Personal update:
Since being on the Xenical it has helped me to lose another stone since restarting it in December. The side-effects still occur if i eat the wrong thing, but generally speaking it is worth it and i am losing weight safely and slowly and eating healthily as well. I would ... Read review
Since being on the Xenical it has helped me to lose another stone since restarting it in December. The side-effects still occur if i eat the wrong thing, but generally speaking it is worth it and i am losing weight safely and slowly and eating healthily as well. I would still recommend Xenical.
I would also like to thank everyone for reading this and rating it and getting me my first diamond. thanks.
ORIGINAL REVIEW +++++++++++++++
My nurse says that I need to lose weight in order to reduce my blood pressure and also my sugar levels to avoid getting diabetes. I have tried Weightwatchers, which is very good, but felt that I needed something extra as well to help me along the way.
My doctor had discussed Xenical with me previously, but there are some quite bad side effects and having suffered from Irritable Bowel in the past I was very wary of taking it. However, my mother-in-law was prescribed it by her doctor and she did not suffer many effects so I thought I would give it a go.
Xenical can only be prescribed if you are clinically obese and you must lose a certain amount of weight within a certain time, in my case 5% of my body weight, which was 8 kg in three months. Then in order to stay on Xenical I needed to lose another 7.8kg in three months. This was the figure that my doctor came up with when I went to see him. He was very happy to put me on Xenical as long as I was checked each month by the nurse. Also, if you do not lose enough weight, then they stop prescribing the tablets. The tablets must be reviewed each month, they will not give you an endless prescription for them.
I am clinically obese, I am only 5'3 and currently weigh 20 stone. I have already lost 2 stone through weightwatchers and have decided to use Xenical to give me that extra boost that I need to keep going.
TECHNICAL STUFF ABOUT XENICAL ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Xenical is a fat absorbing tablet - When you eat, the fat from food is either converted into energy or stored for later. What Xenical does is to absorb around 30% of the fat that you eat, and takes it right out of your body via your bowels so that your body has less fat to store. So by following a low fat diet and taking Xenical, you force your body to convert the fat stores into energy which means that you should lose weight.
BEFORE YOU START THE TABLETS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Before you start to take Xenical, you have to have the following health checks:
These tests are a check to ensure that you can take Xenical and also they are done regularly to ensure that you are losing weight and to see the effect that this has on your body and system.
TABLET ++++++
Xenical is also known as orlistat. It is manufactured by Roche.
Each tablet is a little green capsule. It is made by Roche and is usually prescribed in 28 day doses. You take three tablets a day, one with each meal, although they do say that there is no need to take it if there is no fat in the meal, for example, if you eat an apple for breakfast then there is no need to take it.
You take the tablet with your meal, or up to an hour before or after you have eaten.
WHAT REALLY MAKES THE TABLETS WORK ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In order to get the best from the tablets, you need to follow a low-fat diet, so the tablets are really about encouraging you to change your eating habits as much as anything.
You should eat foods with no more than 3g of fat per 100g and no more than 30-40g of fat per day, with around 10-12g fat per meal so that it is spread out throughout the day. Xenical state that no more than 30% of your daily diet should be fat.
I find myself checking the labels on everything now and you just know that if you eat that forbidden food, ie, cheese, then you will suffer for it, (but more of that later.....)
Xenical encourage you to eat snacks between meals, such as breadsticks, snackajacks, fruit or low-fat cheese triangles.
They also actively encourage exercise, as the more you do, the quicker you will lose the weight. They prefer swimming and aerobic/cardio exercises.
I have got a Gazelle Elite (reviewed elsewhere) which is a great training machine and it really tones you up as well. I also try and swim twice a week too.
Xenical recommend that a safe and sensible weight loss is 1-2lb per week and this is best for optimum maintenance of weight.
SUPPORT GROUP - XENICAL MAP +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Once you have received your first box of tablets, you can ring a telephone number on the box to join the Xenical MAP support scheme. Apparantly MAP stands for Motivation, Action and Proactive.
The group inform your health centre that you have joined up, and then they telephone you every 2-3 weeks to see how you are getting along and send out mailings once a month. So far I have received a body tape measure, a pedometer, a fat/calorie book (which is really useful) and mailshots on exercise and fat content of foods.
The callers always seem to be American and they are typically "go-girl, you can do it" kind of attitude, which can get a bit annoying. They do help you to stay focused on it though. I have been away for nearly 3 weeks what with getting married and they wrote me a letter asking me to call to ensure that everything was OK!
