Acomplia Side Effects: The Story You Must Read

Bernadine DeLap said:
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Bernadine DeLap said:
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I´ve heard from Ribonabant and I´m very afraid. Where I get this in Germany ? Have you more Information ? (AVENTIS-SANOFI) ?

After reading the posts it seems apparent that anyone who suffers from depression or bi-polar disorder should not be taking this medication. It also seems clear that if there is a family history of these disorders, it should only be taken under a doctors supervision. All diet aids have potentially harmful side effects. Massive doses of caffeine, ephedra, and other metabolic enhancers carry the risk of stroke, heart attack, and pulmonary failure. The risks of many otc diet aids have not been studied at all because they fall into the "herbal" catagory. These may also carry heavy risks as well. The only proven "no risk" weight loss involves eating a healthy diet and burning more calories than you take in.

Since we have evolved into a largely industrial society, physical activity in the workplace has decreased dramatically. Advances in transportation have replaced walking and other physical means of getting to where we want to go. These advances have also increased the amount of work expected of each person and have increased stress levels. Entertainment/Recreation have evolved into largely sedentary activities. Add to that the increased efficiency in food preservation and delivery, and it is no wonder that industrialized societies around the world are having an obesity crisis. No pill or fad diet is going to cure this problem. Until society as a whole recognizes the damage being done and embraces the changes necessary to alleviate it, we will continue to be assailed by so called "miracle pills", surgical procedures such as lap band, and increasing medical costs related to an obese population.

Corporations today cry about how much money they lose from absenteeism due to illness and medical insurance costs. But how many of them would consider offering paid time to work out at an on site gym or give bonuses based on workers utilizing these facilities? Many, I am sure, will question this line of thinking. But the problem with obesity did not simply pop up all on it's own. It is not just a personal problem any more. It is affecting everyone in our society. And it is going to be up to society to help facilitate the cure.

everything comes with a risk including doing nothing. the risk of rimonabant is acceptable for people who are at risk of death due to their obesity. the same goes for gastric bypass surgery which has a 1% mortality rate. however, for the 99 out of 100, it can be life-saving. what would the risk of death be for 100 morbidly obese people who did not have the surgery. the same goes for a drug like rimonabant. sure, big pharma advertises. so do the tort lawyers who are salivating over their next class action suit which, by the way yields little for the victims and enriches a few lawyers. "carol" may have been tipped over the edge not by the rimonabant, but by withdrawal from her food addiction which she had used to self-medicate for her anxiety and depression.
the tort lawyers have indoctrinated us to believe that the world should be perfectly safe, and that we have no responsibility for our actions. we all need to grow up.

I have been taking acomplia for 2 months now and have lost 39 pounds. This is a wonderful drug. I have not had any bad side effects. The best thing about this drug is that it is not a stimulant. I have no cravings, and really have to force myself to eat each day. It makes it very easy to make good choices since you don't crave those bad foods. The only bad thing about this med is the cost of $200 per month. But to me it is well worth it.

Question will rimonabant or acomplia show up in a urine drug test? We have random drug test where I work and would hate for it to test positive for drugs? Does anyone know the answer to this question?

I am about to start taking Acomplia. I have no history of depression but do have adverse reaction to many medications especially stimulant type drugs. What are the odds that I will be able to take it without problems?

I would ask those of you that are very critical of drugs like these to please not be too harsh. My son has a rare genetic disorder called Prader-Willi syndrome, a very cruel disorder where sufferers are constantly and insatiably hungry. It is not their fault - it is the way the disorder affects them. We all know what its like to be hungry. Can you imagine feeling like that constantly, and be unable ever to feel full or satisfied? It breaks my heart to think of my child telling me he is very hungry, and to constantly deny him food to eat. He will never be able to eat an ice cream cone or candies other kids enjoy.

People with this syndrome, although suffering learning disabilities, usually have close to normal or normal IQs. But their lives are very sad because either they are constantly suffering from hunger, or they are overweight and unhealthy, or both. Their families are also in agony watching their children and loved ones suffer, while having to lock refridgerators and cupboards etc.

