Insomnia phentermine

Side effects are those expected of any sympathomimetic agent dry mouth, palpitations and insomnia. Phentermine has an excellent safety record with a low potential for dependency. This is lowered even further with intermittent administration. 

Common adverse reactions seen with phentermine use include heart palpitations, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, stimulation, restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, euphoria, dysphoria, tremor, headache, dry mouth, constipation, and diarrhea. Phentermine should be avoided in patients with unstable cardiac status, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, agitated states, or glaucoma. In combination with fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine, pulmonary hypertension and valvular heart disease have been reported. The risk of developing either serious adverse effect cannot be ruled out with use of phentermine alone. Since phentermine is related to the amphetamines, the... 

Phentermine is available as an immediate-release and a sustained-release product. In conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, 30 to 37.5 mg of phentermine is administered once daily, typically before breakfast or 1 to 2 hours following the morning meal. The dosage should be individualized some patients maybe managed adequately at 15 to 18.75 mg daily, whereas a dose of 18.75 mg twice daily may be used to minimize side effects, excluding insomnia. To lessen the risk of insomnia, dosing phentermine in the evening should be avoided. Timed-release preparations of phentermine are not recommended because phentermine s half-life is approximately 20 hours.39... 

The newest appetite suppressant, sibutramine (Meridia), works by blocking the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine. It does not stimulate nerve cells to release serotonin, as do fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine. Administered at 20 mg/ day, sibutramine effectively reduces weight in obese patients, but its use has not been assessed in eating disorder patients. The most common side effects of this medication are insomnia, dry mouth, and constipation. It has not been associated with the more serious heart and lung complications observed with fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine. Because sibutramine acts in part through modulation of norepinephrine, there is no rational basis for coadministering phentermine, which acts via this same mechanism. 

Phentermine is indicated only for short-term treatment, and tolerance often develops. Its common adverse effects are dry mouth, insomnia, increased blood pressure, and constipation (5). It is the subject of a separate monograph (p. 2804). 

Insomnia is one of the most common adverse effects of phentermine. In a survey in Edinburgh, 20% of the subjects taking phentermine reported insomnia compared with 6% of those taking placebo (4). 

New pharmacological treatments have been developed for the treatment of obesity. These include the combination of phentermine and fenfluramine (phen-fen) and, alternatively, dexfenfluramine (Redux). Phentermine (Fastin, lonamin) is a stimulant and fenfluramine (Pondimin) is a serotonin agonist. In combination they have persistent appetite suppression and weight loss effects. These medications can cause anxiety and insomnia and must be used with extreme caution if taken with antidepressants, especially SSRIs. Dexfenfluramine works similarly, but avoids the side effect of increased anxiety, and instead tends to cause diarrhea, dry mouth, and somnolence. There have also been reports of pulmonary hypertension, a potentially fatal condition, especially when taken for longer than three months. Some researchers (Ricuarte et al. 1991 McCann et al. 1994) have expressed concern because rats given these medications showed evidence of neuronal toxicity. Thus, they are effective medications, but must be used with caution. 

The principal side effects of phentermine are insomnia, restlessness, and euphoria. Some patients rapidly develop toleranee to this agent, resulting in discontinuation of therapy. The combination of phentermine with fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine was as-soeiated with inereased incidences of both primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and ear-diae valvulopathy, but it is unlikely that phentermine alone causes these same problems. Phentermine, nonetheless, contains a warning label listing PPH and cardiac valve lesions as possible adverse events. 

Placebo-controUed studies In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the use of phentermine 30 mg/day for 12 weeks in patients with obesity with controlled diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidemia, dry mouth and insomnia were the most common adverse reactions to phentermine they were mild to moderate and transient [87. ... 

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