Drug name: Xenical
Other names used:
- alli®
Active Ingredients:
- Orlistat
Therapeutic effects of Xenical: Orlistat, the active ingredient of Xenical, works by reducing the fat absorption capacity of our body.
Indications: Xenical is used to reduce obesity and aid weight loss and maintenance.
Precautions and Restrictions: It is not advisable to use Xenical without first consulting a doctor. Do not take this medicine if you have chronic malabsorption syndrome or any disorder of the gallbladder.
Avoid using Xenical if the following applies to you:
- Suffer from kidney stones
- Have diabetes
- Have bulimia or anorexia
- Already using medicine to reduce weight
- Using cyclosporine such as Neoral, Sandimmune
Xenical is placed in Pregnancy Category B, so this medicine is not expected to cause any harm to the foetus. It is not known whether this medicine passes into mother's milk. It is best to talk to a doctor before using this medicine, both in case of pregnancy or breast feeding.
This medicine may reduce the body's capacity to absorb fat soluble vitamins, so it is imperative that the user also takes multivitamins such as vitamins D, E, K, and beta-carotene. Use these vitamin supplements once a day a couple of hours before or after taking Xenical.
Discuss with your doctor about a healthy diet plan, because your meal should contain no more than about 30% of calories from fat. Evenly divide your daily intake of fat, carbohydrates, and protein over three main meals a day.
Side effects of Xenical: Use of Xenical may give rise to some side effects that are contrary to what is expected. It is not certain that these adverse reactions will affect every user of this drug. Some of the common side effects of Xenical are:
If you experience the below mentioned side effects then you should stop using Xenical immediately and visit your doctor:
- Hives
- Swelling of your lips, tongue, or face;
- Throat closing
- Various allergic reactions such as breathing difficulty, etc
Some of the less serious side effects of this medicine are:
- Orange or brown colored oil in your stool
- Inability to control bowel movements
- Increased number of bowel movements
- Oily discharge
- Sudden need to go to the bathroom
- Gas with discharge
- Oily spotting
During the early stages of the treatment the user will experience the bowel changes listed above, these are signs that the medicine is working normally. These symptoms will ease out as the treatment progresses and you maintain using the above prescribed proper diet.
The above mentioned side effects are by no means exhaustive, so for the complete list of adverse reactions and possible side effects please see the information provided by the drug manufacturer or consult a doctor or a pharmacist.
Interactions: Before using Xenical it is best to consult your physician and explain to him the treatment or medicines you are using. Get a prescription from your doctor before starting any new drug. This is to make sure that the combination of the two drugs is safe.
Do not use the following medicine before talking to your doctor. These medicines may interact with Xenical, so your doctor may recommend a dosage change or special monitoring. The substances are:
- Warfarin (Coumadin)
- Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
It is also advisable to inform your doctor if you are already using drugs that reduce cholesterol levels:
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol)
- Lovastatin (Mevacor)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol)
- Cerivastatin (Baycol)
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Additional Information: Medicines and certain medical equipments should not be used without prior approval of a doctor and you must not share these drugs with anybody else. Xenical is made for specific conditions and it's not advisable to use it for other purposes. Keep medicinal drugs, needles, syringes and other such medical substances out of the reach of children.
