Appetite Suppressant ("Diet Pills") Pricing

How we charge for medication*

• According to availability, we select one appetite suppressant from equally effective alternatives that may be included in your treatment program at no additional charge for standard dosing.  We may change the  included medication from time to time.

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• Higher doses or other medications are available for a small weekly surcharge of a few dollars and up depending on the particular medication.

* Fees subject to change.

We carefully follow the science

     Because of our membership in organizations at UCSF Medical School, we are aware of research on new drugs or drugs not generally known to be useful for weight treatment. We have been able to place a number of our patients who wanted to volunteer into some of these research studies. This allows us to introduce some new medications which work differently from appetite suppressants into our patient treatments well ahead of their wider availability.

What you should know about "diet pills."

       FDA-approved, prescription appetite suppressants are particularly useful for people with family or genetic predisposition to gain weight easily a These work on appetite centers in the brain to help reduce appetite and food cravings. They are best used with our Healthy Solutions or Decision-Free Diets but can be used together with other diets. 

      There is an unexpected trap to be aware of in taking "diet pills." These medications will in fact reduce hunger, and many people lose  weight using them and their own choice of food. We've observed, however, that patients frequently have subconscious expectations that the pills will do all of the work, freeing them from making any changes in poor eating habits and decisions.

       Unfortunately, few of us eat only if hungry.  Much eating is due simply a desire to enjoy the pleasure of tasty foods under our noses or because it's "time to eat."  Hunger has little to do with it, and medication is rarely successful in the absence of a real commitment to changing your eating habits once and for all.