The new weight loss medication, Belviq, will be available for obesity treatment from 06/11/2013 and W8MD Medical Weight Loss Centers weight loss physicians in New York City, and Philadelphia help.
More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and obesity contributes to a number of health conditions, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.
To help obese and overweight Americans who have been unsuccessful in getting their weight under control with diet and exercise, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new medications—the first drugs for long-term weight management that FDA has approved in 13 years.
Marketed as Belviq and Qsymia, these prescription medications would be taken for the rest of a person’s life. “For many people, obesity is a lifelong condition, but we don’t always think of it—or treat it—as such,” says Amy Egan, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director for safety in FDA’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products (DMEP).
“Qsymia and Belviq are considered life-long therapies in patients who respond to and tolerate them,” says Egan.The drugs are meant to be used in conjunction with a balanced diet and exercise, says Mary Roberts, M.D., a medical officer in DMEP. “These drugs are another tool to be used by someone trying to reach and stay at a healthy weight,” she says.
Are You a Candidate Belviq or Qsymia?
You may be a candidate for taking Belviq or Qsymia if you are at least 18 and:
• your body mass index (BMI) is 30or greater (obese); or
• your BMI is 27 or greater (overweight) and you have at least one other weight-related condition.
Women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant should not take either of these medications, Egan says, because weight loss offers no potential benefit to a pregnant woman and can cause fetal harm.
Qsymia carries a risk for birth defects (cleft lip with or without cleft palate) in infants exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy.
How Do They Work?
Belviq—the trade name for the drug lorcaserin— is a 10 mg tablet taken twice a day that works by activating a part of the brain that controls hunger.
Belviq was tested in three clinical trials that lasted from 52 to 104 weeks and included nearly 8,000 obese and overweight patients.
• The average weight loss for patients taking Belviq ranged from 3 to 3.7 percent over those taking a placebo.
• In studies of patients without type 2 diabetes, about 47 percent of patients lost at least 5 percent of their weight compared with 23 percent of patients treated with placebo.
Belviq should be discontinued if a patient fails to lose 5 percent of their weight after 12 weeks of treatment, as it is unlikely that continued treatment will be successful.
Qsymia is a combination of two FDA-approved drugs: phentermine, an appetite suppressant, and topiramate, used to treat
epilepsy and migraines. Roberts explains that Qsymia is taken once a day, with patients starting at the lowest dose
(3.75 mg phentermine/23 mg topiramate extended-release), then increasing to the recommended dose (7.5 mg/46 mg). In some circumstances, patients may have their dose increased to the highest dose (15 mg/92 mg).
Qsymia, was tested in two clinical trials which included nearly 3,700 obese and overweight patients treated for up to one year.
• The average weight loss of patients taking Qsymia ranged from 6.7 percent (lowest dose) to 8.9 percent (recommended dose) over those taking a placebo.
• Sixty-two percent of patients on the lowest dose and 70 percent on the recommended dose lost at least 5 percent of their weight compared with 20 percent treated with placebo.
If after 12 weeks, a patient has not lost 3 percent of his or her weight on the recommended dose of Qsymia, FDA recommends that treatment be discontinued or increased to the highest dose. If after an additional 12 weeks on the highest dose, a patient does not lose at least 5 percent of weight, Qsymia should be discontinued gradually.
The History Of Weight Loss Medications
Why has it been 13 years since the last diet drug was approved?
Eric Colman, M.D., deputy director of DMEP, says that drug companies have been testing potential new weight loss drugs, but none had proven effective and safe for consumers until now.
Before Belviq and Qsymia, the only prescription drug currently approved for long-term treatment of obesity was orlistat, marketed as Xenical.
Diethylpropion or Tenuate for weight loss was approved for short term (up to 12 weeks) for adults as an Appetite Suppressant. Its side effects include dizziness, headache, sleeplessness, nervousness.
Phendimetrazine or Bontril weight loss medication was FDA approved for short term (up to 12 weeks) for adults and its side effects include sleeplessness, nervousness.
Orlistat or Alli for weight loss was FDA approved for long term (up to 1 year) or adults and children age 12 and older. It is a Lipase Inhibitor and the common side effects include gastrointestinal issues (cramping, diarrhea, oily spotting), rare cases of severe liver injury reported
Bupropion or Wellbutrin is anti-depressant that has a side effect as weight loss although it is not approved for weight loss. Side effects include dry mouth, insomnia
Topiramate or Topamax is a medication used for Seizure Treatment with side effect of weight loss. Its other side effects include numbness of skin, change in taste.
Zonisamide or Zomig ia a medication used for Seizure Treatment with some weight loss. Its side effects iclude drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, nausea.
Metformin No Diabetes Treatment Weakness, dizziness, metallic taste, nausea Food and Drug Administration-Approved Prescription Weight-loss Medications.
Most of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved weight-loss medications are approved for
short-term use, meaning a few weeks, but doctors may prescribe them for longer periods of time—a practice called “off-label” use.
Poly-Tech Sleep, W8MD Weight Loss & MedSpa – King of Prussia, PA
More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and obesity contributes to a number of health conditions, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.
To help obese and overweight Americans who have been unsuccessful in getting their weight under control with diet and exercise, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new medications—the first drugs for long-term weight management that FDA has approved in 13 years.
