Our Appetite Medications

Holland Clinic Medical Weight Loss Clinic

PRESCRIPTION WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION FORMULARY


I prescribe (actually I dispense from the office) weight loss medications to patients whom I have examined and from whom I have taken a thorough medical history when, and only when I believe that there is a medical need for such medication and when the patient suffers no medical conditions that would make this harmful.

Generally I prescribe either phentermine (Adipex, Ionomin, Fastin), diethylpropion (Tenuate, Tenuate Dospan) or phendimetrazine tartrate (Bontril, Prelu-2).


  • People develop partial tolerance to these medications after a few months. This means that the medications "feel" as if they are suppressing appetite BUT they continue to produce an increase in metabolism.
  • The overall effect of prescription weight loss medication is limited. Without serious changes in diet and activity, these medications produce weight loss between 20 and 30 pounds (depending upon starting body weight). The rest is up to YOU.
  • Prescription weight loss medications are stimulants. If the dosage is too high they can and will cause insomnia and nervousness. Fortunately this is easy to fix by lowering the dosage.
On the sub-pages listed below you can learn more about specific weight loss medications.