Mysimba Reviews: How Effective Is Mysimba?
Lots of people struggle with their weight: it is estimated that 1 in 4 adults in the UK live with obesity. Obesity is a serious health condition that can lead to the development of other severe health issues, such as type-2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancers.
Obesity and excess weight are complex conditions that can have many different causes. The main goal of treatment is to lower body weight significantly (at least 3%) to decrease the risk of other health conditions.
Initial treatment normally involves improving diet and increasing exercise; however, when this does not work, medications can be used to help. One such medication is Mysimba, a prescription oral tablet that contains two active ingredients (naltrexone and bupropion).
In this article, we discuss Mysimba reviews and how effective real users find this medication in their weight loss journey.
Mysimba overview: what it is and how to use it
Active ingredients
Mysimba is a prescription medication that contains two active ingredients: naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion.
What does Mysimba treat?
Mysimba is a prolonged-release tablet that contains 7.2mg naltrexone and 78mg bupropion. It is prescribed to help patients who are obese or have excess weight due to weight-related health conditions.
How does Mysimba work?
The active ingredient bupropion is an antidepressant that affects the chemicals in the brain to help control mood and reduce appetite.
The second active ingredient, naltrexone, stops the effects of opioids and reduces hunger signals.
When taken together, these two active ingredients act on the section of the brain that regulates the reward and feedback mechanisms that regulate overeating and food cravings.
How long does it take for Mysimba to start working?
When taken as prescribed, Mysimba typically takes 2 weeks to reach its full effect and up to 8 weeks before you begin to notice significant weight loss. Studies show patients lose an average of 5% of their starting weight after 16 weeks of taking Mysimba. Your doctor or pharmacist will monitor your progress on Mysimba.
How effective is Mysimba?
In three studies, patients treated with Mysimba lost an average of 3.7-5.7% of weight, compared with 1.3-1.9% with a placebo. Roughly 13-20% of patients lost at least 10% of their starting weight. The studies also found Mysimba was more effective in patients who completed 56 weeks of treatment.
How long does Mysimba last?
Mysimba can last in the body for 21 hours (bupropion) and 5 hours (naltrexone) after taking a dose. It can take from a couple of days to a few weeks before any side effects may subside.
How much Mysimba can be prescribed on the NHS?
Unfortunately, Mysimba cannot be prescribed on the NHS as a weight loss treatment option. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not recommended it as its long-term effectiveness is unknown.
Patients can buy Mysimba via private prescription from registered online pharmacies such as Cloud Pharmacy.
Dosage and usage recommendations
Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you exactly how to take Mysimba. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about dosage or timing.
The starting dose of Mysimba is normally one tablet (8mg naltrexone hydrochloride and 90mg bupropion) once a day (usually in the morning). Generally, the dose is slowly increased as follows:
- Week 1 - One tablet, daily in the morning
- Week 2 - Two tablets daily, one in the morning and one in the evening
- Week 3 - Three tablets daily, two in the morning and one in the evening
- Week 4+ - Four tablets daily, two in the morning and two in the evening
The maximum recommended daily dose of Mysimba is four tablets, two in the morning and two in the evening. Your doctor or healthcare provider will evaluate your treatment plan after 16 weeks to determine whether you should continue to take Mysimba.
Mysimba tablets should be swallowed whole with a drink of water and not crushed, cut or chewed. It is recommended to take it with food to avoid getting an upset stomach.
If you forget to take a dose of Mysimba, skip the missed dose and take the next dose as usual. It is important not to take a double dose to make up for the forgotten dose.
If you take more Mysimba than prescribed, contact your doctor immediately or seek immediate medical attention, as an overdose of Mysimba can cause a fit or a severe reaction.
If you have any further questions about how and when to take your Mysimba tablets, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
How does it feel after taking Mysimba?
After taking your first dose of Mysimba, you may experience common side effects such as nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, tiredness, constipation or headaches. These side effects should subside as your body gets used to the medication. If you experience vomiting, drink fluids to ensure you don’t get dehydrated.
If these side effects are persistent and start affecting your quality of life, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about managing symptoms or alternative treatment options.
Are there any known side effects?
As with any medication, there are known side effects of Mysimba. However, not everyone may experience them. If you experience any persistent common side effects of Mysimba, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to manage them or if another medication may work better for you.
