Fen-Phen Diet Pill
Rated: 2 out of 5
by DietPill.org
Fen-Phen, a combination of two prescription drugs, was a popular weight-loss drug in the 1990s but was withdrawn from the market in 1997 due to its potentially fatal side effects. Fen-phen consisted of fenfluramine and phentermine in combination and was effective in helping patients to lose weight, but caused problems and potential problems with patients' heart valves and pulmonary hypertension.
What is Fen-Phen?
Fenfluramine, the "Fen" half of the prescription drug known as Fen-phen, worked by releasing extra serotonin into the body, which promotes a feeling of fullness. Phentermine, the "Phen" portion of the drug, helped to counterbalance some of the negative side effects of the fenfluramine.
In combination, the two drugs were found to be quite effective at assisting overweight subjects to lose weight; in one four-year study, participants lost an average of 32 pounds through their use of Fen-phen.
In 1997, an article published by a doctor affiliated with the Mayo Clinic revealed that 24 cases of valvular disease had been discovered in patients who were using Fen-phen. The FDA acted quickly, and the prescription drug was withdrawn from the market in September of 1997, but not before an estimated six million patients had taken Fen-phen or one of the two drugs alone.
Appetite suppressants marketed as "Herbal Fen-phen" can be found currently, but these formulas contain neither fenfluramine nor phentermine. Most herbal Fen-phen formulas include a combination of caffeine and ephedra, which is an herb that contains ephedrine.
Fen-Phen Side Effects
The major side effect of Fen-phen, pulmonary hypertension, is a serious disease with no cure. Other side effects associated with Fen-phen include heart valve problems, for which patients had to undergo risky heart surgeries.
As you might imagine, these devastating side effects have resulted in a number of lawsuits against Wyeth, the pharmaceutical company that created and marketed Fen-phen. Wyeth has paid more than $13 billion in claims to patients and their families in connection with Fen-phen, although some legal experts estimate that a good portion of the 37,000 more serious claims are bogus, resulting from echocardiogram readings performed by medical doctors who are in actuality affiliated with law firms.
The FDA maintains a web page that offers information regarding Fen-phen and the product recall as well as recommendations for patients who previously took the prescription diet pills.
Buy Fen-Phen Diet Pill
Fen-phen is no longer for sale due to its dangerous side effects. The high demand for Fen-phen when it was on the market led a number of unscrupulous medical practitioners to charge exorbitantly high prices for it.
Did Fen-Phen Really Work?
While Fen-phen was fairly effective for the majority of patients in helping them to lose weight, the risks associated with the prescription drug were too high to allow it to stay on the market. Thankfully, there are plenty of natural weight loss supplements available on the market that contain herbs to help you lose weight safely.
To learn about effective weight-loss products that aren't associated with scary side effects, check out our in-depth diet pill reviews for today's leading diet pills.