Comments on: (Updated) Lorcaserin – probably the “Chevy” of weight loss meds, but victim of “truthiness”?

By: Origineel verjaardagscadeau

Origineel verjaardagscadeau — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:55:54 +0000

Superb website…

[...]always a big fan of linking to bloggers that I love but don’t get a lot of link love from[...]……

By: Clemente Murfin

Clemente Murfin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:57:02 +0000

My opinion is a bit another how it’s possible to talk to the author, for instance on an e-mail?

By: swivelchair

swivelchair — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:03:51 +0000

Connie, are you unblinded? Do you know if you were on drug or placebo?

By: connie

connie — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:00:14 +0000

I was on the one year Study and lost 32 Ibs from starting weight of 250. I took two 10 milligram tablets a day and lost an average of 2- 3 lbs per month with no side effects. Excellent product and I will recommend to anyone once FDA approved. In fact I intend on taking it again when it comes out to assist with the rest of the weight that I still wish to lose.

By: swivelchair

swivelchair — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:51:28 +0000

Here’s the link to clinical trials.gov BLOOM, and here’s the explanation:

Further study details as provided by Arena Pharmaceuticals:
Primary Outcome Measures:
* Year 1: Proportion (%) of patients achieving > or = 5% weight reduction at the end of the first year of treatment (Week 52) [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
* Year 2: Proportion of patients maintaining > or = 5% weight reduction at the end of Year 2 (Week 104) [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
* Change in body weight at the end of Year 1 [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
* Additional body weight change during Year 2 [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
* Change in waist and hip measurements [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
* Change in cardiovascular risk factors [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
* Change in use of concomitant medications for comorbidities (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia) [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
* Change in Quality of Life measures [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Enrollment: 3182
Study Start Date: September 2006
Estimated Study Completion Date: March 2009
Estimated Primary Completion Date: January 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

By: Sandra

Sandra — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:11:16 +0000

Hey swivelchair, notice that OMO says that BLOOM was a 2 year study. So back to that other thread where you and someone else said BLOOM was 1 year … why the discrepancy? Why would BLOOM be a 2-year study and yet Arena is publishing 1 year weight loss results?

By: swivelchair

swivelchair — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:03:44 +0000

Thank you On My Own for your comments.(Sorry but I have to include the disclaimer that I don’t know who here is for real and who isn’t.)
Question: Why were you suspicious that you were on placebo?
Let’s do your math:
Initial weight = 223 or so
Final weight = 223-45 = 178 Final weight
45 lbs = 22% of initial weight / 22.25 lbs = 10%
Hopefully you can keep the weight off on your own once the study ends and you may not have access to motivators at the study center.

By: On My Own

On My Own — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:57:57 +0000

I completed the 2 year BLOOM study and lost 45 pounds (22% of initial weight). I went from barely being able to walk a mile to now running 25+ miles a week. My suspicion that I was on placebo was confirmed when Arena had to unblind me POST-study because of heart valve changes. Fortunately for lorcaserin, I was NOT on the active drug. It’s refreshing to know I lost the weight on my own with the encouragement of the study center staff who I found to be great motivators.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:02:18 +0000

biotechs_maven, how can you be sure that the lorcaserin trial placebo was totally inactive? Pharmaceutical companies often tailor placebos to mimic side effects of the active drug, presumably to make it more difficult for the placebo group to determine that they received the placebo. Do you have specific knowledge about the lorcaserin trial? Or were you making a generic comment? If the latter, do a search on “active placebo”.

I am also suspicious of test subject’s post.

I can’t imagine combining phen with anything. Have you ever taken that stuff? It’s old school speed and *very* clunky. Nasty side effects. Headaches, increased BP and heart rate, insomnia, constipation. I think the appetite reduction comes more from feeling weird and drugged-up than from a true direct action on any appetite drivers. Probably have a much better time and lose more weight using MDMA. It’s time to retire phen.

By: swivelchair

swivelchair — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:01:41 +0000

Got it, thank you.