valve replacement pryor use of phentermine-fenfluramine (diet drugs)

[Abby]

I am very new to this web site, first time actually. I have already had mitral valve replacement in 2003 and have conjestive heart failure now, and pulmonary hypertension, and leaking tricuspid valve. I have no family history of heart disease of any kind, no rheumatic fever, never told I had a problem until 1 year before surgery was told I had a very mild reguritation of mitral valve but nothing to be concerned about, one year later it become acute, I had to have surgery immediately. I was 55 years old at the time. Has anyone here ever experienced having problems after taking this diet drug? Please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] Thank you.
Abby

 

[Wise]

Abby, I can't answer your question, but I just had to welcome our newest Kentucky vr.com member. My wife and I live in Frankfort. Good to have you.

Wise

 

[sue943]

What time scale are we talking here from taking the drugs to onset of valve problems? Over the years I have taken several diet drugs including phentermine, although that was more than 25 years ago.

I didn't like taking phentermine (Duramine), it made me 'twitch' and do funny things with my mouth, I used to pull funny faces, it drove my friends to distraction. As it was still legal where I live, I went back onto amphetamines for some time (Duraphet), quite some time in fact. I have also taken amfepramone (Tenuate Dospan).

It would be interesting to know if taking these drugs contributed, doctors thought it odd that I should have a tendency to get endocarditis when I have no history of rheumatic fever or other heart problems and didn't fall in a high risk group.

 

[JimL]

There surely have been other reports of heart problems related to some diet drugs -- but I don't know anything about what different kinds of diet drugs there are. If you do a search for phen-phen, I think you'll find some information about that.

 

[Blanche]

Abby:
I am quite familiar with the diet drug combo you asked about. Although I have no personal experience with it, I just missed taking it by a whisker!!! Also, we had another poster here who was damaged by the diet drug combo and was in litigation, as I remember. Perhaps others here will remember that person and post too.

The problem you have was very prevalent in 1996. I had an appointment to see a diet doctor whose office was about 16 miles from my home to get Fen=Phen, but a friend suggested an alternative that was closer to my home. Missed that bullet.

You might want to do a search. Here is one site that is descriptive.

http://www.primary-pulmonary-hypertension-pph.com/fen_phen_pph.html

Hope this helps,
Blanche

 

[Nancy]

Welcome.

My husband has all of your problems, and he had rheumatic fever, no diet drugs.

But I DO know that phen-fen can cause PH and also valve problems. Several people on the Pulmonary Hypertension Association website have taken phen-fen. I seem to remember a few people here having taken phen-fen, but I don't remember who they were, and it was a while ago when the posts were active.

Sorry you have the problems you do.

 

[Georgia]

I took phen-fen; when the valve issues came up, I asked my former pcp if I should have an echo, and he discouraged it (should have known then to dump him). When I had valve surgery I asked the surgeon to check to see if was damaged by phen-fen - the group has a specialist who deals with phen-fen litigation and damaged valves; and he said the valve was not damaged by the drug. Apparently phen-fen does a certain type of damage. I just had a crummy mitral valve.