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Have you been struggling to lose weight, but diet and exercise aren’t giving you the results you need to be healthy? Are you sick of people telling you that you could lose weight if only you had the will-power? It may be time to ask a physician about a phentermine prescription.

What is Phentermine?

Remember those 50s movies in which women lost weight by taking amphetamines? We know now that amphetamines can be very dangerous, so they don’t make safe weight-loss drugs. Chemically, phentermine is a little like amphetamines, but isn’t one. So it has the weight-loss effect but fewer “Valley of the Dolls” worries for you.

Phentermine is an appetite suppressant - it changes the chemicals made by your brain to make you feel less hungry. Some researchers think that it might also speed up your metabolism. Short-term use of phentermine has been shown to help people who are already on diet and exercise programs lose weight.

It sounds perfect! How do I get started?

Although phentermene isn’t an amphetamine, it can have serious side-effects, so before you can buy phentermene, you need a prescription. If your body-mass index (calculated from your height and weight) is high (over 30) your doctor may agree that a drug should be added to your diet and exercise program. You’ll stay on the drug for a few weeks or months, after which you’ll be ready to continue your weight-loss program on your own steam!

If you have atherosclerosis, a history of drug or alcohol addiction, allergies to certain medications, high-blood pressure, diabetes, or are on certain anti-depressants (especially MAO inhibitors), your doctor may suggest a different drug for you.

All these names! Which phentermine is which?

If you can read your doctor’s handwriting, you might notice she has prescribed a drug with a different name than “phentermine.” Phentermine is just the name of the chemical found in a number of different products. Adipex, Phentercot, Teramine, Fastin and Pro-fast are all brand names for drugs that have the same active ingredient, phentermine.

Ionamin has phentermine in a special “resin” formula that helps it last longer. Phentermine 37.5 is just a generic version of phentermine that comes in a large dose. Phentermine 37.5 is great if you need a larger dose of the drug.

Where do I go from here?

To make sure you get the most out of your phentermine prescription, make sure to keep this to-do list handy:

? Get your prescription refilled before you run out of pills; online pharmacies can set up a regular refill for you, as prescribed by your doctor.

? Check in with your doctor if you start having side-effects like sleeplessness, nightmares, difficulty breathing, or chest pain.

? If you feel the appetite-suppression is wearing off, it’s time to talk to your doctor about going off the medication.

? Don’t forget - this drug works its magic with exercise and diet - so keep up your own good work for best results!

Cybill Shepherd has revealed that she suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The star of Moonlighting and Taxi Driver says that she has struggled with her symptoms for many years, and is now hoping to raise awareness of IBS and encourage sufferers to talk more openly with their doctors.

She says: “For years I have been battling recurring constipation, abdominal pain and bloating. Go ahead and laugh. We laugh because we’re embarrassed. In order for us to get relief, we have to talk about our symptoms and stop suffering in silence.

“I have tried nearly everything: changing my diet and watching what I ate. I exercised regularly. I even tried taking fiber supplements and over-the-counter laxatives, but nothing helped with all of my symptoms.

“My doctor used to tell me it was all emotional and psychological. So I got a new doctor. And a year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. It was a huge relief to find out that my IBS with constipation was not all in my head and that it was a treatable medical condition. My doctor prescribed Zelnorm and it has provided me with relief for all my symptoms. In a lot of ways, I feel like my old self again.”

And good for her! I think that many IBS sufferers will identify with what she says: from embarrassing, unmentionable symptoms to doctors who insist that our bowel problems are really in our heads.

We may identify less with her relief from one drug alone (although the new drugs Zelnorm and Lotronex have had a good success rate in America), but we could all benefit from talking more openly with our doctors and looking for more solutions rather than accepting that IBS will rule our lives.

What Cybill Shepherd has done, though, is more than just draw attention to the fact that IBS sufferers need more help. Just by revealing that she is an IBS sufferer she has shown that IBS can affect anyone. Here is a glamorous, successful actress, someone who has kissed Bruce Willis and won three Golden Globes, saying that she has trouble with her bowels.

