Disclaimer: I know people take the medication for all kinds of different reasons. And, what I'm about to say won't be appropriate for everyone. However, in my own case, I've found a way to replicate the feeling the medication gave me without the nasty side effects I was experiencing.
How did I do it? A powerhouse of a smoothie recipe that I concocted. I'll share it here now in case anyone wants to try it. Despite the ingredients, it actually tastes quite decent. I consume it around midday, and it keeps me from binging for the rest of the day.
Yes, it's quite pricey to put together. But, if you're like me (again, we're all different!) this might keep you off the medication completely so you'll save a lot of money after the initial outlay.
So, the ingredients:
1 x scoop protein powder isolate (make sure it's unsweetened and unflavoured)
1 x banana
Half cup frozen cherries
Half cup frozen strawberries
400ml pea protein milk (make sure it's fortified)
Half cup of rolled oats
80g red split lentils (this is their cooked weight - I cook about 4 days worth in advance)
2 teaspoons of flax seeds
1 teaspoon of chia seeds
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds
40g raw curly kale
100g frozen cauliflower florets
100g frozen broad beans
Put all that into a blender and combine. It'll look like a thick shake, but that's alright!
It's full of fibre and protein which is the secret to it being so effective.
I also make an overnight oats recipe that I have each morning. If anyone's interested in that one, let me know and I'll post it.
It's been the dietary change I needed to keep my weight off.