Xenical Over the Counter: Big Mistake?

I used Xenical about 5 years ago. It is not a quick fix - it took about a year to lose 30 pounds. The only problem is that once you quit taking it the pounds come back.

I don't think people will abuse this drug - mainly because the side effects are not fun. Example - I had some cheese nachos for lunch. Several hours later I was sitting at the computer and I felt like I was "leaking" fluid. It was orange fat (from the cheese). I ruined my pants, underpants, and the chair I was sitting on. There was no way to stop this from happening as it just came out without warning.

Hi,
I have just had my gallbladder out and I need to lose weight, is zenical safe to take after this surgery without a gall bladder?

Roberta, if you are like most people who have had their gallbladder removed, you won't really be able to eat fatty food anymore, it will just gross you out and make you feel sick. That has happened to me after my surgery. I used to love nothing as much as I loved cheese, now just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. A lot of people who have had the same surgery report the same thing, so I think the odds are you are going to be like this too, and in that case, taking Xenical when the food you are eating doesn't have a lot of fat will not make you lose weight.

If you still manage to eat fatty food ok and think this would help you, I'd ask the gastroenterologist who performed/referred you to surgery for his opinion, instead of going to another doctor.

me said:
This is response to Rebecca -[...]

nice comeback, rebecca. drs do get "benefits" from prescribing particular meds. i work in a psych/drug-alcohol treatment center and believe me, they get "goodies". the drug reps come about once/twice a month and provide a catered lunch for our small staff.(drs, nurses, therapists, and techs) then we get free pens, magnet clamps, sleep/sound machines, clocks, pedometers, etc. if we get this junk (and a nice free meal) EVERY time they come, just imagine what the docs get.

I find it so very interesting the timing and release of all this diet hype right now. Personally I do not take diet pills of any sort, but I am a firm believer in living a more natural lifestyle. Funny how the FTC has filed a lawsuit against the "Trimspa" product that uses the more natural element "Hoodia" and released this to the press just yesterday. Then the very next day (today),the press releases this now over the counter chemically manufactured Xenical as the next best thing. Just another ploy to push prescripted and non prescripted drugs to the masses and make more profits, if you ask me. If I were to take diet pills, I would much rather put in elements of the earth as opposed to chemicals that are not natural and poisons to our bodies.

Good Morning America announced that this diet aide will be made OTC! Yay! But when? I don't know.
It'll be a less amount of the drug, but still...for those who could use it to help us, what a dream come true!
I too am wondering when it's going to hit the shelves and which stores will sell it?
Anyone know this?

It's coming out the 2nd half of the year and will cost $12-$25 per a weeks supply. I'm guessing that means 3 tablets a day so roughly $.50-$1.00 a pill which isn't tooo bad compared to the cost of xenical right now. Also it come in half the dose so I'm not sure what that means as far as effectiveness but it's claim to reduce up to 50% fat still. I'm in love with this product and i'm not overweight. I have to buy from Canada because I will never get a prescription here in the states. I solely use it for fast food trips with the kids or BIG MEALS like Thanksgiving or a day I'm just really really snacky....This pill is a HELPER to me. NO ONE will eat PERFECT everyday and this pill will make you feel less guilty about those days. For heavyweight people this can only help because like others say, it will teach you what to eat. Nobody likes the RUNS and when you get them and you will on this pill it will make you say HEY I SHOULDNT EAT THAT AGAIN........its a TOOL and will teach your body whats good and whats bad and it teaches you in a way you'll NEVER FORGET. LOL Thats my take. I'm in love with this PRODUCT and can't wait for the release of this over the counter.

There are other drugs that are abused (i.e laxatives for weight loss).People who choose to abuse this drug will see the unwanted side effects of anal leakage!!!Which is never pleasant. I do not see a problem with having this drug over the counter. The side effects alone will limit abuse.One has to consider the decreased absorption of certain vitamins which will be affected (A,D,E,K), so supplements should be advised.

