight loss offers no potential benefit to a pregnant woman and may result in fetal harm. There are no situations where the benefits of the medication for the mother outweigh the risks of harm to the baby. These medicines should never be used by pregnant women.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Adipex-P crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Adipex-P.

Take Adipex-P exactly as prescribed.

Adipex-P comes in tablet and capsule. It usually taken by mouth once daily in the morning before breakfast or 1 to 2 hours after breakfast.

Taking Adipex-P in the evening can cause insomnia (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep), so Adipex-P should be taken in the morning.

Do not drink alcohol while taking Adipex-P.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Adipex-P at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends will be individualized to obtain an adequate response with the lowest effective dose.

The typical adult dose is 37.5 mg daily administered before breakfast or 1 to 2 hours after breakfast. The dosage may be adjusted to the patient’s need. For some patients, 18.75 mg daily may be adequate. 

In some cases it may be desirable to give 18.75 mg two times a day.

If you take too much Adipex-P, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store Adipex-P at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F).
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.