Qsymia Weight Loss Review - 15 Things You Need to Know

Prescription medication is available for obese patients, including the Qsymia weight loss capsule. It is a once-daily capsule that uses phentermine hydrochloride and topiramate as active ingredients. You can get it through your pharmacy with a prescription or order Qsymia online through the Qsymia Engage retail site.

We looked at the company, ingredients, and data to determine if Qsymia could work. Read what we discovered to help determine if Qsymia is right for you.

Qsymia Weight Loss can be purchased through their Official Site.

What is Qsymia?

The capsule comes in several dosage strengths designed to suppress hunger and help the user resist cravings. How can prescription weight loss products claim this will work?

• Diabetes Care – The definition of Pharmacotherapy (pharmacology) is the treatment of illness with medication. One 2016 article noted that lifestyle intervention might not be enough for some people to lose weight, suggesting pharmacotherapy as an additional tool for weight loss.
• Australian Family Physician – A 2019 article discussed the criteria for pharmacotherapy-aided weight loss. It states those with a body mass index (BMI) of >30 or a BMI of 27-30 and obesity-related complications could consider medication with lifestyle intervention.
• Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine – Qsymia uses immediate-release phentermine hydrochloride and extended-release topiramate as active ingredients to aid in weight loss. A review article noted that preparations that combine two drugs have more weight-loss benefits and better side effect profiles.

Qsymia Weight Loss Competitors

Who Makes Qsymia?

The maker of Qsymia is Vivus LLC. It is a small pharmaceutical company with headquarters in Campbell, California. Vivus began business in 1991. Areas of product interest include obesity, sexual health, and sleep.

The company also partners with Medvantx for home distribution through the Qsymia Engage delivery program.

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Qsymia Customer Service and Reviews

Our research did not find customer ratings or Qsymia reviews from verified users. There are small reviews on third-party sites, but no retail data as this is a prescription-only drug.

Contact Information

Vivus LLC
900 E. Hamilton Avenue, Suite 550
Campbell, CA 95008

Vivus Medical Information phone: 1(888) 998-4887 with a medical healthcare professional available to answer questions Mon through Fri 9:00 am – 6:00 pm ET.

Medical Information Email: vivus@druginfo.com

Sunshine Act Email: sunshineact@vivus.com

Investigator-Initiated Trials: iits@vivus.com

The Relationship Between Vivus and the Better Business Bureau

Vivus Inc. has a company profile on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website that opened in 2015 with an A+ BBB rating. It is not BBB accredited. One customer review generates a score of 1.0 out of 5.0-stars (the research can not determine if any BBB feedback is Qsymia reviews or speaking about another product).

Vivus has closed one customer complaint in the previous three year period, with no resolved complaints in the last 12 months.

What Qsymia Claims Did We Find?

Qsymia claims the once-daily capsule assists with controlling hunger all day long. It supposedly helps you to resist cravings as well. One of the Qsymia side effects the manufacturer touts is that it can alter the taste of some foods, which could reduce the pleasure of eating.

What are the Qsymia Ingredients?

The two active Qsymia ingredients are immediate-release phentermine hydrochloride and extended-release topiramate. When you order online or through your pharmacy, it will come in one of four strengths:

• 3.75 mg/23 mg (phentermine 3.75 mg and topiramate 23 mg extended-release) capsules
• 7.5 mg/46 mg (phentermine 7.5 mg and topiramate 46 mg extended-release) capsules
• 11.25 mg/69 mg (phentermine 11.25 mg and topiramate 69 mg extended-release) capsules
• 15 mg/92 mg (phentermine 15 mg and topiramate 92 mg extended-release) capsules

Other inactive ingredients included in all capsules, regardless of prescription-strength:

• Methylcellulose
• Sucrose
• Starch
• Microcrystalline cellulose
• Ethylcellulose
• Povidone
• Gelatin
• Titanium dioxide

Does Qsymia Work? Benefits

Are there potential benefits of pharmacotherapies like Qsymia outside of weight reduction? Perhaps. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology looked at weight loss prescriptions (including phentermine/topiramate) and concluded there are potential cardiovascular benefits, but more studies are needed.

