UNITED STATES
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C.  20549


                                SCHEDULE 13G


                  Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                        (Amendment No. _____2_____)*


                                 Vivus, Inc.
                              (Name of Issuer)

                         COMMON STOCK, NO PAR VALUE
                       (Title of Class of Securities)

                                  928551100
                               (CUSIP Number)


    *The remainder of  this cover page shall be filled  out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for  any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

    The information required in the remainder of this  cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that
section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act
(however, see the Notes).



1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.
   13-3131718

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) 

                                                (b) 


3  SEC USE ONLY



4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   New York


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            697,300 shares
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          153,450 shares
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       800,800 shares

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       527,650 shares

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     1,328,450 shares (includes shares beneficially owned by FLA Asset
     Management Inc. and FLA Advisers L.L.C.)

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES


11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    4.0%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, CO



1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   FLA Asset Management, Inc.
   13-29256626

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) 

                                                (b) 


3  SEC USE ONLY



4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   Delaware


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            None
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          3,800 shares
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       None

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       378,000 shares

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     378,000 shares

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES


11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    1.1%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, CO



1  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
   S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

   FLA Advisers L.L.C.
   13-3942422

2  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
                                                (a) 

                                                (b) 


3  SEC USE ONLY



4  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

   New York


                    5  SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
     SHARES            None
  BENEFICIALLY
    OWNED BY        6  SHARED VOTING POWER
      EACH
    REPORTING          149,650 shares
     PERSON
      WITH
                    7  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       None

                    8  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                       149,650 shares

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     149,650 shares

10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES


11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

    0.5%

12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

    IA, OO



Item 1(a) NAME OF ISSUER:

     Vivus, Inc.

Item 1(b) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:

     545 Middlefield Road
     Menlo Park, CA  94025

Item 2(a) NAME OF PERSON FILING:

     See Item 1 of the cover pages attached hereto

Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office, or if none, residence:

     590 Madison Avenue
     New York, New York  10022

Item 2(c) CITIZENSHIP:

     See Item 4 of the cover pages attached hereto

Item 2(d) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:

     Common Stock, no par value 

Item 2(e) CUSIP NUMBER:

          928551100

Item 3    Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc., a New York corporation, is a
          registered investment adviser under Section 203 of the Investment
          Advisers  Act of 1940  (the "Act").  FLA Asset Management, Inc., a
          Delaware corporation, is a registered investment adviser under the
          Act and a subsidiary of Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.  FLA
          Advisers L.L.C., a New York limited liability company, is a
          registered investment adviser under the Act whose managing members
          are principals of Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc.

Item 4    OWNERSHIP:

     (a)  Amount beneficially owned:
          See Item 9 of the cover pages attached hereto

     (b)  Percent of Class:
          See Item 11 of the cover pages attached hereto

     (c)  See Items 5 through 8  of the cover pages attached hereto

Item 5    OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS:

          This statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
          December 31, 1997 the reporting persons ceased to be a beneficial
          owner of more than 5% of the class of securities.

Item 6    OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON:

          Various clients of the reporting persons have the right to receive
          or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the
          proceeds from the sale of, the Common Stock of Vivus,Inc.

Item 7    IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION  OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH 
          ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING
          COMPANY:

          Not Applicable

Item 8    IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:

          Not Applicable

Item 9    NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP:

          Not Applicable

Item 10   CERTIFICATION:

          By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
          belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
          ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
          of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
          control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
          connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such
          purposes or effect.



                                   SIGNATURES



After  reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set  forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.


February 11, 1998


                                  FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES INC.


                                  By:  /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                  Peter A. Lusk
                                  Executive Vice President


                                  FLA ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.


                                  By:    /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                  Peter A. Lusk
                                  Executive Vice President
                                    

                                  FLA ADVISERS L.L.C.


                                  By:    /s/ Peter A. Lusk
                                  Peter A. Lusk
                                  Managing Member




                                                                    Exhibit A


                                  AGREEMENT

     The undersigned, Forstmann-Leff Associates Inc., FLA Asset Management,
Inc. and FLA Advisers L.L.C., agree that the statement to which this exhibit
is appended is filed on behalf of each of them.


February 11, 1998


                          FORSTMANN-LEFF ASSOCIATES INC.


                          By:  /s/ Peter A. Lusk                        
                          Peter A. Lusk
                          Executive Vice President


                          FLA ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.


                          By:  /s/ Peter A. Lusk                        
                          Peter A. Lusk
                          Executive Vice President
                          

                          FLA ADVISERS L.L.C.


                          By:  /s/ Peter A. Lusk                        
                          Peter A. Lusk
                          Managing Member