Question:
Will taking diet pills help me lose weight faster?

I am 6 months post-op and down almost 80pds. I was just wondering if taking diet pills would hurt me in any way. Or would they help me lose the weight faster than what I am? Reading all the other post before my surgery I just thought that I would be at my 100pd mark by now which I am suppose to be. I am like losing about 1-2pds a week if that. I just alittle down I guess. Can anyone help?    — [Anonymous] (posted on May 24, 2001)

May 24, 2001
I'm 10 months out and just hit the 101 lb. mark. I think early on I reconciled the fact that I wouldn't be part of the "Fastest Losers" Club. Oh, I suppose I could have done it by six months; then again, I probably would have had to dealt with buying clothes more often than I could afford, sagging skin that didn't have time to catch up with the weight loss, feeling lethargic from lack of food or resentful about extreme limitations on my diet. Hey, I choose to look at the positive...I'm not gonna beat myself up! What troubles me about your question is two things: 1) If you are down, you obviously had expectations that you feel you didn't meet. Is this 100 lb. goal based on your doctor's wishes or what you had hoped looking at other profiles? 80 pounds is an incredible accomplishment and shouldn't be compared with anyone else! There is no way to truly forecast how much someone is going to lose in 6 months or a year. There are only averages and guidelines. You still have a good 12-18 months of weight loss left...you aren't done yet! Secondly, given the small amounts of food you eat already, and the fact that your body needs every bit of nutrution you are feeding it, diet pills could compromise that delicate balance between weight loss and health. Furthermore, if you return to the 'normal' post-op diet after pills, what's to say you won't regain the weight? After all, your body wants to stay fat and taking it off the diet pills will just send the metabolism spiraling downward again. I mean, why not? Hasn't this always happened before with diets and pills? Just because we've had WLS, does that mean we are immune to this vicious cycle? Protien, water, exercise, hon.
   — Allie B.

May 24, 2001
1st off-congratulations. 80 lbs in 6 months is wonderful!!!What diet would ever allow that to happen? You stated that you're only losing 1-2 lbs per week. That's not only great but it's healthy. Maybe, just maybe you won't lost so fast that you'll have a huge apron to deal with after(I don't know)but look at the positive. It seems that many people who have this surgery expect this all to happen overnight and when they think they're not doing ok then it's not good enough. Focus on the wonderful weight loss already and know you still have about 1 full year left to really lose. Gee, that's a minimum(the way you're going now)of 160 more lbs!!!That's more than I need to lose total. I personally wouldn't do the diet pills. Many times all the chemicals and stuff-you're body dsn't need that. Besides, if they worked the 1st go around we wouldn't need the surgery! Best wishes for continued success. Look at your glass as 1/2 full, you're doing so well!
   — Linda M.

May 24, 2001
Hi there - I don't have an answer for you, but thought I'd let you know that you're not along. I too thought I would and should loose faster. At 6 months I had "only" lost 79 lbs. At 7 it was 85 lbs. Now a week later I've actually gained 2 of that back....I hate that part!! Anyway, I don't have an answer, but your not alone and I say YEAH for US!! I don't think I would ever have gotten this far on my own, and I try to remember that God has a plan and a reason for everything.
   — tlg6056

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