Duromine Diary

[Librarian]

Hello! I just started Duromine (15) yesterday.

47 years old, 154 cm tall.
Starting weight 83.8 kg.
Goal weight 58 kg.

I was rather horrified when my doctor suggested medical assistance to lose weight. I've been slowly gaining for the past 20 years with many failed attempts to lose it. We decided I'd go to a dietician first. Well that didn't work - I put on more weight!

So I started Duromine yesterday, 15 to start then double pills to 30 after a week.

So far they haven't had a dramatic effect. I have eaten less, but still experience hunger and interest in food. A bit of nausea after eating, and motion sickness on the train. I'm motivated to exercise, but when I do it seems much harder than it should. Climbing three flights of stairs today was exhausting. Jelly legs and heart pumping. I'm a bit disappointed by that, I was hoping for extra energy! Seems to have had the opposite effect.

But luckily I haven't had dry mouth or insomnia, which both seem very common, at least not on this low dose. So overall it's having a positive effect, I've eaten less and no junk.

I didn't lose any water weight because I'd already lost that a couple of days before, so any weight lost will be real loss. Only 0.2 kg so far, but it's only been one day.

Natalie

 

[Librarian]

I was reading through other posts and just saw we're not supposed to drink alcohol while on Duromine! I don't very often anyway, but I didn't know that. When I took my prescription to the chemist, he asked if I'd taken this medication before and I said no. But it still didn't come with the information leaflet. Just the pills with dosage sticker on the box. I didn't know there was no leaflet until I got home. Of course I should have looked it up online straight away (I have done so now). No alcohol, no cough medicine, got it.

 

[April]

Hello Natalie! Welcome to the forum! Lovely avatar… =) so, it’s your third day on Duromine… your doctor is very wise to give you 15 mg. does your heart pump strongly even when you walk?

When it comes to exercising during a weight loss course, most people need to take it slowly and begin from small steps. Especially when you are on Duromine, which can increase your heart rate significantly. Be careful.. start with brisk walking.. better make it interval walking… walk fast – slow- fast – slow.. just a suggestion.

Duromine might not cut your usual hunger, but help you feel full faster. Don’t be in a hurry when you eat. You might notice that you need just some small amounts of food to tame your hunger.

It’s so good that you have noticed the information about alcohol and decided to dig deeper into contraindications and side effects. No leaflet with such a potent drug =((

Ok. Have a lovely day and a great mood!

 

[Librarian]

Hi April, thanks for the response.

Day three went really well. The heart pumping was only with harder exercise, and it seems to have passed. I did a lot of walking today and some vigorous Xbox activities with no bad effects. I wear a Fitbit and have been checking that my heart rate is ok. I'm very unfit so I won't go too hard too fast.

My side effect of nausea has also faded and I'm feeling good. You're right about still feeling hunger but getting full quicker. It's not quite what I expected after reading other people's stories but I'm on the lowest dose and it's good. I get hungry but eat less, and don't have cravings for bad stuff. I'm reconsidering the original plan to increase to 30 mg. I think I'm happy where I am. If I had no hunger I might be too tempted to avoid food. And I have minimal side effects on this dose.

0.9kg loss in the first two days. Great start!

 

[Librarian]

Day 5

Everything is going really well. Weight this morning 82.0 so I've lost 1.8 kg in four days. Duromine 15 seems to be working perfectly, affecting me just enough but not too much.

Food: I still get hungry and still enjoy my food, but I serve out a calorie controlled portion and can't eat it all! I get full quickly. And I don't obsess about food when I'm not hungry, or crave junk. I just don't need it.

Exercise: no manic energy, but just enough to get me off my butt. I've been walking around 10,000 steps each day, and two days have done 30 mins vigorous exercise. I think that is good for my fitness level (very low). I don't want to injure myself.

Sleep: I had a couple of bad nights which I'm not sure were due to Duromine as there were other issues, and I'm a bad sleeper anyway. But last night, for the first time in months or maybe years, I slept straight through eight hours! Awesome!

