Question:
My WLS surgeon wants me to have a echocardigram because I took phentermine which is

is part of the diet pill phen-fhen. Has anyone ever had problems with valve damage after taking phentermine by itself to loose weight. I never took phen-fhen.    — pattyw (posted on November 6, 2001)

November 6, 2001
Hi, I took phentermine for a short time. NO problems with my echo. I am now 3 weeks post and have lost nearly 20 pounds. My dr does an echo as a routine pre op test. I wouldnt worry about it at all!! Good Luck!!
   — skymaxjr

November 6, 2001
I also took phen/fen for a pretty long time. I had an ekg and an echocardiogram and had no complications. The problem was with people developing pulmonary hypertension which if fatal. It also caused valve problems.
   — Jean G.

November 6, 2001
I have taken Phentermine on and off for the past 20 years. I had an echo. about 4 months ago and everything was just fine.
   — K T.

November 7, 2001
There's no evidence in the medical literature that phentermine alone causes heart valve problems. It was the combination of fenfluramine and phentermine that was thougt to cause such problems. Indications are that the problem was not nearly as extensive as they thought. Too bad because phen-fen was effective for may people. The problems arose because they gave it out like candy to people who should never have received it.
   — [Anonymous]

May 24, 2002
I had no physical problems whatsoever. No history of heart damage in my family. I took Phen-Fen for only a month and have heart valve damage in two valves. How's that for luck?
   — Carmen K.