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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Is Belviq Different From Adipex?

I am 44-yrs old and I had a full hysterectomy 12/09/2013. I m not certain what is going on with my hormones, but I can hungry all the time 24-hrs a day for sweets. I have gained 35 pounds in that short time from surgery. Both my parents have diabetes and take insulin, but I do not have this. In the hospital, my doctors gave me something through an IV that would raise my sugar levels to an all time high but it did not raise my sugar. The highest my sugar went in the hospital was 89 to 90. I am afraid that these constant daily sugar binges will work my pancreas to hard and I will eventually get Pre-Diabetes . I cannot help my self, and I have truly tried. The sugar is like a drug and I need to detox from it. This has never happened to me, and as a child and up to age 40-yrs I have never really cared for sweets so it is terrible. I have tried Adipex in my 30s and it worked beautifully (all I needed was a half of a pill and approx. a total of 10-pills to get back on track), but Adipex does not work alone now so I just stopped taking it all together. I am not a fan of excess supplement usage. I heard able Belviq and wanted to know how is it different from Adipex?
Mon, 5 Feb 2018
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Dietitian & Nutritionist,  's  Response
Hello and welcome to HealthcareMagic,
Belviq may help you feel full after eating smaller amounts of food so it acts via the brain and hunger hormones. It acts directly on the serotonin receptors so frequently cannot be taken in conjunction with antidepressants or migraine medications.

Belviq is different than Adipex in that Adipex contains a stimulant called phentermine that acts as an appetite suppressant and a central nervous system stimulant. Adipex also contains Topamax, a drug known independently for its weight loss effects and used for seizure control and off label for mood stabilization.

The problem you are having may be helped in the short term with prescription medications. However, in the long term, I suggest a referral to a Registered Dietitian for a diet, exercises and lifestyle prescription and cognitive behavioral counseling for the sugar addiction.

Medically, I would recommend an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to determine if you are having episodes of hypoglycemia driving your hunger which turned into a sugar addiction. Hypoglycemia, if present, will also need to be treated as part of the sugar addiction treatment and to avoid future problems with potential genetic insulin resistance.

I wish you luck in your weight control efforts. Please feel free to contact me for further information at my HealthcareMagic site, bit.ly/askkathyshattler.

Regards,
Kathy J. Shattler, BS,MS, RDN
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How Is Belviq Different From Adipex?

Hello and welcome to HealthcareMagic, Belviq may help you feel full after eating smaller amounts of food so it acts via the brain and hunger hormones. It acts directly on the serotonin receptors so frequently cannot be taken in conjunction with antidepressants or migraine medications. Belviq is different than Adipex in that Adipex contains a stimulant called phentermine that acts as an appetite suppressant and a central nervous system stimulant. Adipex also contains Topamax, a drug known independently for its weight loss effects and used for seizure control and off label for mood stabilization. The problem you are having may be helped in the short term with prescription medications. However, in the long term, I suggest a referral to a Registered Dietitian for a diet, exercises and lifestyle prescription and cognitive behavioral counseling for the sugar addiction. Medically, I would recommend an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to determine if you are having episodes of hypoglycemia driving your hunger which turned into a sugar addiction. Hypoglycemia, if present, will also need to be treated as part of the sugar addiction treatment and to avoid future problems with potential genetic insulin resistance. I wish you luck in your weight control efforts. Please feel free to contact me for further information at my HealthcareMagic site, bit.ly/askkathyshattler. Regards, Kathy J. Shattler, BS,MS, RDN