SIDE-EFFECTS +++++++++++++
Now for the not-so-fun bit. As with all medications, there are side-effects. They can be quite nasty if you overdo your fat intake. I personally have suffered from bright orange diarrohea, bright orange oily discharge, floating stools (again bright orange) and oily spots floating on the water. It can also give you severe wind. I am being totally honest here!!! BUT the thing to remember is that you bring this on yourself. If you eat too much fat then this WILL happen. It has happened to me after eating too much cheese, or fish and chips, or Pizza Hut!!! So the thing to do is stick to the diet and everything will be ok.
Xenical can also affect the vitamins and minerals that your body needs, including vitamins A, D, E and K and beta-carotene, so it is important to take a supplement for these. I take a multi-vitamin with iron every day and a separate beta-carotene one. I have found Boots have the best range of vitamins. You should take your vitamin in the evening as it cant be taken with a Xenical tablet as this could stop the absorbtion of the vitamin.
RECOMMENDED FOOD +++++++++++++++++++
Anything with a fat content of 3g per 100g is fine. A Weightwatchers meal with around 6-7g of fat is fine if that is all that you are eating. Really you need to stick to healthy foods like chicken, salads, vegetables, cereal, rice, pasta.
Like I said before, the Xenical ideal is that you condition yourself to a new way of eating and cut out the crap basically, like crisps, chocolate, pasta sauces (sob) and anything with a high fat content.
MY STORY SO FAR +++++++++++++++
I have been a bit unlucky whilst being on it as I have had a major stomach upset which stopped me eating for 3 days. At first I thought it was the Xenical, but my husband got it as well, so I know that it was a stomach bug for sure. Also, I got married and the doctor advised against taking it before the wedding and while on honeymoon, so I haven't been able to take it properly to see the proper result. However, combined with following a Weightwatchers diet, low fat of course, and taking the Xenical and exercising, I have now lost a further 1.5 stone in four months. My doctor and nurse are extremely pleased with me and I am pleased with myself also.
It is however, very easy to cheat on these tablets, say if I am going shopping and I dont know what I am going to be eating and when, then I will not take the tablet as I do not want to be caught short whilst in town! So it is very easy to eat the wrong food and not take a tablet, although the side-effects can last a couple of days, so you can still be affected by an earlier tablet.
COST +++++
A NHS prescription is £6.50 for 28 days worth of tablets. DO NOT buy these tablets over the internet as they could be fake and you need a full medical checkup before buying them. I belive that they may soon be available from Boots and suchlike over the counter, but will cost a lot more money with no medical support from your doctor.
PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It is a good tablet, if you stick to the low-fat eating plan. It punishes you if you are naughty - side effects - and it does help you to change the way that you eat permanantly. I would recommend signing up with Xenical MAP for extra goodies and support also.
FURTHER INFORMATION ++++++++++++++++++++
www.xenical.com - this is the website of the tablet and it gives a lot of good advice and information on it
www.drugs.com/xenical - this website gives some very good information on Xenical - it details clearly the side effects and other drugs that cannot be taken with Xenical.
www.roche.com - this is the website of the makers of Xenical
Advantages: Steady, safe weight loss. No side effects if used properly. Disadvantages: Loose stools and wind (but only if you don't follow the advice given).
I started using xenical in September 2005, and I have been taking it ever since. In that time I have lost about 3.5 stone (50lbs or 23kg). But taking it has required something of a change in lifestyle. Xenical works by inhibiting the lipase in your digestive system, so that 30% of the fat in your meal is not absorbed into your body (it therefore goes straight through you, hence the potential side effects).
Due to a medical condition I have great ... ...giving was 252 tablets of xenical for £125 (that's 3 months' supply). This seemed expensive, but due the problems I have with my metabolism my weight had ballooned to over 20 stone, and my health was beginning to be affected. So I decided to give it a try, having been given no help from my GP.
I would recommend using xenical only with good medical advice, or through somewhere like Boots. At Boots they do a full assessment of your current health ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: IT REALLY WORKS! Disadvantages: prescription only drug, need to keep visiting the doctor every month
...about the possibility of using Xenical to help me lose weight, and to my surprise and I have to say joy, he was very keen on the idea and having talked to me about the way Xenical works, and how it could benefit me, he set the wheels in motion for me to begin my long journey. Getting Started:
First thing I needed to know was what exactly Xenical was, how it might affect me, and if it would be ok to take alongside my various medications.
