Orlistat - Any advice/experiences.

I went to the doctor today as per the advice in this thread. I told him what I was eating and that I planned to join a gym (he gave me advice about a good one that wasn't full of body-builders :smile:

). I said I was very disheartened by the lack of weight loss I've had compared to my diet and he said that if it was still the same in a few weeks time he might put me on Orlistat which absorbs some of the fat you eat increasing weight-loss by 10 or 20%.

Does anyone have any advice/experiences to do with this pill?

- Thanks

Reply 1

ThisLittlePiggy

12

From what I have heard Orlistat has excellent weight loss results when combined with a low fat diet.

Now, Orlisat, being a lipase inhibitor, will decrease your dietary intake of fat by a quite considerable amount and thus increase excretion of said fat. As a result; if your daily intake of fat is over the normal dietary amount fo roughly 70g you will suffer some consequences as the fat will build up in your gut prior to excretion.This will cause

1. Stomach and abdominal pains
2. Loose stools and Diarrhoea
3. Steatorrhea

So basically, these affects act as a deterent to the dieter which basically means that if they stuck to their diet they will be fine and hunky dory.However, should they stray they will be punished for it. This encourages good health choices about food intake and these should become ingrained to you over the next wee while ,up to a maximum of two years, so that when you come off the drug you will still make good health based food choices.

I would also like to point out that some of the minerals and vitamins required by the body are absorbed bound to fat which means that you could potentially not absorb all that the body needs through diet anymore and thus the use of multivitamins may be a smart move. Might wan't to ask the GP about that one though.

Reply 2

Ilora-Danon

3

Faecal incontinence is one of the main side effects.

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, personally. If you're considerably overweight, you should be able to lose weight easier and faster than someone who was only a stone overweight, using exercise and a balanced, low fat diet.

I seriously think that Orlistat should only be used if you've seriously attempted to lose weight the right way - by that I mean eating balanced low fat diet and exercise. If you haven't lost weight in 6 months, then I'd consider doing something more substantial, but to be honest most people put on Orlistat haven't even tried dieting and exercise for long enough before they wrote it off. They say they'd tried every diet under the sun - but I can guarantee you they've never tried regular exercise for longer than a few weeks.

Reply 3

ThisLittlePiggy

12

Ilora-Danon

but to be honest most people put on Orlistat haven't even tried dieting and exercise for long enough before they wrote it off. They say they'd tried every diet under the sun - but I can guarantee you they've never tried regular exercise for longer than a few weeks.

This may or not be the case with the OP and whilst often quite true does not exactly help the OP with his question.

Now, as I have said before the side affects aren't true side effects as you see with most other drugs which occur despite what the taker does or does not do. The side effects or Orlistat only manifest when the diet has been broken and are thus controllable.

I say go for it as it may just be the kick start to the weight loss that you hoped to see.

Also, the Orlistat itself isn't the thing that really helps you lose weight; it is the low fat diet that you need to be on to avoid / control the steatorrhoea.The drug is merely a way in which strict adherence to the diet can be maintained.You see? They aren't magic pills...

Reply 4

Norfolkadam

OP

18

I wasn't thinking of going on Orlistat until I had tried exercise and combined it with the healthy eating but I have been fluctuating between two weights for over 3 months now with almost no weight loss. Probably about half a stone in all.

So today I have had an apple, a bannana, 3 bottles of water, a tuna sandwich, prawns, pasta and a small chocolate bar. I also got off the bus two stops early to walk home and walked about a mile to the doctors.

Reply 5

ThisLittlePiggy

12

Norfolkadam

I wasn't thinking of going on Orlistat until I had tried exercise and combined it with the healthy eating but I have been fluctuating between two weights for over 3 months now with almost no weight loss. Probably about half a stone in all.

So today I have had an apple, a bannana, 3 bottles of water, a tuna sandwich, prawns, pasta and a small chocolate bar. I also got off the bus two stops early to walk home and walked about a mile to the doctors.

Watch the water.It is advised that you should only really drink when you are thirsty as opposed to the current "8 glasses a day".

Have you tried counting calories? Do you know how many you have had today with what you have eaten?

Reply 6

Norfolkadam

OP

18

ThisLittlePiggy

Watch the water.It is advised that you should only really drink when you are thirsty as opposed to the current "8 glasses a day".

Have you tried counting calories? Do you know how many you have had today with what you have eaten?

Calorie counting is hard for me because I don't tend to eat out of a packet. The sandwich was a college one and didn't have any calorie info on it and I wouldn't know how to find out how many calories were in my prawns and pasta.

I do only drink when I'm thirsty but because I have a bottle of water with me all the time I do swig at it during tutorials.

Reply 7

ThisLittlePiggy

12

Norfolkadam

Calorie counting is hard for me because I don't tend to eat out of a packet. The sandwich was a college one and didn't have any calorie info on it and I wouldn't know how to find out how many calories were in my prawns and pasta..

Might I suggest that you make the use of a Dietitian; who would be able to instruct you on how to follow a calorie controlled low fat diet?

And I know when people hear the word calorie ,myself included until recently, they think "UGH! not again..." but it does work and many professionals vehemently argue that it is the only way to diet and lose weight effectively.

