XENICAL
is available as a dark-blue, hard-gelatin capsule, with
light-blue imprinting. Each capsule contains 120 mg
of the active ingredient orlistat.
HOW
DOES XENICAL WORK?
XENICAL
does not act centrally on the brain to reduce appetite.
Its action takes place in the lumen of the stomach and
absorption of the drug into the blood is minimal. In
contradistinction, most other weight loss medicines
act on specific areas of the brain to reduce appetite.
You eat less, you lose weight - but at a price. In order
to get to the brain, these drugs must enter the blood
stream. Therefore, these drugs may have systemic side
effects (central nervous system and cardiovascular),
ranging from minor to severe and are indicated only
for short-term use. But, most important, these drugs
do little if anything to help people change their eating
habits or lifestyles. Therefore, when they stop taking
the drugs, the weight is quickly regained.
XENICAL,
on the other hand, is a reversible inhibitor of lipases
made in the stomach and pancreas. Lipases are enzymes
that break down fat. After we eat a fatty meal (such
as meat) fats reach the stomach in a form called triglycerides.
Triglycerides cannot be absorbed into the blood unless
lipases break them down into compounds called fatty
acids. XENICAL prevents this breakdown and the
undigested triglycerides are excreted into the stool.
The resulting decrease in caloric intake can have a
positive effect on weight control.
HOW
MUCH WEIGHT CAN I LOSE WITH XENICAL?
There
is no clear-cut amount of weight that can be lost when
taking XENICAL. Remember, in order for XENICAL
to work optimally you must restrict your fat intake
and increase exercise. If you are committed to your
weight loss program there is essentially no limit as
to how much weight you can loose. Nonetheless, weight
loss should be gradual and always be done safely. While
it is important that you decrease you fat intake it
is equally as important that you eat healthy and insure
you obtain all essential nutrients each and every day.
Keep in mind that even a small amount of weight loss
can reward you with a big gain in your health. A loss
of 5 to 10% of your current weight can result in a significant
reduction of risk for disease.
CLINICAL
EFFICACY STUDIES:
Pooled
data from multiple trials indicated that weight loss
averaged 12.4 lbs. to 13.4 lbs. in patients taking XENICAL.
Overall 57% of treated patients lost over 5% of their
base-line body weight. Those on XENICAL showed
a decrease in total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
(low density cholesterol). This form of cholesterol
acts to promote the deposition of fatty plaques along
the walls of arteries. There was a concomitant increase
in HDL cholesterol (high density cholesterol). This
form of cholesterol acts to inhibit the deposition of
fatty plaques along the walls of arteries. In international
clinical studies with thousands of patients, most individuals
using XENICAL lost, on average, 10% of their
initial body weight over a 6-8 month period.
ARE
THERE OTHER BENEFITS TO TAKING XENICAL?
In
addition to reducing weight, XENICAL reduces:
-
high blood pressure.
-
the amount of anti-diabetic medication required (if
already diabetic).
-
triglycerides.
-
body fat.
-
the chance of developing type II diabetes.
WHO
SHOULD TAKE XENICAL?
XENICAL
is a serious weight loss medication, indicated only
for those who are truly obese (obesity is defined as
having an initial body mass index greater than or equal
to 30 kg/m2 or 27 kg/m2 in the presence of other risk
factors such as hypertension, diabetes or increased
serum cholesterol). The initial body mass index is calculated
utilizing the patient's height and weight. Therefore
it in not generally recommended that it be used as a
"summer" medication for transient weight loss. It is
most commonly recommended that it be prescribed for
those who are willing to make serious permanent changes
in their eating and exercise habits
WHEN
SHOULD I START TAKING XENICAL?
When
you are ready to control your diet so that no more than
one third of calories come from fat and you are willing
to commit yourself to beginning and continuing with
a graded exercise program you are then ready to start
taking XENICAL.
HOW
DO I START TAKING XENICAL?
Questions
that should be answered before I begin this medicine
include:
-
Am I overweight?
-
Am I at risk for diseases associated with being overweight?
-
How much weight can I realistically lose?
