Xenical capsules is used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet to help you lose weight and prevent weight loss from returning.
It is also used in overweight people with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or heart disease.
Xenical works by preventing your intestines from absorbing some of the fats from the food you eat.
The use of this drug helps to remove undigested fats from your body with your bowel movements.
Some drugs containing the orlistat component, which is the active ingredient of the drug, are sometimes available on prescription.
What Will We Learn?
Things to Consider Before Using Xenical
When deciding to use Xenical, the risks of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do.
You and your doctor should make this decision jointly.
How To Use Xenical?
The dose of the drug will vary depending on the severity of the disease and your age.
The information recommended below includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different from the doses below, do not change your dose unless your doctor tells you to.
The usual dose for the treatment of obesity is listed below:
- Adults and teenagers – 120 milligrams (mg) three times a day with meals containing fat.
- Children under 12 years old – Use and dosage must be determined by the doctor.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and continue taking your normal dose.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.
Take Xenical only as prescribed by your doctor.
Do not take more often, for more or for longer than your doctor’s advice.
This medicine comes with instructions for use inside.
Be sure to carefully read and follow the directions on the label. Ask your doctor any questions you may have.
Xenical prevents the absorption of some of the fat you eat.
Take it with liquids during meals or up to 1 hour after a meal, unless the doctor says otherwise.
If you occasionally skip a meal or eat a fat-free meal, you should skip the dose of Xenical.
You will need to take a multivitamin supplement once a day, as Xenical can reduce the amount of certain vitamins your body absorbs from food.
Take the vitamin supplement at least 2 hours before or after taking Xenical.
Remember that you can also take your multivitamin supplement before bed.
While using Xenical, your diet should contain no more than 30% of calories as fat.
Having more fat in your diet will increase the risk of side effects from this drug.
Your daily intake of fat, carbohydrates and protein should be distributed over three main meals and your diet should be nutritionally balanced.
Carefully follow your doctor’s instructions for regular exercise and a low-calorie diet plan.
Before starting any exercise program, talk to your doctor and seek advice.
If you are taking levothyroxine (Levothroid®, Synthroid®) and Cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®), do not take the above-mentioned drugs at the same time you take this medicine.
It is best to take cyclosporine at least 3 hours before or 3 hours after taking Xenical capsules.
Levothyroxine should be used at least 4 hours before or 4 hours after taking Xenical.
Where Should It Be Stored?
Store this medication prescribed by your doctor in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Make sure you keep it out of the reach of children.
Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Xenical should not be used during pregnancy as it may harm your unborn baby.
Weight loss is of no potential benefit to a pregnant woman and could cause harm to your baby.
There are not enough studies in women to determine the infant risk when using orlistat, the active ingredient in the drug, during breastfeeding. Discuss the potential benefits versus potential risks with your doctor before taking Xenical while breastfeeding.
Xenical And Other Drugs
While some drugs can be used together, using some drugs together can cause serious health problems.
If two drugs interact with each other, your doctor may want to change the dose or ask you to take other precautions.
When you are taking Xenical, it is important that your doctor knows if you are taking any of the medicines listed below.
It should be noted that the medicines listed below are not a complete list. For a complete list, please contact your doctor:
- Abacavir
- Acenocoumarol
- Apixaban
- Ardeparine
- Argatroban
- Atazanavir
- Bivalirudin
- Carbamazepine
- Certoparine
- Cobazam
- Clonazepam
- cCorazepate
- Cobicistat
- Cyclosporine
- Dabigatran Ethexylate
- Dalteparin
- Danaparoid
- Darunavir
- Desire
- Diazepam
- Didanosine
- Edoxaban
- Efavirenz
- Elvitegravir
- Emtricitabine
- Enoxaparin
- Eslicarbazepine Acetate
- Ethosuximide
- Ethothine
- Etravirine
- Ezogabine
- Felbamate
- Fondaparinux
- Fosamprenavir
- Phosphenytoin
- Gabapentin
- Gabapentin Enacarbyl
- Heparin
- Indinavir
- lacosamide
- lamivudine
- lamotrigine
- lepyrudine
- Levetiracetam
- lopinavir
- lorazepam
- Methsuximide
- Midazolam
- Nadroparine
- Nelfinavir
- Nevirapine
- Oxcarbazepine
- Parnaparine
- Perampanel
- Phenindione
- Phenobarbital
- Phenprocoumon
- Phenytoin
- Piracetam
- Pregabalin
- Primidone
- Protein C
- Raltegravir
- Reviparin
- Rilpivirine
- Ritonavir
- Rivaroxaban
- Rufinamide
- Saquinavir
- Stavudine
- Stiripentol
- Telaprevir
- Tenofovir
- Tiagabine
- Tinzaparin
- Tipranavir
- Topiramate
- Triheptanoin
- Valproic acid
- Vigabatrin
- Warfarin
- Zidovudine
- Zonisamide
- Linoleic acid
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of Xenical.
