Xenical (Orlistat) and weight loss (obesity)
When can Xenical (Orlistat) be prescribed to help weight loss (obesity)?
Xenical is indicated in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet to treat obesity. Xenical is a prescription only medicine which can be prescribed for obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 kg/m2 or for overweight patients with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 28 kg/m2 who also have other risk factors.
Xenical should be stopped if a patient has not lost 5% of their body weight in the first 12 weeks of use.
For information on Pharmacy2U's private prescription services, including our online doctor consultation service, Click Here.
How many people are over weight or obese and so could use Xenical?
People are classed as obese and can have a prescription for Xenical if they have a body mass index over 30. They are overweight if it is 25-30. Click here to check your BMI.
Adult obesity rates have almost quadrupled in the last 25 years. Now over 20% of Britons are obese and three-quarters are classed as overweight.
What are the causes of obesity?
In most otherwise healthy people, the causes of being obese or overweight are simple: eating too many calories or taking too little exercise, or more than likely a combination of both!
The plethora of fad diets have convinced many people that eating low fat or low carbohydrate foods can provide a short cut to losing weight. Your body has the capability to convert fat to carbohydrates and carbohydrates to fat depending on the quantity of each it has available to it, so manipulating the amount taken in the diet in an attempt to lose weight is largely useless. In otherwise healthy people, it is equally untrue that some people have a “slow metabolism” and so are more likely to put on weight.
The simple fact is that if you regularly consume more calories than you burn off, you will put on weight. The good news is that if you burn off more calories than you consume on a regular basis you WILL lose weight. The only guaranteed way to lose weight is therefore to eat less, do more and preferably do both. Xenical can help by helping you consume fewer calories.
Why does weight loss (obesity) matter?
DDespite being a very common condition being obese or overweight can have serious effects. Obesity can lead to extremely serious health problems, including arthritis, heart disease and diabetes. Xenical can help avoid these problems. Because of these serious health problems, in England, over 30,000 deaths a year are caused by obesity. It has been estimated that obesity costs the NHS £500 million a year. The overall cost to the country is thought to be over £7 billion every year.
Treatment of obesity or the promotion of weight loss with Xenical (Orlistat)
As discussed above the best way to guarantee weight loss is to consume fewer calories and take more exercise. In addition to these doctors can now prescribe Xenical, which has been shown to assist in weight loss.
How does Xenical (Orlistat) work?
Xenical reduces the body’s ability to absorb dietary fat into the body by inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipases in the stomach and small intestine. This stops the body from being able to change the fat into a form in which it can be taken into the body – and so count as calories!
Does Xenical (Orlistat) always work?
In clinical trials about 6 out of 10 patients taking xenical in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet lost 5% of their body weight after 12 weeks. If 5% of the body weight was not lost in the first 12 weeks then continual treatment was largely ineffective. Of those patients that did lose 5% or more of their body weight in the first 12 weeks, 62% of these lost 10% of their body weight in 1 year. In addition the weight loss delayed the development of type 2 diabetes during the study.
Xenical (Orlistat) side effects
Like all medicines Xenical (orlistat) can cause side effects. The most common is the desperate need to defecate, flatulence with discharge, oily anal discharge and oily or fatty poo. Abdominal pain and discomfort is also very common as are headaches and infections such as flu chest infections and urinary tract infections. Rarely an allergic reaction can occur. If you feel unwell when taking xenical you should tell your doctor immediately.
Is Xenical (Orlistat) for everyone?
Xenical should only be taken if prescribed by a doctor. Xenical should not be taken by people suffering with chronic malabsorption syndrome, cholestasis or by breast-feeding women. The use of an additional contraceptive method is recommended to prevent possible failure of oral contraception that could occur because of the severe diarrhoea that can occur with Xenical. Xenical can also interact with other medication so it is important to tell your doctor about all medication you are taking when he prescribes xenical.
How do I get Xenical (Orlistat)?
You need a prescription from your doctor to legally obtain Xenical (orlistat). Companies offering Xenical without a valid prescription are breaking the law, and you may be putting your health at risk.
Low cost, highly convenient and embarrassment free and supply of Xenical (Orlistat)
For many people who are prescribed treatments for weight loss (obesity), taking their prescription to the pharmacy represents an embarrassing hurdle which some may not overcome. In addition, some pharmacies will charge a great deal more than others to dispense your Xenical prescription.
Pharmacy2U offers one option to avoid paying too much and any embarrassment. Pharmacy2U is an NHS contracted, fully registered pharmacy that specialises in national home delivery of medicines, including the common treatments for weight loss (obesity). Pharmacy2U offers patients a professionally controlled, low cost and discreet service. All medicines are conveniently delivered in plain packaging to your chosen delivery address, so there is no need to go into a pharmacy. Medicines are dispatched by recorded delivery on the same day the prescription is received at Pharmacy2U.
Please click here for further details of how to use this service.
Ensure that you do not pay too much
Your doctor may give you a private prescription that means you have to pay for the full cost of Xenical (orlistat) and also any dispensing fee the pharmacist chooses to charge. Big differences can exist depending on where you take your prescription to be dispensed. This means that it is important for you to find the best price available to you.
Highly competitive prices are available at Pharmacy2U Ltd. Click here for details.
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All content of this web site is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice; rather it is designed to support, not replace, the relationship between you and your healthcare providers. You should make sure that you carefully read all product packaging and labels prior to use. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor. Please consult your doctor before taking any new product, particularly if you are already under medical care. For more information view our Terms & Conditions © Pharmacy2U Ltd 2000 - 2007.
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