Qsymia in Charlotte

If you are near Charlotte, NC and seek weight loss, you may have been thinking about getting a prescription for Qsymia. Qsymia is a combination of two different medications, phentermine and topiramate. For over a decade, Dr. Marlowe has prescribed both phentermine and topiramate for weight loss to thousands of patients — either separately or in combination. Many weight loss physicians have used this combination of generic medications for weight loss effectively for years.

A drug manufacturer decided to expend considerable sums of research activities and execute extensive clinical trials for their own combination of phentermine/topiramate in a single pill and achieved approval with the FDA under the name Qsymia. There are differences between simply taking the two generic medications versus taking the branded Qsymia, so be sure to discuss with your doctor at the appointment which is right for you. Some of the differences are listed below.

 

Generic: phentermine + topiramate		Qsymia (both medications in 1 pill)
$10/month in Charlotte w/ appointment		$149-300/month in Charlotte w/ appointment
Can adjust dose of each ingredient in order to minimize side-effects		Ingredient doses not easily adjusted
Greater than 10 year track record of clinical use by weight loss physicians throughout the USA		Only on the market since July 2012
Have to take multiple pills		One pill only
Has not been evaluated by FDA		FDA approved
FDA requires pharmacist to warn patients that topiramate can cause birth defects.		FDA requires Qsymia manufacturer to train physicians and patients about Qsymia’s risk of causing birth defects.
Available at any pharmacy		Only available at a special pharmacy
Is not extended-release		Is extended-release
If you have an allergic reaction to one of the medications, you’ll still be able to take the other medication.		If you have allergic reaction, you won’t be allowed to take either of the two medications individually because you won’t know which one was the problem.