Fen-Phen

[jikeda at garnet.berkeley.edu]

>Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 23:11:35 -0400

>X-Sender: pre at pop.cwru.edu

>To: <naafa-members at world.std.com>

>From: Paul Ernsberger <pre at po.cwru.edu>

>Subject: Re: Fen-Phen

>Cc: fat-acceptance at world.std.com, jikeda at garnet.berkeley.edu

>

>At 06:26 PM 10/2/96 -0700, you wrote:

>>Dear Everyone,

>>I know there has been much discussion in recent months on this subject.  

>>I just read a newsletter, sent by the Spence Center For Women's Health 

>>(headquartered in Cambridge, MA), which included an article entitled 

>>"Fen-Phen & Redux - The Real Facts about these Appetite Suppressants".  A 

>>section of this article (truly, the whole article) concerned me.  It 

>>reads as follows:  "Side effects may include diahrrhea, dry mouth, 

>>drowsiness, irritability, anxiety, headache and abnormal heart rate.  

>>Some patients experience a REVERSIBLE short-term memory loss. 

>

>In several cases people have suffered from a complete loss of short-term

>memory.  This does tend to go away for the most part after stopping taking

>the drug in question.  However, the question of permanent impairment is not

>answered --there are no long-term studies of memory function.

>

>>A rare 

>>disorder associated with Redux and Pondimin is primary pulmonary 

>>hypertension.  Although the risk is estimated to be about 18 to 35 cases 

>>per 1 million patients per year, 

>

>This statistic assumes that every single patient with PPH is diagnosed, and

>that every single case diagnosed is reported by the doctor to the European

>Drug Agency, correctly connected to the use of the diet pill, and entered

>into a govenment file.  There is very good reason to believe that fewer than

>100% of cases are successfully counted through this whole process.  The

>diagnosis of PPH is very difficult --a heart catheterization must be done.

>The only symptom may be shortness of breath --very common in fat people.

>Death could be the next symptom.

> 

>>this condition is also linked to 

>>obesity."  

>>

>The condition is linked to taking diet pills.  Taking diet pills is linked

>to obesity.  Naturally, because most of the people taking diet pils are fat,

>most of the people suffering from PPH will be fat.  This is an excellent

>example of blaming the victim.  The disease of PPH is found almost entirely

>in young women --the same group that takes diet pills. How may other fatal

>illesses are found only in young women?  PPH is the only one I can think of.

>  BTW, 

>>the "article" following the Fen-Phen piece is "Weight Management and 

>>Nutrition Center Opening in November"...quite a coincidence, huh?

>>

>Prominently featuring prescriptions for certain diet pills.

>

>

>

Joanne P. Ikeda,MA,RD
Cooperative Extension Nutrition Education Specialist
Department of Nutritional Sciences
University of California, Berkeley
CA 94720-3104

Phone (510)642-2790
FAX (510)642-0535
E-Mail: jikeda at garnet.berkeley.edu