Common Mysimba side effects include:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Tremor (feeling shaky)
- Anxiety
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Fatigue, lethargy or drowsiness
- Stomach pain
- Hot flush
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Difficulty sleeping
- Excessive sweating
- Rash, itching
- Increased blood pressure
Rare side effects of Mysimba include:
- Lymphocyte count decreased
- Dehydration
- Toothache
- Cold hands and feet
- Jaw pain
- Liver injury (due to drug toxicity)
- Hallucinations
- Fits
- Fainting, loss of consciousness
- Tongue, throat, face or lip swelling, which causes difficulty breathing
If you experience any severe side effects when taking Mysimba tablets, seek emergency medical help or go straight to A&E.
Interactions with other medications
Mysimba cannot be taken with any of the following medications:
- Opiates and opiate-containing medications, such as those used to treat colds and coughs, opiate addiction, diarrhoea or pain. You must stop taking these medications at least 7-10 days before taking Mysimba. This is due to Mysimba’s active ingredient naltrexone blocking the effects of opiates.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as rasagiline, phenelzine or selegiline are medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease or depression. You must stop taking any of these medications for at least 14 days before taking Mysimba.
Before taking Mysimba, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medications:
- Depression medication
- Steroids except creams, drops or lotions for skin and eye conditions
- Inhalers for asthma
- Theophylline
- Diazepam and other medicines used to help you sleep
- Medicines used to prevent malaria
- Quinolones
- Medicine used to lower blood sugar levels
- Tramadol
- Antihistamines
- Some medications used to treat high blood pressure, such as clonidine and metoprolol
- Some medications used to treat HIV and AIDs
- Medicines used to treat epilepsy, such as carbamazepine, valproate, phenobarbital and phenytoin
- Some medications used to treat cancer, such as tamoxifen, cyclophosphamide and ifosphamide
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take any other prescription medication, vitamins, supplements or herbal remedies.
Do not take Mysimba if you:
- Have a condition that causes seizures (fits) or a medical history of seizures
- Have a brain tumour
- Have hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Are allergic to bupropion or naltrexone
- Are dependent on chronic opiates or opiate agonists
- Take medications for Parkinson’s disease or depression
- Have severe liver disease
- Have an end-stage kidney disease
How much does Mysimba cost in the UK?
Mysimba slow-release tablets are available from Cloud Pharmacy, a UK-registered online prescribing service that stocks 112 Mysimba tablets for £109.00.
Mysimba reviews: how effective is Mysimba according to real users?
Real user reviews for Mysimba are generally positive. Common Mysimba review themes include effectiveness, results, side effects, price and overall satisfaction. Many Mysimba reviews report reduced appetite and a reduction in cravings.
A few Mysimba reviews report side effects such as headaches, anxiety, insomnia and nausea. One user reported they had to stop treatment and find an alternative option due to the side effects they experienced.
How effective is Mysimba according to clinical trials and studies?
A systemic review and meta-analysis of unpublished clinical study reports was conducted to compare the benefits and harms of Mysimba. The review and meta-analysis concluded that Mysimba caused significant but small weight loss compared to the placebo. The review and meta-analysis also found that Mysimba has a small beneficial effect on markers of heart disease risk.
The review and meta-analysis highlighted the importance of Mysimba's postmarketing studies in determining its negative effects and benefits.
Conclusion: where can you buy Mysimba?
Mysimba is a prescription medication used to help those struggling with obesity and excess weight with weight-related health conditions. As Mysimba reviews show, this medication has proven effective when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
You can only purchase Mysimba with a prescription in the UK from a licensed online or brick-and-mortar pharmacy. Mysimba is not available as a weight loss treatment on the NHS.
Cloud Pharmacy is a UK-registered online prescribing service offering free online consultations with a pharmacist. This establishes if Mysimba is the most appropriate medication to help you in your weight loss journey. Simply complete a quick questionnaire to determine if you are eligible.
Once your Mysimba tablets have been dispensed, they will be discreetly sent to your UK address for next-day delivery.
Cloud Pharmacy also offers all patients on their weight loss journey advice and confidential follow-ups.
Click here to start the process of booking a consultation with Cloud Pharmacy.