The power of celebrity

In these celebrity-soaked times it can be easy to forget that famous people sometimes achieve genuinely selfless and compassionate things just by using their fame. The greatest power that they have is the ability to shine the light of their stardom on an issue which would otherwise have been ignored.

And yes, the issue may sometimes be whatever cause is most fashionable at the time - “Gay whales against racism” as one satirist put it ? or the one which helps the star more than the people (or whales) who are suffering. But sometimes there is no doubt that the celeb has really stuck their neck out to help others who are dealing with an issue that is considered untouchable.

And I can’t thing of a more untouchable issue than IBS, something that no-one in the public eye would readily admit to. Can you imagine Julia Roberts standing up and saying “Diarrhea is the blight of my life and hemorrhoids have driven me to drink”? No, of course not, because anything remotely digestive is considered highly embarrassing and distinctly unglamorous. Cybill Shepherd’s admission, therefore, is to be applauded.

Dare not speak its name

Before Cybill Shepherd ‘came out’, the only famous person I knew of who had IBS was Kelsey Grammar’s wife (Kelsey Grammar used to play Frasier in the eponymous sitcom and Cheers). Whoever you are, whatever your gender or problems or pain, it is vital that you find someone with whom you can identify. If you watch TV and never see a reflection of yourself, if you are a black man and only ever see white faces on screen, then you will start to feel alienated ? and the same goes for people who are ill.

If you constantly hear about diabetes sufferers and asthma sufferers but never hear a word about bowels then you begin to learn that your illness is far less important than these other worthy causes.

We need more people in the public eye standing up and saying “Me too”, so that everyone can start to realise just how widespread a problem this is.

Don’t suffer in silence

But it’s not just about how other people perceive us, and how we perceive ourselves. It’s also about making sure that anyone who has bowel symptoms seeks help, and at the moment that just doesn’t happen.

There are still many people with bowel problems who are too ashamed or embarrassed to go to the doctor, and just soldier on through their lives when they could be receiving treatment. And there’s always the risk, of course, that their symptoms could actually be the result of something other than IBS that may get progressively worse if it is left alone.

IBS often goes undiagnosed for years, and even when we pluck up the courage to visit the doctor we can be so tongue-tied that we don’t properly describe our symptoms. If we could leave our embarrassment in the waiting room it would be so much better for our health.

Cybill Shepherd says: “My goal is to urge all women to get over their embarrassment, to stop suffering in silence the way I did, and to talk to their doctors. Although it may be uncomfortable, it is very important for you to be open and honest with your doctor about all your symptoms”.

And things can change. Just think about breast cancer, which is now regularly discussed on TV and radio, but 20 years ago was stuck behind a wall of silence where breasts were not to be mentioned, cancerous or not.

Many people today realize the importance of keeping their blood pressure under control. Blood pressure monitors are now available for home use.

It’s a piece of medical equipment that can provide both you and your health care provider with an accurate measure of how your blood pressure is responding to diet, exercise and medication.

Many medical supplies outlets offer blood pressure monitors that are simple and easy to use.

For some people the thought of going to their Dr.’s office for a blood pressure reading is enough to send their pressure through the roof. That’s one of the advantages of having your own blood pressure cuff right in their own home. They can use the blood pressure cuff at their own convenience and get a more accurate reading.

High blood pressure can be caused by many different factors such as weight, diet and heredity. If you have an elevated pressure then having your own blood pressure monitors available can be very important.

I had a call the other day from a potential client in a serious situation. He was young and had been diagnosed with CAD (Coronary Artery Disease), suffering from extremely high blood pressure and cholesterol, his doctor had put him on a medication that was suppose to lower and control these symptoms, and he had been on this medication for over 2 years.

During this time, this 24 year old man had developed a blockage in his hand that had become inflamed and eventually ruptured, causing the possibility of amputation. The situation was brought under control using anti-inflammatory means, but he remained on his cholesterol medication without adjustment even after this incident. About 6 months later, this young man was suffering from another blockage, but this time, it was in a critical area that couldn’t be treated without specialization and the local doctors did not have the experience to treat him. These doctors told him that there was no one in the 4 state area that could serve him, he was desperate and afraid, and turned to me for help.