-
Can I achieve this goal with diet and exercise alone?
-
Am I committed to managing my weight?
-
What kinds of support will I require to help me manage
my weight (such as nutritionist, dietician, physical
therapist, or psychologist)?
-
Are these resources available to me?
WHAT
IS THE CORRECT DOSAGE OF XENICAL?
One
capsule (120milligrams) is taken three times daily with
each main meal - up two hours after eating. Taking a
capsule with each meal is convenient and easy to remember.
HOW
QUICKLY DOES XENICAL WORK?
In
one clinical study, weight loss attributed to XENICAL
was seen as early as 2 weeks after starting this medicine.
In patients who participate in a graded exercise program
that slowly increases the amount of physical activity
performed each week, weight loss my be seen ever faster.
HOW
LONG CAN I CONTINUE TAKING XENICAL?
One
of the benefits of XENICAL is that while you
lose weight, you are changing your eating habits and
lifestyle. By the time you have reached your goal, you
may be able to maintain your weight through diet and
exercise alone. If, however, you start to regain weight,
you can safely resume taking XENICAL. XENICAL
has been shown to be safe for up to two years of continuous
use. XENICAL can become part of your long-term
weight maintenance program.
DO
I HAVE TO TAKE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS?
Yes,
it is worthwhile to take a vitamin supplement that contains
fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and D. XENICAL
has been shown to reduce the absorption of some fat-soluble
vitamins and beta-carotene. The supplement should be
taken once a day at least 2 hours before or 2 hours
after a dose of XENICAL. Bedtime is a very convenient
time to take your vitamin.
IF
I TAKE MORE THAN ONE CAPSULE AT A TIME, WILL IT BLOCK
MORE FAT?
No.
There is absolutely no benefit to taking more than the
recommended dose.
DO
I HAVE TO TAKE A CAPSULE WITH EVERY MEAL?
If
you skip a meal or your meal contains little fat (note:
be careful of the hidden fats in many foods), there
is no reason to take XENICAL, although there
is no harm in taking the capsule. Taking a capsule with
each meal will help you to remember and avoid missing
doses.
WHAT
IF I EAT MORE THAN THREE MEALS A DAY?
It
is strongly recommended that you eat several meals throughout
the day. But, you should not take more than 3 XENICAL
capsules per day.
WHAT
IF I MISS TAKING A CAPSULE WITH A MEAL?
Nothing.
You simply miss the benefit of the medication.
DOES
XENICAL INTERACT WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS?
Clinical
studies have shown that XENICAL does not interact
with commonly used medications. However, before starting
XENICAL it is essential that you tell us on your
medical history/personal profile of any and all medications
(prescription and non-prescription) that you are currently
taking.
DOES
XENICAL HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?
XENICAL
has none of the side effects normally associated with
diet medications that act on the brain. XENICAL's
side effects are strictly gastrointestinal in nature
and related to its action of blocking the digestion
of ingested fat. The fat that is not absorbed into the
bloodstream remains in the intestine and becomes mixed
with the stool. The increased fat in the stool can cause
any of the following:
-
gas (flatulence) - sometimes with oily spotting
-
increased frequency of bowel movements
-
fatty/ oily stool
How
often or how quickly these effects occur will vary from
person to person and will depend on how much extra fat
was consumed. They can occur within hours after eating
a meal or up to a day or two later. These side effects
usually occur early in treatment, last for only a short
period, and disappear over time. Importantly, you can
control the effects if you control your fat intake.
Remember: it's not the XENICAL, it's the fat
you eat that causes the events.
COULD
I BECOME ADDICTED TO XENICAL?
Physiological
dependence does not occur because XENICAL is
not absorbed into the blood. Nonetheless, psychological
dependence can rarely become a problem. Thus, the notion
that this medicine is totally non-addictive is false.
CAN
I OVERDOSE ON XENICAL?
XENICAL
is very safe. There have been no cases of overdosing.
In experiments, patients who took doses of XENICAL
many times over the recommended dose experienced no
ill effects. Remember, taking more XENICAL gives
no extra benefit.
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