Emily, my problem is, I want to know if minors will be allowed to purchase this drug. I think that once a person is old enough to buy cigarrettes and alcohol and other harmful substances, they can buy all the Orlistat they want and poop themselves to death for all I care. But when ephedra was easily available OTC, teens were a large part of its market.

Xenical is a wonderful tool to help you learn to eat right and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Xenical is not a quick fix. It won't work if you don't work the program. Xenical is not absorbed by any of the bodies organs so there is no way it can damage your kidneys, liver, heart, etc. It works in the intestional tract only. I have been taking Xenical for a year. I have lost 45 lbs. I didn't loose the weight because of the Xenical, I lost the weight because I used the Xenical to teach myself how to eat. For example, instead of 3 or 4 pieces of pizza, I have one, two at the most if they are small. Pasta, instead of an entire plate, I have 1/4 of a plate. You learn by experience. The mere thought of having an "accident" helped me to learn my lessons quickly. I bought the book "Body for Life" and added light weight training to the Xenical and I have improved my life dramatically. If you are looking for an easy way out, believe me Xenical is not for you. Xenical is a teaching tool. The OTC product will be a 60mg tablet. The RX product is 120mg. I will continue to have my Doctor prescribe Xenical for me instead of switching to the OTC Brand. It will not be any cheaper in the long run. For those of you who worry about long term effects it can't happen...as I stated earlier it is NOT ABSORBED by any of your bodies organs. Good luck to all of you just starting out!!

I have used xenical before. but no progress. then i tried excercising. dodnt work. i again trying xenical for last five days. It is very expensive in my city. but i realy want it to work.

This question is for Sammi...Did you change your eating habits or are you in the same ole, same ole mode? You have to change your eating habits, you must exercise and you have to give it longer than 5 days. If you do these things then you will see results. I don't know how much weight you have to remove but you have got to stick with it!! Good luck

I am a new mother and have always been in good shape and even though I've kept a good diet I've always been able to afford a cheat day. Not so much anymore. I actually tired phentermine and it worked for me. Like you said just basically using it when I needed to loose a couple pounds or maintain. I asked my doctor for a presciption and he said they don't like to perscribe those kinds of meds but mentioned xenical over the counter. Can't find it in the U.S. yet but does anyone know if it's like phentermine?

Sammi. what kind of exercises are you doing???? I have a friend who used Xenical and it didnt work for him after I recommended it but he was doing a CARB DIET and XENICAL. My problem with CARB DIETS and XENICAL is the fact that he'll eat an entire package of BACON because on the carb diet thats ok and on XENICAL its ok as well because you'll get rid of half that fat but half of 200% fat is still 100% fat. Your body will need to work out to burn the other excess fat. On Xenical I found it better to limit your FAT intake and take the pills. If you limit yourself to 75% fat intake for the day then you have potential of only taking in half that with XENICAL. Add in a work out and your body will BURN OFF YOUR CARBS for the day NO PROBLEM and you will work on even more excess fat. Remember MUSCLE weighs more then fat so you might not see weight loss right away and each pound of muscles takes an additional 50 calories to keep so your body will work for you once you add MUSCLE. Again XENICAL is a tool as we all mention and it helps you when you feel like having that CHEAT MEAL or CHEAT DAY...WE ALL HAVE THEM.......this pill makes those days OK. Doesnt make you feel good sitting on the toilet all day but makes you think....well at least I dont regret eating that QUARTER POUNDER NOW. Just my take.

When I first heard this on the news a couple of weeks ago, they reported it was being released on Wednesday. Which Wednesday, I keep checking the drug stores and they keep saying, "it will take time". I heard that it would cost $1 or $2 per pill. I have spent a small fortune over the years on diet pills that did absolutely nothing and I know lots of people that have been ripped off. Now, we have a pill that works and people are going to bitch. Whoever is buying drugs like this for 11-year old girls, I consider a drug dealer.

