Tenuate Side Effects Center

Find Lowest Prices on

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

What Is Tenuate?

Tenuate (diethylpropion) a sympathomimetic amine, which is similar to an amphetamine, that stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain), which increases your heart rate and blood pressure and decreases your appetite and is used as a short-term supplement to diet and exercise in the treatment of obesity.

What Are Side Effects of Tenuate?

Side effects of Tenuate include:

restlessness,
nervousness,
anxiety,
jittery feeling,
tremor,
sleep problems (insomnia),
dizziness,
drowsiness,
tired feeling,
depression,
dry mouth,
unpleasant taste in your mouth,
nausea,
vomiting,
diarrhea,
upset stomach,
headache,
blurred vision,
changes in sex drive, or
itching or rash.

Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Tenuate including:

fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat,
mental/mood changes (e.g., agitation, uncontrolled anger, hallucinations, nervousness), or
uncontrolled muscle movements.

Dosage for Tenuate

The dose of Tenuate is one immediate-release 25 mg tablet three times daily, one hour before meals, and in midevening if desired to overcome night hunger.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Tenuate?

Tenuate may interact with monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, other anorectic agents, antidiabetic drugs, general anesthetics, antihypertensive drugs, and phenothiazines. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Tenuate During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before taking Tenuate. Infants born to mothers who have been using Tenuate for a long time or in high doses may have withdrawal symptoms such as irritability or extreme tiredness. Tell your doctor if you notice symptoms in your newborn. Tenuate passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby; breastfeeding while taking Tenuate is not recommended. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you stop taking Tenuate suddenly after several weeks of continuous use.

Additional Information

Our Tenuate Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive vie w of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

SLIDESHOW

The Best Diet Tips: How to Lose Weight the Healthy Way See Slideshow

Tenuate Consumer Information

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

chest pain, feeling short of breath (especially with exertion);
swelling in your ankles or feet;
anxiety, feeling nervous or jittery;
muscle twitches;
feelings of extreme happiness or sadness;
fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest; or
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.

Common side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach, constipation;
headache, blurred vision;
sleep problems (insomnia);
dizziness, drowsiness, tired feeling;
depressed mood;
dry mouth, unpleasant taste in your mouth;
decreased sex drive; or
redness, bruising, or rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

QUESTION

Weight loss occurs in the belly before anywhere else. See Answer

Tenuate Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

Cardiovascular: Precordial pain, arrhythmia (including ventricular), ECG changes, tachycardia, elevation of blood pressure, palpitation and rare reports of pulmonary hypertension. Valvular heart disease associated with the use of some anorectic agents such as fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, both independently and especially when used in combination, have been reported. Valvulopathy has been very rarely reported with TENUATE (diethylpropion) or TENUATE (diethylpropion) DOSPAN monotherapy, but the causal relationship remains uncertain.

Central Nervous System: In a few epileptics an increase in convulsive episodes has been reported; rarely psychotic episodes at recommended doses; dyskinesia, blurred vision, overstimulation, nervousness, restlessness, dizziness, jitteriness, insomnia, anxiety, euphoria, depression, dysphoria, tremor, mydriasis, drowsiness, malaise, headache, and cerebrovascular accident

Gastrointestinal: Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, dryness of the mouth, unpleasant taste, nausea, constipation, other gastrointestinal disturbances

Allergic: Urticaria, rash, ecchymosis, erythema

Endocrine: Impotence, changes in libido, gynecomastia, menstrual upset

Hematopoietic System:Bone marrow depression, agranulocytosis, leukopenia

Miscellaneous: A variety of miscellaneous adverse reactions has been reported by physicians.

These include complaints such as dysuria, dyspnea, hair loss, muscle pain, increased sweating, and polyuria.

Drug Abuse And Dependence

TENUATE (diethylpropion) and TENUATE DOSPAN are schedule IV controlled substances. Diethylpropion hydrochloride has some chemical and pharmacologic similarities to the amphetamines and other related stimulant drugs that have been extensively abused. There have been reports of subjects becoming psychologically dependent on diethylpropion. The possibility of abuse should be kept in mind when evaluating the desirability of including a drug as part of a weight reduction program. Abuse of amphetamines and related drugs may be associated with varying degrees of psychologic dependence and social dysfunction which, in the case of certain drugs, may be severe. There are reports of patients who have increased the dosage to many times that recommended. Abrupt cessation following prolonged high dosage administration results in extreme fatigue and mental depression; changes are also noted on the sleep EEG. Manifestations of chronic intoxication with anorectic drugs include severe dermatoses, marked insomnia, irritability, hyperactivity, and personality changes. The most severe manifestation of chronic intoxication is psychosis, often clinically indistinguishable from schizophrenia.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Tenuate (Diethylpropion)