Side effects: my main one has been a bit of nausea after meals and on the train. On day two I had a bit of dizziness and weakness, maybe muscle fatigue, but that only lasted a day or so. I'm not sure if my sleep was affected. A couple of very mild headaches.

Mood: Duromine has, if anything, made me a bit happier. Not like Brady Bunch happy, but calm and content. Or is that the healthy food, exercise and weight loss!? Certainly no moodiness, depression or anxiety.

TMI: I know some people have constipation or diarrhoea. I've had a really pleasant bathroom experience! Better than normal.

So everything is going wonderfully. Of course there is a temptation to increase the dose for less food and more exercise - faster weight loss - but I see no good reason to risk stuffing up what I have going at the moment.

 

[MiddaySun]

Day 5

Everything is going really well. Weight this morning 82.0 so I've lost 1.8 kg in four days. Duromine 15 seems to be working perfectly, affecting me just enough but not too much.

Food: I still get hungry and still enjoy my food, but I serve out a calorie controlled portion and can't eat it all! I get full quickly. And I don't obsess about food when I'm not hungry, or crave junk. I just don't need it.

Exercise: no manic energy, but just enough to get me off my butt. I've been walking around 10,000 steps each day, and two days have done 30 mins vigorous exercise. I think that is good for my fitness level (very low). I don't want to injure myself.

Sleep: I had a couple of bad nights which I'm not sure were due to Duromine as there were other issues, and I'm a bad sleeper anyway. But last night, for the first time in months or maybe years, I slept straight through eight hours! Awesome!

Side effects: my main one has been a bit of nausea after meals and on the train. On day two I had a bit of dizziness and weakness, maybe muscle fatigue, but that only lasted a day or so. I'm not sure if my sleep was affected. A couple of very mild headaches.

Mood: Duromine has, if anything, made me a bit happier. Not like Brady Bunch happy, but calm and content. Or is that the healthy food, exercise and weight loss!? Certainly no moodiness, depression or anxiety.

TMI: I know some people have constipation or diarrhoea. I've had a really pleasant bathroom experience! Better than normal.

So everything is going wonderfully. Of course there is a temptation to increase the dose for less food and more exercise - faster weight loss - but I see no good reason to risk stuffing up what I have going at the moment.

Hi

Just thought I would share.. My start was very similar to yours and have since improved. I am on 40mg and have a very active job in the 15 days I have been on it I have dropped 8kgs making sure I am taking in enough water and regular food intake (a lot smaller portions than used to ). I found when I skipped food it was then I felt the muscle soreness as muscles still need fuel .. my toilet experience has been really good other than going number 1 which is every half hour or so haha .. I'm loving reading your process keep killing it !!!

 

[April]

Hello Natalie! Sounds like everything is going pretty well. Really happy the side effects subsided and did not affect you for too long or too severe. You are so right.. I think the way that Duromine is affecting your appetite is actually the best option. And I would like to shake your hand for the wise approach to the dosage. I agree 100% that you don’t need to fix something that is not broken, and obviously 15 mg works great for you now.

Bravo on exercising! I am sure you will slowly raise your fitness level and will enjoy doing more complex workouts. However, you are right to take it slow. Feel your condition and adjust the load based on your sensations. The weight loss is great, regular bathroom visits – amazing! Keeping my fingers crossed for further progress in a consistent and healthy pace.

Is it your first weigh in day today? Good luck!

 

[Librarian]

I've always used Monday as my offical weigh in day, but this time I started eating healthy on the Tuesday when I decided to do this (and lost water weight overnight) and started Duromine on the Wednesday! Oh well I don't care, Monday is my day!

SW: 84.7 kg
Wed (Duromine start): 83.8 kg
WK1: 82.4 kg
Loss: 2.3 kg

I am very happy with that!

The last two days I haven't felt the effects of Duromine as much. I've eaten a bit more, going a little over my limit, and exercised a bit less. I was tired and had a mini nap this afternoon. I also felt a little sad. I'll give it a few more days then reconsider trying 30mg. We'll see.

 

[Librarian]

MiddaySun 8 kg is awesome! Well done. I pee all the time too, not used to drinking this much. I haven't skipped any meals, I still get hungry, I just don't need to eat as much.