Stick to the facts, you have too much time on your hands.

I took Xenical for about a year and lost 40+ pounds. After that time my insurance company would no longer pay for it. While taking it, my cholesterol and Triglycerides were well within acceptable ranges and I did not suffer from chronic constipation. The weight is back and so is the chronic constipation problem. I cannot wait for it to come out over the counter. It's interesting how insurance companies don't want to pay for anything for weight loss, but are willing to pay for hip replacements, knee replacements, heart surgery or any other side affects caused by the excess weight.

One of the great things about Xenical/orlistat/alli, the thing that makes it so safe, is that it is not absorbed into the bloodstream. In other words, like the fat it blocks, it goes right through you. Concerns about liver or kidney damage are totally unfounded because it never gets to your liver or kidneys. It does its work in the intenstines, where it simply blocks the action of certain digestive enzymes.

It does block absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E) and some other essential nutrients, which may be a concern with long-term use. It also can interfere with the absorption of some medications, which for some people is even more troublesome.

I have used prescription-strength Xenical, and it works. For me the greatest benefit was that it magnified and accelerated my weight loss. Instead of losing a pound or two a week, which I find discouragingly slow, I was able to lose two, three, even five pounds some weeks, and I experienced fewer setbacks and plateaus. That really helped me maintain my motivation and stay on my regimen.

I just hope it's affordable OTC.

Does anyone know when Xenical will be sold, OTC, and where???

Most of the side effects can be avoided by combining it with a soluble fiber like metamucil. I get virtually no side effects from the drug because I take low doses w/metamucil.

I am all for diet drugs, trying to treat obesity by encouraging fat people to starve themselves has a failure rate near 100%. The only way to fix the obesity epidemic is with biology and pharmacology.

Todd, says who you need to starve to lose weight? I lost 110lb, no drugs, and no starvation, just by changing what I eat and exercising. I eat very large amounts. Of course, most people think that dieting is eating teeny amounts of junk, cause they don't wanna give up their junk food. But if you do, you don't need any drugs and you don't have to starve either. I even eat in the middle of the night, if I get up at 1am for some water and I feel hungry. I've never starved.

I just started taking Xenical yesterday. I have approximately 70 pounds to lose and was hoping this helps. I eat right and also exercise.

My concern is how long it takes for the bad effects to take place after a meal??

For instance, if I do eat a somewhat fatty meal by chance, am I running to the restroom 10 mins later, an hour later, more, etc?? So far, nothing has happened so I am almost waiting for it and scared.

Thanks for the help..

Hi, I am in the middle of a ten week course of Xenical (orlistat) that my physician prescribed to me. I like in the UK and the only way we can get it here is on prescription. I also had to prove that I could lose weight in a 6 week period before he would give it to me. I had to lose half a pound per week and I managed to do that easily ( 4 pounds in the end) simply by walking for 20 minutes a day.

The side effects are pretty spectacular (as you can see from the pretty graphic details in my diary) and I would HATE to have had to deal with them if I wasn't working from home. I am pretty much in constant need of the toilet until 10am on the bad days.

I was given it because I was weighing around 260lb when I first saw my doctor about my weight.

You say that we should simply eat less fat - and to be honest it's not always that easy. Did you for instance know that fish like salmon is generally best avoided while on these drugs because it is so high in fat? Here in the UK we have a lot of pastry dishes that are also out of bounds.

What the pills are teaching me is that I have to look for food with less than 8 percent fat in them, and portion control is very important. I have to make sure NOT to eat and extra portion.

Basically, anyone who wants to take these pills just to lose the last 10 pounds must be insane, stupid or worse. If they are so desperate to have uncontrollabel bowel movements they might just as well use some cheap laxatives instead... does pretty much the same thing.

