"i took meridia in 2000, i lost 60 pounds in 6 months.  i had no side effects, the only thing i noticed was that my tastes changed, i didn&#039;t want the fried foods or the sweets.  i never knowingly changed my eating habits, it just happened.  i have to confess, in the nine years i have gained 40 pounds but i can pinpoint the cause of each group of weight gain.  i gained 10 pounds undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer (they say it is due to eating comfort foods...like a bowl of ice cream every night for the eight months i was undergoing chemo and radiation), 10 pounds when i had shoulder surgery 2 years later and 20 this 2 years ago when i quit smoking. i am considering going back on the pill as i am a firm believer that it works."