Doctor’s orders: Weight loss through an appetite suppressant

The whole idea is to put in less than what comes out. Lose 4,000 calories a day but eat 4,000 calories on the same day, and what happens? Nothing. There’s no change. It’s like your bank. Spend $1,000 and save $1,000 in the same day. No gain, no loss. What you want to do is lose. Eat less. Exercise more. – says Wise Doctor

I said, “actually I’m not always hungry you see. My problem is that I love food. I LOVE FOOD DOCTOR.” He looked at me, cause I practically shouted at him, “I mean, I’m just greedy…”

“It’s the same thing lah.”

Okay no Doc, it is not. As a writer, I was appalled you thought so.

He then suggested trying it for a month first. “Why don’t you give it a try. If it doesn’t work, you can stop.” He looked at me, but was still scribbling on his table, this time he was signing my MC. No wonder Doctor’s handwriting is always so illegible. 

“How much is it?” Cause no way in hell was I going to pay freaking $100+ for a drug that might kill me and probably  possibly do jack for my wonderland. (geddit? My body is a wonderland? HAHAHA. lame.)

“$38 for a month.”

“Wah so cheap! Okay, I want!” I said all ready to sacrifice my wonderland for $38 pills. 

He rolled his eyes, and then rolled up his sleeve.

I shrunk back, sure he was gonna inject me with something.

But no, he was just showing me his watch. The black, round-faced watch had a step counter. “Giving you this appetite suppressant doesn’t mean you can skip out on exercise completely, I suggest getting a step counter. Something like this. Ah. Look, I only walked slightly over 2,000 steps today.” He shook his head and rolled down his sleeve. “So little. Try and walk at least 10,000 steps a day. That would be enough. Walk up the stairs, drop one bus stop away and walk back, a little bit everywhere helps especially if your job is sedentary.”

I nodded earnestly, and he asked for my height and weight to determine if I was allowed to take the pill. Apparently if you’re at a healthy BMI of 24 you can’t have any. Obviously, I am not, so I got one month’s worth.

“One a day only. Take it in the morning. You might experience heart palpitations, insomnia, and sometimes anxiety. Nothing to worry about, it’s normal. But if you can’t handle it, just stop taking the pills,” he explained.

I gulped. “okay.” Better tell my family and Abel that I love them before I start.

I walked home and inspired by my doctor, I turned on the step counter of my iPad and promptly forgot my house keys. I climbed up 12 flights of stairs to my home before the clinic called to let me know what I forgot. I went back down and back up again the second time. 1,547 steps. Quite an achievement for my first day I felt.

But lighthearted and whatnot, I was still pretty anxious about taking the pills. I mean, CAN DIE LEI. You not scared, I scared. So I Googled.

Online reviews

I popped by Diet Spotlight it gave an overview of the drug, ratings and plenty of reviews and comments from users.

Some were negative, “nothing happened even after three months”. 

Some were very very positive, “I weighed at 183kg and 186cm started in Duromine for 8weeks. Now I’m at 160kg.” Many of the positive ones were those who had done some form of exercise. 

Some were just down right crazy, “I have asked my doctor for a prescription but he will not give them to me. I have asked another doctor but just get the same answer. Why is this? All I want it to look good on my wedding day, I don’t understand why these young doctors won’t prescribe them!” – clearly addicted.

But most gave helpful tips on side effects to look out for:

• Aching joints – Just take some joint supplements to help

• Dry mouth – Drink a buttload of water

• Bad BO – Deoderant obviously

• Anxiety and heart palpitations – Take several deep breaths

• Insomnia – Take the pill at 5am or 6am in the morning and it should wear off just before you go to bed.

• Pimples – Take contreceptive pills to help clear your skin

I think the comment that hit me the hardest was this:

“I have been on Duromine 30mg for a month now. On top of that I’ve stopped snacking. I don’t drink. I eat smaller portions and have a salad at work every day. The only thing I haven’t been doing regularly is exercise. I have lost only ONE kilo. Why aren’t I able to lose weight even on these?“

This person clearly answered his own question. He didn’t exercise. So I need to remember, that I need to take out more than I put in. Which means I should do some form of cardio everyday. Some guy walks 5km everyday and lost 15kg.

Side note
I remembered reading Xiaxue’s blog post on her weight loss too, from 48kg to 38kg and she mentioned a appetite suppressant that wasn’t available in Singapore in 2012 and it also began with the letter D. (!!!!!!) Duromine perhaps? 

Either way, I’m giving this a shot. 

– That’s all for today folks –