There are many reasons why people have difficulty losing the extra pounds. Usually, their diet and exercise choices aren’t enough. The good news is that prescription drugs are effective additional options for treating obesity and weight management. Excellent examples are Contrave and Phentermine, which are indicated for use as a weight maintainer in conjunction with diet and exercise.
While both drugs provide similar effectiveness, they work differently. Find out how by learning some general information and guidelines about these prescription weight-loss drugs.
Drug Classification and Generic Name
Contrave and Phentermine are two different drugs indicated for use as a weight maintainer in conjunction with diet and exercise.
Phentermine is meant for short-term, rapid weight loss, but it puts users at high risk for drug dependence. It acts as a psychostimulant drug akin to amphetamine that acts directly on the brain’s appetite centers, lowering the appetite. The chief use of Phentermine is to help suppress the appetite and, in turn, help people lose weight. Generally, this drug belongs to the anorectic class.
Contrave, on the other hand, is a combination of an opioid antagonist and an antidepressant. Unlike Phentermine, it doesn’t work like amphetamine, meaning it doesn’t come with very high risks of drug dependence and abuse. It also works more than just suppressing the appetite. Contrave keeps cravings at bay, as well, by balancing the neurotransmitters that stimulate hunger for specific foods.
No generic version of Contrave is available on the market yet. Phentermine, however, is a generic version that delivers the same effects as its brand-name counterpart.
Prescription, Dosage, and Administration
Both drugs are prescribed for obese and overweight people with risk factors of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Yet, they differ in dosage and administration.
The dosage for Contrave is escalated in a schedule:
- 1st week – 1 tablet for the morning dose, none for the evening dose
- 2nd week – 1 tablet for the morning dose, 1 tablet for the evening dose
- 3rd week – 2 tablets for the morning dose, 1 tablet for the evening dose
- 4th week and Onward – 2 tablets for the morning dose, 2 tablets for the evening dose
Based on the schedule, the taker will reach a total daily dosage of two 8 mg/90 mg Contrave tablets twice daily (32 mg/360 mg ) at the start of 4th week. The taker will also have to take Contrave by mouth in the morning and the evening without cutting, chewing or crushing the tablets.
Phentermine is generally available as a 37.5 mg oral tablet, but it also comes in 15 mg and 30 mg oral capsules. These capsules are meant to be taken about 2 hours after breakfast. For the disintegrating oral tablet, the usual recommendation is to take one in the morning, with or without breakfast.
Among the most common questions about taking Contrave and Phentermine is whether or not they’re more effective on an empty stomach. The quick answer is that the administration instructions mentioned above are only general guidelines. Weight loss doctors might recommend that a person take the drugs in another way. That said, in general, it’s vital to take both Contrave and Phentermine exactly as the doctor recommends.
Drug Interactions
When using Contrave, one should be on the lookout for its interactions with drugs that lower seizure threshold, medications metabolized by CYP2D6, CYP2B6 inducers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, dopaminergic drugs, and Type 1C antiarrhythmics.
Additionally, Phentermine should not be taken with alcohol, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, adrenergic neuron blocking drugs, and insulin and oral hypoglycemic medications. This is because doing so can cause dangerous reactions.
Contraindications
Both drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy because of the potential risks to the fetus. Additional contraindications for Contrave are uncontrolled hypertension, bupropion-containing products, chronic opioid use, undergoing abrupt cessation of alcohol, seizure disorders, and allergies to any of Contrave’s ingredients.
For Phentermine, extra contraindications include uncontrolled hypertension, agitated states, arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease.
Warnings and Precautions
When taking Contrave, depression and suicidal thoughts have the potential to develop. In the first signs of suicidal behavior and ideation, one should discontinue using the drug. When taking Phentermine, one should expect its effects on the ability to engage in potentially hazardous tasks.
It is recommended that Phentermine should not be taken alongside Contrave and other anorectic agents, including herbal products, over-the-counter preparations, and prescribed drugs. There is no established evidence on the safety of coadministering Phentermine and other drug products for weight loss; thus, it should be avoided. Likewise, Contrave should not be coadministered with Phentermine and high-fat meals.
Use in Pregnancy and Nursing Mothers
Contrave and Phentermine offer no potential benefit to pregnant women; hence, they are in the Pregnancy Category X.
Sure, these drugs can help women lose their baby weight. However, these drugs can get to the baby through the mother’s milk. As a general rule of thumb, only mothers who are not breastfeeding their babies can take Contrave and Phentermine for weight loss.