When he first called, I asked him some questions to help me understand his situation.

How old are you? (25)

Do you suffer from High blood pressure or high cholesterol? (yes)

Does your family have a history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes or insulin resistance? (yes)

Does you family have a history of bowel problems, colon cancer or colon polyps? (yes, my twin brother)

What is your Ethnic Origin? (English)

Are you physically active? (yes, when I can be)

Has your doctor put you on any medication (yes, and he named it)

At the time that you were put on this medication, did your doctor recommend a glycemic, low fat, low sodium diet? (no)

What kinds of foods have you been eating while on this medication? (regular foods, meat, vegetables, potatoes, you know, stuff in restaurants and stuff that is easy to fix at home)

With the condition that you currently have, do you suffer from loss of vision or blurred vision? (yes)

Are you suffering from Migraine headaches? (yes, constantly)

Are you suffering from the loss of motor skills, have difficulty walking, chewing, swallowing, lifting? (yes)

Are these symptoms constant, or do they come and go? (Constant)

Is this blockage behind your right eye? (yes)

What has your doctor recommended? (they have recommended that I be treated elsewhere, because they do not have a specialist here)

Have they recommended a place you should go or a specialist that you should see? (no, they can’t even tell me what kind of doctor I should get)

My recommendations were for him to seek help immediately, within the next week.

I suggested that his doctors give him a letter of recommendation to see a Cerebral Neuro-Vascular Surgeon. He and his friends got on the Internet and found some specialists that could fit him in in the next few days. My fear was that the situation had gone on to long, and that he was in imminent danger. I told him that when he returned from his surgery, that he should call to make an appointment with me so that we could get his blood pressure and cholesterol under control, so this would not happen again.

He asked me why this had happened in the first place, he had taken his medications like they had been prescribed. I explained that when medications are used in the body, they have to not only act, but they are also acted upon.

When you use medications designed to reduce something in the body, you shouldn’t add things that would cause the medications to have to compete or work harder to accomplish the goal. A cholesterol medication to control the fat in your blood, and then eat fat, or things that create fat. A diabetic medication to control blood sugar, and then eat sugar or carbs that convert to sugars. A medication used for the treatment of gout, then eat things that are high in acid or create acid. These kinds of things can make the medications ineffective, and a waste of time and money.

He said that he had been on this medication for two years, and that the cholesterol numbers had never been affected by the medication. I told him that there is a way to lower his cholesterol effectively, using a restrictive diet, exercise, and a few supplements along with his prescription, and that as soon as he returned with relative health, we would start him on his program.

For most people, when they become ill, they go to their doctors in search of a quick fix, a pill or a shot that will make things better instantly, that doesn’t require any effort or discomfort on their part. The sad truth of the matter is that “possession” requires “responsibility”, and “responsibility” requires “action”.

D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S. With 20 years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods.

If you have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you will know how difficult it is to treat. Doctors can be dismissive of IBS symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation and bloating, and when treatment is offered it may only help for a short while before the distressing symptoms return.

Sufferers often find that they have to deal with the symptoms themselves, through self-help methods and supplements, rather than by using conventional medicines. However, this does not mean that there is no hope of improvement. By sharing their experiences, sufferers can learn a lot about what really helps to ease IBS.

All the self-help tips in this article have come from IBS sufferers who have found a way to control their irritable bowels. Before trying any form of self-help, please make sure that you have your doctor’s approval, and do check that anything you try will not interfere with any medication you are taking.

Calcium tablets

Linda, who suffers from severe diarrhea, says: “What has helped me for more than two years is calcium carbonate, an over-the-counter supplement. I take three tablets a day, one at each meal. The most success has come from using any formula of calcium supplement that is like Caltrate 600 Plus with vitamin D and minerals. The only side effect is at the beginning of taking the calcium you may have some gas or indigestion, but this usually goes away after taking a regular dose for a few days.”

If you suffer from constipation rather than diarrhea, you could try magnesium supplements instead, as these can have a slight laxative effect.

