How to Stop Food Cravings with Mysimba | Pharmacy2U

Controlling food cravings

Craving food and experiencing excessive hunger is often a real hindrance to anyone aiming to reach a healthier weight. In the UK, most of us habitually eat too many calories and do so by consuming food with low nutritional value. Additional external factors like stress and sedentary working environments also mean many people crave food to relieve stress or stave off boredom. The outcome of this, however, is an increasingly obese nation. 

In the UK, 37.9% of adults are overweight and a further 25.9% of adults in England are classified as obese. In a culture of overconsumption, overcoming food cravings can be a hard challenge, especially without medical intervention. If you are overweight or obese and struggling to lose weight through lifestyle changes, you might meet the criteria for a prescription weight loss medication that helps to curb hunger and cravings, such as Mysimba.

Mysimba active ingredients

Mysimba combines the two active ingredients naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride. These medications are licensed in Europe individually for other uses, but when found for weight loss management the two are combined.

Naltrexone hydrochloride

Naltrexone hydrochloride is used on its own in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. The medication acts as a craving suppressant and works by minimising the euphoric ‘buzz’ of taking these addictive substances. 

This craving suppressant mechanism has been shown to also act on the craving for food, which is why it was investigated for its weight loss management potential. 

Bupropion hydrochloride

Bupropion hydrochloride is an antidepressant used to treat seasonal affective disorder and depression, and similarly to naltrexone hydrochloride, it has also been used to satiate cravings, in particular those associated with nicotine addiction.

How does Mysimba work for weight loss?

Mysimba is taken as a course of prolonged-release tablets, starting with a single morning pill and building up to two pills in both the morning and the evening. By combining the craving-suppressing properties of the two active ingredients, Mysimba works to reduce feelings of hunger and the pleasure and satisfaction responses associated with food consumption. It’s not fully understood how the combination of naltrexone and bupropion works for this purpose but the results speak for themselves.

How long does Mysimba take to work on cravings and appetite?

Once you start taking Mysimba, it gets to work right away to help limit your food cravings and that high dopamine response to food and eating. However, to avoid or limit the side effects that Mysimba can produce, the medication is prescribed at a low dose to start which is then increased with time. This means it might take a couple of weeks for you to feel the full effects of the medication on your appetite. 

When it comes to visible weight loss results, these take time. There is no healthy way to lose weight very quickly, so in order to see changes that are built for longevity it pays to be patient. Mysimba users can expect to see a weight loss of around 5% of their starting weight in 16 weeks of use, and this loss will be gradual over this period. As your dose increases so will the effects of the medication, and you can expect to see increasing results as you continue your course of Mysimba.

Mysimba vs Saxenda

Saxenda and Mysimba are both weight loss medications that can support a decrease in body weight when combined with a healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise. Saxenda is administered via a subcutaneous injection and contains the active ingredient liraglutide, compared to Mysimba’s tablet form and combination of naltrexone and bupropion. Saxenda works by making you feel fuller for longer while Mysimba suppresses appetite and curbs food cravings. 

The two medications are completely different weight management solutions and whether you are prescribed one or the other will depend on your specific case. While Saxenda does offer a 5% weight loss in four weeks less than Mysimba, this might not be the right medication for you.

Start an online consultation with Pharmacy2U

If you think you meet the criteria for the prescription of a weight loss medication or are otherwise struggling to lose weight through diet and exercise alone, you can start an online consultation with a Pharmacy2U licensed doctor. Using our accessible online consultation form, you can let us know about your personal details and our doctors will assess your case and provide you with bespoke advice and a prescription for a weight loss medication, if appropriate.