Our great hope to stop our childens suffering is a drug to control their hunger. Since this is a rare syndrome, very little funds are deveoted to research into it. But we are desperately hoping drugs like accomplia might stop our childrens suffering.

So although I understand and encourage caution and safety, please keep in mind that there are many many people - including innocent little children - who have pinned their hopes on drug companies and drugs like accomplia.

Please do not discourage further research.

Thanks, on behalf of my little son, for considering the above.

I have just received my first prescription for accomplia. I have taken on board all the above information and at least feel that I am now going to be taking it with an informed idea of what I might expect.
I have struggled for years with excess weight and have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My doctor recomended this drug to try to allieviate my diabetes as she has read good reports on it's ability to lower blood sugar levels.
I have also read that it is based around cannabanoids and was based around the fact that people who smoke cannabis get the munchies. Hands up I do smoke cannabis and I will be very interested to see the effects that this has on my daily joint! will I still feel the effects, will it block it as it is a cannabanoid inhibitor. I also read somewhere that it can be used for alchoholics ;-) No i'm not one of those as well, but it could have the potential to knock out all my bad habits in one go. Now that is a miracle drug!! I only hope that I do not get any of the horrendous side effects that people on here have reported.
No one has mentioned the use of cannabis and effects on this forum. If any one out there is prepared to disscuss it I would be greatly interested.
Good luck
Keep smiling

Please post your experience with accomplia after you have taken it for a couple of weeks. I have it but haven't started it yet.

Why do drugs they give people with psychosis cause weight gain and drugs for obesity cause psychosis?

Médicament proposé en France depuis 3 semaines. Catastrophique! Jour 1 : nausées, hoquets. Jour 2 : diarrhées constantes. Jour 3 : vertiges et céphalées.
Je n'ai pris que 2 comprimés, mais l'arrêt ne suffit pas à faire disparaître les séquelles : ABSTENEZ-VOUS, DANGER!

I was in the trials for two years, on Acomplia not the placebo, and it was wonderful, I did monitor my diet and was careful about the number of calories, 1500 and percentage of fat, no more than 30%, I lost a great deal of weight without the sagging effect that you usually see. I felt wonderful and looked great. As soon as it is approved in the USA my doctor knows that I am ready to sign up

To Mike....

You posted on this site almost a year ago so you may never see this note but just in case......

What you wrote is the most down-to-earth, realistic, logical piece I have ever read online. You wrote honestly and right from the heart about your own situation. Then, through the application of logic and common sense, drew realistic conclusions about a number of issues.

Sorry you have to battle your weight... me too. (My early years -- hard but manageable. The last 10 -- a bitch.) Hope you're still doin' okay with the depression. (Been there too; now gone.) Tho' your bod is sometimes out of your control, you have been blessed with intelligence and the gift of reason! Hang tough. Here's to a bright future for you.

pam

NOTE TO ANYONE WHO DOES NOT YET UNDERSTAND CLINICAL DEPRESSION: Stress causes an imbalance in the body's chemicals. This imbalance causes depression. Depression disables the ability to recognize the source and severity of the stress. Anything not recognized is impossible to correct so the stress continues and increases. MORE stress causes a larger imbalance in the body's chemicals. The larger imbalance increases the depression. The increased depression disables the ability to recognize the source and severity of the stress even more. Anything not recognized is impossible to correct so the stress continues and doubles. DOUBLE the stress causes a double imbalance in the body's chemicals. The double imbalance doubles the depression. The doubly increased depression doubly disables the ability to recognize the source and severity of the stress. Anything not recognized is impossible to correct so the stress continues and triples. TRIPLE the stress causes a triple imbalance in the body's chemicals. The tripled imbalance triples the depression. The triply increased depression triply disables the ability to recognize the source and severity of the stress. Anything not recognized is impossible to correct so the stress is quadrupled. QUADRUPLED stress causes.......... Need I continue?