Frontiers in Endocrinology believes most anti-obesity medications appear to have safe cardiovascular risk profiles. It looked at stimulant medications (including phentermine) and noted favorable effects on markers like blood pressure and cholesterol.

What About Qsymia and Weight Loss?

You might wonder if a drug like Qsymia can be used short-term or long-term for weight loss. A 2022 article in the Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science noted that Qsymia is one of two combination-therapy medications FDA approved for long-term weight loss use.

Qsymia includes immediate-release phentermine hydrochloride as an active ingredient. The research journal Obesity performed a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial using phentermine. It concluded that phentermine enhanced the effects of a meal replacement program or meal replacements alone and significantly reduced body weight and food cravings when it was combined with either.

The other active ingredient in Qsymia is the extended-release topiramate. Military Medicine performed a cohort study in 2016. The journal noted that the current analysis showed topiramate to be effective at reducing weight in overweight and obese patients who are at least moderately adherent to the prescribed criteria in the study.

Obesity Treatment Options performed an overview of pharmaceutical weight loss research and published results in 2017. At one year, patients using Qsymia at lower doses decreased 6.6% in body weight compared to placebo, and the maximum dosage decreased by 8.6-9.3%.

Weight-loss therapeutics are becoming tools in obesity management, especially for patients struggling with traditional methods. The Bariatric Times notes that Qsymia led to 67% of patients losing more than 5% weight loss compared to the 17% using a placebo.

Are There Potential Qsymia Side Effects?

Qsymia side effects can include trouble sleeping if taken in the evening and potential seizures if you stop the medication abruptly. Other side effects can include dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, tiredness, tingling of the hands/feet, constipation, and metallic tastes.

Some of the more serious side effects can include temporary difficulty concentrating, finding words, or remembering things. Other serious side effects include signs of rapid breathing, fast/slow/irregular heartbeat, bone pain, change in sexual ability or interest, and unusual bleeding or bruising.

How to Take Qsymia: Directions

Your doctor will start you at the lowest dosage level and increase over weeks until you reach the desired range. You take the Qsymia capsule the same, no matter what prescription strength.

You take one capsule daily in the morning instead of the evening to avoid potential issues with sleep. It can be taken with or without food.

Can I Take it With…

Qsymia received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prescription uses. Your healthcare provider consulted with you about your prescription, benefits, and potential Qsymia side effects.

You should still consult your physician before changing your diet, adding supplements, or starting/stopping other medications. That can be especially important for those with underlying health conditions.

Where to Buy Qsymia and the Cost

Many health insurance plans cover some portion of your retail Qsymia cost. You will pay a deductible, and your insurance will cover the rest. Non-insured prices can range from $222.90 to $281.40.

Several retail pharmacy outlets allow you to use a Qsymia coupon to help reduce the retail price. That can bring the retail cost down from $194.99 to $205.17. Our research found that Vivus does not offer a Qsymia coupon or patience assistance.

Can You Cancel Prescription?

We are unable to cancel your prescription services through retail outlets like Qsymia Engage. Our website operates as a source of researched information on prescription weight loss capsules like Qsymia. You will need to contact the company your prescription is through to cancel.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It comes as a once-daily capsule
• Each capsule provides two active ingredients
• Many outlets offer a Qsymia coupon and you can also order Qsymia online from the partner-ran Qsymia Engage prescription service

Cons

• You might experience some side effects
• Requires dieting and exercise to reach its full potential
• Can be prohibitively expensive to uninsured patients

What’s the Bottom Line on Qsymia?

Qsymia can be effective as a prescription for weight loss when combined with a calorie-restricted diet and exercise. You can lower the retail Qsymia cost by using pharmacy Qsymia coupon codes or apps like GoodRX, and many insurance plans cover the drug. Several dosage strengths keep capsules at the lowest levels while still producing results. Side effects, including those when you abruptly stop Qsymia, should be considered.

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