 

[Librarian]

After two days of not feeling the positive effects of Duromine, I'm back today. Less hunger, more energy. I don't know why it worked less for two days? Anyway, today was great. Long walk plus nearly an hour of heavy gardening (digging and dragging a wheelbarrow full of dirt), and the right amount of healthy food. And I'm finishing my 2L of fluids now.

 

[Librarian]

AND, the only nasty side effect I was having - the nausea - did not make an appearance today!

 

[Librarian]

Unfortunately another hungry/tired day. That is three out of the past five days. I think it's time to try 30mg from tomorrow.

 

[April]

Hello Natalie! Hopefully, you will feel good from 30 mg, yet you should remember that side effects might hit hard with the increase in the dose. Try having more water today and definitely don’t skip any meal. Best of luck!

 

[Librarian]

I upped my dose to 30 mg today. Felt much the same as the 15 mg when it worked; suppressed appetite and a bit more energy. Definitely still interested in food, hungry at mealtimes, but eating less. Still feel like myself, nothing weird. Have got a side effect though, the dry mouth that everyone talks about. I have to drink more but that's ok, I can live with it. Hopefully I can get the weight moving again after a bit of a stall.

 

[Librarian]

Day 11

The dry mouth troubled me a bit during the night but wasn't as bad today. I had good appetite suppression and lots of energy - I have to remember Duromine doesn't magically make me fit! I'm a bit sore tonight. 30 mg is going well for me.

 

[Librarian]

SW: 84.7 kg
Wk1: 82.4 kg
Wk2: 81.2 kg
Loss this week: 1.2 kg
Total loss: 3.5 kg

I didn't measure my waist when I started.
Wk0: ?
Wk1: 102cm
Wk2: 100cm

I had a plateau in the middle of the week, actually I gained weight two days in a row (I weigh every day, I have low expectations for one day so don't get crushed if I don't lose), so I'm happy with 1.2 kg. Of course I'd love to lose 3 or 4 a week like some people do! But 1.2 is still pretty exciting.

I still have a bit of cotton mouth but not much. Nausea after meals has gone but I still get a bit of motion sickness on long drives/ train. Lots of energy during the day, tired at night and have no trouble going to sleep (I have very restless sleep and wake early but that is me from before, not the Duromine). So it's all going well.

 

[Librarian]

I saw my doctor today and she is happy with my progress. She gave me another script for 30mg. The first one didn't last a month because I was taking 2 x 15mg a day. I'll save the last few 15mg for the end when I'm weaning off.

 

[Librarian]

Another Monday. Loss a bit slower this week, but still good.

SW: 84.7 kg
W1: 82.4 kg
W2: 81.2 kg
W3: 80.3 kg
Loss this week 0.9 kg
Total loss: 4.4 kg

Waist W0: ?
W1: 102 cm
W2: 100 cm
W3: 101 cm

I weigh myself every day and it's interesting to see how non-linear the loss is. It might go same, same, slight gain, big loss. Today was a small gain from yesterday, so even though I was very good on the weekend I might still be retaining a bit of water or something, which could also explain the waist increase. I'm not worried, I know it will go down soon.

 

[April]

Hello Natalie! Looks like 30 mg is going well for you. I am so happy for nothing drastic in terms of side effects and really excited for your weight and cm loss. Love the attitude and glad you are being real in your expectations. Very good! Keep it up and have a wonderful week!

 

[Librarian]

Four weeks done and another 1.3 kg down.

SW: 84.7 kg
W1: 82.4 kg
W2: 81.2 kg
W3: 80.3 kg
W4: 79.0 kg
Loss this week: 1.3 kg
Total loss: 5.7 kg

Waist measurements
W0: ?
W1: 102 cm
W2: 100 cm
W3: 101 cm
W4: 98 cm

I've had the flu all week so I haven't done any exercise but have stuck to my diet with no comfort eating (except four jelly snakes one night). A couple of times I felt too unwell/ tired to cook but made the best takeaway choices I could like vege-based Thai food. Seems to have worked!