I have tried Acomplia for a week and by the end of the first week was having bouts of nausea. I tried again yesterday with the same results. Has anyone else been affected by nausea and if so, did it subside after a period of time? I would appreciate any input as I really would like to continue with the medications.

i just started taking acomplia (rimobant) 2 days ago. i am not severly overweight. i need to loose about 30 pounds. about 6 years ago i developed a thyroid condition and weighed 200 pounds. after seeing an endocrynologist and and getting proper treatment i was able to loose 80 pounds through weight watchers and exercise. i kept the weight off for 3 years but this last year i've gained about 30 back. i can't get myself started again. i need a small push thats why i'm taking the drug. so far i've had no side effects. i don't feel hungry(ever) and i never think about food. i know it's early and i'll post later to let you know if there is any change. i think this drug is amazing.

I still have not started the Acomplia yet. I received my order about 2 months ago and I still have some concerns about using it. Question: Are those of you who are taking it from the US? I am, but ordered mine from the UK. My local doctor had never heard of it but encouraged me to try it after reading the information. What has been the response from doctors in the US about its use?

I cant wait to try this drug!(Thats if I receive it)!I have ordered it on line @ an $ 135 including Post to Ireland.I have studied the comments and it seems that a lot of you are experiencing horrible side effects.If these side effects occur early while on the drug why not just stop! and put it down to "not for me".I am willing to be ratty for a couple of weeks,wouldnt it it be sad to say I had not tried it.I am not grossly overweight but have aquired this massive tyre on md rift,I'm 44 which looks ridculous over my whole body size.I exercise,eat reasonably healthy without shifting it.More importantly I am a heavy smoker so if this drug helps me cut down or even quit for good,I will be estatic.I will keep you all posted if I do receive them.Fingers crossed...

I think people sometimes read, but they read in between the lines and that's why they don't get their facts straight. That is very common these days. On another note to these comments everyone is sending. I am overweight and I can't stand it when people stare. And I sure some of u people are skinny reading this are some of the people that say look at that fat person, whoever it is, and say she needs to lose weight are something more mean.

6/13/2007 @ 4:08pm- FDA Panel Rejects Sanofi weightloss Drug, Acomplia.

I see the FDA rejected the Sanofi weightloss drug Acomplia. I've read that Merek and several other American Pharmasuitical manufacturers are also working on a weight loss drug that controls appitite the same way Acomplia does. I wonder if Acomplia had been developed by a US Pharmasuitical company if the FDA would have passed it. I'm betting they would have. Any comments?

Just bought Acomplia at local store, (Mexico) 145.00 us, for 28 day supply, over the counter. Yes, expensive, but think how much is spent on cigarettes, junk food, and costs incurred due to bad health. In my case, very high blood pressure, bad knees, low energy, metabolism shot to heck. I am a bit wary with all the reports of depression, but I will be on the look out. I have been up and down with weight over the years and can put up with nausea. I will be reporting how this goes. On a lighter note, only the French would come up with a pill to deal with smoking nd weightgain at the same time!!!

Right on Rita.

Another point...do you think the tobacco lobby was going to put up with this drug???

My Doctor, a diet drug non-believer, encouraged me to go on the study. he studied the literature very carefully, and was all for it.

Lulu,
You are right. I never thought about the tobacco industry not wanting still another way to help people stop smoking. We know for a fact in the US the tobacco tycoons still have a strong lobby power. There are many drugs on the market in the US that treat depression and the warnings are exactly the same about suicide as the Acomplia. But they are manufactured by US drug companies and prescriptions handed out daily. Are many of you who have responded to this website from the US?

I for one was in high hopes that this would be okayed by the FDA. I am a 55 year old female that is 5'5" and 310 pounds. When I inquired of my Doctor about this drug he didn't know a thing about it and hadn't even heard of it but was against trying it. Instead, he pushed that I should try the lap band surgery....now it seemed so strange to me that he could give me all sorts of life threatening reasons why not to take a pill, but had no reservations about cutting me open and inserting a foreign object in me ! So what if I puke a few days, I do that every time I look at myself...diarrhea ? got that when they took out my gallbladder..depression? got that when I get up every morning and see my husband of 25 years looking at me with a look of disgust over how big I've gotten. And don't start with the diet and exercise song... don't you think I've already gone that route ? How can you exercise when you hurt so bad from the pressure on all your joints? And as far as diet goes, I eat a lot less than my husband does and I still outweigh him by 150 pounds. Some of us just have bodies that have dead receptors in the "full" area. I have Diabetes 2,thyroid disfunction, high blood pressure,high cholesteral. If there is something out there that will help in all these areas...... LET ME HAVE IT and let me be the judge of how it affects my overall well being.There probably wasn't one obese person on that FDA board that would have had a clue what we go through and how this may be our chance for freedom from food running our lives day in and day out. An alcoholic can quit drinking, a smoker can quit smoking, but we can't quit eating.....

