SLIM TLC® with Phentermine
SLIM TLC® with Phentermine Program Details
This version of SLIM TLC® is only available in Texas (if you live outside of Texas, your physician can prescribe phentermine the SLIM TLC way below, and recommend that you participate in SLIM TLC® without Meds).
This option combines phentermine, a stimulant controlled substance that suppresses your appetite, with the livable Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes necessary to keep the weight off after the medicine is stopped (phentermine is FDA-approved only for short-term use). It is typically started with a full (37.5 mg) or half (18.75 mg) tablet daily (as tolerated), and tapered over the course of a few (maximum of six) months, then intermittently (20 doses per month) for a maximum total of one year. For example, if you can tolerate (or need) the full strength:
- 37.5 mg daily for 1-2 months (taken 30 minutes before breakfast), then
- 37.5 mg (before breakfast) alternating with 18.75 mg (30 minutes before or 1-2 hours after lunch) every other day for 1-2 months, then
- 18.75 mg daily for 1-2 months, then
- 18.75 mg two out of every three days (20 doses per month) for a maximum total phentermine use of one year
Prescription refills are provided monthly, only at visits with the prescriber (in-office OR may be virtual/video only if you have a blood pressure cuff on hand to measure your pressure and heart rate during the visit).
FAQs (Frequently-Asked Questions)
How much does the SLIM TLC® with Phentermine program cost?
- There is a registration fee of $80 (only ages 18+ are eligible). Note: TLC Family Health members do not pay an additional registration fee.
- One-time required purchase of SLIM TLC Online: $19.99
- Monthly cost: $110; there are no contracts or commitments - stay with the program as long as you'd like, and change to one of the others whenever desired. NOTE: Members of TLC Family Health receive 35% off monthly costs (= $71.50/month).
- Visits with the prescriber (in-person or virtual/video available): Initial and all follow-up visits are included in the monthly fee. Note: Members of TLC Family Health pay their usual visit copay.
- Cost of initial and (up to) quarterly labs: $15-20 (total; add $18-20 if testosterone is checked)
- Cost of medicine: <$20/month (depends on pharmacy you choose – usually the cash-pay monthly cost can be kept under $20 with a GoodRx coupon).
Are there any BMI (body mass index) requirements, and might my insurance pay for the medicine?
- Phentermine is only FDA-approved for those with a BMI >30 (or >27 if you have other comorbid conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and/or dyslipidemia). Insurance coverage would be denied if you are under those BMI values, and is frequently denied even if you meet those requirements (in which case we'd recommend paying cash, with a GoodRx coupon). However, we are comfortable prescribing it for anyone over age 18 with a BMI >25.
What happens when I reach my goal weight, or if I don't reach my goal weight by the end of the year?
- REMEMBER that every study has shown that any weight lost with the use of any medicine (or any weight loss program, for that matter) will return as soon as the medicine (or program) is stopped, UNLESS THE NECESSARY LIFESTYLE CHANGES ARE MADE – which is why we only prescribe medicine for weight loss as part of the SLIM TLC® lifestyle and weight management program (= instruction, support, accountability, guidance, troubleshooting), to give you the highest chance of maintaining the success you have achieved. When you reach your goal weight, we will do our best to help you wean off the medicine with the help of the SLIM TLC without Meds option – to which we would switch you if you did not reach your goal weight by the end of a year of taking phentermine.
Is phentermine safe?
Only if you don't have any conditions that contraindicate its use. Before you decide whether or not you’d like to start the SLIM TLC® with Phentermine program, CAREFULLY read the Important Safety Information found HERE. The highlights:
- Do not take phentermine if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, become pregnant during treatment, nursing, or on a stimulant for other reasons. Do not take phentermine if you have glaucoma, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), a history of cardiovascular disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, stroke, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension – your blood pressure and heart rate must be normal, i.e., <130/80, in order to receive a prescription, and will be monitored monthly; sometimes a blood pressure medicine must also be taken, until being able to wean off due to weight loss and/or your improved lifestyle), during or within 14 days following the administration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), agitated states, or a history of drug abuse. If you have a history of "white coat hypertension," you must prove an average normal blood pressure from multiple outside readings.
- Side effects may include elevated heart rate and/or blood pressure, a feeling of jitteriness, suicidal thoughts, new or worsening depression or anxiety, insomnia, sedation, numbness or tingling, dry mouth, dizziness, constipation, or changes in the way food tastes.
- Tolerance may develop over time (decreasing response to the appetite suppressant effects).