Allergic Reactions

Jess · 04-30-2008, 11:29 PM

I am curious as to what exactly an allergic reaction to Phentermine looks like? Also, how common is it that you would have an allergic reaction to Phentermine?

Penny · 05-04-2008, 02:14 AM

An allergic reaction to it would include hives, shortness of breath, swelling of the tongue, face or lips. I don't know if there's a way to predict if you'll be allergic or not. I haven't read the statistics on those side effects yet, though.

Jess · 05-04-2008, 03:17 AM

Thanks for the information, Penny, I wasn't able to find it anywhere on the internet, surprisingly enough. So the symptoms are pretty consistent with other types of medication allergies? Has anybody here ever experienced an allergic reaction?

LbsToLose · 05-04-2008, 07:32 AM

Yes I would imagine that an allergy is an allergy regardless of the substance that caused it. The symptoms will always be approximately the same, and of course the most severe and dangerous would be anaphylaxis reactions.

Deb · 01-22-2010, 10:47 PM

Hi. I just found this forum today and am in desperate need of information. I tried my doctor's office but talked to someone who seemed to think my side effects were unrelated to the phentermine. I think otherwise but will share here....

I have been on phentermine since 9/12/09 taking one half of the dose prescribed by the doctor. I was also told to take 1/2 of a water pill and 1 potassium pill every other day. I took those two pills together every M-W-F.

Within the first month, I noticed severe bruising. I would brush by something and a bruise would appear. This side effect continues.

By the start of the third month, my mouth was full of what felt like canker sores. I went to the dentist and was told the gum line and roof of my mouth was covered with sores. The dentist did a laser treatment and the sores subsided within a couple of days.

By the middle of December the side effects were so annoying that I went off the medication. The good news is that by then (3 months from starting) I had lost about 40 pounds.

I called the doctor's office after the holidays as I was trying to decide whether to go back on the pills. In addition, even though I had been off the phentermine for nearly two weeks, an open sore developed on the outside of my lower leg. It initially looked like several mosquito bites that had been scratched and crusted over. There was a red ring with a hardness around each "bite". The doctor was unavailable but the person I spoke with would only acknowledge the bruising as a possible side effect. She said bruising could be expected as I had lost so much weight so rapidly. I'm not sure, nor did she explain, how losing weight causes bruising. The doctor did not return my call and the last time I went to my appointment, he was not in. I'm frustrated by the lack of medical support.

I went back on the phentermine last Monday taking 1/4 of a pill. I took a water pill and the potassium Monday only and within 48 hours had lost 7 pounds. Since then, I have lost another 2 pounds.

The "bites" will not heal and seem to be full of puss. I have used neosporin and covered them with bandages to keep from irritating them further. This morning, while putting on my make up, I noticed three distinct large red spots from my wrist to the knuckle of my little finger on my right hand. By afternoon, those red stops had become purple bruises.

My daughter began taking phentermine in November and immediately began experiencing the bruising and withing two months had a mouth full of sores. Ironic that the two of us would have the same symptoms if not caused by the phentermine.

I am just wondering if anyone else has had similar side effects as I cannot find anything online except bruising and canker sores. And, there is nothing from the online medical community that indicates whether these side effects require stopping the phentermine or if they will subside over time. I had thought reducing the dosage again would eliminate the side effects but after five days, it's obvious that my body is not reacting well to this medication.

I had hoped to stay off the phentermine after quitting in December but was soon back to my old eating habits and thought a lower dose might be the answer. Now, I don't know what to do.

Any advice?

04-30-2008, 11:29 PM	#1
Jess Status: Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 50	Allergic Reactions I am curious as to what exactly an allergic reaction to Phentermine looks like? Also, how common is it that you would have an allergic reaction to Phentermine?

01-22-2010, 10:47 PM	#5
Deb Status: Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1	Side Effects Hi. I just found this forum today and am in desperate need of information. I tried my doctor's office but talked to someone who seemed to think my side effects were unrelated to the phentermine. I think otherwise but will share here.... I have been on phentermine since 9/12/09 taking one half of the dose prescribed by the doctor. I was also told to take 1/2 of a water pill and 1 potassium pill every other day. I took those two pills together every M-W-F. Within the first month, I noticed severe bruising. I would brush by something and a bruise would appear. This side effect continues. By the start of the third month, my mouth was full of what felt like canker sores. I went to the dentist and was told the gum line and roof of my mouth was covered with sores. The dentist did a laser treatment and the sores subsided within a couple of days. By the middle of December the side effects were so annoying that I went off the medication. The good news is that by then (3 months from starting) I had lost about 40 pounds. I called the doctor's office after the holidays as I was trying to decide whether to go back on the pills. In addition, even though I had been off the phentermine for nearly two weeks, an open sore developed on the outside of my lower leg. It initially looked like several mosquito bites that had been scratched and crusted over. There was a red ring with a hardness around each "bite". The doctor was unavailable but the person I spoke with would only acknowledge the bruising as a possible side effect. She said bruising could be expected as I had lost so much weight so rapidly. I'm not sure, nor did she explain, how losing weight causes bruising. The doctor did not return my call and the last time I went to my appointment, he was not in. I'm frustrated by the lack of medical support. I went back on the phentermine last Monday taking 1/4 of a pill. I took a water pill and the potassium Monday only and within 48 hours had lost 7 pounds. Since then, I have lost another 2 pounds. The "bites" will not heal and seem to be full of puss. I have used neosporin and covered them with bandages to keep from irritating them further. This morning, while putting on my make up, I noticed three distinct large red spots from my wrist to the knuckle of my little finger on my right hand. By afternoon, those red stops had become purple bruises. My daughter began taking phentermine in November and immediately began experiencing the bruising and withing two months had a mouth full of sores. Ironic that the two of us would have the same symptoms if not caused by the phentermine. I am just wondering if anyone else has had similar side effects as I cannot find anything online except bruising and canker sores. And, there is nothing from the online medical community that indicates whether these side effects require stopping the phentermine or if they will subside over time. I had thought reducing the dosage again would eliminate the side effects but after five days, it's obvious that my body is not reacting well to this medication. I had hoped to stay off the phentermine after quitting in December but was soon back to my old eating habits and thought a lower dose might be the answer. Now, I don't know what to do. Any advice?

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05-04-2008, 02:14 AM	#2
Penny Status: Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 44	An allergic reaction to it would include hives, shortness of breath, swelling of the tongue, face or lips. I don't know if there's a way to predict if you'll be allergic or not. I haven't read the statistics on those side effects yet, though.

05-04-2008, 03:17 AM	#3
Jess Status: Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 50	Thanks for the information, Penny, I wasn't able to find it anywhere on the internet, surprisingly enough. So the symptoms are pretty consistent with other types of medication allergies? Has anybody here ever experienced an allergic reaction?

05-04-2008, 07:32 AM	#4
LbsToLose Status: Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 51	Yes I would imagine that an allergy is an allergy regardless of the substance that caused it. The symptoms will always be approximately the same, and of course the most severe and dangerous would be anaphylaxis reactions.