I used to take ionamin, anything similar?

There are two classes of medications approved for treating obesity. One class is known as appetite suppressants; the other is known as lipase inhibitors.

Appetite Suppressants
Appetite suppressants make up the majority of weight loss drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These drugs promote weight loss by decreasing appetite or increasing the feeling of being full. These drugs make you feel less hungry by increasing one or more chemicals in the brain that affect mood and appetite.

Examples of appetite suppressants approved as drugs for weight loss include:

* Phentermine (Adipex-P, Fastin, Ionamin, Pro-Fast, Zantryl)
* Sibutramine (Meridia)
* Phendimetrazine (Bontril PDM, Phendiet, Phenzene, Plegine)
* Diethylpropion (Tenuate, Tepanil)
* Methamphetamine (Desoxyn)
* Benzphetamine (Didrex).

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Some of these medications can act as stimulants, raising your heart rate and blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure (hypertension) or a heart condition, these medications may not be right for you.

Lipase Inhibitors
Orlistat (Xenical) is another prescription weight loss drug, although it works differently from appetite suppressants. This medication works by reducing the body's ability to absorb dietary fat by about one-third. It does this by blocking the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down dietary fat. When fat is not broken down, the body cannot absorb it, so fewer calories are taken in.

Recently, another medication that contains orlistat was approved by the FDA. This drug, Alli, is the first non-prescription weight loss drug approved by the FDA.

Some side effects of orlistat include:

Cramping; Intestinal discomfort; Gas; Diarrhea; Leakage of oily stool.

These side effects are generally mild and temporary, but can become worse when eating foods that are high in fat.

Would highly recommend to seek medical advice before you start or stop to take meds, take care & be well!