I would say they are only for people at serious risk, like me, who benefit from getting a kick start to their weight loss and have every intention of completing the lifestyle change and are willing to do more exercises.

My doctor would be "mildly irritated" if anyone came to him asking for the pills simply to lose ten pounds. I did nearly half that simply by watching how much I are and by walking for 20 minutes every day - in 6 weeks.

Ok, off to blog some more about my own experiences with this diet pill,
Thanks for the info by the way,
Jon

Lisa,
18 days ago I was EXACTLY like you!! I was petrified I would soil myself in the middle fo the night :)

I also heard some horror story about someone having an accident while on a trans atlantic flight and that made me even more worried.

But so far it's been no crisis at all.

I had my first "Orlistat day" I suppose on the 5th or 6th day, although I noticed even by the 3rd or 4th day that I was just needing the loo more often.

As for how quick it can be for the body to remove the fat, it depends entirely on what you eat. If I have something that is full of fat, like cheese, and you eat lots of it, it can take an hour or two (at least it does for me), but usually it takes half a day for me. Basically, my dinner has to come out bright and early in the morning (bright ORANGE at times!) but if I indulge with fatty snacks in the evening I will have a very uncomfortable and flatulent night before I have to get up around 4am to have a "movement".

I start the day with Porridge Oats every day or at least make it for lunch if I didn't get a chance in the morning.

But I still won't fart as much as I used to or where ever I want to! These days I go to the toilet - much to my wife's delight I no longer fart in the bedroom so she's benefiting too! lol ;o)

Jon

I would like to comment on April about her grossly obese comment. you have no idea obviously what it is like to be big!!! I have PCOS. And i weigh about 350 pounds I have tried almost everything to lose weight, going to the gym, taking other diet pills, even going to the nutritionist, and changing my eating habits. the only thing I think is gross and disgusting is people like you who think that that is all heavy people are. I think that it is very sad that skinny people think that they need to lose a few pounds like the few people who commented that they are regular takers of xenical so that they can maitain the weight of 115 pounds give me a break. Ya'll need to turn on the tyra banks show and listen to her fight people like you. I am sorry if I offended anyone but not all people who are big are big because the over eat or because they eat to much fat. you need to educate yourself. And by the way it took me two years and gaining 100 pounds to get help because the doctors around my city dont believe in just giving it out.

I have been on Xenical in the past and it worked marvelously. Yes the side effects are real, but you can't simply "cut fat from your diet" and achieve the same result. The stipulation of the diet that goes along with the drug is to reduce fat intake to 30g or less per day. Any fat over 30g that is consumed will be bound up by the drug and passed through your bowels. If you cheat on the diet, you will suffer the side-effects in the worst way. The drug helps you stick to a diet of vegs and fruits and ean meats, because when you cheat you will not be happy with the outcome. So it acts as a psychological tool while at the same time removing some from your meals. Yes, this drug can be abused, but so can the multitude of other OTC diet drugs like Slim Fast and the others. For prescription Xenical you have to have a BMI that puts you in the obese category. The OTC version is about 1/2 the strength of the prescription version and is meant for those who have a BMI that puts them in the overweight category. Advertising implications aside, it is up to the consumer to use any OTC drug responsibly and to follow the guidelines. All the fears about OTC Xenical I've seen expressed on this site and others are based on the assumption that consumers are foolish and will abuse the drug if it is made available. They said the same thing about Tylenol - which is OTC codiene - in the 60s, and later about Alleve - which is naproxen sodium - in the 90s. Arm yourself with the facts and make the decision that's best for you given the long-term disadvantages of being obese. OTC Xenical is by far a better option than gastric bypass or phen-phen or laxatives.

