Table 3.

Medication for intentional weight loss

Medication	Dosage for adults	Common adverse effect	Contraindications/ caution if
Phentermine	15–37.5 mg/day	Tachycardia, palpitation, hypertension	Coronary artery disease, stroke, uncontrolled hypertension, pregnancy
Orlistat	120 or 60 mg t.i.d.	Flatulence, fatty stools, vitamin deficiencies	Chronic malabsorption syndrome, pregnancy
Belviq	10 mg b.i.d.	Headache, dizziness	Risk of serotonin syndrome, pregnancy
Qsymia	7.5/46 daily or 15/92 daily	Paresthesia, dry mouth, neuropsychiatric symptoms	Hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, recent or unstable heart disease, pregnancy
Liraglutide	0.6–1.8 mg/day for treatment of diabetes; not FDA approved for treatment of obesity yet	Nausea, diarrhea, headache	History or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, pregnancy
Naltrexone-bupropion extended release	Not FDA approved yet	Nausea, headache, tremor	No FDA recommendations yet