Esther said:
Esther[...]

Ester, your doctor may not have said it in a way you liked, but the lap-band would help you lose much more weight than a diet pill. From that perspective, it is much more effective. At best Acomplia has been shown to cause a 10% weight loss in a year. This may be an exaggeration. Perhaps you might talk to a few other doctors to get their opinions. I never push surgery, but it seems you have a situation where your options are limited. I hope this is helpful.

Esther, I have several friends who have had the actual bypass surgery and they are doing very well. With the exception of one, all have lost a huge amount of weight and have kept it off. There is a hospital close to where I live that does the bypass surgery and they have an excellent track record. I would go for it and not worry about taking diet pills ever again. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

Took the medication several years ago and lost about 25 lbs. Never depressed. Something fishy about the FDA in USA to deny this drug to those who need it.

Hi to you all,
My dr put me on acomplia last september (06) and I was so excited to be on them, so much hope! After 4 weeks I had to come off them because the headaches got so bad and the constant racing heart worried me too.
Never the less I have lost 100lbs off them! I did it by changing my whole life. I taught myself to ride a bike and now I cycle the min of 40 mins a day. I fill the house with healthy foods and also snack on low fat things...I allow myself pig outs but only once every 8-9 days, always going back to my healthy eating afterwards.
I think acomplia gave me the kick start I needed and my faith kept me going.
good luck to you all
Maria

What a bunch of crap!!!! Anything that will really help with weight loss doesn’t have a chance getting approved by the FDA. These people need to check on themselves. Look how long they have been killing people with other drugs they have approved. And when it comes to keeping a check on safe foods, give me a brake, these people are a joke.

5th July 2007 - England
Just turned 50yrs, weight 150kg, been overweight since a child. Type 2 diabetic, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Accomplia (rimonabant) has been approved by the UK National Health Service since June 2006. 23% of the UK population is now clinically obese. It seems the medical authorities are starting to take obesity seriously and that they are prepared to fund medicines to try to reduce the obesity problem and its associated health issues.
My doctor put me on Acomplia two days ago. The drug affects your appetite but has other psychological and physical side effects.
Personally my problem is overeating through a big appetite which drives me to eat more than is necessary. So far Acomplia has reduced my appetite, and I am more conscious about what I eat.
I hope it will help me reduce my weight and alleviated my other conditions.
Nige

Caz said:
This is interesting information--but I still think that if the FDA approves it, there's nothing morally wrong with the company making money from selling this product. The side-effects will have to be advertised, just like every other drug, and it is from there that people and their doctors will have to make the decision. [...]

Well said! (and you climbed off of that horse very nicely :-)! )

Hi Pam,
Thank you for responding to my year-old message with such positive feedback. Actually, I was somewhat concerned at the time that my story might be a bit off-topic.

It's been a while since I've read the messages on this site. I've recently changed to a different anti-depressant med (Cymbalta), and I'm feeling a little better. But I was dismayed to find out that the FDA shot down rimonabant. In the USA, I guess it's all about money. As somebody mentioned in a previous message, maybe it was the tobacco lobby. Or maybe it was the junk-food industry or the diet-food industry or the exercise-equipment industry.

A couple of months ago, a very obese friend of mine died suddenly. Apparently, she had a deep-vein thrombosis that resulted in cardiac arrest. It was depressing to see someone a few months younger than me lying in a casket there in the funeral home.

With stagnant wages and rising health-care costs for many of us here in the USA, the middle-class is slowly being run into the ground. I'm in the process of cancelling a life-insurance policy in order to cover some expenses (at my age, with no spouse, children or other dependents, there's really no point in having life insurance anyway). The cash value of that policy should provide me with some extra funds to order rimonabant from outside the country for a few months. Maybe this med will work for me--or maybe it won't. If it doesn't, at least I can stop waiting for it to be approved by the FDA. In the meantime, I'll continue to control my other co-morbidity conditions, and perhaps someday Merck will get its Taranabant approved--or Pfizer's CP-945598.