Average Cash Price and Insurance Coverage
The average cash price for 120 tablets of Contrave is $348, while 30 tablets of Phentermine cost $40. Insurance coverage of both drugs varies according to the provider.
Common Side Effects
As prescription medications for weight loss, Contrave and Phentermine share some similarities in side effects.
Contrave Side Effects
- palpitations
- altered sense of taste
- irritability
- tremors
- sweating
- stomachache
- fatigue
- flushing
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- insomnia
- dry mouth
- dizziness
- constipation
- nausea
- headache
- anxiety
Phentermine Side Effects
- increased urination
- altered libido
- irritability
- tremors
- sweating
- headache
- agitation
- increased blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- flushing
- restlessness
- nervousness
- nausea
- dizziness
- diarrhea
- constipation
- dry mouth
- insomnia
Since Phentermine stimulates the central nervous system, it increases blood pressure and heart rate. For this reason, it’s not safe to use in users with heart disease and diseases of rapid heart rate. Contrarily, Contrave doesn’t impact metabolism, so it doesn’t come with potential risks for users with heart disease.
Phentermine Alternatives
Due to Contrave and Phentermine drug interactions and possible side effects, one must review comprehensive medical history for maximum safety. While this is an appropriate action, using Contrave and Phentermine alternatives is more desirable and safe. Alternative options like PhenGold, PhenQ, and Phen375 mimic the two weight-loss drugs’ effects, but without the nasty side effects.
PhenGold
PhenGold is an exciting new Contrave and Phentermine alternative that has broken all sales records. It’s more highly dosed than other weight loss pills; that’s why it’s twice as potent and effective. As the best weight loss supplement in the market, PhenGold acts as a hunger suppressor, fat burner, metabolic enhancer, and energy booster.
The big advantage of PhenGold over other products is that it’s not hiding the dosages behind proprietary blends. It’s more transparent with its combination of unique and natural ingredients- capsicum extract, green tea leaf extract, Rhodiola Rosea, Dimethylaminoethanol, BioPerine, L-Theanine and L-Tyrosine, black pepper, coffee, caffeine, and vitamins.
Users claim that PhenGold is the magic answer to failed diets. In one testimony, PhenGold helped in losing 30 lbs of weight in just 4 weeks. Thanks to PhenGold’s safety profile, the user achieved a fitter and slimmer figure without experiencing life-threatening side effects.
Some people are worried that PhenGold is only popular because the company hyped it up with celebrity marketing. In reality, there are no reported dissatisfied feedback and negative customer reviews about PhenGold; hence, it’s proven safe and effective.
PhenQ
PhenQ is manufactured and distributed by the renowned company Wolfson Berg Limited. They are a pioneer in the fat burner production, and their PhenQ is one of the best weight loss supplements to hit the market.
The natural ingredients unique to PhenQ that trigger certain metabolic processes in the body are caffeine, capsimax powder, nopal, L-Carnitine fumarate, and Chromium Picolinate. It also boasts a secret ingredient known as a-Lacys Reset, which helps reduce body fat and weight.
While PhenQproves to be the perfect solution to weight issues, what stood out for most users is that it loses the extra pounds without decreasing muscle mass. On average, PhenQ allows its users to drop 12 lbs of weight in 4 weeks.
Other products tackle weight loss in no more than 3 ways, but PhenQ does it in 5 ways. It stops fat production, burns fat, suppresses the appetite, boosts energy levels, and improves mood. With all these benefits, PhenQ offers the best value for money.
Phen375
This natural dietary product is affiliated with Shippitsa ltd, a business that has been around since 2004. The company formulated Phen375 so that users can look at better, faster, and sustainable weight loss results.
Phen375 has ingredients that are specifically intended to ramp up the thermostat and increase metabolism. These are Dendrobium Nobile Extract (from orchids), Coleus Forskohlii Root PE (10% Forskolin), caffeine powder Anhydrous, L-carnitine, Citrus Aurantium, and cayenne pepper. All of these ingredients are FDA-approved. Therefore, Phen375 is safe to use.
Users consider Phen375 as an aggressive fat burner as it burns fat 24 hours a day. Accordingly, it allows a weight loss average of 3-5 lbs per week.
This is the perfect Contrave and Phentermine alternative for vegans and vegetarians as Phen375 doesn’t have traces of animal and dairy products. The weight loss supplement’s benefits are not only backed by science, but a 100% money-guarantee backs the supplement itself.