I have read this entire blog and have to finally put my 2 cents worth in. I have been on Xenical since 2000. I started out weighing 245 pounds (size 24) and now weigh 135(size 8 at 5'8" and 52 yrs). I took Xenical 2 to 3 times a day only if I ate a full meal. I never had an "accident" because when I first started taking it, if I was away from home, I would not take the Xenical until I returned home. There is a 2 hour window in which you can take the drug and still get the benefits. I am a definite supporter of this drug. I take it still to maintain my weight and keep my cholesterol down with absolutely NO side effects. They went away after about 6 months. I have had a heart attack in the past and feel like this is the safest thing I can take. The benefit I have found in this drug is that it definitely changed my eating habits. I don't WANT fat anymore. My downfall was bread, chips, cookies, etc. I do not eat them anymore. This drug helped me change my eating habits and lifestyle because once I saw how the weight started to drop off, I was encouraged to help it along anyway possible. This caused me to gradually change my eating habits to a more healthy level. I will continue to take this medication (I only take it once a day now at the evening meal). To me it was a miracle drug as it helped me learn to eat healthier. Good luck to all who wish to try it. It took me 4 years to lose all the weight, but I have maintained that weight for several years for the first time in my life. I have been obese my entire life so this was definitely a miracle for me.

hi today is 23rd april 2007 i was put on xenical 120mg by my doctor i have been doing slimming world forever lol the weight i have lost with slimming world is nothing to write home about so my doctor suggested these tablets so i am now on day 3 bowl movement has just started to work very windy before this lol ,am a little worried if i should be taking a tablet with my 3 meals as not much fat in them at all (should i be eating more fat !) i have 2 weetabix with skimmed milk for breakfast ,jacket potato with beans for lunch ,loads of rice or pasta with home made fat free sauce for tea + 2 slices of wholemeal bread , should i still take 1 with every meal ? i see that most of the blog on here hasgood reviews if any one out there has any usefull info that could help please feel free to email me at robynoaige@gmail.com if you put the subject as xenical then i will spot it many thanks in advance obtw i have loads and loads of weight to lose about 70lb would be about right look forward to any advice you could give ( thanks )

sorry thread above has wrong email please email
robynpaige@gmail.com thanks

TJ said:
I have read this entire blog and have to finally put my 2 cents worth in. I have been on Xenical since 2000. I started out weighing 245 pounds (size 24) and now weigh 135(size 8 at 5'8" and 52 yrs). I took Xenical 2 to 3 times a day only if I ate a full meal. I never had an "accident" because when I first started taking it, if I was away from home,[...]

TJ said:
I have read this entire blog and have to finally put my 2 cents worth in. I have been on Xenical since 2000. I started out weighing 245 pounds (size 24) and now weigh 135(size 8 at 5'8" and 52 yrs). I took Xenical 2 to 3 times a day only if I ate a full meal. I never had an "accident" because when I first started taking it, if I was away from home,[...]

What I haven't heard mentioned (although I haven't read many comments) is the fact that this medication trains a person to eat correctly. Look what happens when you eat too much fat! If there was a negative reaction to eating fat then we would eat much less of it. This is not unlike medication to quit smoking by changing the taste of cigarettes. I think this is a promising drug to be taken along with proper exercise. If used correctly I think it will retrain the mind into correct portion size.

i tried xenical and i love it when i first started i had nooo side effect and thats was weard then i stoped taking it for a while but i start again afew weeks ago and i had the side effect the first afew dayes coz i really didnt care what i was eating but after i decide to eat right i eat every thing but not overeating and i also working out every day i had no side effect and i feel great im planing 2 lose 5 pound. any body heard about the new diet pill alli it will be available in july .

Hello Everyone,
I have been taking Xenical for 2 weeks now and have lost 1.5kg. I live in the UK so am lucky enough not to have to pay for it, although if I do not continue to lose I will be taken off it. I see a nurse every fortnight who weighs me and chats with me to check all is well. Everyone who has said it is like a teaching tool, I completely agree, I was a fan of donuts, pastries, anything bad, but now I am eating mountains of fruit and veg and walking, and walking and walking, I can already see my shape changing, even though the scales are slower to move!!!
The only issue I have with it is that I am getting really bad headaches, if anyone else has experienced this and has overcome it please drop me a line at muddyruddy1@hushmail.com.
Thanks
Lou

The only downfall I can see at the moment

I've read a few blogs about this pill and have read that it set a pre-cursor for cancer. For the long term Xenical users...what are your thoughts on this pre-cursor for cancer report. Unfounded? Some truth in it?