Xenical ... ...conversion into energy. What Xenical does is to absorb a percentage (approx 30%) of the fat that you eat, and carry it straight out of your body via the bowels so that your body has less fat to convert into energy, or to store. So, by regulating the amount of fat you ingest (i.e. the amount of fatty foods you eat), and then removing another portion of that fat using the Xenical, you are forcing your body to convert fat that it already has stored ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Dramatic weight loss, plus loss of inches! Disadvantages: None, once you get the side-effects under control.
...no doubt that users of Xenical have experienced mixed results. It is my opinion that those who don't experience success with it, are not following the guidelines properly. There are no shortcuts - and if you're experiencing side effects (other than in your first few days) then you're doing it wrong. Personally, I lost 21 lb in my first four weeks and have now lost two and a half stones - and I'm still working on it!
Xenical is available from Boots ... ...which gives details of the Xenical (MAP) helpline. This helpline is open 7 days a week and is available to you for support in moments of weakness, to answer questions and give advice. The people on the other end of the phone are sympathetic and approachable - and don't give the impression that they're pushed for time, so will you please just get on with it and go away. *chuckle* I found it was great to know you had that resource to call on, if necessary. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: It is usually a successful way of losing weight Disadvantages: It requires a lot of self control unless you want to suffer the consequences!
...they are better known as Xenical which I believe is the brand name. I was prescribed 1 months worth of tablets and was told that my I should expect to lose around 1-2 lb per week. Xenical isn't a quick way to lose weight but apparently because the weight is lost gradually over a period of time it is much more likely to stay off. My GP advised me that she wanted me to lose 2 kg within the first month and when I was nearing the end of the first month ... ...to carrying out research about Xenical on the Internet and checking out food products to ensure that I was prepared when I was ready to start taking the tablets. Xenical have a very informative website but it did not contain any patients views on the medicine and how it had worked for them, (neither could I find any other site that contained this information). Although I knew somebody who was taking Xenical at that stage I didn't want to tell her ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: A good way to lose weight on the nhs Disadvantages: oily pooh oily farts
...was a good idea as xenical can cause vitamin d deficiency, as this is a fat-soluble vitamin. Also be aware that if you take cod liver oil no not take it within an hour of taking xenical as this will also have an effect, I found this out very suddenly one day!!!
I started taking 3 tablets a day before every meal I ate that contained fat. I was advised to eat meals with less than 5 per cent fat, any higher and I would have side effects from the xenical. ... ...in any way due to xenical but due to a deformity in the bowel, which I am slowly learning to live with. I have just started taking xenical again in the last month, this is because I will have to have more bowel removed later this year or early next and want to lose weight for the surgery. What is xenical?
Xenical is a drug called a lipase inhibitor; this stops the body from absorbing 30% of your fat intake. Your body removes the fat via its natural ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: compact little pills Disadvantages: doesn't really work
...I bought lipobind after a friend told me about it. It claim that it cuts your cravings and binds the fat content in your stomach after your meal so that it is not absorbed by the system. I found out after a couple of days that this is exactly the same product that i bought about a year ago and was called Proactol. Same claims, same type of tablet, same packaging. You cannot actually prove that it binds fat and the cravings are still there. As for lowering the cholesterol unfortunatelly this can only be proven after months of taking the tablets and a considerable dent in your wallet. At £20 a box these little pills don't go cheap and after a meal hih in fat you'll have to down 3 or 4 in one go. For a mere £7.10 you can get your doctor to prescribe Xenical, much more effective....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Losing weight is easy and you don't have to give up your favourite foods, great support offered, lots of local meetings during the day and eveing Disadvantages: Weekly fee can make it an expensive way to lose weight
...At the beginning of the year I was prescribed Xenical to help me lose weight, it did work but was very slow and the side effects were very nasty so I wasn?t disappointed when my GP temporarily took me off them when I went down with a nasty illness in the Summer.
However, whilst the side effects had gone there was still a downside ? having stopped the tablets all the weight I had lost, and more, suddenly started to pile back on. Initially I ignored it but when all the new clothes I had bought got to the point of being too tight I decided I had to do something positive but something that didn?t involve going back on the Xenical.
I had often thought of joining Weight Watchers and it had been highly recommended to me by several people, however, as I?m not a fruit, salad or veg person I didn?t believe that any kind of ?NORMAL? diet...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
15.07.2008
