PD from a Diet Pill???: Hello everyone! A... - Cure Parkinson's

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PD from a Diet Pill???

Hardisk70 profile image
15 Replies

Hello everyone! A few days ago I read a Facebook Group posting about different medically induced PD. Lots of folks chimed in with just a ton of different meds they think caused their PD.

In 2016 I discovered the magical world of medically supervised weightloss. I guess out here in LA tons of actresses and others do it for a variety of reasons. I wasn't "fat" per se but I was definitely a chunky monkey. So I went to a clinic and was prescribed Phentermine. I consider it a wonder drug. I took one each morning before work and it did wonders for my concentration and speed around the office. I worked my ass off and before I knew it it was 3pm and I still hadn't eaten lunch!

I only took the minimal dose and only on weekdays (weekends were my cheat days). When I wasn't working I didn't take it but overall I took it fairly consistently from 2016-2020 when my PD symptoms began. I was always told by the "nurse" who took my blood pressure and monitored my progress that it was safe and the clinic was full of people coming in to get prescriptions for this stuff.

Since my PD diagnosis I have been educating myself about everything and since Phentermine is an Amphetamine I can't help but believe this is the cause of my condition! So on the Facebook group I mentioned about my Phentermine use, and several others replied saying the same thing!!!! So now I'm wondering just how widespread this is. I would love to hear from others who had a similar experience......

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Hardisk70 profile image
Hardisk70
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15 Replies
Kia17 profile image
Kia17

Hi Hardisk

Welcome to this forum where you will find amazing sources of help and support .

park_bear profile image
park_bear

Here is a link to the FDA Medwatch program page. This page has a link to a report form you can use to report this event to the FDA. I urge you to do so and to relay this to anyone else similarly affected: fda.gov/safety/medical-prod... Or I can do so if you would like to share the link to the Facebook group this is being discussed at.

Here is a report of parkinsonism following phentermine use: neurology.ufl.edu/2018/04/1...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... "In 2000, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the market withdrawal of several anti-obesity drugs, including phentermine, diethylpropion, and mazindol, due to an unfavorable risk to benefit ratio ... Phentermine is one of the centrally acting appetite-suppressant drugs of the β-phenethylamine family, which was approved for short-term (up to 3 months) use in the treatment of obesity by the U.S. FDA in 1959 and remains available today."

Hardisk70 profile image
Hardisk70 in reply topark_bear

Thanks for the reporting link! I was wondering how or where to report it. Just did!

Manypony profile image
Manypony

I’m curious which Facebook group was discussing drug induced Pd. I suspect every prescription drug I ever took

Hardisk70 profile image
Hardisk70 in reply toManypony

Life With Parkinson’s

Justme4 profile image
Justme4

I think thats what caused mine

rescuema profile image
rescuema

There are probably myriad reasons (environmental, toxins, deficiencies, etc) causing the spike in PD diagnosis lately, including the young-onset. Of many, Adderall (Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine) abuse is probably one of them since it affects neuroreceptors for serotonin and dopamine. I was shocked to learn that a massive number of college students were using it for help in academic performance in the last few decades. The OP's description reminds me vividly of one episode of Family Ties "Speed Trap" where Alex (Michael J Fox) showcased the downside of using the drug. There's a price to pay for any pharmacologic abuse.

park_bear profile image
park_bear in reply torescuema

Widespread use of the permethrin insecticide which is incorrectly regarded as safe for humans.

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply topark_bear

It's terrible that it's still on sale on Amazon and elsewhere for people attempting to treat scabies and mosquitoes. It makes me cringe to see the CDC site still listing it as safe without appropriate warnings. God knows how many other substances and drugs are falsely listed as safe until too late.

"Permethrin is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of scabies in persons who are at least 2 months of age. Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid similar to naturally occurring pyrethrins which are extracts from the chrysanthemum flower. Permethrin is safe and effective when used as directed. Permethrin kills the scabies mite and eggs. Permethrin is the drug of choice for the treatment of scabies. Two (or more) applications, each about a week apart, may be necessary to eliminate all mites. Children aged 2 months or older can be treated with permethrin."

cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/h...

Despe profile image
Despe in reply torescuema

cedaroilstore.com/product/c...

Despe profile image
Despe in reply topark_bear

Best natural insecticide: Cedarwood granules, it even kills scorpions in Texas. I have been using it and have not seen any mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, etc. I highly recommend it.

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply toDespe

Supplementing B1 deters mosquitoes. Other than that I try not to use any chemical and use portable fans blowing at me when I need to be stationary during gardening or outdoor work, etc. Fan works absolutely the best! If i'm hiking or in the deep woods, I use DEET on my boots/clothes, but even DEET doesn't work for the southern daytime biting aggressive mosquitoes such as Asian Tigers.

Despe profile image
Despe in reply torescuema

Interesting! B1 to deter mosquitos, guess the garlic smell in B1?

Isn't DEET a harsh chemical even for applying it on your boots/clothes?

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply toDespe

Yes, an interesting fact that I learned through many testimonials. So it makes you deduce - do mosquitoes love you especially more when you're B1 deficient? haha

Yes DEET is harsh, which is why I only spray on my clothes when I must... against the ticks (lyme disease) and when I'm especially heavily exposed with no other option.

Hikoi profile image
Hikoi

It may have some impact on your developing PD but I wouldn't be so sure that this drug caused your pd. What about the thousands of people with PD who use amytriptylline or nortriptylline for nerve pain, restless legs and or sleeping?

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