fda – Dr. Jill Grimes

Is it a New or Old Weight Loss Drug?

March 23, 2019August 17, 2012

This month I am talking about obesity & weight loss. By our human (and American) nature, we would all like a quick fix to solve our weight issues. This summer, the FDA approved not one, but TWO new weight loss drugs. My last blog addressed lorcaserin (Belviq), and today’s focus is really something old in a new package.

Qsymia was FDA approved in July 2012, and it is a combination of two older drugs that have been used independently to help with weight loss: phentermine and topiramate. Phentermine is an appetite suppressant, and was half of the infamous fen-fen (a … Read more

A New Weight Loss Drug!

March 23, 2019August 9, 2012

Have you heard that the FDA approved not one, but TWO new weight loss drugs this summer? Hooray! Our problems are solved, right? Are there still overweight doctors out there? Well…yes, there are, so that should give you a clue that these new drugs are not miracle workers.

Today I will focus on the first drug approved. Locaserin, brand name Belviq, came out in June 2012. This drug will decrease your hunger and increase your feelings of satiety (feeling full after a meal). Locaserin works within the serotonin system (like the antidepressants such as Prozac) but targets a specific receptor … Read more