Marketed as Belviq and Qsymia, these prescription medications would be taken for the rest of a person’s life. “For many people, obesity is a lifelong condition, but we don’t always think of it—or treat it—as such,” says Amy Egan, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director for safety in FDA’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products (DMEP).
“Qsymia and Belviq are considered life-long therapies in patients who respond to and tolerate them,” says Egan.The drugs are meant to be used in conjunction with a balanced diet and exercise, says Mary Roberts, M.D., a medical officer in DMEP. “These drugs are another tool to be used by someone trying to reach and stay at a healthy weight,” she says.
Are You a Candidate Belviq or Qsymia?
You may be a candidate for taking Belviq or Qsymia if you are at least 18 and:
• your body mass index (BMI) is 30or greater (obese); or
• your BMI is 27 or greater (overweight) and you have at least one other weight-related condition.
Women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant should not take either of these medications, Egan says, because weight loss offers no potential benefit to a pregnant woman and can cause fetal harm.
Qsymia carries a risk for birth defects (cleft lip with or without cleft palate) in infants exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy.
How Do They Work?
Belviq—the trade name for the drug lorcaserin— is a 10 mg tablet taken twice a day that works by activating a part of the brain that controls hunger.
Belviq was tested in three clinical trials that lasted from 52 to 104 weeks and included nearly 8,000 obese and overweight patients.
• The average weight loss for patients taking Belviq ranged from 3 to 3.7 percent over those taking a placebo.
• In studies of patients without type 2 diabetes, about 47 percent of patients lost at least 5 percent of their weight compared with 23 percent of patients treated with placebo.
Belviq should be discontinued if a patient fails to lose 5 percent of their weight after 12 weeks of treatment, as it is unlikely that continued treatment will be successful.
Qsymia is a combination of two FDA-approved drugs: phentermine, an appetite suppressant, and topiramate, used to treat
epilepsy and migraines. Roberts explains that Qsymia is taken once a day, with patients starting at the lowest dose
(3.75 mg phentermine/23 mg topiramate extended-release), then increasing to the recommended dose (7.5 mg/46 mg). In some circumstances, patients may have their dose increased to the highest dose (15 mg/92 mg).
Qsymia, was tested in two clinical trials which included nearly 3,700 obese and overweight patients treated for up to one year.
• The average weight loss of patients taking Qsymia ranged from 6.7 percent (lowest dose) to 8.9 percent (recommended dose) over those taking a placebo.
• Sixty-two percent of patients on the lowest dose and 70 percent on the recommended dose lost at least 5 percent of their weight compared with 20 percent treated with placebo.
If after 12 weeks, a patient has not lost 3 percent of his or her weight on the recommended dose of Qsymia, FDA recommends that treatment be discontinued or increased to the highest dose. If after an additional 12 weeks on the highest dose, a patient does not lose at least 5 percent of weight, Qsymia should be discontinued gradually.
The History Of Weight Loss Medications
Why has it been 13 years since the last diet drug was approved?
Eric Colman, M.D., deputy director of DMEP, says that drug companies have been testing potential new weight loss drugs, but none had proven effective and safe for consumers until now.
Before Belviq and Qsymia, the only prescription drug currently approved for long-term treatment of obesity was orlistat, marketed as Xenical.
Other weight loss medications
Phentermine or Adipex is weight loss medication is the traditional Appetite Suppressant weight loss medication and is available at most W8MD weight loss centers after evaluation by the weight loss doctor that will advise if this or any other weight loss medication might be appropriate for you. Side effects of Phentermine include Increased blood pressure, and heart rate, sleeplessness, nervousness etc.
Diethylpropion or Tenuate for weight loss was approved for short term (up to 12 weeks) for adults as an Appetite Suppressant. Its side effects include dizziness, headache, sleeplessness, nervousness.
Phendimetrazine or Bontril weight loss medication was FDA approved for short term (up to 12 weeks) for adults and its side effects include sleeplessness, nervousness.
Orlistat or Alli for weight loss was FDA approved for long term (up to 1 year) or adults and children age 12 and older. It is a Lipase Inhibitor and the common side effects include gastrointestinal issues (cramping, diarrhea, oily spotting), rare cases of severe liver injury reported
Bupropion or Wellbutrin is anti-depressant that has a side effect as weight loss although it is not approved for weight loss. Side effects include dry mouth, insomnia
Topiramate or Topamax is a medication used for Seizure Treatment with side effect of weight loss. Its other side effects include numbness of skin, change in taste.
Zonisamide or Zomig ia a medication used for Seizure Treatment with some weight loss. Its side effects iclude drowsiness, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, nausea.
Metformin No Diabetes Treatment Weakness, dizziness, metallic taste, nausea Food and Drug Administration-Approved Prescription Weight-loss Medications.
Most of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved weight-loss medications are approved for
short-term use, meaning a few weeks, but doctors may prescribe them for longer periods of time—a practice called “off-label” use.
W8MD weight loss, sleep and medspa centers locations
Poly-Tech Sleep, W8MD’s Philadelphia Weight loss & Aesthetics NE Philadelphia
1718 Welsh Road, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19115
1718 Welsh Road, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19115
Poly-Tech Sleep, W8MD Weight Loss & MedSpa – King of Prussia, PA
Coming soon – W8MD Weight Loss, Sleep & Medical Spa Cherry Hill, NJ
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