Reply 8

Ilora-Danon

3

I second the dietician. I'd much rather see people making an effort with their diets than being forced to eat a low fat diet in fear of pooing ones' self. After all, what do you really learn from Orlistat? You don't learn about portion control, or self control or even about balanced diets, you just learn what foods to avoid - which, isn't actually that healthy imo.

I again, suggest a slimming club such as weightwatchers. You will learn how to eat a low fat and low calorie diet but using a points system (which, in my experience, has been far less complicated than working out the calories in everything). You learn about just how much exercise is required to burn off that sandwich and you learn about portion control, self control and also how to maintain it without falling off the proverbial wagon.

I honestly don't mean to go on, but I can think of a hundred reasons why a dietician or a slimming club would be a better, more sensible alternative to Orlistat.

Reply 9

ThisLittlePiggy

12

Ilora-Danon

I honestly don't mean to go on, but I can think of a hundred reasons why a dietician or a slimming club would be a better, more sensible alternative to Orlistat.

I see what you mean but where I am from Orlistat,after consulting my Doctor Sister, is only really prescribed after you have been referred to the dietician. So you would learn a great deal about portion control, what to eat and what not to eat etc before receiving Orlistat.

Reply 10

ThisLittlePiggy

12

Matey Foyuy Can Do Ite!

Reply 11

Anonymous #1

Norfolkadam

I've been on this a week and have lost 5Kg. I do not expect my weight loss to continue to be so rapid but it is a great start.

My GP has actually recommended gastric bypass. I'm trying to avoid that.

I know what you mean about packets. I bought some food scales from Lloyds pharmacy

http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=1008&storeId=90&productId=10570&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=&top=&top_category=&fromPage=Search&hotspot_prefix=

I weigh everything I eat. You put the food on the scales, weigh it and then enter a code number. This gives you the calorie content, fat, carbohydrate etc. You will be surprised what is in some foods, the caorie content of olive oil and veg oil is huge.

I'm eating 1500 calories a day and 30g fat (10g per meal). On orlistat it is essential you eat fat. If you don't your body will go into starvation mode and store fat. Also you need the fat to absorb some vitamins. You can take a multivitamin but make sure it contains B vitamins - not all do.

This is what has made the difference to me. I was once on a diet (medical not weight loss) that was VERY low in fat and I gained weight!

I have been lucky with side effects - a bit more wind and slight constipation. From my reading if you have more than 15g of fat per meal you will suffer. You have been warned.

It is not for everyone - and it is something you need to discuss with your GP. But if you are prepared to do it and your GP supports you go for it. But do buy the scales, weigh everything and write it down.

Ilora-Danon

You are incredibly judgmental - my weight gain was caused in part by a very painful and debilitating medical condition- meant I not only couldn't exercise but struggled to get to the shops and meant I was unable to stand at the cooker to cook or bend to the oven. So my options were basically order take away food or eat ready meals done in the microwave.

Then a course of steroids helped my health but not my weight. I say helped, I am not back to my old self and never will be.

People like you have made my life miserable - it's not nice to have someone call you fat cow in the street.

Reply 12

Anonymous #2

Hi!

Don't know whether this post has finished, but stumbled across it and thought I'd add my two cents :smile:

I have been on Orlistat for about 2 weeks. I am a 19 year old female, who weighed 16.7 stone at my heaviest and I'm 5"7 tall. I won't lie to you, the reason I'm overweight is I like food and I'm lazy. I also have Polycystic Ovaries which can make losing weight difficult but I am NOT using that as an excuse at all!

Anyway, the Orlistat. Well, so far I've lost around 3kgs (7lbs) which I find amazing - however, you have to be prepared to actually reign in what you eat. I've seen a load of forums with people saying they're "only" eating 1800-2000 calories a day. As to maintain your weight you need around 2000 (I think!) I don't see how this could work - Orlistat isn't a miracle drug.

I eat up to 1200 calories a day, and up to 30g fat a day. Now, don't panic, I'm not starving myself or becoming anorexic. I actually eat at least 3/4 times a day, with snacks, and I'm rarely hungry - all this and occasionally I'm a few hundred cals under 1200.

I thought I'd put up an average meal plan, just to help someone who isn't sure what they can eat on Orlistat. A sidenote - readymeals are your friend. Although they don't taste half as nice as a prepared meal, everything is weighed out, calories are counted, etc.

Breakfast - Bowl of Special K, orange juice, Orlistat

Snack - fruits, low fat desserts (try the WeightWatchers Rich Chocolate Pudding which is only 62 cals, or their Belgian Choc/Vanilla Mousses)

Lunch - Sandwich with low fat Philly, cooked meat, bag of Walkers Baked crisps, WeightWatchers chocolate mini roll, fruit, Orlistat

Snack - Cereal bar, fruit, anything really under 100 calories :smile:

Dinner - M&S Count On Us / Waitrose Low Saturated Fat / Sainsburys Be Good to Yourself Ready Meal. These are usually under 500 calories and 10g of fat, meaning after you can have another low fat dessert, some fruit, or an icecream (MiniMilks are cracking at only something like 40 calories each.)

I hope this helps you to understand that you actually have to work with Orlistat. Exercise is also a crucial part to burn some of the calories you've consumed - however, if only eating 1200 calories a day, the weight does drop off still (just a bit slower). If you're exercising, eat say 1500 cals, then burn 300, so you've still eaten 1200 during the day.

Good luck to anyone considering it :smile:

Orlistat - Any advice/experiences.

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