I'm thinking about trying Alli when ever it becomes OTC because I have like 70lbs I would like to lose to feel comfortable and give my knees some relief. Plus I want to have another baby sometime next year but don't want it to happen while I'm at 237lbs. What are the fertility affects?

i been on xenical for a while and i love it but what is the deffrent between xenical and alli i know that xenical is 12o m and alli 60 m is that is the deffrent

I took Xenical for a year back in 2004 at the time I started taking them I was 255 pounds... At the end of that year I went down to 160.. it is now 2007 and I am down to 150 and have stayed at this weight without the xenical. Yes, Xenical has a nasty side affect, but that is how it works. You eat less fatty food to avoid that side affect. If you are taking xenical and you are continuing to eat fatting foods then you will have the side affect, and you should probably not be taking it. They are coming out with the over the counter version of Xenical in June of this year, and (even though I am not a doctor) Any person wanting to lose weight I would highly recommend this as a person who has used it in the past. Just remember that it does work off of its side affect and if you continue to eat nasty fatty foods than you are not doing your part... when it comes to losing weight yourself.. a little fatty food isn't bad here and there but if you are to lazy to help yourself loose weight don't depend a pill to do it for you then complain about the side affects.. Im sure your doctor told you the side affects before they have it to you.

I drink lots and lots of water, eat pretty healthy, yogurt, fresh fruits and veggies, lots of spices instead of butter and oils, salads etc, but i'm not crazy about it, i actually like healthy foods, although occasionally i will enjoy chocolate or a hamburger...and i work out at least 3 days a week, but although i have muscle, stamina, and flexibility, i haven't ever seen the weight loss i want to see, i am still 5'8'' and 230 pounds...which is frusterating and sometimes makes me want to say screw it and watch tv w/a bag of potato chips instead of working out...i wonder if something like this would be right for me? What is considered "high fat"?? What if you tend to have more sugar than fat in your diet?

Opt for a healthy diet and exercise. Xenical should not be taken over-the-counter. It should be prescribed by a physician.

My aunt who was obese first took Xenical because she wanted to be fit and back to her old figure. After 8 months I saw her and she became so thin that she actually had the look of sagging... What had me scared is that she had developed a thyroid complication that eventually affected her heart causing her to have CHF and eventually gave her a complication in the liver leading to her demise. I feel saddened by this as she really was a great person.

I strongly recommend EXERCISE and have a HEALTHY diet rather than taking OTC diet pills or such or if you really really want to try them, then I suggest that you had a physician recommend/ prescribed it to you after a battery of checkups that you are really healthy and without any problems in taking those meds.

The first 3 weeks I took Xenical I lost 4 pounds. I lost another 6 pounds in 2 weeks. All without formal exercise (my job requires much walking throughout the day). I only took it for 5 weeks because I could not afford it anymore and my doctor would not prescribe me anymore. That was 4 months ago and I have kept the weight off with diet and exercise. I will start again as soon as it becomes available OTC. The nasty side effects can be minimized by a low fat diet. This pill helps me on my cheat days. I know I would have lost more weight if I had been on it longer. It's not a chronic solution but a good way to get started and establish good eating habits thus leading to a LIFESTYLE change.

my brother wants to start on Xenical as soon as its otc, but I'm not sure if he should. He's not really overweight, but just wants to lose a coulpe pounds to keep healthy. The only thing that worries me is that his high blood pressure would cause serious problems when/ if he started xenical. Is it safe?