Best wishes to you, Pam, and good luck to everyone here who is struggling with excess weight.

Mike said:
Pfizer's CP-945598[...]

I just entered the phase III clinical trials for this drug. I have been taking the medication for just over a week, and I don't think I am on the placebo. The drug is working for me! I did experience some nausea at first, but it has subsided.

I am feeling very hopeful...and I haven't felt that way in a long time.

I'm a German Ex-Acomplia user. I had to stop taking the drug after about a month because I was suddenly having salvos of cardiac arrythmia and muscle spasms (only) at night, so bad that I could hardly sleep on the worst days. I stopped taking it and it got better.. then took another pill, and it got promptly back. Now I am off AC since 2 weeks and the symptoms are still not quite gone, although much weaker now.
Seems as if this drug has more diverse side-effects than listed in the leaflet!

The effect on weight loss however was great. Addiction and excessive appetite - simply gone. I didn't have any psychological side effects. I can't believe so many people in the US are on anti-depressivants, I don't know a single person who takes such medication. Doctors seem to be very quick with prescribing these over there?

I lost 8 kg and will lose more because there is a simple and sure way to fight the addiction - only eat once per day, before bedtime, so you can sleep. Probably not healthy, not recommended by "experts" (who themselves never experienced the addiction), but it does work. People who think they don't lose weight in spite of dieting should try this, because what they claim is nonsense - they're just eating more over the course of a day than they think. If you eat like 800 kcal at night and nothing else, while additionally burning 600 through exercise, you _must_ quickly lose weight, there's just no other way because the body can't live on 200 kcal per day.

BTW, generic Rimonabant is very cheap in India, just a few bucks per month, and it does work. Indian pharmacies are easy to find through google. Real pharmacies that is, not internet mail order ripoff.

i dont know why people keep complaining about the drug.so many things are bad for our health including burgers but its a matter of choice.

i have been on acomplia for 6wks.de first week i had loss of appetite, and nausea anytime i eat heavy but now i find out that if i eat 3hrs before or immediately after taking acomplia i would have to use the rest room cos of stomach upset.

it really depends on your body i feel good and lighter. i have lost 8kg since then and feel as light as ever.

my sister just started it and she complains of hunger pangs that she keeps eating while for me it was the other way so it all depends. exercise is the ultimate and also watching what we put in our mouth cos there is only as much as our heart canhandle.the warnings are there on acomplia leaflet and its not by force

thanks nj,
was wondering what was wrong with my breathing.started about 3 nights ago. i woke up gasping for air and and my pulse was racing and i thought it was de septrin i took for my tonsils.well its a choice now thanks have better get of it and watch to see if its really the cause cos i have the breathelessness again tonight meanwhile i took the acomplia 12hrs ago

Hello Readers:

I am taking the drug at this moment this is my third day, and No Depression. what i am feeling is just being tired especially like 3 hours of taking the pill, i have been on prozac before and other diet pills so far this is the best pill i have taken I am under the care of a doctor he is watching my treatment carefully. I will love to post more about my case so you guys have it as experience if something wrong happens i will post it if something good happens i will post it also you guys can see me as an experiment lets see how well it goes.
as the good things so far is that on the third day nothing wrong on my health notisable have happen also i am an smoker and this pills some helps me alot on the smoking thing even whitout me noticing i dont get smoke cravigns anymore they are very rare.
as the wrong things so far well i took the pill at 11 am it is 6 pm now i had a good balanced lunch but right now i am hungry as hell i want to eat something i am fighting my hunger right now.

well have a good day.

I have used Acomplia and it has worked wonders for me! After having two kids I am back to the size I was in high school. Dieting and exercise wasnt enough for me, I needed something more. I tried Acomplia with doubts but I was desperate and it was the best decision I have made about losing weight. I did not experience any suicidal thoughts or harsh bouts of depression on this drug. Would recommend it to anyone who is ready to lose weight.