Orlistat (Generic Xenical).
Generic Name: Orlistat.
Brand Name: Xenical.
Orlistat 120 mg is an FDA approved weight loss prescription drug for long term use. It is available as Xenical capsules and is a trade mark of Roche Laboratories Inc.
Indications for Orlistat| When is Orlistat Prescribed.
Orlistat is recommended for people with age of 18 years and over. Orlistat is prescribed when you weigh about 30% more than what your weight should be or if your BMI is more than 30. Orlistat is also prescribed when your BMI is between 27 and 30 if you have associated obesity health risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc.
Orlistat is used in the management of obesity to reduce weight and also to maintain weight after prior reduction of weight.
How Orlistat Reduces Obesity.
Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor and works by blocking the absorption of 30% of the dietary fat in the digestive tract. Lipase is a pancreatic enzyme of the digestive tract which breaks down the fat in the food in order that it gets absorbed and stored as energy. Orlistat disables the pancreatic lipase so that fats or calories do not get absorbed. The unabsorbed fat is excreted through the bowels. Besides fat, Orlistat also blocks the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Supplements therefore become necessary of vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Dosage of Orlistat.
Orlistat 120 mg is given as an oral capsule. Each capsule contains 120mg of Orlistat. It is administered as one capsule three times a day with meals. It is to be taken during meals or just after meals within one hour. If you miss a meal, you can miss the dose. Any supplements of multivitamins should be taken at an interval of 2 hours before or after taking orlistat.
Buy Orlistat.
You could buy Orlistat 120 mg (Xenical) anywhere at a licensed chemist or pharmacist as it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. A prescription will be required though as Xenical is a prescription weight loss drug.
Success Rate of Orlistat.
A study conducted, concluded that only weight loss diet and exercises to lose weight helped obese people lose an average of 5.8 lbs while combination of weight loss diet, exercise and Orlistat helped lose an average of 13.4 lbs.
Side Effects of Orlistat.
Side effects of Orlistat are mainly those relating to changes of bowel movements and these occur due to the unabsorbed fat. These side effects are usually mild and transient. Generally these side effects occur within three months of starting treatment and usually last for a week in 50% of the cases. In the rest of the cases, however, the side effects last for more period but not over four weeks. Rarely these side effects have been seen to last for up to six months. These side effects that may occur are listed below.
- Oily spotting on the underwear.
- Oily or fatty stools.
- Loose or semi solid stools.
- Flatulence.
- Urgency to pass stools.
- Increased frequency and amount of stool.
- Fecal incontinence.
- Pain in the stomach and rectum.
- Headache.
- Irregular menstrual periods.
Certain side effects can be serious and you should inform your doctor if any such symptoms occur.
- Symptoms of liver disease such as persistent nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice (dark yellow urine and yellowish eyes).
- Symptoms of renal stones such as pain in the back of the abdomen on either side of the back bone, pinkish or reddish discoloration of urine.
- Symptoms of allergy.
Contraindications for Orlistat|When Not to Use Orlistat.
- Hypothyroidism,
- Gallstones,
- Malabsorption syndrome and
- Pregnant and lactating mothers. Safety of use of Orlistat in pregnant and lactating mothers is still to be established.
Precautions while using Orlistat.
Always inform your doctor of your medical history and whether you are on any of the following medicines or supplements before starting Orlistat for fear of drug reactions.
- Anticoagulants (blood thinners)
- Blood pressure medicines
- Medication for diabetes
- Medication for a thyroid disease
- Any other medication for weight loss.
Over the counter Orlistat pills are available as Alli which contain half the strength of Orlistat (Xenical) and is available over the counter. Alli contains 60 mg of Orlistat against Xenical which contains 120 mg of Orlistat. Xenical, however is available by prescription.
Your action step.
If you feel this article could be useful, do share it on social media and pass a comment below.
Medic On WebRelated posts:
- Xenical – Weight Loss Drug.
- Diet Pills and Prescription Weight Loss Drugs.
- Alli – Diet Pill and Weight Loss Pill.
- Phentermine – Diet Pill and Weight Loss Pill.
- Adipex-Diet Pill and Weight Loss Pill.
- Sibutramine – Diet Pill and Weight Loss Pill for Obesity.
- Meridia|Reductil-Diet Pill and Weight Loss pill.
- Lose Weight|Weight Loss Tips.