Be sure to tell your doctor before using the drug, especially if you have other medical problems such as:
- Diabetes or underactive thyroid – Use with caution. It may increase the risk of serious side effects.
- Eating disorders (eg nervosa, anorexia or bulimia)
- Hyperoxaluria (high oxalic acid in the urine), or a history
- Kidney failure or kidney stone
- Liver disease – Use with caution. This can make your condition worse.
- Gallbladder problems or malabsorption syndrome (problems with digesting or absorbing food) — People with this condition should not take this medicine.
Precautions
It is very important for the person to understand that this medicine is working properly.
Your doctor may order blood and urine tests to check for unwanted effects.
Using such medicines while pregnant can harm your unborn baby.
Make sure you use an effective method of birth control to avoid getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, contact your doctor immediately.
If diabetics take this drug, their body may experience improvement as a result of weight loss.
In this case, your doctor may need to change your dose of oral diabetes medication or insulin.
If you or your child has pain or tenderness in your upper stomach during the use of the drug, consult your doctor immediately.
This drug can cause kidney stone formation in some people.
Check with your doctor right away if you or your child has blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting, pain in the groin or genitals, or sharp back pain just below the ribs.
Losing weight with this medicine may cause gallstone formation in some cases.
Check with your doctor right away if your child or you have severe stomach pain with nausea and vomiting.
Avoid taking any other medication without consulting your doctor.
This includes over-the-counter (or [OTC]) and prescription drugs, and herbal or vitamin supplements.
The following should be considered when deciding to use this drug:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to any medicine or any other medicines.
Tell your healthcare provider if you are allergic to preservatives, food, or animals.
Carefully read the label or package contents of the medicine.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated problems that would limit the usefulness of the active ingredient orlistat in teenagers.
No scientific study has been conducted on the effect of the active ingredient in the drug in children under 12 years of age.
For this reason, do not use this medicine in children under 12 years of age unless advised by the doctor.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated problems that would limit the usefulness of the active ingredient orlistat in the elderly.
What Are The Side Effects Of Xenical?
All medicines can cause some undesirable effects as well as their necessary effects.
Although these side effects do not appear in everyone, they may need medical attention if they occur.
Consult your doctor immediately if any of the side effects listed below occur:
- Bladder pain
- Body aches
- Chills
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Ear congestion
- Fire
- General discomfort or feeling of sickness
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of voice
- Lower back pain
- Muscle aches and pains
- Nasal congestion
- Nausea
- Runny nose
- Sneeze
- Throat ache
- To sweat
- Sleep problem
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Vomiting
- Abdominal or stomach pain or discomfort
- Back pain
- Difficulty moving
- Gas with leaky bowel movements
- Inability to hold a bowel movement
- Increase in bowel movements
- Loss of bowel control
- Fatty bowel movements
- Oily staining on underwear
It should be noted that the above-listed side effects are not a complete list. If you experience any different effects from the use of this medicine, consult your doctor without waiting.
You can report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
How Fast Will Xenical Work?
In order for Xenical to be effective, it must be taken regularly with the advice of a doctor.
The effect of the drug begins in the 2nd week. The duration of treatment can vary from 6 to 12 months, depending on the condition of your disease.
Even after this period, your doctor may prescribe this medicine again for a short time so that you do not regain the weight you lost.
How Much Weight Can I lose On Xenical?
When used with a healthy diet and a correct physician’s advice, 4 out of 10 people who take this drug lose 10% of their body weight in a year.
People who use this drug are thought to be twice as likely to lose weight as people who don’t use it.
Does Xenical Make You Poop?
Orlistat, the active ingredient in Xenical, may cause side effects such as diarrhea (watery poop) in some people.
If you notice staining in your underwear, diarrhea, changes in your bowel movements, stop using the drug and contact your doctor.
Is Xenical Safe To Use?
There are 12 cases of severe liver injury reported with the use of Xenical and one case reported with the use of Alli.
It is one of the types of drugs that can cause such unwanted problems if used unconsciously and without the advice of a doctor.
Our article on acxion pills, another drug used for weight loss, may also attract your attention.