Digestive enzymes and probiotics

Kim, who also suffers from bad diarrhea, says: “I tried taking digestive enzymes with acidophilus and found significant relief within three days. I am not afraid to eat now, but find that I still cannot eat very much refined sugar or high fibre vegetables. I have also added a cup or two per day of peppermint and chamomile tea. When I do have an episode it occurs late in the day and by the next morning I am feeling back to normal.”

Looking at your diet

Laura describes how a close examination of her diet helped her IBS: “I was placed on every kind of medication, and sometimes they worked in the short term, sometimes they didn’t work at all. The doctor finally suggested trying to alter my diet in cycles, and we discovered that eating meat was my problem. I became a vegetarian and no longer have constant problems. Sometimes I even go years without any pain at all. It’s worth all the effort you put into it when you finally feel better.”

Mina also found that dietary change helped control her symptoms, alongside traditional medication: “I’ve made a number of changes to my diet. I’ve eliminated milk and mostly any dairy, fried foods, sugar for the most part, pop, alcohol, potato chips, spicy food, rice, pasta and bread. Most recently I’m eliminating flour. But my best friend for the last couple of years has been Imodium Quick Dissolve tablets. I don’t ever leave home without them. I just have to make sure I don’t overdo it. If I ever become immune to the wonder drug I am gonna be a real mess!”

Flaxseed

Watching your diet is sometimes not enough to completely control the symptoms, and natural or herbal supplements can help, as Marion discovered: “After about six months of a horrendously restrictive diet (ultra low-fat vegan with no raw veggies or fruit except banana) and a lot of Metamucil, I managed to get it sort of under control. But if I deviated from the diet, the chronic diarrhea would come back. Someone I met told me that she had helped her IBS by taking a tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseed with a glass of water or juice every morning.

I thought it was another crackpot cure, but eventually I decided to try it. She had told me that pre-ground flaxseed didn’t work because flax seed starts to oxidize as soon as you grind it and that whole flax seeds are no good either, because they cannot be digested properly. After years of IBS, in about two weeks it just went away. I cannot believe that I now have perfectly normal, regular bowel movements.”

Fiber, water and yoga

Pam, who struggles with constipation, has developed a combination of things which work for her: “I drink Metamucil (psyllium fibre) every day and try to relax, pray or meditate, even do a little yoga. The more I make myself relax and take time to de-stress the better I can manage my problem. I know time for yourself is very hard to come by sometimes but I have to if I’m going to manage this. I try to drink at least three bottles of water a day. This is also hard sometimes but I have to take care of me the best I can. I also take a mild anti-depressant. This has helped a bunch in my stress department and in turn has helped my IBS.”

Stress and IBS

Daniel believes that his symptoms are related to his emotions and stress: “I thought that when I was stuck on the toilet, experiencing the most severe cramps, thinking I was about to pass out from the pain, feeling like I was about to throw up, I was the only one. I’m still trying to work it out but I believe it has a lot to do with my psychological state. I say this because although I don’t get too stressed out at any one moment, I do have general worries about money and life. I tend to find when I’m not worrying about these things I don’t get the pain as much, if at all.

It’s easier said than done of course, I can’t just stop worrying about money or my future, but being aware of these things seems to help - being optimistic and knowing that everything is only temporary. I have been taking Colpermin (peppermint capsules) as a preventative which often helps and for a while I took painkillers which I think helped.”

Soluble versus insoluble fiber

Some nutritionists believe that IBS sufferers’ intestines react differently to soluble and insoluble fiber, and this has been Stu’s experience: “After trying all kinds of drugs and healthy eating, my pains were still there. I found by accident that it wasn’t so much what I ate but whether I ate it on a full stomach or not. My failsafe is pasta on an empty stomach, I get no reaction - it is soluble fibre that settles the colon apparently. I quickly searched on the internet for recipes high in soluble fibre and I have improved.

Most significantly though I am on no medication and this puts me in control of the IBS, not the other way around. I think this is important as stress certainly can trigger the symptoms off. I don’t avoid insoluble fibre as it is essential for the body, but I recommend that you eat it on a full stomach.”